Jeff Conaway, Zack Allen on "Babylon 5", dies

[Thomas Veil]

Jeff Conaway's struggle has ended. The 60-year-old actor passed away on Friday, May 27, after spending 16 days in a coma.

He was found unconscious on May 11, suffering from pneumonia and sepsis, as well as a rumored drug overdose.

On Thursday, his family removed his feeding tube after doctors advised them that he had no remaining brain function. His ventilator was also turned off.

Conaway was born October 5, 1950, and he made his Broadway debut at two years old. After a tumultuous childhood, he attended the North Carolina School of the Arts.

He was best known for his role as Kenickie in 1978's "Grease," where co-star Olivia Newton-John introduced him to her sister, Rona, who would be his wife from 1980-1985.

From 1978 to 1981 Conaway starred as Wheeler on "Taxi," a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He was ultimately written off of the show when his drug addiction impacted production.

Substance abuse problems plagued Conaway throughout his life. In the late 1980s, he sought treatment and spoke candidly about his struggles with addiction.

He experienced a career revival in 1994 when he was cast as Sergeant Zack Allen on "Babylon 5." He played the role on four seasons and in three TV movies.

In the mid-2000s, Conaway again fell victim to his addictions, and in early 2008 he began a treatment program in VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" with Dr. Drew Pinsky. He revealed that he had been physically and sexually abused as a child, and that his addiction to drugs began when he injured his back filming the famous "Greased Lightning" scene from "Grease."

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This is sad. This guy certainly had his share of good luck, but it sounds like he had even more bad luck.

I enjoyed him on Babylon 5. It's kind of bizarre that a show made in the mid-1990s already has three of its stars dead. In addition to Conaway, Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin) and Andreas Katsulas (Ambassador G'Kar) are no longer with us. Biggs was the most surprising: he was only 44 and in excellent shape.

Well, rest in peace, Jeff. Thanks for the laughs and the adventure.

 

[rdowns]

RIP Jeff. Taxi was one of the best comedies ever.

 

[ucfgrad93]

This is sad. This guy certainly had his share of good luck, but it sounds like he had even more bad luck.

I wouldn't call addiction bad luck. He made his choices, and unfortunately they weren't good ones.

 

[Mr. McMac]

I was a big Taxi and Babylon 5 fan. This a sad news

 

[Thomas Veil]

I wouldn't call addiction bad luck. He made his choices, and unfortunately they weren't good ones.

...and that his addiction to drugs began when he injured his back filming the famous "Greased Lightning" scene from "Grease."

^ Doesn't sound like a choice to me.

 

[ucfgrad93]

^ Doesn't sound like a choice to me.

Really? Was someone else putting the pills in his mouth? Yes, he was injured on the set, 30 years ago. He continued to use throughout the years, and it eventually caught up with him.

 

[CorvusCamenarum]

I was a big Taxi and Babylon 5 fan. This a sad news

B5 was one of the first things I watched start to finish when we first got Netflix.
I think his character, while very well done, was rather overlooked.

Really? Was someone else putting the pills in his mouth? Yes, he was injured on the set, 30 years ago. He continued to use throughout the years, and it eventually caught up with him.

This. He did it to himself, and it sucks.

 

[MissMegatron]

Kenickie was sexy.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Really? Was someone else putting the pills in his mouth? Yes, he was injured on the set, 30 years ago. He continued to use throughout the years, and it eventually caught up with him.

Unless he sought out the injury as an excuse to get started on painkillers -- yes, really.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Unless he sought out the injury as an excuse to get started on painkillers -- yes, really.

Ok, 30+ years of taking drugs and it really isn't his fault. Just bad luck.

 

[rhett7660]

RIP Jeff. Taxi was one of the best comedies ever.

YouTube: video

I was going to post that exact scene! One of the best scenes in the shows history if you ask me. I laugh hard every time I watch that scene.

RIP Mr. Conaway.

 

[gkarris]

Sad to hear when this happens to such a wonderful person...

Big "Grease" and "Babylon 5" fan...

 

[xlii]

Babylon 5 was one of the best Scifi TV shows ever.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Ok, 30+ years of taking drugs and it really isn't his fault. Just bad luck.

Have you ever been severely addicted yourself? Did you get that way via prescribed medication for an accidental injury? Do you know for a fact that getting over it is as easy as simply making a choice? Did you read the parts about how he'd been in rehab? Do you think the physical and sexual abuse he suffered was his choice?

 

[ucfgrad93]

Do you know for a fact that getting over it is as easy as simply making a choice? Did you read the parts about how he'd been in rehab? Do you think the physical and sexual abuse he suffered was his choice?

Yes I read that he had done rehab. Lots of people go through rehab and are healed. It is unfortunate that he was not able to overcome his addictions, but instead continued to abuse drugs. Of course I don't think he chose to be abused as a kid, it is a ridiculous statement.

