Jeff Conaway
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Charles William Michael "Jeff" Conaway (October 5, 1950 – May 27, 2011) was an American actor best known for his roles in the movie Grease
and the US television series Taxi
and Babylon 5
. Conaway was featured on the first season of reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
. He died in May 2011.
, New York City, and raised in the Astoria
, Flushing
, and Forest Hills
neighborhoods of the borough Queens
. His father, Charles, was an actor, producer and publisher. His mother, Helen, an actress who went by the stage name Mary Ann Brooks, taught music at New York City's Brook Conservatory. They divorced when he was 3, and Conaway and his two older sisters lived with his mother. He also spent time living with his grandparents in South Carolina
, which gave him enough of a Southern accent that when he accompanied his mother to a casting call for director Arthur Penn
's Broadway play All the Way Home
, the 10-year-old Conaway landed a featured role as one of four boys. The 1961 Pulitzer Prize
-winning play was nominated for a Tony Award
for Best Play and ran 333 performances and one preview from November 29, 1960 to September 16, 1961. Conaway remained for the entire run, then toured with the national company of the play Critic's Choice
.
Conaway worked as a child model, and attended high school at the Quintano School for Young Professionals. After playing with the rock band 3 1/2 for a time, beginning at age 15, he attended the North Carolina School of the Arts
and later transferred to New York University
.
. He made his movie debut in the 1971 romantic drama Jennifer on my Mind.
, as an understudy
to several roles including that of the lead male character, Danny Zuko, and eventually succeeded role-originator Barry Bostwick
. He played the role for 2 1/2 years while his friend John Travolta
, with whom he shared a manager, later joined the show, playing Doody in the chorus. The two would reunite in the 1978 motion picture musical Grease
, in which Travolta played Zuko and Conaway his buddy Kenickie.
After breaking into series television in 1975 with Happy Days
, followed by other sitcom and drama appearances and three more movies including Grease, Conaway was cast as vain, struggling, but goodhearted actor Bobby Wheeler in the workplace comedy Taxi
, which premiered in fall 1978. He had appeared in an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
for the same producers, and, he said in 1987, was originally considered for the role of John Burns, which eventually went to Randall Carver:
Conaway left Taxi after the third season. Part of the reason was his drug abuse after season one.Taxi writer Sam Simon
recalled in 2008 that during production of Simon's first script for that show, a missing Conaway was found in his dressing room too high on drugs to perform, and that his dialogue for that episode was divided between his co-stars Danny DeVito
and Christopher Lloyd
who delivered the jokes well enough so that Conaway's absence had little negative impact on the actual episode. This caused the show's producers to realize that he was expendable and contributed to Conaway's eventual firing. But Conaway also felt creatively stymied:
Conaway went on to star in the short-lived 1983 fantasy-spoof series, Wizards and Warriors
. He made guest appearances on such shows as Barnaby Jones
, George and Leo and in four episodes of Murder, She Wrote
. He appeared in films such as Jawbreaker
, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and Do You Wanna Know a Secret?
. From 1994–1999, he played Sergeant Zack Allan
, on Babylon 5
. From 1989–90, he was cast on The Bold and the Beautiful
, in the role of "Mick Savage". In 1993, he appeared onstage in Real Life Photographs.
in 1966 and 1967:
In 1979, Conaway recorded a self titled debut album for Columbia Records. "City Boy" was released as a single. Bruce Springsteen
's manager, Mike Appel
, produced the album.
The CD Saints & Sinners, by Vikki and Kenickie, was released independently via the internet in 2008, featuring Conaway singing and rapping with Vikki Lizzi (Spinoza). They promoted the CD on The Howard Stern Show on April 2, 2008 and performed live shows in the Los Angeles area.
. His second marriage, from 1980 until their divorce in 1985, was to Rona Newton-John, elder sister of his Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John
. His third marriage was to Keri Young from 1990 until their divorce.
problem. He underwent treatment in the late 1980s and often spoke candidly about his addictions.
By the mid-2000s however, he had relapsed. Conaway appeared in VH1
's Celebrity Fit Club
, but was forced to leave and entered rehab. In early 2008, Conaway appeared with other celebrities in the VH1 reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
. The show revealed that Conaway was addicted to cocaine
, alcohol, and painkillers, and that he was in a codependent relationship with his girlfriend Vikki Lizzi, also a user of prescription opiate
s. Conaway had suffered a back injury earlier in his career on the set of Grease while filming the "Greased Lightning" scene, which had been exacerbated more recently as a result of lifting boxes in his home.
