Disney World Pirate Actor dies

[hurricane]

A performer at Walt Disney World and theater-community mainstay died Monday, four days after he was injured onstage at the Magic Kingdom.

Mark Priest, 47, fell Thursday while playing in "Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial," an interactive show in which actors lead guests through a series of pirate-skills tests, a Disney spokeswoman said.

Priest, who was in a mock sword fight, stumbled on a wet spot on the stage and then banged into a wall, said friend Jeffrey Breslauer. His injuries included a broken vertebra in his neck and a cut that required 55 stitches to his scalp.

Priest was moved out of intensive care and appeared to be improving, but he experienced complications Monday and died at Florida Hospital Orlando, friends said. An official cause of death has not been determined.

"It was a very freakish thing," said Breslauer, who has known Priest for 18 years.

Company officials received no indication that Priest's injuries were life-threatening, a spokeswoman said. When the resort learned of Priest's death Monday afternoon, officials contacted the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

"Our hearts go out to his family and fellow cast members, and we are offering our support to them during this difficult time," Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.

The fall took place during Priest's first performance Thursday morning, Priest told Breslauer. The actor playing Captain Jack Sparrow was supposed to kick Priest's character, Mack, in the buttocks at the end of a sword fight.

When Priest stepped afterward, he slid on a wet patch and careened headlong into a wall, Breslauer said. He was bleeding and could barely see, but he left the stage quickly so children would not be upset.

Priest was rushed to Florida Hospital Celebration Health and was transferred to Florida Hospital Orlando.

Priest joked during the ordeal. At one point, he said he was at the hospital to pick up women, Breslauer said.

"He didn't want anybody worried about him or scared," Breslauer said.

That was Priest's nature, friends said.

"He was a comedian on and off the stage," said friend John Baker, who performed as a Ghostbuster with Priest at Universal Studios.

Priest arrived in Central Florida in 1989 and played roles at Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows on International Drive for about 19 years, said his former director, Laurel Clark. He arrived more than an hour before the show to set up props for gags he made up.

"He was known as a perfectionist," Clark said.

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

[Honour Bright]

I'm so sorry to read this, Hurricane. What a tragedy. My heart goes out to his family and friends.

[JohnnyTarr]

You know things like this just suck. I mean you can understand a car crash or that kind of thing, but a slip and cracked head?

[lady constance]

sounds like he died from an unevactuated subdural hematoma---

and perhaps the broken vertebra was high enough to cause swelling to the brainstem--herniating it...compounding things

sad,sad,sad.....

doubt the exact cause of death will be made public....

prayers for the man and his family

[Mission]

Of all this places this topic might go, Twill is probably at least half way down the list. I'm gonna' send it to Pop since they keep sending topics here.

[Mission]

Of all this places this topic might go, Twill is probably at least half way down the list. I'm gonna' send it to Pop since they keep sending topics here.

[Salty]

gods grant him and his peace

[Gunpowder Gertie]

Although I expect that the thread title was meant to be funny...

it wasn't the performer playing Jack. He was playing his trusty sidekick Mack.

This guy seemed to be a member of a couple of pirate groups in Florida..he was well known on the Dinner theatre circuit around Orlando.

But- he loved to be a pirate! He wasn't any different from any of us here, portraying a pirate for entertainment, not just for Disney.

I guess I was a little disappointed, because it seems to cheapen the fact that this man died, doing what we all love.

This kind of freak accident could happen to any of us...

I went to his Myspace..he seemed like a pretty nice guy.

Here's some pics:

As a pirate- but not the Disney pirate:

His headshot:

and him performing at Walt Disney World:

RIP Mark...

[The Gothic Blacksmith]

Requiescant in pace, Mark.

[thunderbuster]

May Jesus grant his family, strength and comfort, through these most trying times.

[Blackbead]

A sad reminder that in life, we are in death. But, I truly believe that within each of us there is something eternal that goes on and like a ship that slowly sails beneath the horizon, I know that this soul hasn't gone away, he's simply sailed beyond our sight. Dying doing what he loved, however, means that the ship was feted from the harbor with much fanfare, bands playing, and skyrockets. If ya gotta go . . . that's the way to do it.

God bless him and give him fair winds for his journey! God grant his family and friends the strength to wish him well on his way and to endure the sadness at their parting.

I never met Mark Priest here but maybe I'll meet him in the New World.

Blackbead

[1stMate Matt]

My heart goes out to his friends and family. We can go at anytime. There are no rules in death. It comes when it wants.