Ed Gale, actor behind Chucky and Howard the Duck, dies at 61 — See his most iconic roles
The 4'3" actor Ed Gale starred in over 130 film and television roles, including Chucky and Howard the Duck.
Ed Gale, the actor and stuntman best known for his work in the Howard the Duck and Chucky suits in the Child's Play franchise, died at age 61. He died on Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to his family. Gale had a long career with over 130 film, television, and commercial credits, which had made him a very popular figure at cult film and fan conventions.
A Plainwell, Michigan, native, Gale moved to Los Angeles with a dream and $41. He began his Hollywood career wearing the full-body suit for Howard the Duck (1986), a role that earned him immediate attention. He followed by playing the Chucky suit in Child's Play 2 and Bride of Chucky, portraying the killer doll physically while voice actor Brad Dourif supplied the voice.
From cult classics to convention fame
His niece Kayse Gale called him the "fun uncle" and a showman who "enjoyed the slow build up of spinning a great yarn, and cheating at cribbage." Her Facebook post read: "Ed Gale has taken his final bow and is now headlining in the afterlife."
He was a regular fixture at fan conventions, where he delighted in reprising his best-known roles. Gale's screen credits as an actor in guest roles are seen in:
- Chopper Chicks in Zombietown
- My Name Is Ear
- Baywatch
- 3rd Rock from the Sun
- Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
- Friday the 13th: The Series
- Tiptoes
- Land of the Lost
A Hollywood legacy measured in laughs and one-liners
Standing at 4 feet 4 inches, Gale brought physical presence and star quality to every performance. His characters, often in costume or background parts, left lasting impressions on audiences and the industry in general. From posing dressed up as a duck superhero to portraying a serial-killer doll, Gale became renowned in some of Hollywood's strangest, grittiest, and most legendary productions.
His niece summed up his legacy in humor and love: "He disliked Bill Maher for no good reason. He enjoyed 7-Eleven hot dogs with inexcusable quantities of ketchup. He laughed one hell of a time, and he will be missed. Rest in love, you cranky bastard."