Conaway's appearance on the show's first and second seasons drew much attention because of his severely crippled state, his constant threats of leaving the facility and his frequent inability to speak clearly. Upon arrival at the Pasadena Recovery Centre (which was filmed as part of Celebrity Rehabs first episode) Conaway, using a wheelchair, arrived drunk, mumbling to Dr. Drew that the night previous he had binged on cocaine
and Jack Daniel's
whiskey.
During the second episode of Celebrity Rehabs first season, Conaway, fed up with his dorsalgia, withdrawal symptoms and the humiliation of having to be assisted while using the toilet, told Dr. Pinsky that he was thinking of killing himself
. After Pinsky asked him to elaborate upon how he would carry out a suicidal act
, Conaway glared at the mirror in his room and said "I see myself breaking that mirror and slicing my fucking throat with it." During group sessions, Conaway revealed "torture" from his childhood, as older boys in his neighborhood would put him into dangerous situations, tying him up and threatening him. When he was seven years old, he was a victim of pedophiles and child pornographers. Conaway stated that he had been an addict since he was a teenager.
With John Travolta
's support, Conaway took courses and auditing
from the Church of Scientology
to cope with his drug problem and depression, although he did not intend to become a Scientologist.
In June 2009, Conaway and Vikki joined Celebrity Rehab cast mate Mary Carey at the premier of her spoof flick Celebrity Pornhab with Dr. Screw
.
In August 2009, Conaway was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight
. In the interview, the actor claimed he was much better after a fifth back operation, and that he had yet to use painkillers again. He also discussed unscrupulous doctors and enablers.
In March 2010, shortly after the death of actor Corey Haim
, Conaway told E! News
that he had warned Haim about dying because of prescription drug abuse.
in Encino, California, where he was listed in critical condition. After initial reports, Dr. Drew Pinsky
, who had treated Conaway for substance abuse, said the actor was suffering not from a drug overdose but rather from pneumonia
with sepsis
for which he was placed into an induced coma. Though his pneumonia was not directly a result of drug usage, it hampered Conaway's ability to recognize how severely ill he was and to seek treatment for pneumonia until it was too late.
On May 26, 2011, Conaway's family took him off life support after doctors decided there was nothing they could do to revive him. Conaway died the following morning at the age of 60. Conaway's doctor attributed his death to his addiction, stating, "What happens is, like with most opiate addicts, eventually they take a little too much ... and they aspirate, so what's in their mouth gets into their lungs ... That's what happened with Jeff."
An autopsy performed on Conaway revealed that the actor died of various causes, including pneumonia and encephalopathy attributable to drug overdoses.
Grease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
and the US television series Taxi
Taxi (TV series)
Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
and Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
. Conaway was featured on the first season of reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew is a reality television show airing on the cable network VH1 that chronicles a group of celebrities as they are treated for alcohol and drug addiction by Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California. The first season premiered...
. He died in May 2011.
Early life
Jeff Conaway was born in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City, and raised in the Astoria
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, Flushing
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, and Forest Hills
Forest Hills, Queens
Forest Hills is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States.-Neighborhood:The neighborhood is home to upper-middle class residents, of whom the wealthier residents often live in the neighborhood's Forest Hills Gardens area...
neighborhoods of the borough Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. His father, Charles, was an actor, producer and publisher. His mother, Helen, an actress who went by the stage name Mary Ann Brooks, taught music at New York City's Brook Conservatory. They divorced when he was 3, and Conaway and his two older sisters lived with his mother. He also spent time living with his grandparents in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, which gave him enough of a Southern accent that when he accompanied his mother to a casting call for director Arthur Penn
Arthur Penn
Arthur Hiller Penn was an American film director and producer with a career as a theater director as well. Penn amassed a critically acclaimed body of work throughout the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
's Broadway play All the Way Home
All the Way Home (play)
All the Way Home is a 1960 play written by American playwright Tad Mosel, adapted from the 1957 James Agee novel, A Death in the Family. Both authors received the Pulitzer Prize for their separate works....
