Broadway legend Ken Page, iconic Oogie Boogie, dies at 70
Ken Page, Broadway star and actor known for his role as Oogie Boogie in the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas," died at the age of 70. In recent years, Page created and performed his own cabaret show, "Page by Page."
6:41 AM EDT, October 2, 2024
Ken Page passed away on September 30 at his home in St. Louis, United States. TMZ reported the information, citing his representative, Lance Kirkland.
He was a beautiful, talented man who was larger than life. Ken was loved and adored by so many and will be missed so much, he said.
Born on January 20, 1954, in St. Louis, Page became interested in theater as a child. He studied this field at Fontbonne College in Missouri. He made his Broadway debut as the Cowardly Lion in the musical "The Wiz."
He then appeared among others as Ken in the original cast of "Ain't Misbehavin'," for which he received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He also played the role of Old Deuteronomy in the musical "Cats," reprising the role in the 1998 film version.
He was a star of "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
In 1993, he lent his voice to Oogie Boogie, the villain in Tim Burton's film "The Nightmare Before Christmas."
In an interview with "DirectConversations," he recalled that he was initially hired only to sing "Oogie Boogie's Song," but ultimately, he also recorded the dialogue lines, drawing inspiration from his previous roles.
In recent years, Page created and performed his own cabaret show, "Page by Page."
