Jeff Conaway Dead at 60

By PopEater Staff Posted May 27th 2011 02:25PM

'Grease' actor Jeff Conaway died Friday at age 60, RadarOnline.com reports and The Hollywood Reporter confirms. The news comes just a day after reports that the star would be taken off life support.

Radar calls it "the end a long, sad road of addiction that made him one of Hollywood's cautionary tales." Conaway, known for his roles as Bobby Wheeler on 'Taxi' and T-Bird Kenickie in 'Grease,' was a New York native whose brutal battles with substance abuse came to define the latter decades of his fame.

Conaway was checked into an LA hospital on May 11. As of May 26, he was reported to have been experiencing no brain activity. A source told Radar that Conaway's feeding tube had been removed as of Thursday afternoon and that "Jeff is in no pain whatsoever."

Conaway shot to stardom in 1978 with his starring role in 'Grease' and quickly followed up with a three-year run on hit TV series 'Taxi.' Roles dried up in the 1980s as his addictions worsened, but Conaway later found steady work on the sci-fi hit 'Babylon 5.'

Conaway, who had no children, was married twice -- once to Olivia Newton-John's sister Rona from 1980 to 1985, and again to Kerri Young in 1990 (the time and circumstance of his second divorce remain unclear).

In 2008, a disheveled and unhealthy Conaway joined celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky's VH1 show, 'Celebrity Rehab,' to address his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

According to E! Online, in that same year, Conaway scarily told Howard Stern he had attempted suicide many, many times. "I've tried to commit suicide 21 times. I'm terrible at it! I get depressed over how come I can't kill myself," Conaway said. "Mostly it's been with pills. I've taken enough pills to knock an elephant out ... God wants me on this planet for some reason or another."

Sadly, Conaway's sobriety attempts failed; last year, the actor was injured in a fall while under the influence of OxyContin and methadone.

Of his televised problems with addiction, Conaway told THR in 2009, "I think people are just enamored with other people's problems because they have enough of their own, and they want to stop thinking about their own and think about somebody else's for a while. I think that's what television is all about, really."

This time, in May of 2011, it was originally reported that Conaway was hospitalized due to a prescription drug overdose, but Pinsky later insisted the star was suffering from pneumonia and sepsis, a dangerous blood infection. Pinsky tweeted on May 21, "We all need to pray for him. Not doing well today suddenly."

Earlier this year, Conaway and on-and-off-again girlfriend Victoria Spinoza filed restraining orders against each other. On the night of May 9, Spinoza paid Conaway a visit that ignited controversy within the star's family. Conaway's sister, Carla Shreve, filed a May 18 restraining order against Spinoza, alleging that after a recent breakup, Conaway feared for his life.

"He had just secured an apartment ... and was calling friends and family anxious to start this part of his life without her," reads Shreve's restraining order request, obtained by PEOPLE.

The magazine calls Conaway's rocky relationship with Spinoza "volatile," noting restraining orders each filed against the other earlier in 2011. Spinoza's friend and spokesperson, Aubry Fisher, tells PEOPLE Spinoza cared for Conaway for seven years and deems the new restraining order "horrible and wrong."

"When Vikki went to visit Jeff in the hospital, she sat by his side," Fisher said, referencing the day before the restraining order went through. "They were in the process of reconciling."

Remember Conaway with his performance of 'Greased Lightning':

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=1000816&pid=1000815&uts=1306441657

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/tv/?s_channel=us.tvpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Jeff Conaway Pics

HOLLYWOOD - FILE: Actor Jeff Conaway and Vikki Lizzi arrive at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards on September 24 2008 at the Avalon Hollywood club in Hollywood California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FILE: Jeff Conaway attends the Andre Merritt ASCAP Awards After-Party at the Hwood on April 22, 2009 in Hollywood, California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Michael Bezjian/WireImage)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

SANTA MONICA, CA - FILE: Actor Jeff Conaway arrives at the 6th annual "TV Land Awards" held at Barker Hanger on June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for TV Land)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