, the 10-year-old Conaway landed a featured role as one of four boys. The 1961 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning play was nominated for a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Play and ran 333 performances and one preview from November 29, 1960 to September 16, 1961. Conaway remained for the entire run, then toured with the national company of the play Critic's Choice
Critic's Choice (play)
Critic's Choice is a play written by Ira Levin.It opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on December 14, 1960 and ran for 189 performances, closing on May 27, 1961. Levin's inspiration was then-New York Herald Tribune drama critic Walter Kerr and his playwright wife Jean. Otto Preminger directed...
.
Conaway worked as a child model, and attended high school at the Quintano School for Young Professionals. After playing with the rock band 3 1/2 for a time, beginning at age 15, he attended the North Carolina School of the Arts
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts , formerly the North Carolina School of the Arts, is a public coeducational arts conservatory in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that grants high school, undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is one of the seventeen constituent campuses of the...
and later transferred to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Career
While at NYU, he appeared in television commercials and had the lead in a school production of The Threepenny OperaThe Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
. He made his movie debut in the 1971 romantic drama Jennifer on my Mind.
Grease and Taxi
The following year, Conaway appeared in the original cast of the Broadway musical GreaseGrease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, as an understudy
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
to several roles including that of the lead male character, Danny Zuko, and eventually succeeded role-originator Barry Bostwick
Barry Bostwick
Barry Knapp Bostwick is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, replacing Peter Scolari as Mr. Tyler in the sitcom What I Like About You, and playing mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom Spin City...
. He played the role for 2 1/2 years while his friend John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
, with whom he shared a manager, later joined the show, playing Doody in the chorus. The two would reunite in the 1978 motion picture musical Grease
Grease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
, in which Travolta played Zuko and Conaway his buddy Kenickie.
After breaking into series television in 1975 with Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
, followed by other sitcom and drama appearances and three more movies including Grease, Conaway was cast as vain, struggling, but goodhearted actor Bobby Wheeler in the workplace comedy Taxi
Taxi (TV series)
Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
, which premiered in fall 1978. He had appeared in an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
for the same producers, and, he said in 1987, was originally considered for the role of John Burns, which eventually went to Randall Carver:
Conaway left Taxi after the third season. Part of the reason was his drug abuse after season one.Taxi writer Sam Simon
Sam Simon
Samuel "Sam" Simon is an American director, producer, writer, boxing manager and philanthropist. While at Stanford University, Simon worked as a newspaper cartoonist and after graduating became a storyboard artist at Filmation Studios. He submitted a spec script for the sitcom Taxi, which was...
recalled in 2008 that during production of Simon's first script for that show, a missing Conaway was found in his dressing room too high on drugs to perform, and that his dialogue for that episode was divided between his co-stars Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
and Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
who delivered the jokes well enough so that Conaway's absence had little negative impact on the actual episode. This caused the show's producers to realize that he was expendable and contributed to Conaway's eventual firing. But Conaway also felt creatively stymied:
Conaway went on to star in the short-lived 1983 fantasy-spoof series, Wizards and Warriors
Wizards and Warriors (TV series)
Wizards and Warriors was a CBS television series from 1983, starring Jeff Conaway, Julia Duffy, Walter Olkewicz, Duncan Regehr, and Clive Revill. Only eight one hour episodes were made of this offbeat fantasy-comedy. The series was created by Don Reo for Warner Bros. Television and most of the...
. He made guest appearances on such shows as Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
, George and Leo and in four episodes of Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
. He appeared in films such as Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (film)
Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark and Do You Wanna Know a Secret?
Do You Wanna Know a Secret?
Do You Wanna Know A Secret is a 2001 slasher film starring Joey Lawrence, Chad Allen and Dorie Barton. The film begins with six friends are on a retreat and are about to graduate college. One by one, the friends are being stalked and murdered by a killer wearing a black cloak and a rubber mask...
. From 1994–1999, he played Sergeant Zack Allan
Zack Allan
Zack Allan is a character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jeff Conaway. He regularly appeared in the show from season 2 onwards. During the second and third seasons of the series he was a security officer on the Babylon 5 station...
, on Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
. From 1989–90, he was cast on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
, in the role of "Mick Savage". In 1993, he appeared onstage in Real Life Photographs.
