1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and No. Food was the one thing I could be in control of.. And, of course, if you have a cancer diagnosis, your death is kind of there. The true story of the g-strings and murders behind Welcome to Chippendales. In 1980, Newton-John tried her hand at a second movie musical with Xanadu, but the film flopped with critics and didnt resonate with audiences. The superstar poured money into her Olivia Newton-John Cancer Fund and helped fund the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in Victoria, Australia. "I trust she is now in the great Xanadu beyond," he wrote. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. However, it was truly his work as a writer, director, and producer that took off. The movie musical was also where she met her first husband, Matt Lattanzi, and in 1986 gave birth to their daughter, Chloe Rose. Mary K. Jacob contributed to this report. "Grease" was the word and one of the most beloved movies of the 1970s. [16] His stepson, Emerson Newton-John,[1] is a race car driver. Los Angeles," she explained, adding, "So now I am raising my kids, riding my horse, writing a novel, teaching acting, cooking vegetable soup from my garden.". 64.3K subscribers Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy that follows local boy Danny Zuko (John Travolta) who met Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) at the beach during the summer and. Her character was known for her no-nonsense personality and penchant for delivering the daily morning announcements. Grease (1978) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He acted steadily throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. On Nov. 12, 1990, she died from heart disease. She married actor Matt Lattanzi in 1984 before the pair welcomed their daughter, Chloe, two years later. "When my twins turned 3 and my oldest turned 9, my wonderful husband and I decided it was time to get out of Dodge, a.k.a. "The real source of joy for those of us who did it is the fact that we keep in relatively regular contact. Shepassed away from leukemia on December 25, 1979, a little more than a year after "Grease" was released and two years after getting an Academy Award nomination for her film, "Opening Night." After Pinsky asked him to elaborate upon how he would carry out a suicidal act, Conaway glared at the mirror in his room and said, "I see myself breaking that mirror and slicing my fucking throat with it." Annette Charles was best known for her role as the cha-cha dancing Charlene DiGregorio in the 1978 film. Needless to say, Caesar was widely known as a comedian and musician long before playing the Rydell High coach who (hilariously) tries to help John Travolta's Danny Zuko become a jock. [27] After initial reports, Drew Pinsky, who had treated Conaway for substance abuse, said the actor was suffering not from a drug overdose, but rather from pneumonia with sepsis, for which he was placed into an induced coma. But Bobby anybody could walk in and say, 'Hi, Alex.'"[13]. Olivia Newton-John died Monday at her ranch in Southern California, her publicist confirmed to CBS News. Meanwhile, daughter Chloe Lattanzi has faced health battles of her own, struggling with anorexia and drug addiction. Things took a dark turn in the mid-2000s when Conaway relapsed from substance abuse and turned up on reality TV as a star of the VH1 shows Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Before he donned Danny Zuko's leather jacket, John Travolta was already a bona fide star thanks to his roles as Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter, Billy Nolan in Carrie, and Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever for which he received his first Academy Award nomination. Doctors discovered a malignant tumor in her right breast and she underwent a modified radical mastectomy and chemotherapy before eventually being declared cancer free. [26], On May 11, 2011, Conaway was found unconscious from what was initially described as an overdose of substances believed to be pain medication and was taken to Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center in Encino, California, where he was listed in critical condition. Deezen has seen plenty of success outside the movie musical world, especially when it comes to voice acting. After appearing in the movie,Manoff went on to star in many projects, writing, directing, and producing here and there. I ended up reading with [star] Judd Hirsch and it went really well."[10]. Byrnes' son, news anchor Logan Byrnes, confirmed the news on Twitter, writing, "It is with profound sadness and . Not only was Olivia a dear friend, but one of the nicest people I had the pleasure of recording and performing with," wrote Dionne Warwick. When Grease hit theaters in June 1978, it was an instant hit and its cast members became instant stars. Donnelly added, "The movie was a joy to do," in large part because of the cast. 