Joe Flaherty -- famous from "Happy Gilmore" and "Freaks and Greeks" -- has died ... so says his own flesh and blood.
The actor's daughter, Gudrun, dropped the sad news, saying her father passed away Monday after a brief illness. She didn't disclose what ailment he was battling, or where exactly he died ... no further details were shared.
JF's famous friends had recently rallied to raise money to provide round-the-clock care for the comedic legend ... with his daughter serving as his sole caregiver at the time.