Life Well Lived: Joseph Heckt A veteran and an unseen lynchpin in Western New York's theatre scene, 'Cowboy Joe' Heckt passed on April 18. Author: Larry Haneberg Updated: 8:54 AM EDT May 2, 2021 BUFFALO, N.Y. — "When he started wearing a cowboy hat we thought it looked silly, but he loved it. We just called him 'Cowboy Joe' after that," said Joe Abad. That's how Shea's Projectionist Joseph Heckt got his nickname. Abad is a longtime friend and co-worker of Cowboy Joe's. We met him at the Pearl Street Brewery for a chat about his friend and mentor. "The Shea's their projectors are pretty antique," Abad said. "They're actually out of the Tech Theatre that used to be on Main Street."