That's what happened with Jeff.". "Never in my life did I think it would turn out to be what it was.". Legal Statement. Already a Grammy-winning recording artist and country music star when she was cast as good-girl-gone-bad Sandy, Olivia Newton-John's career rose to greater heights after the movie became the biggest box office hit of 1978. Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Despite enduring chronic pain, the bubbly Australian became an outspoken advocate for cancer awareness and for treating the disease with marijuana. The pair split in 1995. Legal Statement. On Jan. 8, 2020, died of natural causes. In recent years, she poured vast amounts of money into the initiatives, selling off her real estate portfolio to help finance the organizations. She went into remission for several years, until she was told the cancer was back in 2013. A post shared by Chloe Lattanzi (@chloelattanziofficial). "That causes a rapidly progressing and overwhelming pneumonia that they usually don't know that they have, because they're sort of too out of it because of the drugs and by the time they get to the hospital it's too late. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Obviously, after "Grease," Tucci went on to appear in plenty of movies and television shows all throughout the 1980s and '90s, including "Diff'rent Strokes," "Groucho," "It's Garry Shandling's Show," and "The Paper Chase." Deezen is facing charges relating to an April arrest for allegedly trespassing and burglarizing the neighbors at his Maryland home. He also related that he was molested when he was seven years old. After playing the innocent, smart, and sweet (and later strong and confident) Sandy, Newton-Johnstarred in "Xanadu" and continued to release music like hits "Physical" and "I HonestlyLove You" (via Billboard). It was frustrating. In the years since, he has built a long list of guest star credits on TV shows ranging from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, to Baywatch, Beverly Hills 90210, and Even Stevens. Two weeks later, the decision was made to take him off life support. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Then: One of the few original Grease stars to join the Grease 2 cast, she reprised her role as Frenchy, charged with taking Michael around school. "Doing everything to stay safe and healthy," he wrote over on Cameo. ", On hearing about his death, "Grease" co-star John Travolta said: "Jeff Conaway was a wonderful and decent man and we will miss him. Rest now, sweet friend. Last fall, Newton-Johntold Fox Newsthat she felt the track was a bit raunchy when it first came out. Eddie Deezen, known for playing Eugene Felsnic in "Grease," has been found not competent to stand trial for allegedly burglarizing a nursing home. Dennis Stewart. His family surrounded Conaway in his hospital room Thursday afternoon when he was taken off life support, Brock said. In addition to acting, Conaway dabbled in music. Jeff Conaway was best known for his role as Kenickie in "Grease," as well as his role in the TV series "Taxi," alongside actors like Andy Kaufman and Danny DeVito. The highest grossing movie of the year, it also produced one of the best-selling albums of all-time; a 1982 sequel starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield; a live television event, Grease: Live! JEFF Conaway, who played T-Bird Kenickie in the iconic musical "Grease," has died at the age of 60. In addition to her health woes, Newton-John also faced a series of other struggles in her personal life. "Grease" co-star John Travolta was devastated to hear the news and penned a sweet dedication on social media. Joan Blondell had a huge acting resume under her belt when she appeared in "Grease" as the waitress, Vi. Played by Eddie Deezen, Eugene was like the lovable nerd who remained optimistic even when he was constantly getting picked on by the popular guys. Newton-John continued to tour and release albums throughout the 1980s, but her personal life was in bloom. [12] 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. I just couldn't appreciate it and use it as just a job, as a learning experience. The younger Byrnes, thankfully, became sober before hitting age 50 and would go on to live for decades after finding sobriety. Newton-John spoke publicly of her beaus disappearance, telling the Australian Womens Weekly magazine: I think there will always be a question mark I dont think I will ever really be at peace with it.. pic.twitter.com/Z1zkVe9CVb, Barbra Streisand also shared a photo and wrote, "Too young to leave this world. Her cause of death was reported as heart disease. After starring in "Grease," he continued to seek out roles, starring in "Days of Our Lives" and "Port Charles." He died overnight having fallen into a coma from an apparent drug . "My heart is broken," singer-songwriter Richard Marx tweeted. [3], The following year, Conaway appeared in the original cast of the Broadway musical Grease, as an understudy to several roles including that of the lead male character, Danny Zuko, and eventually succeeded role-originator Barry Bostwick. Deezen criticized her appearance and called her an "attention w----.". Sadly, Blondell's last years during which she filmed "Grease" were spent struggling withrheumatoid arthritis, via Slant Magazine. "He was the consummate performer and entertainer," Brock said. She also considered the film as a "bad gig" at the time because she was forced to work out in the sun so much while waiting for her turn to shoot scenes. After two brief attempts