Gay Character Actor Glenn Shadix Dies

Glenn Shadix, a gay character actor who appeared in more than 70 films and TV shows including Tim Burton's Beetlejuice and Planet of the Apes,died Tuesday at his home in Alabama. He was 58.

Shadix died after suffering fall at in his Birmingham condo. A native of Alabama, Shadix moved back to Birmingham four years ago after retiring from Hollywood.

The actor made a name for himself as a character actor in numerous high-profile Hollywood movies, most notably as Otho the interior designer in Beetlejuice and as the voice of the mayor in The Nightmare Before Christmas, both directed by his friend and frequent collaborator Tim Burton.

Shadix also had prominent roles in other films, including Heathers and Demolition Man, and in the TV series Carnivale.

The actor had been suffering from mobility problems and, according to reports, may have fallen from his wheelchair when he died. In 2008 he rode in a car in Birmingham's Gay Pride parade, telling reporters, "I have been blessed as a gay man because I never had to deal with any situations of real prejudice or intimidation in my field."

His personal life, however, was a different story. Last year, Shadix gave an interview to Truth Wins Out, talking about his time spent in "ex-gay" therapy to "cure" himself of homosexuality. Watch the video interview with him below.