Zach Galligan
{{short description|American actor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Zach Galligan
| image = Zach Galligan Photo Op GalaxyCon Columbus 2024.jpg
| caption = Galligan at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2024
| birth_name = Zachary Wolfe Galligan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1964|2|14}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| alma_mater = Columbia University
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1984–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Ling-Ling Hu Ingerick|2005|2010|reason=divorced}}
}}
Zachary Wolfe Galligan (born February 14, 1964) {{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2019-02-14 |title=Today's top celebrity birthdays list for February 14, 2019 |url=https://www.cleveland.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/02/636c269f872451/todays-top-celebrity-birthdays-list-for-february-14-2019.html |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=cleveland |language=en}} is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Billy Peltzer in the comedy-horror films Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990).
Early life and education
Galligan was born on February 14, 1964, in New York City, the son of Carol Jean (née Wolfe), a psychologist, and Arthur John Galligan, a lawyer who was a founding partner of the law firm of Dickstein Shapiro. He is mostly of Irish descent, although he also has some English roots and Jewish ancestry (from Austria) on his mother’s side.{{Cite web |title=Zach Galligan - Trivia |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002090/trivia/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}
{{Cite web |title=Zach Galligan: 'Mogwai' is new mythic adventure, not 'Gremlins' rehash |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2023/05/23/zach-galligan-joe-dante-gremlins-secrets-mogwai-interview/2661684537413/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=UPI |language=en}}{{cite journal| url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jul_aug06/obituaries.php| journal=Columbia College Today| title=Obituaries: 1948 Arthur J. Galligan| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610090825/http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jul_aug06/obituaries.php| archive-date=June 10, 2007}}{{cite news|date=January 5, 2006|title=Deaths Galligan, Arthur J.|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B06E2DE1E30F936A35752C0A9609C8B63}} He has a sister, Jessica, and graduated from Columbia University.{{cite web| last1=McKay| first1=Hollie| title=Where are they now: 'Gremlins' star Zach Galligan hopes he's in the movie remake| url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/where-are-they-now/| work=Fox News| access-date=September 26, 2014| date=June 13, 2013}}{{cite news|date=August 18, 1985|title=Jessica Galligan And James Goldsmith Are Married|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E3DA1F38F93BA2575BC0A963948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print}}
Career
Galligan's first major and most widely seen role was as Billy Peltzer in the 1984 film Gremlins.{{cite journal| url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/15794/galligan-zach-cut-gremlins-3/| title=Zach Galligan Talks Cut, Gremlins 3, and More!| journal=Dread Central| date=November 30, 1999| first=Gareth| last=Jones}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.smoothradio.com/news/entertainment/gremlins-cast-where-are-they-now/|title=Gremlins: Where are the cast now?|website=Smooth}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/gremlins-star-zach-galligan-regrets-leaving-103563581292.html|title='Gremlins' Star Zach Galligan Regrets Leaving Hollywood... and Not Dating Phoebe Cates|website=www.yahoo.com}} Prior to being cast in Gremlins, he filmed Nothing Lasts Forever, which had its theatrical release cancelled and went unreleased in any form for years.{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/culture/2014/07/bill-murray-nothing-lasts-forever-tom-schillers-unreleased-1984-movie-is-now-online-video.html|title=Bill Murray’s Never-Released 1984 Sci-Fi Comedy Is Now Online|first=Aisha|last=Harris|date=July 9, 2014|website=Slate Magazine}} In 1988, he starred as Mark Loftmore in the horror comedy Waxwork.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/waxwork/review/2030344840/|title=Waxwork|website=TVGuide.com}} He reprised his role as Billy in the 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and returned to the role of Mark for Waxwork II: Lost in Time in 1992.
