Glenn Shadix
Encyclopedia
William Glenn Shadix Scott (April 15, 1952 – September 7, 2010), born William Glenn Shadix, was an American actor, known for his role as Otho Fenlock in Tim Burton
's horror/comedy film Beetlejuice
and the voice of the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas
.
, and added the surname "Scott" when his mother remarried a few years after his birth. He attended Birmingham-Southern College
for two years, studying with absurdist
playwright-director Arnold Powell.
while doing a stage play, portraying Gertrude Stein
. 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
.
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
. 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.
gay
, and wrote that, as a teenager, he underwent electroconvulsive aversion therapy
in an unsuccessful attempt to become straight.
In 2007, after spending 30 years in Los Angeles, he returned 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."
in Birmingham
, Alabama
, and died of blunt trauma
to his head. Shadix had mobility problems and was in a wheelchair
.
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's horror/comedy film Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
and the voice of the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
.
Early life and education
Shadix was born in Bessemer, AlabamaBessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
, and added the surname "Scott" when his mother remarried a few years after his birth. He attended Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham–Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college located three miles northwest of downtown Birmingham. Founded in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Approximately 1400 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries attend the college...
for two years, studying with absurdist
Absurdism
In philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
playwright-director Arnold Powell.
Career
He lived in New York City prior to moving to Hollywood in the late 1970s. He got his breakthrough film role in BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
while doing a stage play, portraying Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
. Beetlejuice filmmaker Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
went on to cast Shadix in 1993's
1993 in film
The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:...
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
, and the 2001
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
remake of Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (2001 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the...
.
In 2005, Shadix was cast as the voices of the Brain and Monsieur Mallah
Monsieur Mallah
Monsieur Mallah is a fictional character, a superintelligent gorilla supervillain in the and the criminal and romantic partner of the Brain. Monsieur Mallah first appeared in Doom Patrol Monsieur Mallah is a fictional character, a superintelligent gorilla supervillain in the and the criminal and...
in season five of the Teen Titans animated series. His other voice work includes the aforementioned Nightmare, and episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures
Jackie Chan Adventures
Jackie Chan Adventures is an animated television series chronicling the adventures of a fictionalized version of action film star Jackie Chan. Many of the episodes contain references to Chan's actual works. This series ran on Kids' WB! from September 9, 2000 to July 7, 2005 for a total of 95...
and Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
. He reprised his Nightmare Before Christmas role in the video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge is a video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms. It is set after the events of the 1993 Tim Burton film, The Nightmare Before Christmas....
, and the Square-Enix video game Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
.
His television work included the HBO drama Carnivàle
Carnivàle
Carnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes...
, the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television comedy Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, in which he played Jerry's landlord, and playing the roles of giant
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
brothers Typhoon and Typhon in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is a television series, filmed in New Zealand and the United States. It was produced from 1995, and was very loosely based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles...
.
On stage, Shadix was set to begin rehearsals for a Birmingham production of Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
's History Boys.
Personal life
He was openlyComing out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, and wrote that, as a teenager, he underwent electroconvulsive aversion therapy
Aversion therapy
Aversion therapy is a form of psychological treatment in which the patient is exposed to a stimulus while simultaneously being subjected to some form of discomfort...
in an unsuccessful attempt to become straight.
In 2007, after spending 30 years in Los Angeles, he returned to his native Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
, where he purchased a Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture (United States)
In America, the Queen Anne style of architecture, furniture and decorative arts was popular in the United States from 1880 to 1910. In American usage "Queen Anne" is loosely used of a wide range of picturesque buildings with "free Renaissance" details rather than of a specific formulaic style in...
-style Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
home. The house was completely destroyed in a fire on December 13, 2008; Shadix told reporters, "I have lost my dream."
Death
On September 7, 2010, Shadix accidentally fell at his condominiumCondominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and died of blunt trauma
Blunt trauma
In medical terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma...
to his head. Shadix had mobility problems and was in a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
.
