Copyright 2023 ComicBook.com. However, the actor mainly worked on the stage, with two Tony Award nominations for Eastern Standard and Our Country's Good. At one point, Jeff was married to Olivia Newton-John's older sister, Rona, for five years. Conawaydied in May of 2011 from complications from pneumonia. On 8 August 2022 it was announced that Olivia Newton John had passed away aged 73, The movie also gave us some memorable characters including Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson. His death is In a 2005 radio interview with WDCM (via YouTube), Ghostley admitted she was surprised that older fans liked "Grease," but added, "I do get a lot of letters. But within months of landing the role of heartthrob Danny, Johns girlfriend Diana Hyland died of breast cancer, aged 41. Joan Blondell had a huge acting resume under her belt when she appeared in "Grease" as the waitress, Vi. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. The stars have also had their fair share of ups and downs in the decades years after Greasedebuted in theaters. Edd Byrnes, who played dance show host Vic Fontaine during Rydells prom, was also known forhis starring role in the television series77 Sunset Strip. She wassurrounded by her family and friends, according to her husband, who announced her passing on her Facebook page., Easterling did not confirm the cause of her death. After Grease, Barry, now 72, went on to appear in several TV movies and a strong of American TV series, ranging from an arms dealer to "Professor Tinkerputt" in the hit children's show Barney's Imagination Island. Travolta has also suffered two agonising tragedies. Dennis eventually died of complications from Aids in April 1994. In 2008, on US reality show Celebrity Fit Club, Jeff revealed he was addicted to cocaine, alcohol and painkillers. Her ashes were sent into space with her husbands ashes so they could spend eternity exploring the universe together. In addition to playing fan favorite Kenickie in Grease, John Conaway was also known for his role as Bobby Wheeler inTaxiand security officer Zack Allan inBabylon 5. In 1993, she reprised the role of Louisa "Ouisa" Kittredge for the film version ofSix Degreesand received both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance. Frenchy's troublemaking boyfriend Doody was portrayed by Barry Pearl, who performed in the first national tour ofGreaseprior to joining the cast of the film. Along with her Grease costar Olivia Newton-John, the actress appeared on Grease Live! - April 5, 2023 07:55 pm EDT. In 2010, Jeff suffered a brain haemorrhage, a broken hip and a fractured neck in a freak fall at his home, and less than a year later, in May 2011, he was found unconscious at his home after collapsing. 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Conn has appeared on series such asLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit, Transparent, and Blue Bloods. Sadly, according to the BBC, Conaway's addiction to prescription drugs may have started with "Grease," as a back injury he suffered while filming the movie spawned a lifelong addiction. He also reprised his role as "Craterface" Balmudo in the 1982 film "Grease 2," and his last acting credit on IMDb is listed in 1991 with a role on the TV series "Parker Lewis Can't Lose." Edd Byrnes, who played TV dance show host Vic Fontaine in "Grease," was Jeff Conaway (Kenickie) died in 2011. "Love it," Jason Schmidt (Buddy) shared. Sadly, Blondell's last years during which she filmed "Grease" were spent struggling withrheumatoid arthritis, via Slant Magazine. The Cast of 'The Super Mario Bros Movie': All About the Voice Actors. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Caulfield has been married to actress Juliet Mills since 1980, and has appeared on shows like Pam & Tommy and American Horror Story. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. A year later, they welcomed their only child together,Chloe Rose Lattanzi., Newton-John is pictured in 1974 competing in the Eurovision Song Contest for Britain (left), four years before starring in Grease. How to entertain the kids in the school holidays for less than a fiver, The tranquil Yorkshire beach that is nowhere near the sea, Six outdoor swimming pools all 90 minutes or less from Hull, Get breaking news by email by signing up to our newsletters. Pearl and his onscreen love interest Didi Conn are the only two cast members from the 1978 film to appear inGrease: Live! In 2017, she was told the cancerhad metastasized and spread to her bones. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, Grammy-winning recording artist and country music star. In 2012, Travolta reunited with Olivia Newton-John for their holiday albumThis Christmas, and, in 2016, he received his first Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Robert Shapiro in FX'sThe People v. O.J. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Stay tuned for more from our interviews with the cast ofGrease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, which debuts on April 6th. "I know when I spoke with Anabel Oaks, our showrunner and writer, like Kenickie is sort of the archetypal character that I'm loosely based on, and start off with. "I'll just give you a quick little thing. Frenchy was best known for being a beauty school drop-out. The couple had been married for nearly 30 years when Prestondied at age 57 in July 2020,two years after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.. Sadly on Aug. 8, 2022, news broke that Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy, died at her home in California after a long battle with breast cancer. 