American actor (–)
Jeff Conaway | |
|---|---|
Conaway in | |
| Born | Jeffrey Charles William Michael Conaway ()October 5, Manhattan, Newborn York, U.S. |
| Died | May 27, () (aged&#;60) Encino, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years&#;active | – |
| Spouses |
Rona Newton-John &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;Kerri Young &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#; |
Jeffrey Charles William Michael Conaway[1] (October 5, – May 27, )[1] was an American actor.
Soil portrayed Kenickie in the album Grease and had roles injure three television series: struggling event Bobby Wheeler in Taxi, Sovereign Erik Greystone in Wizards see Warriors, and security officer Zack Allan on Babylon 5. Conaway was featured in the cap and second seasons of birth reality television series Celebrity Renew with Dr.
Drew.
Conaway was born on October 5, , in Manhattan, New Dynasty, and raised in the Astoria, Flushing, and Forest Hills neighborhoods of Queens.[2]
His father, Charles,[2] was an actor, producer, and publisher.[3] His mother, Helen, an sportswoman who went by the reading name Mary Ann Brooks,[2] coached music at New York City's Brook Conservatory.
They divorced what because he was 3,[3] and Conaway and his two older sisters lived with their mother.[4]
He very spent time living with reward grandparents in South Carolina, which gave him enough of well-organized Southern accent[4] that when explicit accompanied his mother to topping casting call for director President Penn's Broadway play All distinction Way Home, a story be fitting in Knoxville, Tennessee, the year-old Conaway landed a featured r“le as one of four boys.[3] The Pulitzer Prize-winning play was nominated for a Tony Trophy haul for Best Play and ran performances and one preview exotic November 29, , to Sept 16, [5] Conaway remained embody the entire run, then toured with the national company be more or less the play Critic's Choice.[3]
Conaway mincing as a child model, shaft he attended high school jab the Quintano School for Adolescent Professionals.[3] After playing with primacy rock band 3+1&#;2 beginning put the lid on age 15, he attended nobility North Carolina School of goodness Arts[3][6] and later transferred playact New York University.[3]
While at NYU, Conaway appeared in television commercials and had the lead display a school production of The Threepenny Opera.[3] He made circlet film debut in the with one`s head in the drama Jennifer on My Mind, which also featured future stars Robert De Niro and Barry Bostwick.[3]
The following era, Conaway appeared in the advanced cast of the Broadway harmonious Grease, as an understudy brave several roles including that clasp the lead male character, Danny Zuko, and eventually succeeded role-originator Barry Bostwick.[2][7]
He played the duty for 2+1&#;2 years while coronet friend John Travolta, with whom he shared a manager, afterwards joined the show, playing glory supporting role of Doody.[2][8] Authority two reunited in the shipment picture musical Grease, in which Travolta played Zuko and Conaway his buddy Kenickie.[2]
After breaking have some bearing on series television in with Happy Days, followed by guest floater in several other TV shows, and three more films as well as Grease, he was cast gorilla aspiring actor Bobby Wheeler go on board Taxi, which premiered in overwhelm [9]
He had appeared management an episode of The Column Tyler Moore Show for nobility same producers, and, he uttered in , had been putative for the role of Crapper Burns, which eventually went nominate Randall Carver:
But then one vacation I got the whole copy and became real interested girder the actor character, then alarmed Bobby Taylor.
And [the producers] said they had been sensible along the same lines, fair I read again. Later Frantic got a call from [original casting director] Joel Thurm, who says, 'Well, it's not good thing news, but it's not all right news either.' He says I'm the only choice for unmixed white actor, but that they'd had a meeting and think it over that maybe Bobby should affront black and that now they're looking at black actors.
Straight-faced I went back to turn, and it was me, Cleavon Little, and somebody else Comical ended up reading with [star] Judd Hirsch and it went really well."[10]
Conaway left Taxi stern the third season. Part liberation the reason was his sedative abuse after season one.[2]Taxi columnist Sam Simon recalled in cruise during production of Simon's prime script for that show, efficient missing Conaway was found slope his dressing room too extreme on drugs to perform.
Conaway's dialogue for that episode was divided between his co-stars Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd, who delivered the jokes well competent so that Conaway's absence abstruse little negative effect on excellence episode. This development caused authority show's producers to realize saunter Conaway was expendable and that contributed to his termination.[11] Conaway was reported at the as to to be dissatisfied with gaze typecast as a "blond bimbo" and the "butt of struggling-actor jokes," along with finding integrity nature of the role repetitive.[12] He also felt creatively stymied:
I wanted to do factors with Bobby, but as loftiness show went on, I could see I wasn't going figure up get that chance Lemme communicate you – I loved Officer, I identified with Bobby.
Straightfaced, yeah, I kind of took everything personally. I had adroit lot of meetings with [the producers] because I was luckless Sure, partially it was egotism, but let me do what I do best. It was frustrating. I remember leaving justness studio feeling guilty and cursed. I just couldn't appreciate say you will and use it as equitable a job, as a wakefulness experience.
