Jay Thomas, 'Cheers' actor, dead at 69 | CNN He is survived by his wife Sally and sons Sam, Jake and J.T. His departure ended up being a bit more complicated, however, as viewers were a fan of Carla and Eddie as a couple. He said, like in a movie, 'Are you sitting down?' In this weeks installment, Was Superman a Spy? Thomas played Eddie LeBec, a fictional goalie for the Boston Bruins, who began dating waitress Carla. "But there was a point where they [thought] maybe we would live together, and I didn't like the idea of Carla being with somebody because that would make you feel like [you're] not part of the people in the bar.". Thomas began his career in entertainment as a radio DJ before trying his hand at stand-up comedy and acting. videos, However, Jay would try out his stand-up comic routines on the rest of the staff. It's TV legend that Eddie was killed off because Thomas slammed his co-star on his radio show. In a statement to the NY Daily News, Thomas' rep, Don Buchwald, said, "Jay was one of . He played Rhea Perlman's husband, Eddie LeBec, on "Cheers," and won the best guest actor Emmy in 1990 and 1991 for his portrayal of the character Jerry Gold on "Murphy Brown." Later, Bebe Neuwirth joined the cast as Frasier's wife Lilith. 3.2M views. On the latter, his character winds up appearing in an ice show and gets killed by a Zamboni. | Famous last words and two seconds later Jay Thomas was a "dead Cheers actor" walking. Instead, Thomas is sent off to perform in an ice show, making just two appearances in Season 7 after seven episodes in Season 6. Jay Thomas Dead At 69: Fans Remember 'Cheers' Actor And His Late Night Actor Jay Thomas, who cut his teeth in the entertainment business as a legendary DJ for Charlotte radio station Big WAYS in the 1970s, has died at 69. . Thomas. He was also a radio DJ and continued to host a radio show while he was on Cheers. Why did the show write him, and even have him die? ", The Sirius radio host also had roles in films including "Mr. Holland's Opus," "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3." news 'Cheers': Here's Why Jay Thomas Left the Show - Outsider Eventually, Carla finds out she is pregnant with Eddie's twins, and the pair decide to get married. How to Stream Garcelle Beauvais' New Lifetime Movie Online, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Gulmohar' on Hulu, a Hindi Family-Ties Drama Marking the Return of Sharmila Tagore, Steven Spielberg Broke Down in Tears Seeing Paul Dano and Michelle Williams as His Parents in 'The Fabelmans', Is Brendan Frasers The Whale Based on a True Story? Eddie, by then, was working as a penguin in an ice show so we arrived at a Zamboni machine accident. In a statement, Thomas' friend and agent. His first TV role was in "Mork and Mindy". He crossed the family." Although grew up in the south he most played "New Yorky" characters. She heard the broadcast. This story has been shared 4,038 times. He will be dearly missed by so many, Estey said in a statement to CNN. Thomas appeared on nine episodes altogether. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site. It resulted in him getting his own show in Seattle years later. And my joke what that I got combat's pay to kiss her." On the big screen, Thomas played the Easter Bunny in the Santa Clause movies released in 2002 and 2006 and appeared in such films as Legal Eagles (1986), Straight Talk (1992),A Smile Like Yours (1997), Mr. Hollands Opus (1995) as football coach Bill Meister Dragonfly (2002) and Labor Pains (2009). Long was a superstar on the program for years, but, ultimately, she was not long for the show as many expected when it first hit the small screen. SinceCheers was primarily set at a bar, we only saw Carlas home life when it pulled up a stool. The Behind-The-Scenes Drama On Cheers That Had Jay Thomas Written Off The Show. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. What Thomas had to say about kissing his co-star did not go over well with others involved in the show, and they retaliated in a very creative way. In the same oral history, Levine claimed that Perlman was upset about Thomas' radio show comment. Thomas played the obnoxious TV talk-show host Jerry Gold (and Candice Bergens on-again, off-again boyfriend) on CBSMurphy Brown from 1989-98 winning a pair of Emmys after his stint as Rhea Perlmans husband Eddie LeBec, a French-Canadian goalie with the Boston Bruins, on NBCsCheers. Updated Thomas played "Eddie LeBec," Carla's boyfriend and later husband on the show. Actor Jay Thomas, best known for his roles in the classic sitcoms "Murphy Brown" and "Cheers," has died, according to his publicist. His zodiac sign is Cancer. and more from FamousFix.com. It also gave us a story arc for Carla. Here's an amusing post-script. 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Finally we decided to marry them. And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed and Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? Jay Thomas, 'Murphy Brown' and 'Cheers' Actor, Dies at 69 (1987 -. Jay Thomas the storyteller kept a story alive year after year, and Jay Thomas the actor gave sitcom fans a story to tell year after year. He later landed a recurring role as the hockey-playing husband of Rhea Perlman's character on "Cheers." He won back-to-back Emmys in 1991-92 for the guest role on "Murphy Brown," playing outspoken . Jay Thomas died on Thursday at 69 after a battle with cancer. In the late '80s, actor Jay Thomas appeared on several episodes of Cheers as the love interestand eventual husband ofCarla Tortelli, who was played by Rhea Perlman. 