At what point does he stop being a victim and become responsible for his own actions? For you, I guess it is never.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Well, as someone who once suffered from a mental disorder which affected my own judgment, I'm reluctant to jump all over others for not making the right choices. Yes, now that my head is on straight, I've made the decision never to allow myself to go back to where I was. But mine wasn't a severe case.

And...I've never been addicted to anything. I have known people who have been, however. Some have overcome their addictions; others kept going back, and ultimately one died in the throes of his drug of choice. I've no idea how bad their addiction affects their judgment, how deeply the craving affects their minds -- even after they've been released from rehab. So I allow for the possibility that for some, the addictive personality is so powerful that once they are on the stuff, their judgment is never really the same again.

Ultimately I suppose scientists will determine whether my belief is more valid than yours. All I know right now is that mine is a less comforting one.

 

[Evangelion]

Really? Was someone else putting the pills in his mouth? Yes, he was injured on the set, 30 years ago. He continued to use throughout the years, and it eventually caught up with him.

I bet that your suggestion to getting over depression is "stop being so depressed"?

There's a reason they call drug-addiction "addiction". That is, you are addicted to the stuff. You do know what "addiction" is, do you? Yes, many people get addicted because of their own stupidity, but it seems that in this case there indeed was bad luck involved.

 

[Plutonius]

Have you ever been severely addicted yourself? Did you get that way via prescribed medication for an accidental injury? Do you know for a fact that getting over it is as easy as simply making a choice? Did you read the parts about how he'd been in rehab? Do you think the physical and sexual abuse he suffered was his choice?

Everyone suffers adversity during their lifetime and it's their choices in response to their adversity that define them (i.e. the adversity is not their fault in many cases but they should take responsibility for the choices they make in responding to the adversity).

 

[ucfgrad93]

I bet that your suggestion to getting over depression is "stop being so depressed"?

There's a reason they call drug-addiction "addiction". That is, you are addicted to the stuff. You do know what "addiction" is, do you? Yes, many people get addicted because of their own stupidity, but it seems that in this case there indeed was bad luck involved.

I bet your response to adversity is "Its not my fault, I'm a victim!"

You do know what personal responsibility is, don't you? He abused drugs for over 30 years. He is hardly an innocent victim. While it is unfortunate that he became hooked on the stuff as a result of an injury, it does not absolve him of the years of using.

 

[TheOrganization]

Link

This is sad. This guy certainly had his share of good luck, but it sounds like he had even more bad luck.

I enjoyed him on Babylon 5. It's kind of bizarre that a show made in the mid-1990s already has three of its stars dead. In addition to Conaway, Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin) and Andreas Katsulas (Ambassador G'Kar) are no longer with us. Biggs was the most surprising: he was only 44 and in excellent shape.

Well, rest in peace, Jeff. Thanks for the laughs and the adventure.

Image

Give us the negative, Mr. Veil.

 

[TinHead88]

I bet your response to adversity is "Its not my fault, I'm a victim!"

You do know what personal responsibility is, don't you? He abused drugs for over 30 years. He is hardly an innocent victim. While it is unfortunate that he became hooked on the stuff as a result of an injury, it does not absolve him of the years of using.

Your lack of compassion for another human being is astounding. It is not possible for anyone to truly understand what Jeff went through in his life and yet you are all too happy to condem him for making poor choices. I hope one day soon you realise that making superficial judgements is not a healthy way to treat people.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a manifestation of your circumstances, and in that case I would suggest you look deep within to find your humanity again.

 

[Mord]

Sad news.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Your lack of compassion for another human being is astounding. It is not possible for anyone to truly understand what Jeff went through in his life and yet you are all too happy to condem him for making poor choices. I hope one day soon you realise that making superficial judgements is not a healthy way to treat people.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a manifestation of your circumstances, and in that case I would suggest you look deep within to find your humanity again.

Find my humanity again? Please, what a load of crap.

I find no joy in the fact that he died at a relatively young age of 60. I just don't think that he is an innocent victim. His death is a result of 30 years of something that he voluntarily did.

 

[Thomas Veil]

I bet your response to adversity is "Its not my fault, I'm a victim!"

One doesn't have to play the victim to feel empathy for another person's problems.

You do know what personal responsibility is, don't you? He abused drugs for over 30 years. He is hardly an innocent victim. While it is unfortunate that he became hooked on the stuff as a result of an injury, it does not absolve him of the years of using.

Maybe, maybe not. We do know he was in and out of rehab, and obviously it didn't work.

Give us the negative, Mr. Veil.

Uh-oh. Someone's on to me.

 

[gkarris]

Find my humanity again? Please, what a load of crap.

I find no joy in the fact that he died at a relatively young age of 60. I just don't think that he is an innocent victim. His death is a result of 30 years of something that he voluntarily did.

It's still sad, though, that he put himself through that. You start to wonder, he more than likely could lead a nice life just getting the residuals from "Grease", "Taxi", and "Babylon 5", and convention appearances with fans.