at sitcom stardom in the early 1980s, Channing re-teamed with Nicholson and Nichols (as well as Meryl Streep) for the film Heartburn, based on Nora Ephron's best-selling novel. Her husband, John Easterling, shared a statement via Newton-Jonh's Instagram account. She was 93. Five years later, after a handful of TV appearances in shows like M*A*S*H, The Waltons, and Magnum, P.I., Ward retired from acting on-camera. She wanted Sandy to belong and be part of the Pink Ladies," she said of how she admired her character, according to theDaily Mail. Newton-John was born in England in 1948, before relocating to Australia at the age of 5. She also scored huge hits in the 1980s with "Physical" and "Magic. Its soundtrack, featuring the songs "You're the One That I Want," "Summer Nights," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," as well as the self-titled theme song sung by Frankie Valli, was also a major chart topper in the late 1970s disco era. [15], Conaway was married three times. "I trust she is now in the great Xanadu beyond," he wrote. We ask that everyone please respect the familys privacy during this very difficult time, a post on her official Facebook page read. She then got her masters degree in social work fromNew York Universityand became a speech communication professor atCalifornia State University, Northridge. She was 73 years. In addition to the Pink Ladies in "Grease," the guys trying to woo them, the T-Birds, were also a big part of the film. In early 2008, Conaway appeared with other celebrities in the VH1 reality series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. In addition, she was "hopelessly devoted" to philanthropic works including a stint as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. She was 82. "Or maybe I needed to create one to make it okay for myself. Whereas most people, we don't have a clue when we're gonna die. Edd Byrnes was already a well-known actor before appearing in the movie thanks to his role in the television series 77 Sunset Strip . ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jeff_Conaway&oldid=1125805102, Participants in American reality television series, University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2008, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 2 episodes, 1974 "Landslide" (S01, E16), 1975 "The Long Way To Nowhere" (S02, Ep10), Howard Griffin / Nolan Walsh / Tom Powell, 1 episode, "Matlock's Bad, Bad, Bad Dream" (S08, E11), Voice, 1 episode, "Dedicated to Jeff Conaway", Conaway's final project, "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, "Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)" / "You Turned Your Back on Love" (Cameo 485, 1967), This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 23:17. After three seasons on Taxi, and two Golden Globe nominations, Conaway left the hit show due to both creative differences with the producers and his struggles with drug abuse on set. This development caused the show's producers to realize that Conaway was expendable and contributed to his termination. Drew. Eve Arden, who had a long film and stage career, played Rydell High School Principal McGee in Grease. From 1992 to 1996, he served as Vice President of Animation at MGM studios, and spent 23 years as an adjunct musical theater professor at the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts. In the 1980s, the actor embarked on a healthy lifestyle journey that would ultimately help him live a very long life. Olivia Newton-John died Monday at her ranch in Southern California, her publicist confirmed to CBS News. The 'Grease' star's death is being linked to her battle with breast cancer. "Maybe deep down I knew there was a reason or a purpose for it," she said. She subsequently became a prominent advocate for promoting breast cancer awareness. He appeared in films such as Jawbreaker, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, and Do You Wanna Know a Secret? Menu. News that he had warned Haim about dying because of prescription drug abuse. Newton-John battled cancer on and off for three decades and poured vast amounts of her reported $60 million fortune into the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund in order to support cancer research. She also began abusing cocaine and chugging down a bottle of vodka every day. Conn's most recent work was in the comedy movie "The Mimic," as well as the yet-to-be released film "Paper Dreams.". Part of that charm was because Doody was cast perfectly and was played by Barry Pearl. The starlet won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, for Let Me Be There in 1974 and both Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, for the ballad I Honestly Love You in 1975. And I could die tomorrow a tree could fall on me. In 1992, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and became a tireless advocate for cancer research throughout the rest of her life, founding the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Australia. