Glenn Shadix
Glenn Shadix | |
|---|---|
 Shadix in 2004 | |
| Born | William Glenn Shadix April 15, 1952 Bessemer, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 2010 (aged 58) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1979–2010 |
| Spouse | Jon Jung[1] |
William Glenn Shadix (April 15, 1952 – September 7, 2010) was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his roles as Otho Fenlock in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice and the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas.[2]
Early life
[edit]Shadix was born on April 15, 1952, in Bessemer, Alabama, the eldest child in the family. His surname was legally changed to "Scott" when his mother, Annie Ruth (née Livingston), remarried a few years after his birth,[3] although he would use his original surname when working as an actor. He attended Birmingham–Southern College for two years, studying with absurdist playwright-director Arnold Powell.[4]
Career
[edit]He lived in Manhattan, New York City, prior to moving to Hollywood in 1977. He got his breakthrough film role in Beetlejuice as interior decorator Otho Fenlock, while appearing in The Groundlings comedy troupe and performing in the stage play Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights, portraying Gertrude Stein.[5] Beetlejuice filmmaker Tim Burton went on to cast Shadix in 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes. Throughout the 1990s he had small roles on iconic television shows, including Cheers, Roseanne and Seinfeld.
In 1995, Shadix was cast as Ray Cathode in the Space Mountain queue advertisements when the ride was sponsored by FedEx.
In 2005, Shadix was cast as the voices of the Brain and Monsieur Mallah in season five of the Teen Titans animated series. His other voice work includes the aforementioned Nightmare, and episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures and Justice League Unlimited (where he played Steven Mandragora). He reprised his Nightmare Before Christmas role in the video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge, and the Square Enix video game Kingdom Hearts II.
His television work included the HBO drama Carnivàle, the NBC television comedy Seinfeld, in which he played Jerry's landlord, and playing the roles of giant brothers Typhoon and Typhon in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. On stage, Shadix was set to begin rehearsals for a Birmingham production of Alan Bennett's History Boys.[citation needed]
Personal life
[edit]According to an interview with the Truth Wins Out website, Shadix came out as gay at the age of 17. His parents then enrolled him in "ex-gay therapy", which included shock treatments. When this failed to change his orientation, he attempted suicide by overdosing with Elavil. His parents rushed him to a hospital, where he survived a three-day coma. After the incident, his parents began to accept his sexuality.[6][7]
Shadix was known to be a long-time fan of Joan Baez, dating back to his childhood, when he had to hide her records from his family who disapproved of the folk singer. Shadix travelled cross country to attend one of her concerts and meet her in person.[8]
In 2007, after spending 30 years in Los Angeles, Shadix retired to his native Bessemer, Alabama, where he purchased a Queen Anne-style, Victorian-era home. The house was completely destroyed in a fire on December 13, 2008. Shadix told reporters, "I have lost my dream."[9]
Death
[edit]In 2009, Shadix underwent surgery to provide relief to an ankle which he broke while filming.[10][11] Subsequently, he had mobility problems and used a wheelchair.[12] On September 7, 2010, Shadix was found dead in his home. According to his sister, Susan Gagne, he fell in the kitchen at his condominium in Birmingham, Alabama, and died of blunt trauma, having suffered a fall that led to him hitting his head.[2][13]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Skatetown, U.S.A. | [10] | |
| 1981 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | Twin Oaks Customer | |
| 1988 | Beetlejuice | Otho Fenlock | |
| Sunset | Roscoe Arbuckle | ||
| Heathers | Father Ripper | ||
| 1989 | Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon | Chet | Television film |
| 1990 | Meet the Applegates | Greg Samson | |
| 1991 | Bingo | Duke | |
| 1992 | Sleepwalkers | Mr. Fallows | |
| 1993 | Demolition Man | Associate Bob | |
| The Nightmare Before Christmas | Mayor of Halloween Town | Voice[14] | |
| 1994 | Dark Side of Genius | Leon Bennini | |
| My Summer Story | Leopold Doppler, Manager of Orpheum Theater | ||
| Love Affair | Anthony Rotundo | ||
| 1996 | Dunston Checks In | Lionel Spalding | |
| Multiplicity | Building Inspector | ||
| The Empty Mirror | Hermann Göring | ||
| 1997 | Men | Neil | |
| Sparkler | Announcer | ||
| 1998 | Chairman of the Board | Larry | |
| 1999 | Storm | Nate | Direct-to-video |
| Bartok the Magnificent | Townspeople[14] | Voice, direct-to-video | |
| 2000 | Red Dirt | Virgil Cunningham | |
| More Dogs Than Bones | Geoff | ||
| 2001 | Fast Sofa | Apartment Manager | |
| Planet of the Apes | Senator Nado | ||
| Shut Yer Dirty Little Mouth! | Peter | ||
| 2002 | The Day the Dolls Struck Back | Narrator | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Sol Goode | Casting Director | |
| Rose's | Sheriff Winslow | ||
| 2004 | To Kill a Mockumentary | Karl | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | The Final Curtain | Jack Strong | |
| 2009 | Tom Cool | ||
| 2010 | Finding Gauguin | Monsieur Vollard | Posthumous release |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Golden Girls | Musician | Episode: "Diamond in the Rough" | |
| 1990 | Roseanne | Jay | Episode: "Chicken Hearts" | |
| 1991 | Seinfeld | Harold | Episode: "The Apartment" | |
| 1992 | Night Court | Dermot Drake | Episode: "The 1992 Boat Show" | |
| Cheers | Bernard | Episode: "The Beer Is Always Greener" | ||
| 1993 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Ralph Scorpius | Episode: "Hex and the Single Guy" | |
