David Gale

Tall, thin and distinguished character actor David Quentin Gale was born on October 2, 1936 in Wimbledon, England. David Gale began his acting career on the New York stage in the late 50s. He first started acting in both movies and television in the early 70s. With his gaunt face, lean build, and intense and imposing screen presence, David was usually cast as extremely wicked and hateful villains. Gale achieved his greatest enduring cult cinema popularity with his marvelously robust and inspired portrayal of the icy, ruthless, and arrogant mad scientist Dr. Carl Hill in Stuart Gordon's terrific horror splatter gem Re-Animator (1985). He reprised this part in the enjoyable sequel Bride of Re-Animator (1990). David's other memorable roles include demented pop psychologist TV show host Dr. Anthony Blakely in The Brain (1988), at his deliriously wired and wacky best as batty CEO Carter Brown in Syngenor (1990), and evil corporate head Fulton Balcus in The Guyver (1991). Gale had recurring parts on the TV shows The Secret Storm (1954), The Edge of Night (1956), One Life to Live (1968), and Search for Tomorrow (1951). Among the TV series he made guest appearances on episodes of are Kojak (1973), Ryan's Hope (1975), Hart to Hart (1979), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Tales from the Darkside (1983), L.A. Law (1986), Dallas (1978), and Knots Landing (1979). Moreover, David also had a lengthy and impressive stage career: He not only acted in Broadway stage productions of the classic plays "Of Mice and Men" and "Sweet Bird of Youth," but also acted in Off-Broadway stage productions of such plays as "Elizabeth the Queen," "Joe Egg," "The Trial," "Orpheus Descending," and "Anthony and Cleopatra." Gale was married and had a son. David died of complications from open-heart surgery on August 18, 1991, in Los Angeles, California.