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‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ star turned 70

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ star turned 70

Vaseline 4 days ago

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Ken Page, the stage actor known for starring in shows like “Cats” and for lending his voice to the classic animated film “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” has died. He was 70.

A representative for Page confirmed to USA TODAY on Tuesday that the actor “passed away very peacefully at his home” in St. Louis.

“He sat down in his chair and went to sleep and that was it,” the rep said. “He was a beautiful, talented man who was larger than life. Ken was loved and adored by so many and will be so missed.”

Page’s theater roles included the Lion in “The Wiz” and Old Deuteronomy in “Cats.” He was featured in the version of “Cats” released on video in 1998. Page also starred in “Ain’t Misbehavin” and “Guys and Dolls” among others.

Disney fans might recognize Page as the voice of Oogie Boogie, the villain in producer Tim Burton’s 1993 animated film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Since its release, he has continued to voice Oogie Boogie in numerous other forms, including in the “Kingdom Hearts” video game franchise and in Disney’s parks.

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“I did all the voices for Oogie Boogie from the very beginning until today,” Page noted in a 2019 interview with Disney Parks, adding that Disney fans love the character because he is a “lovable” villain.

“He’s not the type of villain that really scares you, but you know he’s fun and he enjoys being the bad guy,” Page said. “I think that’s the key for him.”

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Page also voiced King Gator in “All Dogs Go to Heaven” and appeared in the musical film “Dreamgirls”. According to IMDb, he also had TV roles on shows like “Family Matters” and “Touched by an Angel.”

Page’s death was another loss for the theater community following the death Monday of Gavin Creel, the Tony-winning Broadway star who died at age 48 from a rare form of cancer.