Ed Gale, who made his film debut wearing the “Howard the Duck” suit and went on to play Chucky in “Child’s Play” and two other films in the series, died Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 61.
His niece Kayse Gale wrote on Facebook, “It is with a heavy heart and a surprisingly light coffin (see what I did there?) that we announce the sudden passing of our uncle, Ed Gale. Ed Gale has taken his final bow and is now headlining in the afterlife. Ed hitched a ride to California when he was twenty years old, with $41 and a dream, and he never looked back. He lit up the silver screens in cult classic films like Howard the Duck and Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town, earning himself some serious street cred at every con he attended. Which he never stopped bragging about. Ever.
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“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 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.
“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 bastard,” she concluded.
Gale went on to wear the devilish doll suit in “Child’s Play 2” and “Bride of Chucky,” costumed as the possessed doll with the soul of a serial killer.
In the TV series “Land of the Lost,” Gale played the dinosaur Tasha. He had a brief appearance on “My Name Is Earl” as a carnival performer, and he had a supporting role in the Matthew McConaughey film “Tiptoes,” which revolved around a family of little people.
His other appearances include “Oh Brother, “Where Art Thou,” “Baywatch,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey” and “Friday the 13th: The Series.
Gale was also a familiar face at fan conventions and personal appearances for his films.
Born in Plainwell, Mich., he moved to Los Angeles to become an actor and appeared in more than 130 movies, TV shows and commercials.
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