Conaway was likewise featured in the initial and second season of the reality television show, “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew”. In May 2011 after spending just over a couple of weeks in the hospital, Conaway expired in the age of 60 due to complications associated with pneumonia as well as the degenerative brain illness called encephalopathy.
He played the part for 2 1/2 years while his buddy John Travolta, with whom he shared a supervisor, after joined the show, playing Doody in the refrain. After breaking into show television in 1975 with Happy Days, followed by other situation comedy and play appearances and three more films including Grease, Conaway was cast as vain and fighting, but goodhearted and handsome, ambitious actor Bobby Wheeler in the office comedy Taxi, which premiered in autumn 1978. He previously appeared in a episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show for the identical producers, and, he explained in 1987, was initially considered for the part of John Burns, which eventually went to Randall Carver. Conaway left Taxi following the next season. Taxi writer Sam Simon remembered in 2008 that during production of Simon’s first script for this show, a lost Conaway was discovered in his dressing room overly high on substances to perform, which his dialogue for that episode was broken up between his co stars Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd who presented the jokes well enough to ensure Conaway’s deficiency had little negative effect on the particular episode. This caused the show’s producers to see that he was expendable and led to Conaway’s ultimate dismissal. Conaway was reported at that time to be dissatisfied with being typecast as a “blonde bimbo” as well as the “target of fighting-celebrity jokes”, as well as discovering the type of the job persistent. He also felt creatively stymied.
October 5, 1950, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Died
May 27, 2011, Encino, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Manhattan
Height
6 ft 1 in (1.87 m)
Profession
Actor, Model, Singer, Teacher
Education
University of North Carolina School of the Arts, New York University, Quintano School for Young Professionals
Nationality
United States of America
Spouse
Keri Young (m. 1990–2000), Rona Newton-John (m. 1980–1985)
Parents
Helen Conaway, Charles F. Conaway
Siblings
Michele Conaway, Carla Conaway Shreve
Nicknames
Jeffrey Charles William Michael , Jeffrey Charles William Michael Conaway , Jeffrey Charles William Michael "Jeff" Conaway , Jeff
Awards
TV Land The Medallion Award
Movies
Grease, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, Pete's Dragon, Almost Pregnant, Jawbreaker, Bikini Summer 2, Babylon 5: The River of Souls, Babylon 5: Thirdspace, The Eagle Has Landed, Babylon 5: A Call to Arms, Do You Wanna Know a Secret?, Making of a Male Model, Dante's Inferno Animated, Alien Intruder, The...
TV Shows
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, Celebrity Fit Club, Babylon 5, Berrenger's, Taxi, Wizards and Warriors, Living in TV Land
Star Sign
Libra
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Quote
1
[on Mickey Rourke's comeback]: Hollywood can be a very stinging town. They say it's a forgiving business. It's not that forgiving.
2
[on leaving Taxi (1978)]: In 'Taxi,' I kept doing the same scene for three years. I was underused.
3
[on his suicide attempts]: I've tried to commit suicide 21 times. Mostly, it's been with pills.
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Fact
1
Grease was the film on which actor Jeff Conaway became addicted to drugs. While playing Kenickie, he was shooting the "Greased Lightning" musical number, and he was accidentally dropped, hurting his back. He started taking pain killers, eventually then abusing prescription drugs, starting Conaway on the downward spiral into drug addiction until he died in 2011 at age 60.
Although he struggled with addiction problems throughout most of his adult life, many of Conaway's coworkers said he was always the consummate professional on the job. After Conaway's death, fellow Babylon 5 (1994) star, Bruce Boxleitner, stated publicly that he had never seen Conaway in any state but sober at work, and always arrived on-time and prepared.
5
He is survived by his girlfriend of seven years, Victoria Spinoza; his two sisters, Michele Conaway and Carla Conaway; a stepson, Emerson Newton-John and two step-grandchildren.
6
He studied for a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts and transferred to New York University in New York City.
7
Upon his death, he was cremated.
8
Played guitar and sang lead as a teenager for a rock band called "The 3 1/2". The band released four singles for Cameo Records in 1966 and 1967, one of which was produced and written by Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits.
9
Having struggled with addiction for many years, Jeff had been trying to treat himself with pain killers and cold medicine in May, 2011. He was found unconscious in his home on May 11, 2011. He remained in a coma until his family terminated life support on May 27, 2011.
Saw an episode of Babylon 5 (1994) on TV and liked it so much he went down to the production studio to see the show being filmed. He was spotted and used for a bit part, which grew into a recurring character and, eventually, a full-time role in the series.
12
Appeared in an episode of Murder, She Wrote (1984) ("Birds of a Feather") as an Off-Broadway actor from New York who had been "mostly a cab driver" - a reference to his role in the TV series, Taxi (1978).
13
Though he played Kenickie in the movie version of Grease (1978), he appeared in the Broadway production as Danny Zuko.
14
While filming Grease (1978), had to walk slightly stooped so John Travolta would appear taller.
15
Wanted to be an astronaut when he was little.
16
Is a (step)grandfather (grandson Brin born January 1997). (Admitted this on NBC's Later (1994), July 6/98, with guest host Rita Considine). Also has a granddaughter, Valerie.
17
Stepfather of Emerson Newton-John, a professional race car driver born in 1974. Emerson's mother is Rona Newton-John, sister of singer Olivia Newton-John.
18
He is a middle child and is survived by two sisters, Carla Shreve and his younger sister, Michele Conaway.