Gallagher, comedian famous for smashing watermelons, dies at 76

The comedian Gallagher, best known for smashing watermelons on stage during his act, has passed away at the age of 76.

NBC News reported Leo Gallagher died from organ failure while in hospice care in Palm Spring, California after suffering multiple heart attacks.

Gallagher rose to fame for his trademark comedy sketch, “Sledge-O-Matic,” where he’d take a large wooden mallet and smash different types of food, always ending with the grand finale -- a watermelon.

Gallagher was one of the top comedians in the country for nearly two decades, completing more than 3,500 live shows, and more than a dozen Showtime specials.

Gallagher’s 1980 stand-up special was the first to ever air on cable television.