Edward Gale (August 23, 1963 – May 27, 2025) was an American actor and stunt performer who appeared in films and television series primarily between 1986 and 2013. He was notably the physical performer of Chucky in Child's Play (1988), Child's Play 2 (1990), and Bride of Chucky (1998).
Early life Gale was born with dwarfism. He was born in Plainwell, Michigan, and graduated from Plainwell High School. His parents were Robert Allison and Beverly Ann (Whitmore) Gale, but from age 14 to 21 he resided with the Babbitt family of Plainwell.
Career His debut was as the title role of Howard in the 1986 film Howard the Duck. While Chip Zien provided Howard's voice, Gale was the primary actor in the duck-like suit to portray the comic book character.
In 1988, he played Chucky in the horror film Child's Play. He went on to appear in two other films in the franchise.
He played the dinosaur Tasha in the short-lived television series Land of the Lost (1991). In 2002, he had a supporting role as Matthew McConaughey and Gary Oldman's characters' uncle Bobby Barry in Tiptoes, a film that revolves around a family of people with dwarfism. Gale appeared in a minor role in the American television sitcom My Name Is Earl. The episode, titled "Little Bad Voodoo Brother," aired in 2006 and featured Gale as a carnival performer named "Little Eddie."
Sexual misconduct conviction In April 2023, Gale was accused by a group of online predator-hunters of attempting to solicit sex from multiple minors, one male among whom he allegedly believed to be aged fourteen years. He had his smartphones seized by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) during a home visit on April 19, but was at that time neither charged nor arrested. It was soon revealed Gale had admitted to the group that he at that time had recently been "sexting" and attempting to "hook up" with an underage 14-year-old boy, and that he had in the past also had sexual conversations with at least 10 other people who he assumed were minors. Until his death, he remained under investigation by the LAPD and the Los Angeles County District Attorney. Following Gale's death, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office revealed to People that a case had been referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney's office in September 2023, but only for a possible misdemeanor filing.
In 2024, he pled guilty to one charge of contacting a minor with intent to commit a specified sex offense and registered as a sex offender.
Death Gale died at a Los Angeles hospice on May 27, 2025, at the age of 61.
Selected filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1986Howard the DuckHoward T. DuckIn-suit performer1987SpaceballsDink1988Child's PlayChuckyIn-suit performer/stunts1989Chopper Chicks in Zombietown Bob Littleton1990Child's Play 2ChuckyIn-suit performer/stunts1991Dolly DearestThe Doll1991Bill & Ted's Bogus JourneyStation (alongside Arturo Gil)1994The Jungle BookBaby Baloo1998Bride of ChuckyChuckyIn-suit performer/stunts2000O Brother, Where Art Thou?Little Man2000The Adventures of Rocky and BullwinkleThe MoleIn-suit performer2002TiptoesBobby Barry2004The Polar ExpressElfVoice and motion capture2005L.A. Dicks2007MarksmanTony ValinoShort2009The Gold & the BeautifulEddie2010Speed-DatingWilllieUncreditedSanta Preys for X-masDick the ElfVideo short2011The Amateur Monster MovieReporter Mel TamborVoice365 DaysMr. ThomasDirect-to-video2013MikeyboyPizza Shop OwnerCrazy TownPatShort2020PandemonicArtist2022In Search of TomorrowHimselfDocumentary
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1988Friday the 13th: The SeriesOscarEpisode: "Read My Lips"1990The Dreamer of Oz Ned Brown/FarmerTelevision film1991–1992Land of the LostTasha, Magas26 episodes1993LifepodQ-ThreeTelevision film1994BaywatchSimon McKayEpisode: "Short Sighted"1994–1998Weird ScienceGenie Master, Little Person, Wyatt Primate3 episodes1995Pig StyJack, LeprechaunEpisode: "Erin Go Barf"1996The Munsters' Scary Little ChristmasLarryTelevision film1996TowniesButch, Disgruntled ElfEpisode: "Christmas"1997Family MattersCarlsbadEpisode: "Stevil II: This Time He's Not Alone"19983rd Rock from the SunOscarEpisode: "Dr. Solomon's Traveling Alien Show"MaggieChanterEpisode: "Ka-Boom"1999NormPikachuEpisode: "Artie Comes to Town"Sabrina the Teenage WitchPowellEpisode: "Sabrina, Nipping at Your Nose"2000The Christmas SecretKevinTelevision film2001Just Shoot Me! JimmyEpisode: "Christmas? Christmas!"Grounded for Life JesusEpisode: "I Saw Daddy Hitting Santa Claus"Call Me ClausBensonTelevision film2002Santa Jr.StanTelevision filmThe HughleysMr. BriggsEpisode: "I Have a Scheme"First MondayMelvin MeyersEpisode: "The Price of Liberty"The District Hank TarverEpisode: "Small Packages"2007My Name Is EarlMidget PrisonerEpisode: "Randy in Charge: Of Our Days and Our Nights"2009BonesLavalleEpisode: "Double Trouble in the Panhandle"2012Emerald AcresZeusTelevision film2014Deadly AttractionMr. ThomasTV mini-series
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