William Glenn Shadix-Scott (April 15, 1952 – September 7, 2010) was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his roles as Otho Fenlock in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice and the Mayor of Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Early life Shadix was born on April 15, 1952, in Bessemer, Alabama, the eldest child in the family. His surname was legally changed to "Scott" when his mother, Annie Ruth (née Livingston), remarried a few years after his birth, although he would use his original surname when working as an actor. He attended Birmingham–Southern College for two years, studying with absurdist playwright-director Arnold Powell.Wilson, Claire M. (July 7, 2010) "Glenn Shadix ". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
Career He lived in Manhattan, New York, prior to moving to Hollywood in 1977. He got his breakthrough film role in Beetlejuice as interior decorator Otho Fenlock, while appearing in The Groundlings comedy troupe and performing in the stage play Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights, portraying Gertrude Stein. Beetlejuice filmmaker Tim Burton went on to cast Shadix in two of his films: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Planet of the Apes (2001). Throughout the 1990s, Shadix had small roles in television series, including Cheers, Roseanne, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Seinfeld.
In 1995, Shadix was cast as Ray Cathode in the Space Mountain queue advertisements when the ride was sponsored by FedEx.
In 2005, Shadix was cast as the voices of the Brain and Monsieur Mallah in the fifth season of the Teen Titans animated series. His other voice work includes the aforementioned Nightmare, and episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures and Justice League Unlimited (where he played Steven Mandragora). He reprised his Nightmare Before Christmas role in the video games The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge and Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts II.
His television work included the HBO drama Carnivàle, the NBC television comedy Seinfeld, in which he played Jerry Seinfeld'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.
Personal life According to an interview with the Truth Wins Out website, Shadix came out as gay at the age of 17. His parents enrolled him in "ex-gay therapy", which included shock treatments. When this failed to change his orientation, Shadix attempted suicide by overdosing with Elavil. His parents rushed him to a hospital, where he survived a three-day coma. After the incident, his parents began to accept his sexuality.
Shadix was known to be a long-time fan of Joan Baez, dating back to his childhood, when he had to hide her records from his family who disapproved of the folk singer. Shadix travelled cross country to attend one of her concerts and meet her in person.
In 2007, after spending 30 years in Los Angeles, Shadix retired 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 firefighters, "I have lost my dream." Despite this, he would continue to live in Alabama and was living in a condominium on Highland Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama at the time of his death in September 2010 at the age of 58.
Following Shadix’s death, his obituary identified his spouse Jon Jung.
Death In 2009, Shadix underwent surgery to provide relief to an ankle which he broke while filming. After recovering, he had mobility problems and used a wheelchair. On September 7, 2010, Shadix was found dead in his home. According to his sister, Susan Gagne, he fell and hit his head in the kitchen at his condominium in Birmingham, Alabama, and died of blunt trauma.
Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes1979Skatetown, U.S.A.1981The Postman Always Rings Twice Twin Oaks Customer1988BeetlejuiceOtho FenlockSunset Roscoe ArbuckleHeathers Father Ripper1989Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon ChetTelevision film1990Meet the ApplegatesGreg Samson1991BingoDuke1992SleepwalkersMr. Fallows1993Demolition ManAssociate BobThe Nightmare Before ChristmasMayor of Halloween Town (voice)1994Dark Side of GeniusLeon BenniniMy Summer StoryLeopold Doppler, Manager of Orpheum TheaterLove AffairAnthony Rotundo1996Dunston Checks InLionel SpaldingMultiplicityBuilding InspectorThe Empty MirrorHermann Göring1997MenNeilSparklerAnnouncer1998Chairman of the BoardLarry1999StormNateDirect-to-videoBartok the MagnificentTownspeople (voice)Direct-to-video2000Red DirtVirgil CunninghamMore Dogs Than BonesGeoff2001Fast SofaApartment ManagerPlanet of the ApesSenator NadoShut Yer Dirty Little Mouth!Peter2002The Day the Dolls Struck BackNarrator (voice)Direct-to-video2003Sol GoodeCasting DirectorRose'sSheriff Winslow2004To Kill a MockumentaryKarlDirect-to-video2007The Final CurtainJack Strong2010Finding GauguinMonsieur VollardPosthumous release
Television Year Title RoleNotesRef1987The Golden GirlsMusicianEpisode: "Diamond in the Rough"1990RoseanneJayEpisode: "Chicken Hearts"1991SeinfeldHaroldEpisode: "The Apartment"1992Night CourtDermot DrakeEpisode: "The 1992 Boat Show"CheersBernardEpisode: "The Beer Is Always Greener"1993The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirRalph ScorpiusEpisode: "Hex and the Single Guy"1994DinosaursRay, Monster (voice) 2 episodes1994–95Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly HillsNimbar (voice)40 episodes1994Aaahh!!! Real MonstersGuard Monster (voice) Episode: "Snorched If You Do, Snorched If You Don't" 1995–96The Mask: Animated Series Lonnie the Shark (voice) 4 episodes1995Bobby's World Additional voices Episode: "Bobby the Genius"Life with Louie Additional voices Episode: "Lake Winnibigoshish"1995–97Hercules: The Legendary JourneysTyphon, Typhoon3 episodes1996Quack PackProfessor Tobar, Dr. Emile Voice, 2 episodes1996–98The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor Additional voices 26 episodes1997What a Cartoon!Doctor (voice)Episode: "Snoot's New Squat"DuckmanArmy Leader Guest (voice)Episode: "Duckman and Cornfed in 'Haunted Society Plumbers'"Extreme GhostbustersMirror Demon (voice)Episode: "The Ghostmakers"1997–98The New Adventures of Zorro Additional voices 26 Episodes1997Cow and ChickenPrisoner No. 1, Poopy the Clown, Gate Guard (voice)Episode: "Field Trip to Folsom Prison"1998JumanjiMr. Shattuck (voice)Episode: "Return of Squint" 1999ThanksDoctor Addington6 episodesSabrina, the Teenage WitchCaligulaEpisode: "Salem, the Boy"Rocket Power Mayor (voice)Episode: "D is for Dad/Banned on the Run" 2000Men in Black: The Series Additional voices Episode: "The Spectacle Syndrome"2000–01StainboySgt. Glen Dale, Charity Home Matron, TV Announcer (voice)6 episodes2001–02Jackie Chan AdventuresTso Lan, Xiao Fung (voice)5 episodes2001EREldonEpisode: "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic"2002Time SquadMan, King of Troy (voice)Episode: "Never Look A Trojan in the Gift Horse"2003Lilo & Stitch: The Series 'Look at This' Producer (voice) Episode: "Swirly"2003–05CarnivàleVal Templeton5 episodes2004–05All Grown Up! Santa, The Tree, Karl Bender (voice) 2 episodes2004The BatmanArthur Brown / Cluemaster (voice)Episode: "Q&A"2005Xiaolin ShowdownGiant Spider (voice)Episode: "Dangerous Minds"Justice League Unlimited Steven Mandragora (voice)Episode: "Double Date"2005–06Teen Titans Brain, Monsieur Mallah (voice)6 episodes
Video games Year Title RoleNotes1994Demolition ManAssociate BobArchival footage from Demolition Man2004The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's RevengeMayor of Halloween Town2005Kingdom Hearts II2007Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+Archival audio2014Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix2017Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
References
External links
Shadix's Website