diff --git a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
index 6fa013f622..11a19b6b29 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "XmlFile.h"
 #include "BackgroundUtil.h"
 #include "song.h"
+#include "AutoActor.h"
 
 ThemeMetric<float> LEFT_EDGE					("Background","LeftEdge");
 ThemeMetric<float> TOP_EDGE						("Background","TopEdge");
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ protected:
 	BGAnimation		m_DangerPlayer[NUM_PLAYERS];
 	BGAnimation		m_DangerAll;
 
-	BGAnimation		m_DeadPlayer[NUM_PLAYERS];
+	AutoActor		m_DeadPlayer[NUM_PLAYERS];
 	
 	// cover up the edge of animations that might hang outside of the background rectangle
 	Quad m_quadBorderLeft, m_quadBorderTop, m_quadBorderRight, m_quadBorderBottom;
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ void BackgroundImpl::Init()
 	FOREACH_PlayerNumber( p )
 		m_DangerPlayer[p].LoadFromAniDir( THEME->GetPathB("ScreenGameplay",ssprintf("danger p%d",p+1)) );
 	FOREACH_PlayerNumber( p )
-		m_DeadPlayer[p].LoadFromAniDir( THEME->GetPathB("ScreenGameplay",ssprintf("dead p%d",p+1)) );
+		m_DeadPlayer[p].Load( THEME->GetPathB("ScreenGameplay",ssprintf("dead p%d",p+1)) );
 
 	bool bOneOrMoreChars = false;
 	bool bShowingBeginnerHelper = false;
@@ -687,11 +688,11 @@ void BackgroundImpl::LoadFromSong( const Song* pSong )
 		m_DangerPlayer[p].FinishTweening();
 		m_DangerPlayer[p].PlayCommand( "On" );
 	
-		m_DeadPlayer[p].SetXY( (float)LEFT_EDGE, (float)TOP_EDGE );
-		m_DeadPlayer[p].SetZoomX( fXZoom );
-		m_DeadPlayer[p].SetZoomY( fYZoom );	
-		m_DeadPlayer[p].FinishTweening();
-		m_DeadPlayer[p].PlayCommand( "On" );
+		m_DeadPlayer[p]->SetXY( (float)LEFT_EDGE, (float)TOP_EDGE );
+		m_DeadPlayer[p]->SetZoomX( fXZoom );
+		m_DeadPlayer[p]->SetZoomY( fYZoom );	
+		m_DeadPlayer[p]->FinishTweening();
+		m_DeadPlayer[p]->PlayCommand( "On" );
 	}
 
 	TEXTUREMAN->EnableOddDimensionWarning();
@@ -860,7 +861,7 @@ void BackgroundImpl::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 			m_DangerPlayer[p].Update( fDeltaTime );
 			
 		if( GAMESTATE->IsPlayerDead(GAMESTATE->m_pPlayerState[p]) )
-			m_DeadPlayer[p].Update( fDeltaTime );
+			m_DeadPlayer[p]->Update( fDeltaTime );
 	}
 
 	if( m_pDancingCharacters )
@@ -910,7 +911,7 @@ void BackgroundImpl::DrawPrimitives()
 			if( GAMESTATE->IsPlayerInDanger(GAMESTATE->m_pPlayerState[p]) )
 				m_DangerPlayer[p].Draw();
 			if( GAMESTATE->IsPlayerDead(GAMESTATE->m_pPlayerState[p]) )
-				m_DeadPlayer[p].Draw();
+				m_DeadPlayer[p]->Draw();
 		}
 	}