Music career
In addition to acting, Conaway also dabbled in music. In the mid-1960s, he was the lead singer and guitarist for a rock band, The 3 1/2. They recorded four singles for Cameo RecordsCameo Records
Cameo was a USA based budget record label, first flourishing in the 1920s, not connected with a later record label of the same name which was active in the 1950s and 1960s.The Cameo Record Company was based in Manhattan, New York...
in 1966 and 1967:
- "Don't Cry To Me Babe" / "R & B In C" (Cameo 425, 1966)
- "Problem Child" / "Hey Mom Hey Dad" (Cameo 442, 1966)
- "Hey Gyp" / "Hey Kitty Cool Kitty" (Cameo 451, 1967) (This single was produced by Peter NoonePeter NoonePeter Noone is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor, best known as "Herman" of the successful 1960s rock group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:...
of Herman's HermitsHerman's HermitsHerman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers...
, who also wrote the B-side. The A-side is a song by DonovanDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
.) - "Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)" / "You Turned Your Back On Love" (Cameo 485, 1967)
In 1979, Conaway recorded a self titled debut album for Columbia Records. "City Boy" was released as a single. Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's manager, Mike Appel
Mike Appel
Mike Appel is an American music industry manager and record producer, most known for his role in both capacities early in the career of Bruce Springsteen....
, produced the album.
The CD Saints & Sinners, by Vikki and Kenickie, was released independently via the internet in 2008, featuring Conaway singing and rapping with Vikki Lizzi (Spinoza). They promoted the CD on The Howard Stern Show on April 2, 2008 and performed live shows in the Los Angeles area.
Marriages
Conaway was married three times. His first short-lived marriage, at 21, to a dancer he had been seeing for two years, was annulledAnnulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
. His second marriage, from 1980 until their divorce in 1985, was to Rona Newton-John, elder sister of his Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
. His third marriage was to Keri Young from 1990 until their divorce.
Health problems
After experiencing a crisis in the mid-1980s, Conaway came to grips with the fact that he had a substance abuseSubstance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
problem. He underwent treatment in the late 1980s and often spoke candidly about his addictions.
By the mid-2000s however, he had relapsed. Conaway appeared in VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Celebrity Fit Club
Celebrity Fit Club
Celebrity Fit Club is a reality television series that follows eight overweight celebrities as they try to lose weight for charity. Split into two competing teams of four, each week teams are given different physical challenges, and weighed to see if they reached their target weights...
, but was forced to leave and entered rehab. In early 2008, Conaway appeared with other celebrities in the VH1 reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew is a reality television show airing on the cable network VH1 that chronicles a group of celebrities as they are treated for alcohol and drug addiction by Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California. The first season premiered...
. The show revealed that Conaway was addicted to cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, alcohol, and painkillers, and that he was in a codependent relationship with his girlfriend Vikki Lizzi, also a user of prescription opiate
Opiate
In medicine, the term opiate describes any of the narcotic opioid alkaloids found as natural products in the opium poppy plant.-Overview:Opiates are so named because they are constituents or derivatives of constituents found in opium, which is processed from the latex sap of the opium poppy,...
s. Conaway had suffered a back injury earlier in his career on the set of Grease while filming the "Greased Lightning" scene, which had been exacerbated more recently as a result of lifting boxes in his home.
Conaway's appearance on the show's first and second seasons drew much attention because of his severely crippled state, his constant threats of leaving the facility and his frequent inability to speak clearly. Upon arrival at the Pasadena Recovery Centre (which was filmed as part of Celebrity Rehabs first episode) Conaway, using a wheelchair, arrived drunk, mumbling to Dr. Drew that the night previous he had binged on cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
whiskey.
During the second episode of Celebrity Rehabs first season, Conaway, fed up with his dorsalgia, withdrawal symptoms and the humiliation of having to be assisted while using the toilet, told Dr. Pinsky that he was thinking of killing himself
Suicidal ideation
Suicidal ideation is a common medical term for thoughts about suicide, which may be as detailed as a formulated plan, without the suicidal act itself. Although most people who undergo suicidal ideation do not commit suicide, some go on to make suicide attempts...
. After Pinsky asked him to elaborate upon how he would carry out a suicidal act
Suicide methods
A suicide method is any means by which one or more persons purposely kill themselves. Suicide methods can be classified according to two modes of interrupting life processes: physical or chemical. Physical modes of interruption typically act by incapacitating the respiratory system or the central...
, Conaway glared at the mirror in his room and said "I see myself breaking that mirror and slicing my fucking throat with it." During group sessions, Conaway revealed "torture" from his childhood, as older boys in his neighborhood would put him into dangerous situations, tying him up and threatening him. When he was seven years old, he was a victim of pedophiles and child pornographers. Conaway stated that he had been an addict since he was a teenager.
