Actor, teacher and artist Etchison dies in Las Vegas
Las Vegas actor, teacher and artist Gregory Etchison died Aug. 14 in Las Vegas. He was 62.
Born in Baltimore, Etchison lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., before moving to Las Vegas in 1996.
In Brooklyn, Etchison was a writer, performer and director in local theater.
He also taught and owned and operated an art gallery and art supply store.
He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts in Baltimore. After graduating he was the artistic director of the Millbrook Playhouse in Mill Hall, Pa.
Etchison created the lead role of Santo in Caesars Palace's Magical Empire in 1996 and worked in the show until 2000.
Over the past seven years, Etchison taught fashion design at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Henderson, was a substitute teacher in the Clark County School District and was involved with local theater companies.
In 2004 he was commissioned by the Las Vegas Art Museum to paint a 60-foot mural depicting the terrorist attacks on New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.
One of Etchison's more notable acting roles was that of Ebenezer Scrooge in the annual productions of "A Christmas Carol" at Lawry's the Prime Rib restaurant.
No funeral is scheduled.
