Zach Galligan
Galligan at the Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey in 2013
Born
Zachary Wolfe Galligan

(1964-02-14) February 14, 1964 (age 59)
New York City, U.S.
Alma materColumbia University
OccupationActor
Years active1984–present
Spouse
Ling-Ling Hu Ingerick
​
​
(m. 2005; div. 2010)​

Zachary Wolfe Galligan (born February 14, 1964)[1] 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, and he has Jewish ancestry through his mother’s side.[2][3][4][5] He has a sister, Jessica, and graduated from Columbia University.[6][7]

Career

Galligan's first major and most widely seen role was as Billy Peltzer in the 1984 film Gremlins.[8][9][10] 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.[11] In 1988, he starred as Mark Loftmore in the horror comedy Waxwork.[12] 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.[9]

In 2016, UK progressive rock band Gandalf's Fist announced that Galligan would voice a character on their album The Clockwork Fable.[13]

In early 2021, Galligan appeared in a Mountain Dew commercial in which his Gremlins character, Billy, gives Gizmo a drink of his Mountain Dew.[14] Galligan is set to return to the Gremlins franchise again in the upcoming animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.[15]

Personal life

Galligan married Ling-Ling Hu Ingerick at the Yale Club in New York on September 25, 2005; they divorced in 2010.[16]

Filmography

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately.Find sources: "Zach Galligan" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1984 Gremlins Billy Peltzer
1984 Nothing Lasts Forever Adam Beckett
1988 Waxwork Mark Loftmore
1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Billy Peltzer
1990 Mortal Passions Todd
1991 Zandalee Rog
1991 Psychic Patrick Costello
1992 Round Trip To Heaven Steve
1992 Waxwork II: Lost in Time Mark Loftmore
1993 Warlock: The Armageddon Douglas
1993 All Tied Up Brian Hartley
1994 Caroline at Midnight Jerry Hiatt
1994 Ice Rick Corbit
1995 Cyborg 3: The Recycler Evans
1997 Cupid Eric Rhodes
1997 Prince Valiant Sir Kay
1997 The First to Go Adam Curtis
1998 Storm Trooper Kreigal
1999 The Storytellers Greer Sandler
2000 Little Insects King Foptop
2000 Raw Nerve Ethan Lang released in Japan as Random Shots[citation needed]
2000 G-Men from Hell 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 Let Them Chirp Awhile Hart Carlton
2008 Jewslim Yoseph Caldwell
2009 The Pack Anson
2009 Nightbeasts Charles Thomas
2010 Cut Jack
2010 Jack Falls American Guy
2013 Hatchet III Sheriff Fowler
2016 The Chair Riley
2017 Kampout Detective Benson
2019 Madness in the Method Director/Zach

Television

Year Film Role Notes
1983 Jacobo Timerman: Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number Héctor Timerman Television movie (NBC)
1985 Surviving: A Family in Crisis Rick Brogan Television movie (ABC)
1987–1989 The Lawrenceville Stories William "Hickey" Hicks TV Mini-Series, All 3 Episodes
1992 Melrose Place Rick Danworth Episode: "For Love or Money"
1992 Tales from the Crypt David and Rick Episode: "Strung Along"
1993 For Love and Glory Thomas Doyle Unsold television pilot
1995 Extreme Dan Episode: Pilot
1996 Pacific Blue Ron Jeffries Episode: "Takedown"
1997 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Chester Barnes Episode: "Homecoming"
1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Bill Chase Episode: "Reunion"
1998 Star Trek: Voyager 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 7th Heaven 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

Year Title Role Notes Source
2020 Chilling Tales for Dark Nights Fitzroy / Narrator Episode: "The End is Near"
Segment: "Mr. Promises"		 [17]
2021 The Irate Gamer Himself Episode: "Gremlins"
2022 The Kill Count Himself Episode: Gremlins 2 (1990) KILL COUNT [18]

References

  1. ^ "Today's top celebrity birthdays list for February 14, 2019". cleveland. February 14, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "Zach Galligan - Trivia". IMDb. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  3. ^ "Zach Galligan: 'Mogwai' is new mythic adventure, not 'Gremlins' rehash". UPI. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Obituaries: 1948 Arthur J. Galligan". Columbia College Today. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007.
  5. ^ "Deaths Galligan, Arthur J." The New York Times. January 5, 2006.
  6. ^ McKay, Hollie (June 13, 2013). "Where are they now: 'Gremlins' star Zach Galligan hopes he's in the movie remake". Fox News. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  7. ^ "Jessica Galligan And James Goldsmith Are Married". The New York Times. August 18, 1985.
  8. ^ Jones, Gareth (November 30, 1999). "Zach Galligan Talks Cut, Gremlins 3, and More!". Dread Central.
  9. ^ a b "Gremlins: Where are the cast now?". Smooth.
  10. ^ "'Gremlins' Star Zach Galligan Regrets Leaving Hollywood... and Not Dating Phoebe Cates". www.yahoo.com.
  11. ^ Harris, Aisha (July 9, 2014). "Bill Murray's Never-Released 1984 Sci-Fi Comedy Is Now Online". Slate Magazine.
  12. ^ "Waxwork". TVGuide.com.
  13. ^ Kielty, Martin (February 15, 2016). "Teamrock News: Gandalf's Fist name Clockwork Fable actors". Prog. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  14. ^ "Gremlins Mountain Dew Ad Limited Edition Gizmo Doll Being Released For $300". ScreenRant. March 25, 2021.
  15. ^ "'Gremlins' Star Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, George Takei & More Join 'Secrets of the Mogwai' Guests". July 22, 2022.
  16. ^ "Ling-Ling Ingerick and Zach Galligan". The New York Times. September 25, 2005. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  17. ^ "End is Nigh". YouTube. March 17, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  18. ^ "Gremlins 2 (1990) KILL COUNT". YouTube. December 30, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zach Galligan.
Authority control databases
Categories