Child’s Play actor Ed Gale, known for playing the doll Chucky in the 90s horror flick, died on Tuesday, an official death announcement reveals. The icon, born with dwarfism, shot into the movie scenes in the mid-eighties as one of the actors billed to play the titular character in Howard the Duck. Two years later, the star landed what would become his most notable gig, playing Chucky, a doll possessed by a serial killer in Child’s Play, a role he reprised in the sequel. The villainous doll, first brought to life by Gale’s theatrics, has gone on to become one of the most menacing horror villains of all time.
Nearly four decades later, with over a hundred onscreen credits under his belt, the actor leaves behind an impressive onscreen legacy. On Tuesday, May 27, Ed Gale’s niece Kayse Gale took to Facebook to announce his death, confirming the Chucky actor had suddenly died in hospice in Los Angeles. In her post, Kayse revealed that the actor “has taken his final bow, and is now headlining in the afterlife.”
Ed Gale’s Life, Death, and Journey to Stardom
Kayse proceeded to recount her uncle’s remarkable journey to stardom, beginning from his bold move to “hitch a ride to California” at the age of twenty. Despite having only “$41 and a dream” at the onset of that journey, he eventually made his way in Hollywood, with credits in Howard the Duck, Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town, and Child’s Play. Kayse continued,
“Over the course of his career, he appeared in over 130 movies, TV shows, and commercials. With this wide-ranging body of work, he leaves behind a legacy full of questionable lighting and amazing one-liners. Ed’s favorite role was that of the ‘fun uncle.’ His love language was sharing his love of the entertainment industry and the magic of Hollywood with his nieces.”
In the post announcing his death at 61, Ed Gale’s niece fondly remembered some of her uncle’s favorite things before he died. She reminisced on his love for “7-Eleven hotdogs” with ketchup, DJing at the Plainwell roller rink, cheating at cribbage, and recounting his glory days. Concluding her post, Kayse noted how much the actor would be missed, adding that “he had one hell of a cranky laugh.” The Child’s Play star’s family did not reveal his cause of death or details about his funeral arrangements.
Gale’s colleagues and co-stars have also expressed sadness over the loss of the actor. In a statement, filmmaker and director Tom Holland, who worked with Ed Gale in the original Child’s Play movies, fondly recalled the experience and how his Chucky rendition gave the series the boost it needed to become a renowned horror flick. He divulged,
“Ed was a pleasure to work with on Child’s Play and played an important role in helping me sell the action of Chucky and thus a reason to fear Chucky. Ed was always ready to go when I called action.”
Ed Gale, who commenced his career in 1986, famously portrayed Chucky the doll physically in the two original Child’s Play movies, as well as in the sequel, Bride of Chucky, released in 1998. Additionally, he made appearances in movies and TV shows like Pandemonic, Deadly Attraction, Crazy Town, The Polar Express, Emerald Acres, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, among other credits.