Filmography
- The Postman Always Rings TwiceThe Postman Always Rings Twice (1981 film)The Postman Always Rings Twice is a 1981 film adaptation of the 1934 novel by the same name by James M. Cain. The film was produced by Lorimar and originally released theatrically in North America by Paramount Pictures. This version, based on a screenplay by David Mamet and directed by Bob...
(1981) as Twin Oaks Customer - BeetlejuiceBeetlejuiceBeetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
(1988) as Otho Fenlock - SunsetSunset (film)Sunset is a 1988 film released by TriStar Pictures. Written and directed by Blake Edwards, the movie stars Bruce Willis as legendary western actor Tom Mix and James Garner as legendary lawman Wyatt Earp....
(1988) as Roscoe Arbuckle - HeathersHeathersHeathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
(1989) as Father Ripper - Meet the ApplegatesMeet the ApplegatesMeet the Applegates is a 1990 American black comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. It was filmed in 1989, but not released until 1991. The movie takes a dark, satirical look at the end of the world, nuclear holocausts, alienism and terrorism. Meet the Applegates was filmed in Oshkosh and Neenah,...
(1991) as Greg Samson - SleepwalkersSleepwalkers (film)Sleepwalkers is a 1992 American horror film based on an original screenplay by Stephen King and directed by Mick Garris.-Plot summary:...
(1992) as Mr. Fallows - Demolition ManDemolition Man (film)Demolition Man is a 1993 American, science fiction action film directed by Marco Brambilla, and starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, and Denis Leary co-star....
(1993) as Associate Bob - The Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
(1993) as Mayor of Halloween Town (voice) - Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly HillsTattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly HillsTattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills is an original live-action series which was released by DIC Entertainment and aired on the USA Network during the 1994-1995 season. The show was a low budget attempt to emulate the success of Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.-Synopsis:The show...
(1994) as the Voice of "Nimbar" - My Summer StoryMy Summer StoryIt Runs in the Family is a 1994 film that follows the further adventures of Ralphie Parker and his family from the holiday hit A Christmas Story...
(1994) as Leonard Doppler, Manager of Orpheum Theater - Love Affair (1994) as Anthony Rotundo
- Dunston Checks InDunston Checks InDunston Checks In is a 1996 film starring Jason Alexander, Eric Lloyd, Faye Dunaway, Rupert Everett, Paul Reubens, Glenn Shadix, and introducing Sam the Orangutan as Dunston...
(1996) as Lionel Spalding - MultiplicityMultiplicity (film)Multiplicity is a 1996 comedy film, starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell. The film was co-produced and directed by Harold Ramis. The original music score was composed by George Fenton....
(1996) as Building Inspector - The Empty MirrorThe Empty MirrorThe Empty Mirror is a 1996 film set in the underground Führerbunker where Adolf Hitler and his clan of loyal backers strive to outlast the destruction of the Third Reich.-Plot:...
(1996) as Hermann Goering - Chairman of the BoardChairman of the Board (film)Chairman of the Board is a 1998 movie starring Courtney Thorne-Smith and Carrot Top in which a surfer/inventor inherits and runs a billionaire's company. It was poorly received by critics and moviegoers alike.-Plot:...
(1998) as Larry - Planet of the ApesPlanet of the Apes (2001 film)Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the...
(2001) as Senator Nado - Shut Yer Dirty Little Mouth (2002) as Peter
- To Kill a Mockumentary (2004) as Karl
- The Final Curtain (2007) as Jack Strong
- Tom Cool (2009)
- Finding Gaugin (2010) as Monsieur Vollard
Television
- The Golden GirlsThe Golden GirlsThe Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
(1987) 1 episode; "Diamond in the Rough" - SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
(1991) 1 episode; "The Apartment" - Night CourtNight CourtNight Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
(1992) 1 episode; "The 1992 Boat Show" - CheersCheersCheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
(1992) 1 episode; "The Beer Is Always Greener" - The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
(1993) 1 episode; "Hex and the Single Guy" - CarnivàleCarnivàleCarnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes...
(2003) as Val Templeton - Sabrina The Teenage Witch (1999) 1 episode; "Salem, the Boy"