Ed Gale, Chucky and Howard the Duck actor, dies aged 61
Gale also had roles in Spaceballs and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.
Ed Gale, the actor best known for his roles in Howard the Duck and Chucky, has died at the age of 61.
Gale was born with dwarfism, and his first film role was as the in-suit performer playing the title character in Howard the Duck.
He went on to appear in other films such as Spaceballs, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, 1994's The Jungle Book, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Polar Express.
He also had roles in series such as Land of the Lost and My Name Is Earl, while the role for which he was most famous was as the in-suit performer for Chucky. He played the possessed doll in Child's Play, Child's Play 2, and Bride of Chucky.
In recent years, Gale was facing serious criminal allegations, with police investigating the actor for allegedly trying to solicit sex from a minor.
Following a 2023 sting operation, the Los Angeles Times reported that Gale admitted to trying to meet a teenage boy for sex and having sexually explicit online conversations with someone he thought was a minor.
Gale's death was announced by his niece Kayse in a post on Facebook. She wrote: "Over the course of his career he appeared in over 130 movies, TV shows, and commercials.
"Ed’s favourite 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. Ed loved 7-Eleven hotdogs with disgusting amounts of ketchup. He enjoyed reminiscing about his glory days DJing at the Plainwell roller rink.
"He hated Bill Maher for no good reason. He delighted in the slow build up of telling a good story, and cheating at Cribbage. He had one hell of a laugh, and he will be missed. Rest in love you cranky b*****d."
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
