Ed Gale, who played Chucky in the “Child’s Play” film series, has died. He was 61.
A source told TMZ that he passed away Tuesday in hospice in Los Angeles.
Gale’s niece, Kayse, confirmed his death in a heartfelt tribute 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,” Kayse wrote. “Ed Gale has taken his final bow and is now headlining in the afterlife.”
She looked back on Gale’s career in Hollywood that included more than 130 movies, TV shows and commercials, writing, “With this wide ranging body of work, he leaves behind legacy full of questionable lighting and amazing one-liners.”
The tribute continued: “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.
“He had one hell of a laugh, and he will be missed,” Kayse added. “Rest in love you cranky bastard.”
Gale was born with dwarfism. He grew up in Plainwell, Michigan.
In 1986, he made his film debut as the title role in the film “Howard the Duck.”
Two years later, Gale played Chucky in 1988’s “Child’s Play,” the very first film in the popular horror franchise. The movie was directed by Tom Holland and also starred Chris Sarandon, Catherine Hicks, Alex Vincent, Dinah Manoff and Tommy Swerdlow.
He played the serial killer doll again in 1990’s “Child’s Play 2” and 1998’s “Bride of Chucky.”
He was also in the films “Spaceballs,” “The Jungle Book” and “Tiptoes.”
On television, Gale starred in the ’90s children’s show “Land of the Lost.” He also appeared in episodes of “Weird Science,” “Family Matters,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “My Name Is Earl.”
In 2023, Gale was under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department when he admitted to a group called the Creep Catchers Unit that he attempted to solicit sex from multiple minors, according to the LA Times.
He reportedly had his smartphones seized by authorities during a home visit, but he wasn’t officially charged. He was still under investigation at the time of his death.