FILE: Actor Jeff Conaway arrives at the 6th annual "TV Land Awards" held at Barker Hangar on June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, California. It has been reported that Jeff Conaway is in a coma following an apparent drug overdose. (Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2009 file photo, Jeff Conaway arrives at the 2009 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards in Los Angeles. Conaway's manager says the former star of "Taxi" is hospitalized in critical condition. The actor was found unconscious last week from a drug overdose, possibly pain pills, manager Phil Brock said Wednesday, May 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

HOLLYWOOD - APRIL 22: Vikki Lizzi (L) and Jeff Conaway (R) arrive at Andre Merritt's ASCAP Awards After-Party on April 22, 2009 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vikki Lizzi;Jeff Conaway

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Actor Jeff Conaway and Vikki Lizzi arrive at the Fox Reality Channel

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Actor Jeff Conaway arrives at the Fox Reality Channel

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 24: Actor Jeff Conaway (R) and television personality Vikki Lizzi arrive at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards at the Avalon Hollywood club September 24, 2008 in Hollywood California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Vikki Lizzi;Jeff Conaway

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Jeff Conaway attends the official VMA after party presented by Nikon And Pepsi at Paramount Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Jeff Conaway Snapshots

Tags: Jeff Conaway

Comments

(178)

Friday 27 May

By Heidi

Vote down Vote up Report this

rip I will always treasure my meeting him in chelsa. He was a very sweet guy and seemed shocked that I wanted his autograph.

By valerie

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

he is finally happy god blessing be with you jeff. rip.

By Coopster

He was a funny guy and will be missed! Rest in Peace my brother!

By Smith

What a sad ending to what could have been a good life. I have read on other sites that restraining orders were filed by his ex-girlfriend and his sister regarding being around this man and also regarding his treatment. I don't understand how an ex-girlfriend would have the legal standing to file restraining orders regarding another person. I suppose the sister could have had power of attorney.

By JP

RIP Jeff! I loved you in Babylon5 AND Grease!

By LESLIE

i said a pray for him,,hes now at Peace and in no more pain,,so sad

By jzsdoll

Rest in Peace Jeff,Grease is one of my all time favorites and Taxi was another...your struggle is over...God Bless you..my deepest sympathies to the family....

By dropshadow7259

I'm glad Jeff isn't in any pain anymore—that said, all of the people out there who can't seem to quit those addictions (Amy and Lilo and Charlie), take note. You're next.

By Melanie

R.I.P. Mr. Conway.

By dee

when life is wrapped in crystal ribbons. you will die sooner than you should.. I am so sorry to hear of Jeff's death... he kind of became someone other than just a tv, or stage presence after he went on Celebrity rehab... he struggled with life and within that life an addiction... everyone struggles with one thing or another... but drugs will kill you sooner than anything else especially when you have a leech like that woman who he felt was a positive in his life... take care Jeff...

By Patty

His girlfriend is just as much an addict as he was. She smuggled in substance to him in rehab. Doesn't that say how much of his best interest she had in the forefront?

By Donna

It's a shame to lose your life because of drugs What a waste! RIP Jeff!

By Amy

I didn't know he was married to Olivia Newton John's sister. This last chick he was with was on celebrity rehab too-She was a little nutty. I think they enabled the addict in both of them. He was so cute-who didn't love him in Grease?

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Now those demons will leave him alone. May he rest in peace. This is such sad news. May he be healthy, whole again, and happy finally.

By KATHY HOWELL

VERY SAD FOR JEFF AND FAMILY AND I AGREE THAT DR. DREW IS A FAKE- IF HE REALLY WANTED TO HELP THESE ADDICTED CELEBS HE WOULDN'T PARADE THEM AROUND ON TV- HE WOULD GET A HOLD OF THEM AND REALLY DO THE REHAB THAT IS NECESSARY FOR SEVERE ADDICTS- HE ISN'T HELPING AT ALL- RIP

By Cujo

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Lets feel sorry for the troops that die instead of some no name Junkie.

By Debbie

From your days on Taxi playing Bobby ( i had such a crush on you), to playing Kenickie in Grease....you were a very talented actor.
This is so sad....Rest in Peace Jeff....

By Keith

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

what a waste. Someone who had so much going for him to be such a weak person

By Pizza to go

I used to work in a hospital that treated many addicted patients. It's a long road to recovery for those people, some make it some don't. What a waste of life in every case.

By Jeanette

RIP

Page 3 of 9