With John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
's support, Conaway took courses and auditing
Auditing (Scientology)
Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...
from the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
to cope with his drug problem and depression, although he did not intend to become a Scientologist.
In June 2009, Conaway and Vikki joined Celebrity Rehab cast mate Mary Carey at the premier of her spoof flick Celebrity Pornhab with Dr. Screw
Celebrity Pornhab with Dr. Screw
Celebrity Pornhab with Dr. Screw is a 2009 pornographic film that satirizes the VH1 reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. The film stars a variety of porn stars including Mary Carey, Mike Horner. This film marks Mary Carey's comeback to adult films...
.
In August 2009, Conaway was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
. In the interview, the actor claimed he was much better after a fifth back operation, and that he had yet to use painkillers again. He also discussed unscrupulous doctors and enablers.
In March 2010, shortly after the death of actor Corey Haim
Corey Haim
Corey Ian Haim was a Canadian actor, known for a 1980s Hollywood career as a teen idol. He starred in a number of films such as Lucas, Silver Bullet, Murphy's Romance, License to Drive and Dream a Little Dream...
, Conaway told E! News
E! News
E! News, previously known as E! News Daily and E! News Live, is a nightly entertainment newsmagazine program airing on E!: Entertainment Television. The program debuted on September 1, 1991 and talks about Hollywood celebrities and gossip...
that he had warned Haim about dying because of prescription drug abuse.
Death
On May 11, 2011, Conaway was found unconscious from what was initially described as an overdose of substances believed to be pain medication and was taken to Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical CenterEncino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center
The Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center consisted of two hospitals, one in Tarzana and the other in Encino, California. Together, the two hospitals had approximately 400 beds. The hospitals were owned by Tenet Healthcare until 2008...
in Encino, California, where he was listed in critical condition. After initial reports, Dr. Drew Pinsky
Drew Pinsky
David Drew Pinsky , best known as Dr. Drew, is an American board-certified internist, addiction medicine specialist, and radio and television personality. He has hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show Loveline since the show's inception in 1984. On television, he hosts the talk show Dr...
, who had treated Conaway for substance abuse, said the actor was suffering not from a drug overdose but rather from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
with sepsis
Sepsis
Sepsis is a potentially deadly medical condition that is characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state and the presence of a known or suspected infection. The body may develop this inflammatory response by the immune system to microbes in the blood, urine, lungs, skin, or other tissues...
for which he was placed into an induced coma. Though his pneumonia was not directly a result of drug usage, it hampered Conaway's ability to recognize how severely ill he was and to seek treatment for pneumonia until it was too late.
On May 26, 2011, Conaway's family took him off life support after doctors decided there was nothing they could do to revive him. Conaway died the following morning at the age of 60. Conaway's doctor attributed his death to his addiction, stating, "What happens is, like with most opiate addicts, eventually they take a little too much ... and they aspirate, so what's in their mouth gets into their lungs ... That's what happened with Jeff."
An autopsy performed on Conaway revealed that the actor died of various causes, including pneumonia and encephalopathy attributable to drug overdoses.
Awards
Golden Globe AwardGolden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
- 1978 nomination, Best Supporting Actor, Comedy or Musical Series (for TaxiTaxi (TV series)Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
) - 1979 nomination, Best Supporting Actor, Comedy or Musical Series (for Taxi)
Filmography
- 1971: Jennifer on My Mind — Hanki
- 1976: The Eagle Has LandedThe Eagle Has Landed (film)The Eagle Has Landed is a 1976 film version of the novel The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins. It was directed by John Sturges and starred Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and Robert Duvall...
— Frazier - 1977: I Never Promised You a Rose GardenI Never Promised You a Rose Garden (film)I Never Promised You a Rose Garden is a 1977 film based on the Joanne Greenberg novel of the same name.In the wake of the success of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Roger Corman was able to get funding for a movie version of Rose Garden. Bibi Andersson played Dr. Fried, while Kathleen Quinlan...
— Lactamaeon - 1977: Pete's DragonPete's DragonPete's Dragon is a 1977 live-action/animated musical film from Walt Disney Productions and the first Disney film to be recorded in the Dolby Stereo sound system...
