Ed Gale, the actor who portrayed Chucky in the first movie of the saga, has passed away at the age of 61 after facing several health complications in recent months, as confirmed by his niece Kayse Gale on social media. "He has bid farewell for the last time and is now the headliner in the afterlife."
Gale, born in Plainwell, Michigan, moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He made his debut in the movies wearing the costume of Howard the Duck and later portrayed Chucky in Child's Play.
He went on to appear in two more movies of the Child's Play series, wearing the demonic doll costume in Child's Play 2, and in Bride of Chucky dressed as the possessed doll with the soul of a serial killer. The actor appeared in over a hundred movies, TV shows, and commercials, as reported by Variety.
Gale played the dinosaur Tasha in the TV series Land of the Lost and had a supporting role in Matthew McConaughey's movie Tiptoes, among other appearances.
"With great sorrow and a surprisingly light coffin (see what I did there?), we announce the sudden passing of our uncle, Ed Gale. Ed Gale has bid his final farewell and is now the main star in the afterlife. Ed traveled to California at the age of twenty, with 41 dollars and a dream, and never looked back. He lit up the movie screens in cult classic films like Howard the Duck and Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town, earning great recognition at every convention he attended. Something he never stopped boasting about. Never," wrote his niece on Facebook.
"Throughout his career, he appeared in over 130 movies, TV shows, and commercials. With this extensive body of work, he leaves behind a legacy filled with questionable enlightenment and witty phrases. Ed's favorite role was that of the "fun uncle." His passion was sharing his love for the entertainment industry and the magic of Hollywood with his nieces," the post continues.
"Ed loved 7-Eleven hot dogs with disgusting amounts of ketchup. He enjoyed reminiscing about his glory days as a DJ at the Plainwell skating rink. He irrationally hated Bill Maher. He relished in telling a good story and cheating at cribbage. He had a great laugh, and we will miss him. Rest in peace, you grumpy old goat," Kayse Gale concluded.