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':

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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)

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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

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Comments

(178)

Friday 27 May

By Teena

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The strife is o'er, the battle done. Rest in peace now. I am so glad that it was a painless ending for him. I wonder what caused the brain damage; was it the sepsis?

By Steve

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Sorry to hear that Jeff is gone. He may have had troubles but don't we all. He deserves to be treated with respect. RIP Jeff I will keep on enjoying Grease and Taxi

By Deborah

RIP Jeff

By denxbi

I always understood that his back was severely injured on the set of Grease and that's what led to his addiction to pain killers. Either way, it's sad but now, it's over.
RIP

By Crystal

R.I.P. Jeff . You will be missed by many. You suffer no more from your addications. Loved you in Taxi ! I send my prayers to the faimly an friends !GODBLESS

By Baron von Leinsdorf

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Life is short enough and when you're dead,you're DEAD!

By theath3740

RIP Jeff! Its a sad day for us all!

By anne bindrim

Thanks for great entertainment Jeff. RIP

By tshrich1

wow, he made it to 60. I thought charlie sheen would go first. give it a little time.

By Lisa

I don't know if any of you watched Taxi. But, the one episode when he was taking his driver's test and he was asking Judd Hirsch what a yellow light meant and he responded "slow down" and Jeff asked even slower. Then he asked again and the same response and he asked even slower than that. IT WAS HILARIOUS!!! He will be missed!!!

By JM

I remember that episode, but it was Jim Ignatowski that was taking his drivers' test so he could drive for the Sunshine Cab co. Jeff was still a very memorable role, he will be missed.

By Wilbur

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This is a real shock to the republicans. With Trump, Barbour, Palin, Gingrich, Huckabee, and Romney all self-destructing, republicans were looking to Jeff Conway to be their candidate for president.

By Teri

RIP Jeff. Your demons will no longer haunt you.

By Annette9929

Another uselesss drug death.

By Jess

Rest in peace Mr.Conway!! you were a terrific actor
your memory lives on. Peace and prayers to the family and fans!!!

By Carol

Drugs again. Who is the next one going to be???

By Pam

I wish people would stop blaming Dr. Drew.

Jeff was an adult, and made his own decisions.
If Jeff would not accept the help, he had to live with the consequences.

He was an addict long for such a long time.

Should Dr. Drew leave his wife and kids and move in with the addicts he treats, to make sure they stay clean?

People have to take responsibility for their choices, and stop blaming someone else.

By kristie

wow, a big part of my childhood just spiralled out. i was so bummed seeing him on 'celebrity rehab'. i really hoped he could make it. addiction is such an awful illness because it hurts so many others. gonna miss you kenicki, thanks for being such an awesome part of my life. you were really cool.

By Carolyn

RIP dear Jeff . I just watched the "Greased Lighting " video .It was such a fun thing . You are probably at peace now but so sad to see you go .

By icegold66

Are you paying attention Charlie Sheen?

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