— Willie - 1978: GreaseGrease (film)Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
— Kenickie - 1980: For the Love of It — Russ
- 1984: Covergirl — T.C. Sloane
- 1986: The PatriotThe Patriot (1986 film)The Patriot is a 1986 action film directed by Frank Harris and starring Gregg Henry and Simone Griffeth with Leslie Nielsen.-Plot summary:Agent tries to track down terrorists who are intercepting government nuclear weapons.-Cast:...
— Mitchell - 1988: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark — Travis
- 1989: Ghost Writer — Tom Farrell
- 1989: Tale of Two SistersTale of Two SistersTale of Two Sisters is a 1989 drama film about two sisters who, having not seen each other for 5 years, catch up and relive childhood experiences. It directed by Adam Rifkin, narrated by Charlie Sheen and starring Claudia Christian and Valerie Breiman as two sisters...
— Taxi driver - 1989: The BankerThe BankerThe Banker is an English-language monthly international financial affairs publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd. and edited in London...
— Cowboy - 1990: The Sleeping Car — Bud Sorenson
- 1991: A Time to Die — Frank
- 1991: Total Exposure — Peter Keynes
- 1992: Almost Pregnant (direct to video) — Charlie Alderson
- 1992: Bikini Summer II — Stu Stocker (also director)
- 1992: Eye of the Storm — Tom Edwards
- 1992: Mirror Images — Jeffrey Blair
- 1993: Alien IntruderAlien IntruderAlien Intruder is a 1993 action/science fiction film by Nick Stone and Ricardo Jacques Gale. It starred Maxwell Caulfield, Tracy Scoggins, Billy Dee Williams, Gary Roberts, Richard Cody, and Stephen Davies.-Plot synopsis:...
(direct to video) — Borman - 1993: In a Moment of Passion — Werner Soehnen
- 1993: It's ShowtimeIt's ShowtimeIt's Showtime is a kickboxing and mixed martial arts promotion based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was founded by Simon Rutz in 1998 and held its first show in 1999. They are known to cross promote their events with K-1 and other European promotions from Italy, Belgium and England...
- 1993: L.A. Goddess — Sean
- 1993: Sunset StripSunset StripThe Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
— Tony - 1994: 2002: The Rape of Eden — Reverend
- 1997: The Last EmbraceThe Last EmbraceThe Last Embrace is the final release by Spirit Caravan. It was released on 2xCD and 2xLP in 2003 by Meteor City Records. It contains 19 songs from their two albums, Jug Fulla Sun and Elusive Truth, the three songs that appeared on their debut 7" , the two songs from their final 7", Spirit Caravan,...
— Jagger - 1998: Shadow of DoubtShadow of DoubtShadow of Doubt is a 1998 American independent mystery-thriller film directed by Randal Kleiser and starring Melanie Griffith, Tom Berenger, Craig Sheffer, and Huey Lewis.-Plot:...
— Bixby - 1999: JawbreakerJawbreaker (film)Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
— Marcie's Father - 1999: Man on the Moon — Himself
- 2001: Dating Service
- 2001: Do You Wanna Know a Secret?Do You Wanna Know a Secret?Do You Wanna Know A Secret is a 2001 slasher film starring Joey Lawrence, Chad Allen and Dorie Barton. The film begins with six friends are on a retreat and are about to graduate college. One by one, the friends are being stalked and murdered by a killer wearing a black cloak and a rubber mask...
— Agent Owen Sacker - 2002: Curse of the Forty-NinerCurse of the Forty-NinerCurse of the Forty-Niner is a 2002 horror film directed by John Carl Buechler. It is known more commonly by its video title, Miner's Massacre.-Plot:...
— Reverend Sutter - 2002: The BizThe BizThe Biz is a 1995 album by The Sea and Cake.-Track listing:# "The Biz" – 4:01# "Leeora" – 4:23# "The Kiss" – 3:46# "Station in the Valley" – 4:54# "Darkest Night" – 3:49# "Sending" – 2:29# "Escort" – 4:28# "An Assassin" – 3:07...
— Gavin Elliot - 2003: Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarDickie Roberts: Former Child StarDickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.- Plot :...
