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Ken Page, voice of “Nightmare Before Christmas” Oogie Boogie, dies at 70

Ken Page, the Broadway actor and voice actor known for his roles in musicals Cats And The magicianhas died. He was 70.

PEOPLE confirmed the news of Page's death on Tuesday, October 1.

Page was born and raised in St. Louis. He came to Broadway in 1975 when he joined the cast of The magician Musical as the lion of the show, paving the way for a career on the New York stage that lasted more than two decades. Between 1975 and 1999 Page also appeared in productions and on stage Boys and dolls, It's not bad behavior, Cats – in which he brought the role of Old Deuteronomy into being – and It's nothing but the blues. He won the 1978 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his performance in “The Drama Desk.” It's not bad behavioraccording to his profile on Playbill.

Ken Page.

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During and after his stage career, Page also had a notable career on the screen. He is best remembered as the voice of The nightmare before Christmas character Oogie Boogie, a role he reprized numerous times in video games, video series and even a live performance of the acclaimed 1993 animated film at the Hollywood Bowl in 2018.

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The actor's other notable film roles included a role in 2006 Showgirls1988s Torch Song Trilogy and 1989s All dogs go to heaven. He also repeated his Cats Role as Old Deuteronomy in the 1998 film adaptation by David Mallet.

Christophe Pierre (left) and Ken Page (right) in Guys and Dolls in 1976.

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According to Broadway World and PlaybillPage created a cabaret-style show titled Page by page with whom he has toured the country in recent years. He also worked primarily as a director for regional and touring productions. He worked frequently with The Muny, the theater association in St. Louis, where he got his start before also moving to New York.

“I am still reeling from the terrible news from last night. “Ken Page died suddenly,” said Danny Elfman, the musician and composer who performed and composed with Page as the singing voice of Jack Skellington The nightmare before Christmas'Music, wrote on X on Tuesday morning.

“He was the one and only Oogie Boogie Man. He was simply one of the best and most generous souls I know,” Elfman, 71, wrote. “Full of life and full of joy. Talented and more. Ken, my friend, we will miss you very much.”