Glenn Shadix
Shadix in 2004
Born
William Glenn Shadix

(1952-04-15)April 15, 1952
Bessemer, Alabama, U.S.
DiedSeptember 7, 2010(2010-09-07) (aged 58)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active1979–2010
SpouseJon Jung[1]

William Glenn Shadix (April 15, 1952 – September 7, 2010) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his role as Otho in Tim Burton's horror comedy film Beetlejuice and as the voice of the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas.[2]

Early life

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

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, 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.

Personal life

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. Before his death, Shadix traveled 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

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 to his head.[2][13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979 Skatetown, U.S.A. [10]
1981The Postman Always Rings TwiceTwin Oaks Customer
1988BeetlejuiceOtho
SunsetRoscoe Arbuckle
HeathersFather Ripper
1989Parent Trap: Hawaiian HoneymoonChetTelevision film
1990Meet the ApplegatesGreg Samson
1991BingoDuke
1992SleepwalkersMr. Fallows
1993Demolition ManAssociate Bob
The Nightmare Before ChristmasMayor of Halloween TownVoice[14]
1994Dark Side of GeniusLeon Bennini
My Summer StoryLeopold Doppler, Manager of Orpheum Theater
Love AffairAnthony Rotundo
1995Dunston Checks InLionel Spalding
1996MultiplicityBuilding Inspector
The Empty MirrorHermann Göring
1997MenNeil
1997SparklerAnnouncer
1998Chairman of the BoardLarry
1999StormNateDirect-to-video
Bartok the MagnificentTownspeople[14]Voice, direct-to-video
2000Red DirtVirgil Cunningham
More Dogs Than BonesGeoff
2001Fast SofaApartment Manager
Planet of the ApesSenator Nado
Shut Yer Dirty Little Mouth!Peter
2002The Day the Dolls Struck BackNarratorVoice, direct-to-video
2003Sol GoodeCasting Director
Rose'sSheriff Winslow
2004To Kill a MockumentaryKarlDirect-to-video
2007The Final CurtainJack Strong
2009Tom Cool
2010Finding GauguinMonsieur VollardPosthumous release

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
1987The Golden GirlsMusicianEpisode: "Diamond in the Rough"
1990RoseanneJayEpisode: "Chicken Hearts"
1991SeinfeldHaroldEpisode: "The Apartment"
1992Night CourtDermot DrakeEpisode: "The 1992 Boat Show"
CheersBernardEpisode: "The Beer Is Always Greener"
1993The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirRalph ScorpiusEpisode: "Hex and the Single Guy"
1994DinosaursRay, MonsterVoice, 2 episodes
1994–1995Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly HillsNimbarVoice, 40 episodes[14]
1994Aaahh!!! Real MonstersGuard MonsterVoice, episode: "Monsters, Get Real/Snorched If You Do, Snorched If You Don't"[14]
1995–1996The Mask: Animated SeriesLonnie the SharkVoice, 4 episodes
1995Bobby's WorldAdditional voicesEpisode: "Bobby the Genius"
Life with LouieAdditional voicesEpisode: "Lake Winnibigoshish"
Hercules: The Legendary JourneysTyphonSeason 2/Episode 10: "Cast a Giant Shadow"
1996Quack PackProfessor Tobar, Dr. EmileVoice, 2 episodes
Hercules: The Legendary JourneysTyphonSeason 3/Episode 6: "Monster Child in the Promised Land"
1996–1998The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the SailorAdditional voices26 episodes
1997What a Cartoon!DoctorVoice, episode: "Snoot's New Squat"[14]
DuckmanArmy Leader GuestVoice, episode: "Duckman and Cornfed in 'Haunted Society Plumbers'"
Extreme GhostbustersMirror DemonVoice, episode: "The Ghostmakers"
Hercules: The Legendary JourneysTyphoonSeason 4/Episode 1: "Beanstalks and Bad Eggs"
1997–1998The New Adventures of ZorroAdditional voices26 Episodes
1997Cow and ChickenPrisoner #1, Poopy, Gate GuardVoice, episode: "Field Trip to Folsom Prison"[14]
1998JumanjiMr. ShattuckVoice, episode: "Return of Squint"
1999ThanksDr. Addington6 episodes
Sabrina, the Teenage WitchCaligulaEpisode: "Salem, the Boy"
Rocket PowerMayorVoice, episode: "D is for Dad/Banned on the Run"
2000Men in Black: The SeriesAdditional voicesEpisode: "The Spectacle Syndrome"
2000–2001StainboySgt. Glen Dale, Charity Home Matron, TV Announcer #2Voice, 6 episodes
2001–2002Jackie Chan AdventuresTso Lan, Xiao FungVoice, 5 episodes
2001EREldonEpisode: "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic"
2002Time SquadMan, King of TroyVoice, episode: "Never Look A Trojan in the Gift Horse"
2003Lilo & Stitch: The Series'Look At This' ProducerVoice, episode: "Swirly"
2003–2005CarnivàleVal Templeton5 episodes
2004–2005All Grown Up!Santa, The Tree, Karl BenderVoice, 2 episodes
2004The BatmanArthur Brown / CluemasterVoice, episode: "Q&A"[14]
2005Xiaolin ShowdownGiant SpiderVoice, episode: "Dangerous Minds"
Justice League UnlimitedSteven MandragoraVoice, episode: "Double Date"[14]
2005–2006Teen TitansBrain, Monsieur MallahVoice, 6 episodes[14]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994Demolition ManAssociate BobArchive footage from Demolition Man
2004The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's RevengeMayor of Halloween Town
2005Kingdom Hearts IIEnglish
2007Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
2014Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 RemixArchival audio
2017Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix

References

  1. ↑ "Glenn Shadix 1952 - 2010". Pajiba. September 10, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Glenn Shadix, Actor in 'Beetlejuice,' Dies at 58". The New York Times. September 9, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Wilson, Claire M. (July 7, 2010) "Glenn Shadix Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Glenn Shadix: From Alabama To Hollywood And Back". Legacy.com. September 8, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  6. ↑ Late Bessemer-born Beetlejuice actor Glenn Shadix said he had 'ex-gay' shock therapy. blog.al.com. September 8, 2010.
  7. ↑ "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. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Glenn Shadix". Bessemer Opinions 2.
  9. ↑ "Beetlejuice Actor's House Burns", TMZ.com, December 23, 2008
  10. 1 2 "Glenn's Ruminations: February 2009 Archives". November 23, 2010. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  11. ↑ "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)
  12. ↑ Joe (September 8, 2010). "Bessemer Opinions: Glenn Shadix; Rest in Peace, my friend". Bessemer Opinions. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ Carlton, Bob (September 7, 2010). "Bessemer native and "Beetlejuice" actor Glenn Shadix dies following a fall in his condo". al.com/. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Glenn Shadix (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors.
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