— Himself - 2004: Pan Dulce — Gabriel Levine
- 2004: The Corner Office — Dick
- 2004: Y.M.I. — Digger's Dad
- 2005: From Behind the Sunflower — Leo
- 2006: Living the DreamLiving the Dream (film)Living the Dream is a 2006 comedy-drama film starring Sean Young, Christian Schoyen, and Danny Trejo. It was written by Christian Schoyen and Luis Fernandez Reneo from a story by Christian Schoyen and directed by Christian Schoyen and Allan Fiterman...
— Dick - 2006: The Pool 2 — Agent Frank Gun
- 2006: The Utah Murder Project — Sheriff Dan Patterson
- 2008: Wrestling — Franklin Conner
- 2010: Dante's Inferno - Abandon All Hope — Circles Introduction
- 2010: Dark Games — Tom Doyle
- 2011: Dante's Inferno AnimatedDante's Inferno AnimatedDante's Inferno Animated is a 2D animation film produced and directed by Boris Acosta. The story is based on the first part of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy - Inferno.-Plot:This film has two versions, narrated in English and recited in Italian...
— Circles Introduction - 2011: Dante's Inferno Documented — Circles Introduction
Television work
- 1975: Happy DaysHappy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
— Rocko (2 episodes, 1975–1976) - 1975: Joe Forrester (1 episode, 1975)
- 1976: Barnaby JonesBarnaby JonesBarnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
— Jeff Saunders (2 episodes, 1976–1977) - 1976: Mary Tyler MooreMary Tyler MooreMary Tyler Moore is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in television sitcoms. Moore is best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show , in which she starred as Mary Richards, a 30-something single woman who worked as a local news producer in Minneapolis, and for her earlier role as...
— Kenny Stevens (1 episode, 1976) - 1977: Delta County, USA — Terry Nicholas
- 1978: KojakKojakKojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
— Bert Gaines (1 episode, 1978) - 1978: TaxiTaxi (TV series)Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
— Bobby Wheeler (50 episodes, 1978–1982) - 1979: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do — Roy Fletcher
- 1980: For the Love of It — Russ
- 1981: The Nashville Grab — Buddy Walker
- 1983: Making of a Male ModelMaking of a Male ModelMaking of a Male Model is a 1983 American TV movie starring Joan Collins and Jon-Erik Hexum. It was produced by ABC and released on October 9, 1983.-Plot:...
— Chuck Lanyard - 1983: Wizards and WarriorsWizards and Warriors (TV series)Wizards and Warriors was a CBS television series from 1983, starring Jeff Conaway, Julia Duffy, Walter Olkewicz, Duncan Regehr, and Clive Revill. Only eight one hour episodes were made of this offbeat fantasy-comedy. The series was created by Don Reo for Warner Bros. Television and most of the...
— Prince Erik Greystone (10 episodes, 1983) - 1984: Murder, She WroteMurder, She WroteMurder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
— Howard Griffin (4 episodes, 1984–1994) - 1985: Berrenger'sBerrenger'sBerrenger's is an American primetime television soap opera created by Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick that aired on NBC in 1985. The series revolved around the Berrenger family, a New York dynasty which owned the glamorous department store which bore their name.Following in the tradition of...
— John Higgins (11 episodes, 1985) - 1985: The Love BoatThe Love BoatThe Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
— Andy Jackson (1 episode, 1985) - 1985: Who's the Boss?Who's the Boss?Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
— Jeff (1 episode, 1985) - 1986: MatlockMatlock (TV series)Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar...
— Daniel Ward (2 episodes, in 1986 and 1993) - 1987: Bay Coven — Josh McGwin
- 1987: Hotel — Eric Madison (1 episode, 1987)
- 1987: Mike HammerThe New Mike HammerThe New Mike Hammer is an American television series based on the exploits of the fictitious New York-based private detective Mike Hammer. The show starred Stacy Keach and was essentially a continuation of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, an earlier television program featuring an identical core cast...
— Harry Farris (2 episodes, in 1984 and 1987)
- 1987: StingrayStingray (NBC TV series)Stingray is an NBC television series produced by Stephen J. Cannell that ran from 1985 to 1987. It stars Nick Mancuso, who plays the mysterious character known only as Ray, whose trademark is a black 1965 Corvette Sting Ray.-Plot:...
— Ty Gardner (1 episode, 1987) - 1987: Tales from the DarksideTales from the DarksideTales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series produced by George A. Romero; it originally aired from 1983 to 1988. Similar to Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, and Tales From The Crypt, each episode was an individual short story that ended with a plot...
