Gallagher, the smash-’em-up comedian who left a trail of laughter, anger and shattered watermelons over a decadeslong career, died Friday at his home in Palm Springs, Calif., after a brief illness.

LEWISVILLE, Texas (AP) — The comedian Gallagher has been released from a Texas hospital, a week after suffering a heart attack before a performance at a suburban Dallas bar.

Gallagher, famous for his watermelon sledgehammering performances and 15 Showtime comedy specials, suffered his first attack during a March 2011 performance in Minnesota.