In 2016, UK progressive rock band Gandalf's Fist announced that Galligan would voice a character on their album The Clockwork Fable.{{cite magazine| first=Martin| last=Kielty |url=http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2016-02-15/gandalf-s-fist-name-clockwork-fable-actors |title=Teamrock News: Gandalf's Fist name Clockwork Fable actors |magazine=Prog |date=February 15, 2016| access-date=December 14, 2019}}
In early 2021, Galligan appeared in a Mountain Dew commercial in which his Gremlins character, Billy, gives Gizmo a drink of his Mountain Dew.{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/gremlins-mountain-dew-gizmo-doll-limited-edition/|title=Gremlins Mountain Dew Ad Limited Edition Gizmo Doll Being Released For $300|date=March 25, 2021|website=ScreenRant}} Galligan returned to the Gremlins franchise again in 2022, in the animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.{{cite web | url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/gremlins-star-zach-galligan-sandra-oh-george-takei-more-join-secrets-of-the-mogwai-guests/ | title='Gremlins' Star Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, George Takei & More Join 'Secrets of the Mogwai' Guests | date=July 22, 2022 }}
Personal life
Galligan married Ling-Ling Hu Ingerick at the Yale Club in New York on September 25, 2005; they divorced in 2010.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/25/fashion/weddings/lingling-ingerick-and-zach-galligan.html |title=Ling-Ling Ingerick and Zach Galligan |date=September 25, 2005 |publisher=The New York Times |access-date=October 10, 2022}}
Filmography
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=December 2021}}
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Film ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1984
| Gremlins | Billy Peltzer | |
| 1984
| Adam Beckett | |
| 1988
| Waxwork | Mark Loftmore | |
| 1990
| Billy Peltzer | |
| 1990
| Todd | |
| 1991
| Zandalee | Rog | |
| 1991
| Psychic | Patrick Costello | |
| 1992
| Round Trip To Heaven | Steve | |
| 1992
| Mark Loftmore | |
| 1993
| Douglas | |
| 1993
| Brian Hartley | |
| 1994
| Jerry Hiatt | |
| 1994
| Ice | Rick Corbit | |
| 1995
| Evans | |
| 1997
| Cupid | Eric Rhodes | |
| 1997
| Sir Kay | |
| 1997
| The First to Go | Adam Curtis | |
| 1998
| Kreigal | |
| 1999
| The Storytellers | Greer Sandler | |
| 2000
| Little Insects | King Foptop | |
| 2000
| Ethan Lang | released in Japan as Random Shots{{citation needed|date=April 2010}} |
| 2000
| Dalton | |
| 2001
| The Tomorrow Man | Spence | |
| 2001
| Gabriela | Pat | |
| 2001
| Point Doom | Spider | |
| 2001
| What They Wanted, What They Got | Pete Drake | |
| 2002
| Infested | Warren | |
| 2003
| Momentum | Director Hammond | |
| 2005
| Legion of the Dead | Dr. Swatek | |
| 2007
| Hart Carlton | |
| 2008
| Jewslim | Yoseph Caldwell | |
| 2009
| The Pack | Anson | |
| 2009
| Nightbeasts | Charles Thomas | |
| 2010
| Cut | Jack | |
| 2010
| American Guy | |
| 2013
| Sheriff Fowler | |
| 2016
|The Chair |Riley | |
| 2017
|Kampout |Detective Benson | |
| 2019
|Director/Zach | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Film ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1983
| Jacobo Timerman: Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number | Television movie (NBC) |
| 1985
| Surviving: A Family in Crisis | Rick Brogan | Television movie (ABC) |
| 1987–1989
| William "Hickey" Hicks | TV Mini-Series, All 3 Episodes |
| 1992
| Rick Danworth | Episode: "For Love or Money" |
| 1992
| David and Rick | Episode: "Strung Along" |
| 1993
| For Love and Glory | Thomas Doyle | Unsold television pilot |
| 1995
| Extreme | Dan | Episode: Pilot |
| 1996
| Ron Jeffries | Episode: "Takedown" |
| 1997
| Chester Barnes | Episode: "Homecoming" |
| 1998
| Bill Chase | Episode: "Reunion" |
| 1998
| Ensign David Gentry | Episode: "In the Flesh" |
| 1998
| The Net | Aaron Mitchelson | Episode: "Diamonds Aren't Forever" |
| 1999
| Chicken Soup for the Soul | Young Man | Episode: "My Convertible" |
| 1999
| Arthur's Quest | King Pendragon | Television film |
| 2001
| Dr. Kent | Episode: "Worked" |
| 2003
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Eddie Malloy | Episode: "Happy Family" |
| 2018
| The Keith & Paddy Picture Show | as himself | Episode: "Gremlins" |
| 2023
| Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai | Henchman #2 | Recurring cast |
=Web=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes ! class="unsortable"| Source | ||||
| 2020 | Chilling Tales for Dark Nights | Fitzroy / Narrator | Episode: "The End is Near" Segment: "Mr. Promises" | {{cite web |title=End is Nigh |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diUsqG9veDU&list=PLpCh5fYI6EcHw7EdouugnITrnpFaG5fhL&index=150&ab_channel=ChillingTalesforDarkNights |date=March 17, 2020 |access-date=February 18, 2023 |website=YouTube}} |
| 2021 | The Irate Gamer | Himself | Episode: "Gremlins" | |
| 2022 | The Kill Count | Himself | Episode: Gremlins 2 (1990) KILL COUNT | {{cite web |title=Gremlins 2 (1990) KILL COUNT |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt-wLbJuPo4&t=1147s |date=December 30, 2022 |access-date=July 31, 2023 |website=YouTube}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0002090}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- [http://zgalligan.blogspot.com/ Zach Galligan's Blog]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Galligan, Zach}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American people of Austrian-Jewish descent
Category:American people of English descent
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:Collegiate School (New York) alumni