— Peter (1 episode, 1987) - 1987: The Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
— Mick Savage (unknown episodes, 1989–1990) - 1988: The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal MissionThe Dirty Dozen: The Fatal MissionThe Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission is 1988 made-for-TV film and is the third sequel to the original The Dirty Dozen. It features an all-new 'dirty dozen,' with the exception of the returning Joe Stern, under the leadership of Major Wright .-Plot:Twelve top Nazis are ordered to the Middle East,...
— Sgt. Holt - 1989: Freddy's NightmaresFreddy's NightmaresFreddy's Nightmares is an American horror anthology series, which aired in syndication from October 1988 until March 1990. A spin-off from the Nightmare on Elm Street series, each story was introduced by Freddy Krueger...
— Buddy Powers (1 episode, 1989) - 1989: MonstersMonsters (TV series)Monsters is a syndicated horror anthology series which originally ran from 1988 to 1991 and reran on the Sci-Fi Channel during the 1990s. As of 2011, Monsters airs on NBC Universal's horror/suspense-themed cable channel Chiller in sporadic weekday marathons.In a similar vein to Tales from the...
— Phil (1 episode, 1989) - 1990: Good GriefGood Grief (TV series)Good Grief is a 1990 Fox television sitcom that aired for one season of 13 episodes.The show was about a funeral home called 'The Sincerity Mortuary' in Dacron, Ohio run by straight-laced Warren Pepper , his sister Debbie , and her flamboyant husband Ernie Lapidus , who was determined to "put the...
— Winston Payne (1 episode, 1990) - 1990: Shades of L.A. — Richard (1 episode, 1990)
- 1994: Babylon 5Babylon 5Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
— Zack AllanZack AllanZack Allan is a character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jeff Conaway. He regularly appeared in the show from season 2 onwards. During the second and third seasons of the series he was a security officer on the Babylon 5 station...
(74 episodes, 1994–1998) - 1995: Burke's LawBurke's LawBurke's Law is a detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on CBS in the 1990s. The show starred Gene Barry as Amos Burke, millionaire captain of Los Angeles police homicide division, who was chauffeured around to solve crimes in his Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud...
— Dr. Alex Kenyon (1 episode, 1995) - 1995: Hope & Gloria — Bud Green (1 episode, 1995)
- 1996: Mr. & Mrs. Smith — Rich Edwards (1 episode, 1996)
- 1997: George & LeoGeorge & LeoGeorge & Leo is a short-lived American sitcom starring Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsch. Set on Martha's Vineyard, the series aired on CBS from September 15, 1997 to March 16, 1998.-Synopsis:...
(1 episode, 1997) - 1998: Babylon 5: The River of SoulsBabylon 5: The River of SoulsThe River of Souls is the third feature-length film set in the Babylon 5 universe. It was originally broadcast November 17, 1998 on TNT, as one of two films shown over the 1998–1999 season to fill in the gap between the fifth season of Babylon 5 and the first season of the spin-off series...
— Zack Allan - 1998: Babylon 5: ThirdspaceBabylon 5: ThirdspaceBabylon 5: Thirdspace is a made-for-television film that is part of the Babylon 5 science fiction universe. It was written by J. Michael Straczynski and directed by Jesús Salvador Treviño....
— Zack Allan - 1999: Babylon 5: A Call to ArmsBabylon 5: A Call to ArmsA Call To Arms is the fourth feature-length film set in the Babylon 5 universe . It was written by J. Michael Straczynski, directed by Mike Vejar, and originally aired January 3, 1999.-Summary:...
— Zack Allan - 2000: L.A. 7L.A. 7L.A. 7 was the second series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club 7. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from April 6, 2000 to July 6, 2000 and starred all seven members of the band as themselves...
— Manager of Radio Station (1 episode, 2000) - 2004: She SpiesShe SpiesShe Spies is an action-adventure television show that ran from September 9, 2002 until May 17, 2004, in two seasons. The show was sold into syndication but the first four episodes premiered on the NBC network, whose syndication arm was one of the producers. Disappointing ratings during the show's...
— Zachary Mason (1 episode, 2004) - 2006: The John Kerwin ShowThe John Kerwin ShowThe John Kerwin Show is an American monthly late-night talk show filmed in Santa Monica, California and is broadcast in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, carried nationally on JLTV, and featured on YouTube....
— Guest (1 episode, 2006)