Credit: IMDB, DisneyRevered stage performer and infamous voice actor Ken Page has passed away.
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According to Radio Times, Page’s death was confirmed by a friend of the actor, Dorian Hannaway. Hannaway shared the news in a social media post, saying, “Ken Page has passed onto the next show. My heart is broken.” Page was 70 years old.
Page was a theater major at Fontbonne College prior to his career in show business, making his Broadway debut in The Wiz. Page went on to appear in shows like Ain’t Misbehavin’, Children of Eden, The Wizard of Oz, Guys and Dolls, and Jesus Christ Superstar.
However, Page may best be known for his role in Disney’s iconic stop-motion film, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
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While Tim Burton and director Henry Selick created a vast and rich world full of memorable characters, such as Jack, Sally, and the Mayor, Oogie Boogie takes the cake as the most entertaining, memorable, and unforgettable of the bunch.
While it’s eventually revealed that Oogie Boogie is nothing more than a simple sack filled with creepy crawly insects and snakes, Page delivers a truly remarkable performance, turning one of Disney’s most bizarre characters into a legendary Halloween mascot.
Disney uses the character of Oogie Boogie in a lot of promotional material, with the character being the face of Disneyland’s annual Halloween party.
While no sequels were made for The Nightmare Before Christmas, Page continued to voice the character in other projects, such as video games and marketing materials.
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“I went up to San Francisco to sing for them and not actually thinking that I was going to do the speaking role. I thought they just wanted somebody to sing a song,” Page said in a 2023 interview, discussing how landed the iconic role.
“They asked me about the character and what did I think. I had seen some of the storyboards. I said, ‘To me, maybe it’s a cross between Burt Lahr from The Wizard of Oz, Cab Calloway and the voice of the demon in The Exorcist.”
Page leaves an important legacy, both as a Broadway performer and as an accomplished voice actor in one of Disney’s most cherished animated films.
What is your favorite animated Disney film?