- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Messages
- 6,381
It was announced today that actor Jeff Conaway passed away after a short period in an induced coma.
Conaway was a rare actor, not just known for one successful role and a multitude of others, but had three major successes.
Perhaps most famously he played Kinickie alongside Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in Grease, followed by a three year stint in the successful comedy Taxi, playing Bobby Wheeler. (He was fired from the show for drug abuse after his third year)
On the SF front he claimed his third role, playing Sergeant Zack Allan in Babylon 5. Apparently being one of those actors who did not need to work, thanks to the income for Grease but when it was known he was a fan of the series he was offered the role of Allan as a one off. His enthusiasm for the show was such that he just stuck around right to the end!
It seems that he was popular with all the people he worked with, marrying Olivia Newton Johns sister (and divorcing later). He had a long ongoing drug problem, a battle he had fought his whole life. Many of his co-stars stood by him, Travolta doing his best to help Conaway with his addictions; while Tony Danza and Marilu Henner kept vigil through his last days.
Conaway was found unconscious in his Apartment on 11th May having suffered an apparent drug overdose, it has been claimed that it was medication that aspirated into his lung, that led to pneumonia and sepsis.
He was placed in an induced coma in order for his body to fight the illnesses, but never woke up. His family had life support switched off in the early hours of the 26th May, and he passed away the next day.
He becomes the third main Babylon 5 cast member to pass away at a far too young age, joining Andreas Katsulas - G'Kar (cancer, 59 years) and Richard Biggs - Stephen Franklin (Heart failure (44 years)
Conaway was a rare actor, not just known for one successful role and a multitude of others, but had three major successes.
Perhaps most famously he played Kinickie alongside Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in Grease, followed by a three year stint in the successful comedy Taxi, playing Bobby Wheeler. (He was fired from the show for drug abuse after his third year)
On the SF front he claimed his third role, playing Sergeant Zack Allan in Babylon 5. Apparently being one of those actors who did not need to work, thanks to the income for Grease but when it was known he was a fan of the series he was offered the role of Allan as a one off. His enthusiasm for the show was such that he just stuck around right to the end!
It seems that he was popular with all the people he worked with, marrying Olivia Newton Johns sister (and divorcing later). He had a long ongoing drug problem, a battle he had fought his whole life. Many of his co-stars stood by him, Travolta doing his best to help Conaway with his addictions; while Tony Danza and Marilu Henner kept vigil through his last days.
Conaway was found unconscious in his Apartment on 11th May having suffered an apparent drug overdose, it has been claimed that it was medication that aspirated into his lung, that led to pneumonia and sepsis.
He was placed in an induced coma in order for his body to fight the illnesses, but never woke up. His family had life support switched off in the early hours of the 26th May, and he passed away the next day.
He becomes the third main Babylon 5 cast member to pass away at a far too young age, joining Andreas Katsulas - G'Kar (cancer, 59 years) and Richard Biggs - Stephen Franklin (Heart failure (44 years)
