Ben Woolf

Ben Woolf
Woolf in 2013
Born
Benjamin Eric Woolf

September 15, 1980
Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.
DiedFebruary 23, 2015(2015-02-23) (aged 34)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2002–2015

Benjamin Eric Woolf (September 15, 1980 – February 23, 2015) was an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in American Horror Story's first and fourth seasons, in which he played Infantata and Meep, respectively.[1] He was also a pre-school teacher.

Early life

Born September 15, 1980, Fort Collins, Colorado, in the United States, to parents Nicholas Woolf and author Marcy Luikart, Woolf grew up in Fairfield, Iowa. He moved with his family to Santa Barbara in 1999 where he was an active league pool player, improv theater performer, and karaoke enthusiast.[1] He earned a degree in Early Childhood Education at City College, teaching in the Head Start program in Goleta until 2010. In 2002, he moved to Hollywood to pursue his dream of being an actor.[1]

Career

In 2002, Woolf began his acting career in his musical film debut "Tap". Woolf was featured in Dead Kansas, Insidious, Haunting Charles Manson, and Woggie. However, Woolf was perhaps best known for his role as The Infantata and Meep on the television series American Horror Story.[2][3][4]

Of his love of pre-school teaching, Woolf said, "when you're with children, you kind of live in a different world that doesn't have any rules. It's more imagination."[5]

Personal life

Woolf was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism at an early age.[5] He stood at 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 meters) as an adult.[1]

Honors

Two weeks before he died Woolf was honored in Moscow for his contributions to the horror genre at the Russian Horror Film Awards.[1]

Death

Woolf died February 23, 2015, at age 34 from a stroke resulting from a head injury he received in a traffic accident while crossing the road.[6] He was struck by the side-view mirror of a passing car[2] in Los Angeles, California. Woolf later died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center located in Los Angeles.[5]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Tap Dancing Boy Film debut
2004 The Jets Mike Uncredited
2010 Insidious Dancing Boy Uncredited
2012 Woggie Little Dude
2013 Unlucky Charms Pookah
2013 Dead Kansas Squeak
2013 Behind the Scenes of Haunting Charles Manson Himmler
2013 Haunting Charles Manson Himmler
2015 Tales of Halloween Rusty Rex

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 TV Face Something 2 episodes
2011 American Horror Story: Murder House Infantata 2 episodes
2012 Eagleheart Frib Episode: "Little Dude"
2012 Little People, Big Word Self Episode: "Amy's 50th"
2012 TMI Hollywood Host Episode: "Hungry Like the Woolf"
2014–15 American Horror Story: Freak Show Meep 3 episodes

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Ben Woolf". Santa Barbara Independent. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b Stack, Liam (February 23, 2015). "Ben Woolf, Actor in 'American Horror Story,' Dies at 34". The New York Times. p. B11. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  3. ^ Moyer, Justin Wm. (February 24, 2015). "Ben Woolf of 'American Horror Story' is dead at 34". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. ^ Dillon, Nancy; Vanmetre, Elizabeth (February 23, 2015). "'American Horror Story' actor Ben Woolf has died from head injury". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Campanero, Lucielle (25 February 2015). "Actor Ben Woolf Dies in Car Accident: What is Dwarfism or Short Stature?". Health Aim. Green Nutrition Distribution. Retrieved 7 August 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ Malec, Brett (23 February 2015). "American Horror Story's Ben Woolf Dead at 34 After Suffering Head Injury". E! News. E! Online. Retrieved 7 August 2018.