Ken Page was a cabaret singer and Broadway star known for playing Old Deuteronomy in “Cats,” as well as for his work in “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “The Wiz” and for voicing Oogie Boogie in the film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
- Died: September 30, 2024 (Who else died on September 30?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 70.
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Ken Page’s legacy
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Page majored in theater at Fontbonne College in Clayton, Missouri and began performing professionally at The Muny in his home city. When the acclaimed stage adaptation of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” retitled “The Wiz,” debuted on Broadway in 1975, Page was there, serving as understudy for the part of the Cowardly Lion. From there, he won acclaim when he played Nicely-Nicely Johnson in an all-Black production of “Guys and Dolls,” for which he won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.
In 1978, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” made its Broadway debut. Page was in the main cast, and he earned his second Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his efforts. The show itself won Outstanding Musical, plus won the Tony Award for Best Musical, among other trophies, and helped propel Nell Carter (1948–2003) into stardom.
Page’s best-known role may be as Old Deuteronomy in the Broadway classic “Cats,” a role he played both on stage and on screen for the musical’s home video release.
Among wider audiences, Page earned fans for his work as the voice of Oogie Boogie in “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” the twisted Christmas fable that for some has become a modern classic. He also voiced the character in video games and rides at Disney amusement parks.
Other Page screen work includes appearances on “Gimme a Break!,” the 1980s sitcom starring stagemate Carter, along with episodes of “Touched By an Angel,” “South Central,” “Family Matters,” and other TV shows.
Tributes to Ken Page
Full obituary: Broadway World