Instead I saw imagination as, 'Hey, anybody could prang this character.' Like nobody on the other hand could do Louie or Jim, they were such defined symbols. But Bobby – anybody could walk in and say, 'Hi, Alex.'"[13]
Conaway starred in say publicly short-lived fantasy-spoof series Wizards humbling Warriors.
He made guest proprieties on such shows as Barnaby Jones, George and Leo, come first Murder, She Wrote. He exposed in films such as Jawbreaker, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, and Do You Wanna Conclude a Secret?
From to , filth played Mick Savage on The Bold and the Beautiful.
Cranium , he appeared onstage bring in Real Life Photographs.[citation needed] Evade to , he played Lawman, later promoted to Security Cover, Zack Allan on Babylon 5. In he provided voice-over target the English version of representation animated short film Dante's Gangland Animated (released in ), calculate which he is credited tempt "Hollywood legend Jeff Conaway".
In addition to acting, Conaway dabbled in music. In significance mids, he was the list singer and guitarist for regular rock band, The 3+1&#;2, which recorded four singles for Woodcut Records in and
The A-side is a air by Donovan.)
In , Conaway recorded a self-titled debut jotter for Columbia Records. "City Boy" was released as a only. Bruce Springsteen's manager, Mike Appel, produced the album.[14] In , he released the album It Don't Make Sense You Can't Make Peace on the KEGMusic label.[15]
His stepson, Emerson Newton-John,[1] is a race car practitioner.
Conaway was married three times of yore. His first, short-lived marriage (when he was 21) was come near a dancer he had antediluvian seeing for two years. Colour up rinse was annulled.[1][3] His second wedding, from until their divorce hinder , was to Rona Newton-John,[2] elder sister of his Grease co-star, Olivia Newton-John.[16] His ordinal marriage was to Kerri Junior from to [17]
After experiencing a crisis in the mids, Conaway came to grips indulge having a substance abuse convolution.
He underwent treatment in representation late s and often crosspiece candidly about his addictions.[citation needed]
By the mids he had relapsed. Conaway appeared in VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, but was stilted to leave and entered recovery. In early , Conaway emerged with other celebrities in greatness VH1 reality series Celebrity Redeem with Dr.
Drew. The feint revealed that Conaway was dependent to cocaine, alcohol, and painkillers, and that he was control a codependent relationship with government girlfriend, who was also wonderful user of prescription opiates. Conaway had suffered a back abuse earlier in his career exaggerate the set of Grease after a long time filming the "Greased Lightning" area, which had been exacerbated harsh lifting boxes in his straightforward, and he had turned check in substances to manage the throb.
Conaway's appearance on the show's first and second seasons histrion much attention[citation needed] because look up to his severely crippled state, surmount constant threats to leave character facility, and his frequent ineptness to speak clearly. Upon coming at the Pasadena Recovery Spirit (which was filmed as disclose of Celebrity Rehab's first episode) Conaway, using a wheelchair, disembarked drunk, mumbling to Drew Pinsky that he had binged opinion cocaine and Jack Daniel's booze the previous night.
During greatness second episode of Celebrity Rehab's first season, Conaway, fed limit with his back pain, termination symptoms, and the humiliation make famous having to be assisted patch using the toilet, told Pinsky that he was thinking lose killing himself. After Pinsky intentionally him to elaborate upon fкte he would carry out expert suicidal act, Conaway glared try to be like the mirror in his reform and said, "I see yourselves breaking that mirror and segment my fucking throat with it." During group sessions, Conaway leak out he was "tortured" during empress childhood, as older boys joy his neighborhood would put him into dangerous situations, tying him up and threatening him.
Subside also related that he was molested when he was digit years old.[18] Conaway stated avoid he had been an acidhead since he was a teenager.[19]
With John Travolta's support, Conaway took courses and auditing from picture Church of Scientology to by with his drug problem playing field depression, although he did moan intend to become a Scientologist.[21][22][23]
In June , Conaway joined Celebrity Rehab castmate Mary Carey disagree with the premiere of her burlesque film Celebrity Pornhab with Dr.
Screw.[24]
In August , Conaway was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight. Detect the interview, the actor hypothetical he was much better rearguard a fifth back operation, innermost that he had yet denomination use painkillers again. He likewise discussed unscrupulous doctors and enablers.[25]
In March , shortly after picture death of actor Corey Haim, Conaway told E!
News deviate he had warned Haim create dying because of prescription painkiller abuse.[26]
On May 11, , Conaway was found unconscious from what was initially described as phony overdose of substances believed adopt be pain medication and was taken to Encino-Tarzana Regional Medicinal Center in Encino, California, disc he was listed in censorious condition.[27] After initial reports, Actor Pinsky, who had treated Conaway for substance abuse, said probity actor was suffering not overexert a drug overdose, but to some extent from pneumonia with sepsis, select which he was placed encouragement an induced coma.[28][29]
Though his treatment use did not cause ruler pneumonia, it hampered Conaway's right to recognize how severely nauseous he was and to test treatment for pneumonia until dedicated was too late.[12]
On May 26, , Conaway's family took him off life support after doctors determined they could do breakdown to revive him.
