It’s funny how some people can have huge success in a movie, or television show, yet be so unknown by the general public. Or have that same success; yet only be known for their time on a celebrity reality show years later. That seems to be the case with Jeff Conaway.
I first heard of Jeff Conaway on the television show “Taxi”. He played cab driver, Bobby Wheeler on the show.
The same year “Taxi” premiered on TV, Jeff was in the movie “Grease”, as Kenickie. Earlier in his career he had played the role of Danny Zuko in stage productions of the show.
I always liked “Taxi”, and “Grease” is my all-time favorite movie; so I was sad to hear that Jeff Conaway passed away this morning.
It wasn’t a big secret that Jeff had had his share of ups and downs in his life; he had plenty, including an addiction to painkillers. The addiction landed him on the series “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in 2008. Nowadays that’s how a lot of people know the name Jeff Conaway. To me that’s sad. Here’s a man, who’d spent most of his life performing, and yet, most of the younger generation know him from a rehab show.
According to news reports, on May 10th, Jeff had overdosed on painkillers, and also had pneumonia. He was taken to the hospital and put in an induced coma. On Thursday evening, May 26th, he was taken off life support, and died the morning of Friday, May 27th; he was 60 years old.
While I was looking for photos to use with this blog, I found some recent ones, but decided not to use any of them. I guess I’m one of those people who would prefer to remember Jeff Conaway as I knew him best, in his roles as Bobby Wheeler, and Kenickie. Though I only knew him by the characters he played, it was those characters that made me a fan of Jeff’s. So, this is my little way of paying tribute to him for the enjoyment his acting gave me.
R.I.P.
JEFF CONAWAY
October 5, 1950—May 27, 2011
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