| 1994 | Dinosaurs | Ray, Monster | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| 1994–95 | Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills | Nimbar | Voice, 40 episodes | [14] |
| 1994 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Guard Monster | Voice, episode: "Monsters, Get Real/Snorched If You Do, Snorched If You Don't" | [14] |
| 1995–96 | The Mask: Animated Series | Lonnie the Shark | Voice, 4 episodes | |
| 1995 | Bobby's World | Additional voices | Episode: "Bobby the Genius" | |
| Life with Louie | Additional voices | Episode: "Lake Winnibigoshish" | ||
| Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Typhon | Season 2/Episode 10: "Cast a Giant Shadow" | ||
| 1996 | Quack Pack | Professor Tobar, Dr. Emile | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Typhon | Season 3/Episode 6: "Monster Child in the Promised Land" | ||
| 1996–98 | The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor | Additional voices | 26 episodes | |
| 1997 | What a Cartoon! | Doctor | Voice, episode: "Snoot's New Squat" | [14] |
| Duckman | Army Leader Guest | Voice, episode: "Duckman and Cornfed in 'Haunted Society Plumbers'" | ||
| Extreme Ghostbusters | Mirror Demon | Voice, episode: "The Ghostmakers" | ||
| Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Typhon | Season 4/Episode 1: "Beanstalks and Bad Eggs" | ||
| 1997–98 | The New Adventures of Zorro | Additional voices | 26 Episodes | |
| 1997 | Cow and Chicken | Prisoner #1, Poopy the Clown, Gate Guard | Voice, episode: "Field Trip to Folsom Prison" | [14] |
| 1998 | Jumanji | Mr. Shattuck | Voice, episode: "Return of Squint" | |
| 1999 | Thanks | Dr. Addington | 6 episodes | |
| Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Caligula | Episode: "Salem, the Boy" | ||
| Rocket Power | Mayor | Voice, episode: "D is for Dad/Banned on the Run" | ||
| 2000 | Men in Black: The Series | Additional voices | Episode: "The Spectacle Syndrome" | |
| 2000–01 | Stainboy | Sgt. Glen Dale, Charity Home Matron, TV Announcer #2 | Voice, 6 episodes | |
| 2001–02 | Jackie Chan Adventures | Tso Lan, Xiao Fung | Voice, 5 episodes | |
| 2001 | ER | Eldon | Episode: "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic" | |
| 2002 | Time Squad | Man, King of Troy | Voice, episode: "Never Look A Trojan in the Gift Horse" | |
| 2003 | Lilo & Stitch: The Series | 'Look At This' Producer | Voice, episode: "Swirly" | |
| 2003–05 | Carnivàle | Val Templeton | 5 episodes | |
| 2004–05 | All Grown Up! | Santa, The Tree, Karl Bender | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| 2004 | The Batman | Arthur Brown / Cluemaster | Voice, episode: "Q&A" | [14] |
| 2005 | Xiaolin Showdown | Giant Spider | Voice, episode: "Dangerous Minds" | |
| Justice League Unlimited | Steven Mandragora | Voice, episode: "Double Date" | [14] | |
| 2005–06 | Teen Titans | Brain, Monsieur Mallah | Voice, 6 episodes | [14] |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Demolition Man | Associate Bob | Archive footage from Demolition Man |
| 2004 | The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge | Mayor of Halloween Town | |
| 2005 | Kingdom Hearts II | English | |
| 2007 | Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ | ||
| 2014 | Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix | Archival audio | |
| 2017 | Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix |
References
[edit]- ^ "Glenn Shadix 1952 - 2010". Pajiba. September 10, 2010. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "Glenn Shadix, Actor in 'Beetlejuice,' Dies at 58". The New York Times. September 9, 2010. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ Gary Childress. "Bio Tales Photo Gallery (Getting there was more than half the fun..)". GlennShadix.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ^ Wilson, Claire M. (July 7, 2010) "Glenn Shadix Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
- ^ "Glenn Shadix: From Alabama To Hollywood And Back". Legacy.com. September 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ Late Bessemer-born Beetlejuice actor Glenn Shadix said he had 'ex-gay' shock therapy Archived July 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. blog.al.com. September 8, 2010.
- ^ "Actor and Bessemer native Glenn Shadix, who died Tuesday, appeared in more than 70 films and TV shows, from 'Beetle Juice' to 'Seinfeld'". Blog.al.com. September 8, 2010. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ^ "Glenn Shadix". Bessemer Opinions 2. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ "Beetlejuice Actor's House Burns" Archived December 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, TMZ.com, December 23, 2008
- ^ a b "Glenn's Ruminations: February 2009 Archives". November 23, 2010. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ "Glenn's Ruminations: April 2009 Archives". November 23, 2010. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Joe (September 8, 2010). "Bessemer Opinions: Glenn Shadix; Rest in Peace, my friend". Bessemer Opinions. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
- ^ Carlton, Bob (September 7, 2010). "Bessemer native and "Beetlejuice" actor Glenn Shadix dies following a fall in his condo". al.com/. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Glenn Shadix (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1952 births
- 2010 deaths
- 20th-century American comedians
- 20th-century American LGBTQ people
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American comedians
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people
- 21st-century American male actors
- Accidental deaths from falls
- Accidental deaths in Alabama
- Actors from Jefferson County, Alabama
- American gay actors
- American LGBTQ comedians
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American wheelchair users
- Birmingham–Southern College alumni
- Comedians from Alabama
- Gay comedians
- LGBTQ people from Alabama
- Male actors from Alabama
- People from Bessemer, Alabama