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." Her cause of death was reported as heart disease. Olivia Newton-John's breakout role was in "Grease," but she was already well on her way to establishing her name in the music business. [3] He made his film debut in the 1971 romantic drama Jennifer on My Mind, which also featured future stars Robert De Niro and Barry Bostwick. Actor Eddie Deezen is has been found not competent to stand trial in a nursing home burglary case because of a mental disorder. ", "Jeff Conaway As Seen in My Award Winning Feature 'From Behind the Sunflower'! Fans already knew actress Alice Ghostley from her role as clumsy housekeeper Esmeralda on the ABC sitcom "Bewitched." That star began to dip in the 1980s, but his Oscar-nominated turn in "Pulp Fiction" brought him back to the top, as Travolta himself acknowledged on "Inside the Actor's Studio." That was in the '90s, the same decade that brought Travolta his wife, actress Kelly Preston, and his . Eve Arden, who had a long film and stage career, played Rydell High School Principal McGee in Grease. Didi Conn, born Edith Bernstein, is the only cast member to appear in all three screen adaptations of Grease, having also appeared in 1982's Grease 2, and Fox's 2016 event Grease: Live!. This development caused the show's producers to realize that Conaway was expendable and contributed to his termination. She began singing in the late 1960s, eventually releasing her first solo album, If Not for You, in 1971, with the title track originally written by Bob Dylan and recorded by George Harrison. Credit: Everett Collection; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Albert L. Ortega/WireImage, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Tara Ziemba/Getty Images. Newton-John, a four-time Grammy winner, died in August 2022 at 73 years old. Like nobody else could do Louie or Jim, they were such defined characters. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. [14] In 2000, he released the album It Don't Make Sense You Can't Make Peace on the KEGMusic label. Though Putzie wasn't as big of a character as some others, he was still fun to watch. "Doing everything to stay safe and healthy," he wrote over on Cameo. All rights reserved. "I mean, it's part of life. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. In a 2019 interview, Newton-John told "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle Kingthat she never felt victimized over her diagnosis. News that he had warned Haim about dying because of prescription drug abuse. "Maybe deep down I knew there was a reason or a purpose for it," she said. [28][29], Though his drug use did not cause his pneumonia, it hampered Conaway's ability to recognize how severely ill he was and to seek treatment for pneumonia until it was too late. [31], Best Supporting Actor, Comedy or Musical Series, "Jeff Conaway, Actor In 'Taxi', Is Dead at 60", "Jeff Conaway Took a Wrong Turn After Taxi, but Now He's Back on Track as a Soap Stud", "Jeff talks about Vikki and drugs at home", "Celebs Check Into Rehab 2 With Dr. Drew", "Jeff Conaway on Michael Jackson's Death", "Celebrity Rehab's Jeff Conaway: 'I Told Corey Haim He Was Gonna Die', "Jeff Conaway did not overdose, is 'tenuous' in coma as he battles pneumonia, says Dr. Drew Pinsky", "Actor Jeff Conaway's death ruled accidental", "Orson's Last Dance and My Lovely Encounters with Jeff Conaway! 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. pic.twitter.com/Z1zkVe9CVb, Barbra Streisand also shared a photo and wrote, "Too young to leave this world. [21][22][23], In June 2009, Conaway joined Celebrity Rehab castmate Mary Carey at the premiere of her parody film Celebrity Pornhab with Dr. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Other actors and music artists also honored the late singer. However, though Caesar appeared in the biggest box office hit of 1978, he struggled with alcohol and pill addiction during that same era, per The New York Times. Then: One of the few original Grease stars to join the Grease 2 cast, she reprised her role as Frenchy, charged with taking Michael around school. She originally co-starred on the sitcom alongside Richard Mulligan and Kristy McNichol, and was featured in every episode of its seven-season run. In the 1980s, the actor embarked on a healthy lifestyle journey that would ultimately help him live a very long life. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. It was frustrating. Thanks to her soundtrack contributions "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights," she became the second woman to have two singles in the Billboard top five at the same time. [25], In March 2010, shortly after the death of actor Corey Haim, Conaway told E! In an interview with CBS News' Gayle King, Newton-John explained that she had to learn to remind herself not to let the thought of cancer consume her. Though Travolta had appeared in television shows, in the classic horror film "Carrie," and in "Saturday Night Fever," he didn't reach peak fame until "Grease." After her oldest son Dashiell tragically died in a car accident in 2017, she began teaching acting at the Purdy Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, WA as a way to deal with her grief. No cause of death was given in a statement on her official Facebook page, but. In 2012, Travolta reunited with Olivia Newton-John for their holiday album This Christmas, and in 2016 he received his first Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Robert Shapiro in FX's The People v. O.J. In the years since, he has built a long list of guest star credits on TV shows ranging from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, to Baywatch, Beverly Hills 90210, and Even Stevens. Nonetheless, "Grease" remained his defining movie. She added that while denial was how she originally dealt with the news, she focused on the joy of life and everyday living as part of her healing process. Your impact was incredible., A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta). CHRIS ROCK'S BROTHER CHALLENGES WILL SMITH TO A BOXING MATCH AFTER OSCARS SLAP, Eddie Deezen was arrested on burglary charges in April 2022. However, Goodman was so in tune with "Grease" that in1994, she even appeared in a Broadway revival of the story in which she played English teacher Miss Lynch, per Theater Mania. 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