Ed Gale, the actor known for playing the role ofHoward the Duckin Marvel’s 1986 cult classic and the original demonic doll Chucky inChild’s Play,has died at the age of 61.
His niece, Kayse Gale, shared a lengthy post on Facebook which said, “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 likeHoward the DuckandChopper Chicks in Zombie Town, earning himself some serious street cred at every con he attended. Which he never stopped bragging about. Ever."
“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."
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“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*stard."
Born 26 June 2025 in Plainwell, Michigan, Gale was determined not to allow his small stature to hold back his desire to perform and, at the age of 20, he left his home for Hollywood, and after many cold-calls to studios, finally found himself getting stunt auditions. This led him to George Lucas, who gave his first lead role inside the animatronic suit of Howard the Duck, a costume he once joked weighed almost as much as he did.
Just two years later, Gale would find himself playing another iconic role, as the killer doll Chucky. While Brad Dourif provided the voice for Chucky in all his forms (we won’t mention the attempted reboot), Gale acted out the role of Chuck in scenes that required a real actor to portray the doll inChild’s Play, Child’s Play 2and returned forBride of Chucky.
Gale’s ability to embody characters in elaborate suits gained him appearances inSpaceballs,Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey—he was one half of the alien “Station” – and he also had roles inLand of the Lost,O Brother, Where Art Thou?andThe Polar Express. In all, Gale starred in more than 130 film, TV, and commercials.
In the final years of his life, Gale’s legacy was marred by accusations that he approached several minors for sex, and the investigation was still ongoing at the time of the actor’s death.
Source:Facebook
Howard the Duck
