Nightmare Before Christmas star Ken Page dies at 70
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Ken Page, the Broadway performer and voice actor renowned for his role as Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, has passed away at the age of 70.
Page was a highly active actor known for his roles in various projects, including providing his voice for the animated film All Dogs Go To Heaven and sharing the screen with Beyoncé in Dreamgirls.
On stage, he gained recognition for being the first to play Ken in the Broadway show Ain’t Misbehavin’ and for portraying Old Deuteronomy in a televised version of Cats.
TMZ has reported that Page passed away "peacefully" at his residence in St. Louis on September 30.
The article cites his spokesperson, Lance Kirkland, who remarked: “He was an incredible and skilled individual with a vibrant personality. Ken was cherished by countless people and will be deeply missed.”
Kenneth Page was born in St. Louis on January 20, 1954. He went to St. Bridget of Erin and St. Nicholas elementary schools, where he discovered his passion for theater while studying at the latter. He went on to major in theater at Fontbonne College in Clayton, Missouri.
Page made his first appearance on Broadway in The Wiz, where he took on the role of the Cowardly Lion. After that, he portrayed Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls and was part of the original cast of the Fats Waller musical Ain't Misbehavin'. For his work in that show, he received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and later reprised his role in a television broadcast in 1982.
In that same year, Page took on the role of Old Deuteronomy in Cats, and he later reprised this role for the video release in 1998.
In 1993, Page secured what is likely his most famous role as Oogie Boogie, the wicked bogeyman from Halloween Town in Tim Burton's film, The Nightmare Before Christmas.
In a conversation with DirectConversations, Page shared that he was originally brought on board solely to perform "Oogie Boogie’s Song." However, he later infused his voice work with inspiration from various characters he had portrayed in the past.
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Initially, the filmmakers were in search of a vocalist to perform "Oogie Boogie's Song." They were aiming for a style reminiscent of Cab Calloway or Fats Waller—essentially, they wanted someone who could bring a unique flair to the performance, according to Page.
"My lawyer told Danny Elfman, ‘I have the perfect person in mind for you – no one else fits what you’re looking for better than Ken Page. He’s experienced in this area and has brought many characters to life.'"
Composer Elfman and director Henry Selick then inquired how Page would approach the voice of Oogie Boogie.
"I described my impression of him as a mix between Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, and the voice of the demon in The Exorcist, voiced by Mercedes McCambridge," Page recalled with a laugh.
"Danny and Henry exchanged glances and said, 'That's incredible.' That was the perspective I shared with them, and I added, 'If I ever push it too far, feel free to rein me in.' So, incorporating elements from Cab Calloway and Fats Waller's music for the vocals, we developed the character of Oogie Boogie."
In his later life, Page created and presented a cabaret performance titled Page by Page.