1 on the charts. They divorced in 1995, Just days before her death, Newton-John posted a heartwarming photo of herself with her second husband, John Easterling, whom she had been married to since 2008, The couple was married when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. She was best known in the States for her long running role in Empty Nest, a spin off from The Golden Girls, from 1988 to 1995. Actress Annette, who played Cha Cha DiGregorio in the film, was best known for her role in Grease and later gave up acting so become a university professor. Paying tribute to his son following the tragic accident John, 55, said: We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. Her 11-year marriage to Matt Lattanzi ended in divorce. His death is the latest in a long line of tragedies that have struck those who worked on Grease since its blockbuster box office days. After beating the disease for a second time, she was told in 2017 that the cancerhad metastasized and spread to her bones. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Since then, Travolta has proven to have serious staying power in the industry, starring in dozens of films over the last 40 years including the likes of Pulp Fiction, Hairspray, Face Off, and Get Shorty.. The actress is survived by her 36-year-old daughter, Chloe, and her siblings., John Travolta played Danny Zuko in Grease (left), and he went on to have an incredibly successful career. Charles died on Aug. 3, 2011, from lung cancer. In the mid 60s, Warren Casey met Jim Jacobs at the Chicago Stage Guild. "Love," Cheyenne Isabel Wells (Olivia) simply replied when we asked her opinion on Grease 2. Already aGrammy-winning recording artist and country music star when she was cast as good-girl-gone-bad Sandy, Olivia Newton-John's career rose to greater heights after the movie became the biggest box office hit of 1978. Sims added, "'Cool Rider,' please," which is the iconic song performed by Pfeiffer in the film. Sadly, like so many stars, Byrnes struggled with addictive tendencies. He died of Aids-related complications in 1988, aged 53. She stayed busy for the rest of the '80s, starring in the film version of the play, as well as parts in Ordinary People (1980)and the horror movieChild's Play (1988). She is pictured promoting her 1980 album (right), Newton-John married her first husband, actor and dancer Matt Lattanzi, in December 1984 (left). But the magic had gone by the time he tried to repeat the success in 1982 with Grease 2, the widely-panned sequel starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield. Goodman's character was known for her musical contribution to the morning announcements via her trusty xylophone. Outside of Grease-related projects, Conn played a host of beloved roles on The Practice, Benson and Shining Time Station, as made appearances on Dancing on Ice and Blue Bloods. Grease Actors You May Not Know Passed Away Edd Byrnes (Vic Fontaine) died in January 2020. Grease premiered in 1971 at the Kingston Mines Theater in Chicago, then went on to become a West End hit. The Cal State Northridge newsletterdescribed her as a "supportive and enthusiastic advocate who helped students find their voice as an instructor of speech communication and public speaking in the Chicana and Chicano Studies department, where she had taught since 2002.". Nonetheless, "Grease" remained his defining movie. The Cast of 'Succession': Everything to Know, The Cast of 'Wednesday': Everything to Know. Songwriter Justin Tranter added, "I mean always. But she has not had any acting credits since 2008. "Yes. Annette Charles was best known for her role as the cha-cha dancing Charlene DiGregorio in the 1978 film. While she was arguably most known for playing Sandy in the cult classic, Newton-John had an incredible music career that earned her four GRAMMY awards out of 12 nominations. Though she continued to act, Luft is more well-known for her singing and stage work, her latest playing Martha Watson in the national tour of White Christmas. She reprised the role for Grease 2 and also had a part in the recent Grease: Live production, In 2019, Conn became the oldest contestant on the British television series Dancing on Ice at age 67, Conn's memorable performance as beauty school dropout Frenchie is still her most famous role to date. She competed on the hit British seriesDancing on Icein 2019, but was eliminated in week four. Something went wrong, please try again later. Arden died on November 12, 1990 at her Beverly Hills home at age 83, per The New York Times. Your impact was incredible. How did you do it? 'Back to the Future' Cast: Where Are They Now? The Cast of Boy Meets World: Where Are They Now? After appearing in the 1978 film, Stewart reprised his role for Grease 2 in 1982.. Now 68, he stars in the upcoming action films Paradise City and American Metal, the latter of which is slated for release in 2023., Stockard Channing played Rizzo in Grease (left). Dody Goodman, who shared scenes with Arden in the role of Rydell High School secretary Blanche Hodel, died on June 22, 2008, following a long battle with colon cancer. Something went wrong, please try again later. The couple got married in 1992 and now have four children together. While the first Grease film became a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 1978, its sequel didn't receive the same reception. She was 93 years old at the time of her death. Playing Kenickie made Jeff a household name. His biggest role was certainly in Grease, but the star also kept working in TV and film starring in Happy Days and Taxi before appearing in reality shows covering addiction in the years before his death. She costarred on the sitcom alongside Richard Mulligan and Kristy McNichol, and was featured in every episode of its seven-season run. Conn has been married to composer David Shire since 1984. Although Grease 2 was initially a critical and commercial disaster, in the years since its release in 1982, the musical sequel has gained a cult following for its catchy songs, so it's worth ranking them all from worst to best. He followed his time on the Great White Way with guest star turns on a number of television shows before joining the cast of the Greasefilm and becoming a series regular on the sitcomTaxi. British seriesDancing on Icein 2019, but was eliminated in week four quick little thing Isabel (... 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