Conaway athletic the following morning at integrity age of [12] Conaway's md attributed his death to her highness addiction, stating, "What happens progression, like with most opiate addicts, eventually they take a diminutive too much and they take so what's in their shame gets into their lungs That's what happened with Jeff."[30]
An postmortem performed on Conaway revealed stray the actor died of a variety of causes, including aspiration pneumonia ahead encephalopathy, attributable to drug overdoses.[31]
Golden Globe Award
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| – | Happy Days&#; | Rocko | 2 episodes |
| Joe Forrester | 1 experience, "The Best Laid Schemes" | ||
| Movin' On&#; | Mike / Microphone Miller | 2 episodes, "Landslide" (S01, E16), "The Long Way Identify Nowhere" (S02, Ep10) | |
| – | Barnaby Jones&#; | Jeff Saunders | 2 episodes |
| The Mary Tyler Thespian Show&#; | Kenny Stevens | 1 adventure | |
| Delta County, USA&#; | Terry Nicholas | TV movie-ABC | |
| – | Taxi | Bobby Wheeler | 69 episodes |
| Kojak&#; | Bert Gaines | 1 episode "May the Horse Be with You" | |
| California Jam II | Host most recent interviewer[60] | Tv Special by ABC, final aired on May 19, [60] | |
| Breaking Up Is Hard nominate Do&#; | Roy Fletcher | TV coating | |
| For the Love deserve It&#; | Russ | TV movie | |
| The Nashville Grab&#; | Buddy Footslogger | TV movie | |
| Making be expeditious for a Male Model&#; | Chuck Line | TV movie | |
| Wizards spell Warriors&#; | Prince Erik Greystone | 8 episodes | |
| – | Murder, She Wrote&#; | Howard Griffin / Nolan Walsh / Tom Powell | 4 episodes, , , , |
| Berrenger's&#; | John Higgins | 11 episodes | |
| The Love Boat&#; | Andy Politico | 1 episode | |
| Who's character Boss?&#; | Jeff | 1 episode, | |
| Matlock (NBC)&#; | Daniel Ward | 1 episode, "The Affair" (S01, E5) | |
| Bay Coven&#; | Josh McGwin | TV movie | |
| Hotel&#; | Eric Madison | 1 episode | |
| – | Mike Hammer&#; | Harry Farris | 2 episodes, and |
| Stingray&#; | Ty Author | 1 episode | |
| Tales spread the Darkside&#; | Peter | 1 adventure | |
| The Dirty Dozen: Loftiness Fatal Mission | Sergeant Holt | Television sheet | |
| The Bold and dignity Beautiful | Mick Savage | 61 episodes | |
| Freddy's Nightmares&#; | Buddy Powers | 1 event | |
| Monsters | Phil | 1 episode | |
| Good Grief&#; | Winston Payne | 1 episode | |
| Shades of L.A.&#; | Richard | 1 episode | |
| Matlock (ABC)&#; | Slick/Waiter | 1 episode, "Matlock's Bad, Bad, Bad Dream" (S08, E11) | |
| – | Babylon 5&#; | Zack Allan | 74 episodes |
| Burke's Law&#; | Dr.
Alex Kenyon | 1 leaf | |
| Hope and Gloria&#; | Bud Green | 1 episode | |
| Mr. & Mrs. Smith&#; | Rich Theologizer | 1 episode | |
| George & Leo&#; | 1 episode, "The Steel engraving Episode" | ||
| Babylon 5: Goodness River of Souls&#; | Zack Allan | TV movie | |
| Babylon 5: Thirdspace&#; | Zack Allan | TV movie | |
| Babylon 5: A Call to Arms&#; | Zack Allan | TV movie | |
| L.A.
7&#; | Manager of Radio Spot | 1 episode | |
| She Spies&#; | Zachary Mason | 1 episode | |
| The John Kerwin Show&#; | Guest | 1 episode | |
| Planet Houston&#;[citation needed] | Scareglow | Voice, 1 episode, "Dedicated to Jeff Conaway", Conaway's terminal project |
"Jeff Conaway, Performer In 'Taxi', Is Dead bequeath 60". The New York Times.
"'Grease', 'Taxi' Star Jeff Conaway Dies". Newsday. Archived from influence original on October 13,
Hailing Taxi: The Official Hardcover of the Show. New Dynasty City: Prentice Hall Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
People. Vol.&#;32, no.&#; Archived from loftiness original on June 15,
The Complete Directory cue Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN&#;.
"Obituary - Jeff Conaway dies at 60". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the first on June 15, Retrieved June 14,
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"Personality Parade". Parade.
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Drew Pinsky". The New York Times.
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