Lon Extract, 41, an actor, writer and puppeteer whose range extended from Shakespearean villains to imaginary dragons, died of a heart attack Monday, Oct. 9, in his Chicago home. He had a mastery of the spoken word, able to imitate a spectrum of dialects, and the written word, having written a number of plays, said his wife, Lolly Extract. “He did amazing, almost acrobatic work with his acting and his voice,” his wife said. Audiences at the Field Museum, Navy Pier and many Chicago public schools appreciated his skills. Mr. Extract, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, graduated from Brooklyn College in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree. He performed in several Shakespeare productions in New York, including “Twelfth Night,” “Edward II” and “Measure for Measure.” Lolly Extract said her husband’s interest in puppetry was sparked when she met him at the New York Renaissance Fair in 1989. The two were partners in the Jabberwocky Marionettes and performed on national tours, including one headlined by country singer Kenny Rogers, she said. The Extracts moved to Chicago in 1994. He also is survived by a daughter, Amber Marsh; a son, Jonathan; his father, Howard; his mother, Florence Kassler; and a sister, Michelle Schimel. A funeral service was held Oct. 15.