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and No. During group sessions, Conaway revealed he was "tortured" during his childhood, as older boys in his neighborhood would put him into dangerous situations, tying him up and threatening him. Manoff has three children with her second husband, Arthur Mortell. Fox News Flash top headlines for August 8, Miss Universe Organization slams 'false rigging allegations' after Miss USA crowned winner: 'Absurd', Selena Gomez reportedly dating Chainsmokers singer Drew Taggart after his split from Steve Jobs' daughter Eve, Marie Osmond on 50-pound weight loss journey: Food is not my enemy anymore, Elizabeth Chambers says kids don't know about new boyfriend, theyre still 'processing' Armie Hammer divorce, Mayor of Amiens, France asks Madonna to loan the city a painting lost during WWI, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin reveal Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd joining season 3 of Only Murders in the Building. In 2013, however, an X-ray taken after a car accident revealed Newton-John had cancer in right shoulder. But Bobby anybody could walk in and say, 'Hi, Alex.'"[13]. But in 1998, she came out of retirement. She was 73. She went on to a voice role on the TV series "Alvin and the Chipmunks," among other shows. We give each other a lot of support," he said. Charles was just 63 when she died on August 3, 2011 (via The Hollywood Reporter). Rizzo also had a pretty important storyline with a pregnancy scare and the best song in the movie, "There Are Worse Things (I Could Do)," which was about her not being ashamed of her sexual desires. Conn has appeared on series such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Transparent, and Blue Bloods. An obituary posted by The Orlando Sentinelrevealed that Arden had also been diagnosed with cancer prior to her death. "Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and . Five years after that, she revealed that the cancer had metastasized. Are Any of the Main Actors From The Ten Commandments Movie Still Alive? She went on to win one more Emmy for the made-for-television movie The Matthew Shepard Story in 2002, which earned her a Screen Actor's Guild Award as well. He portrayed Kenickie in the film Grease and had roles in two television series: struggling actor Bobby Wheeler in Taxi and security officer Zack Allan on Babylon 5. Paramount Pictures. Grease (1978) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Randal Kleiser . Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actor Jeff Conaway, who was in the TV series "Taxi" and the movie "Grease," died Friday morning, his manager said. She spent the last two decades of her life giving back, a source close to Newton-John told The Post. The movie also gave us some memorable characters including Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson. "Because the joy of life and everyday living has to be a part of that healing process as well,"she said. Edd Byrnes, who played dance show host Vic Fontaine during Rydells prom, was also known forhis starring role in the television series77 Sunset Strip. He was 87 years old. "We're thankful his struggles are over, but we know he will be missed by legions of fans worldwide. However, to avoid feeling "burned out," he was selective in choosing what he would agree to. Ward was the voice director, producer, and co-writer for "All Dogs Go to Heaven 2," the voice director, supervising story editor, and executive producer for "The Pink Panther" television series, and so much more. "You have to think about it," she said. Later, in 2013,doctors discovered she had cancer in her shoulder, andin 2018, Newton-John shared that her stage 4 breast cancer had spread to her spine. [3] He made his film debut in the 1971 romantic drama Jennifer on My Mind, which also featured future stars Robert De Niro and Barry Bostwick. [citation needed] From 1994 to 1999, he played Sergeant, later promoted to Security Chief, Zack Allan on Babylon 5. And this grown a-- old man has the balls to post this on facebook about me im losing my mind," Lashbaugh wrote. Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, at the same time her father died from cancer. Another famous character actress, Dody Goodman, played Eve Arden's character's sidekick, wacky high school secretary Blanche Hodel in "Grease" and its sequel. Additionally, Conn went on to appear in plenty of film and television projects, including "Benson," "Shining Time Station," and the televised musical "Grease Live!" Before he donned Danny Zuko's leather jacket, John Travolta was already a bona fide star thanks to his roles as Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter, Billy Nolan in Carrie, and Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever for which he received his first Academy Award nomination. After "Grease," Ward continued acting for a bitand got into voice acting as well, voicing characters in the likes of "Challenge of the GoBots" and "Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures." Deezen has seen plenty of success outside the movie musical world, especially when it comes to voice acting. Despite how painful the circumstances were, I felt so lucky to have someone like my mom with me to lean on and cry with, she stated. He followed his time on the Great White Way with guest star turns on a number of television shows before joining the cast of the Grease film and becoming a series regular on the sitcom Taxi. [12], On May 26, 2011, Conaway's family took him off life support after doctors determined they could do nothing to revive him. In September 2017, Newton-John went public with the devastating diagnosis but insisted she wasnt focused on her illness, but on things that make her happy. Grease is the word! Sadly on Aug. 8, 2022, news broke that Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy, died at her home in California after a long battle with breast cancer. Another huge star in "Grease" was John Travolta's Danny, heartthrob and love interest of Sandy. 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