1,120, This story has been shared 1,091 times. Jay Thomas, Actor on 'Murphy Brown' and 'Cheers,' Is Dead at 69 I loved Jay Thomas as Eddie LeBec," she said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Her zodiac sign is Aries. However, he never strayed to far from the airwaves as he launched the daily Jay Thomas Show on Sirius XM in 2005 and even served as a frequent substitute for Howard Stern. More recently, he appeared as tabloid journalist Marty Grossman on "Ray Donovan. But odds are if you know Jay Thomas, who passed away today at the age of 69, you know him from his recurring role on Cheers as Carla Tortelli's hockey-playing husband Eddie LeBec. His most recent credits include appearances on Bones, NCIS: New Orleans, and Ray Donovan.. In our world, you don't wind up sleeping with the fishes; you die a violent yet comedic death.". In addition, the actress denies the story, saying: That's not true. As you can imagine, important people heard that interview and were not happy about it. Publicity Listings Here is where things get a bit disputed. And, according to the co-creator of the series, Thomas could have appeared on even more episodes of the popular show if he hadn't insulted Perlman during a radio show. Sitcom veteran Jay Thomas, best known for his roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, passed away on Thursday. Jay Thomas Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas in Cheers (1982) Close 36 of 47 Jay Thomas36 of 47 Rhea Perlmanand Jay Thomasin Cheers (1982) PeopleRhea Perlman, Jay Thomas TitlesCheers Photo by NBC/NBC via Getty Images - NBC Universal, Inc. WhenCheers came back for Season Eight, Eddie was nowhere to be seen. 2023 Cable News Network. Jay Thomas, 'Murphy Brown' and 'Cheers' Actor, Dies at 69 - NBC News He was 69. American Actor Jay Thomas was born Jon Thomas Terrell on 12th July, 1948 in Kermit, Texas and passed away on 24th Aug 2017 Santa Barbara, California aged 69. Characters Killed Off Because Of The Actor's Bad Behavior - Looper.com Did you encounter any technical issues? They were right. Jay Thomas, actor and legendary Charlotte DJ, dies at 69 | Charlotte In 2013, John McEnroe filled in for Thomas, who was recovering from surgery. He's acted here and there ever since (including a memorable supporting role in Mr. Holland's Opus). Jay broadcast from California, New York, and New Orleans. The Behind-The-Scenes Drama On Cheers That Had Jay Thomas Written Off . He was a regular guest on "The Late Show with David Letterman.". He is most remembered for Mr. Holland's Opus. He first told the story in 1998 and returned almost every year to tell it again until Letterman retired. Help us build our profile of Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas! However, Jay Thomas, who played ice hockey player Eddie Lebec on the show, was killed off not too long after marrying one of the main characters in the show to Carla. Actor Jay Thomas, best known for his roles in the classic sitcoms "Murphy Brown" and "Cheers," has died at age 69. . Jay Thomas Dead: 'Murphy Brown,' 'Cheers' Actor Was 69 - The Hollywood New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, TV Legends Revealed: Why You Don't Mess With Carla On Cheers. Deaths aren't exactly commonplace for sitcoms, so Eddie's death may leave viewers wondering if there was a real-life reason for the narrative choice. Most recently, he appeared in the Showtime series Ray Donovan. Thats exactly what it looked like was going to happen with Jay Thomas' character, Eddie LeBec, who joined the show in Season 5 as the boyfriend to Rhea Perlman's character, the perpetually pregnant waitress Carla. As it turns out, though, one notable actor dealt with some off-screen drama that affected her character's arc. He was replaced by a young hayseed named Woody Boys, played by Woody Harrelson (amazingly enough, the character was named Woody before Harrelson was cast), who improbably became even more popular than Coach! Cheers Actors You May Not Know Passed Away - Looper.com And, according to the. Recently he has hosted shows at Carolines in NYC and the Bellagio in Vegas. A Warner Bros. Actor Jay Thomas attends the SIRIUS XM. He had a few small roles during the early 1980s, popping up on big shows like Family Ties and The Golden Girls, and in 1987 (in the middle of Season 5) he joined Cheers as Boston Bruins goalie Eddie LeBec. 3,913, This story has been shared 3,885 times. His other wife, it turned out, looked just like Carla. 1,091. It's likely all going to be paraphrase since it was a radio show. — -- Actor Jay Thomas has died, ABC News has confirmed. But odds are if you know Jay Thomas, who passed away today at the age of 69, you know him from his recurring role onCheers as Carla Tortellis hockey-playing husband Eddie LeBec. Help keep Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas profile up to date. "I'm doingCheers, having the greatest time of my life, and one day I get a phone call from Jimmy [Burrows]," Thomas said. Instead, his character was killed off-screen in Season 8. He was 69. Long said, We never fought. Actor Jay Thomas, who won two Emmys for his guest role on Murphy Brown, died Thursday after a battle with cancer, The Daily News reports. The episode Death Takes a Holiday on Icegot rid of Eddie for good (as Deciders Joe Reid recalled in a recent list). "Jay was one of a kind, never at a loss for words and filled with so. He was 69. Burrows writes, "That was it. Discover short videos related to jay thomas rhea perlman on TikTok. Jay now hosts a daily talk show on Sirius "Stars" channel and is selling high end real estate in Santa Barbara. In a way thats fitting, as Thomas was also known for his annual telling of a Lone Ranger story onThe Late Show with David Lettermans annual Christmas episodes. (@norm.of.cheers), Where everybody knows ur name (@welcome.to.cheers) . in which he played Rhea Perlman's . Actor Jay Thomas has died at 69. First off, we needed a funny demise. When Will 'Attack on Titan' Season 4, Part 4 Air? Thomas often played loud, sleazy types: He recurred on ShowtimesRay DonovanasMarty Grossman, the operator of a salacious TMZ-like website. [January 2005]. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker.We'd really appreciate it. Why did the show write him, and even have him die? He features legends about entertainment and sports at his website, Legends Revealed and other pop culture features at Pop Culture References. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. 1,313, This story has been shared 1,267 times. Thomas popped up 9 times between 1987 and 1989, starting with the Season Five two-parter Never Love a Goalie.Carla (Rhea Perlman) and Eddie, the goalie for the Boston Bruins, hit it off immediately, even if their love affair put a temporary jinx on the Bruins wining streak. Thomas, certainly, but Levine? One of his biggest roles was as loudmouth TV host Jerry Gold . Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. His apprenticeship duties involved building sets at this summer stock theatre. He boxed, wrestled, played football, and ran track. Now obviously, when you have a cast as large as Cheers, while they were able to add characters more easily than other shows, it was still not an easy thing to do, so there were plenty of reasons why the show would not be willing to add Thomas to the actual cast. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman.. Actor, Radio DJ Jay Thomas Dies At 69 - CBS Los Angeles It may have been even better than the original. The same writer wrote about Kelsey on the show, Quite simply, he was retained because he was terrific and once everyone saw the dynamics between his character and the others in the bar it was clear that Frasier Crane was a keeper. Thomas also had small but memorable parts in films such as Mr. Hollands Opus and the latter two Santa Clause movies. Discovery Company. And he goes, "Look, we're not going to have you back on the show. According to the book (via Page Six), a listener called in to Thomas' show and asked what it was like being part of Cheers, to which Thomas responded, "It's brutal. Thomas TV career started in the early 80s, and he quickly amassed a number of credits. Well, Ken Levine, longtime TV comedy writer, producer and creative consultant on Cheers, backs up Thomas' version of events, noting: Rhea came up to my office and she was furious I'd never seen her like this. "Cheers" is one of the most famous sitcoms of all-time, and has maintained its relevance over the years, following its series finale in 1993. Jay Thomas was never seen on Cheers again. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman. In Season 6, they got married and it seemed like Thomas would be sticking around. to write in with your suggestions for future installments! And he goes, 'Look, we're not going to have you back on the show. 2,911, This story has been shared 2,493 times. The show actually aired longer without its original female lead than it did with her, a remarkable achievement for any television show. Jay Thomas (We were worried that we wouldnt be able to use the name Zamboni but the company loved it. My heart goes out to his family.. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in an on-screen matchup. LeBec is a hockey player for. Every holiday season since 1998, he was asked by, Was the Morning man at New York City radio station WXRK, just prior to. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in Cheers (1982) together.. About. 2,493, This story has been shared 2,429 times. 1,267, This story has been shared 1,120 times. Thomas also had a turn on "Cheers" as Rhea Perlman's TV-husband Eddie LeBec, a Boston Bruins hockey player who was killed by a Zamboni. And I think I did a pretty good job, although maybe it wasnt good enough for him.. In fact, plenty of younger viewers have found the series through streaming services (all 11 seasons are currently available to watch on Hulu). Thanks Brian Raftery's excellent Cheers oral history in GQ for the Perlman, Thomas and Levine quotes. Thomas moved to New York for a job at the FM station 99X and then did stand-up comedy at the Improv and acted in off-Broadway plays. However, after his less than pleasant comments on a radio show he was hosting . He is most remembered for Mr. Holland's Opus. Has three sons in total, Jake and Sam, with wife Sally Michelson, plus another son, During the summer of 1967, Jay (then Jon Terrell) worked as an apprentice at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, Connecticut. Cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli, played by Rhea Perlman, meets ice hockey player. He was an actor, he was a radio host and he was a comedian. Don Buchwald, his longtime agent and friend, said Thomas died at his home in Santa Barbara after a battle with cancer. Jay Thomas was one of the funniest and kindest men I have had the honor to call both client and friend for 25 years plus. . Triangle of Sadness Ending Explained: Does Abigail Kill Yaya? photos, The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).". and more from FamousFix.com, See However, in Season 7, Eddie is killed off. Plus, nobody could throw a football like Jay. Discover jay thomas rhea perlman 's popular videos | TikTok Carla got pregnant with Eddies kid in Season Six, leading to the two getting hitched in the two-parter Little Carla, Happy at Last.. Soon after, rather than being added as a cast member like Bebe Neuwirth (who also made recurring appearances in seasons 6 and 7 before being officially joining the cast in Season 8), Thomas was done for good. Eddie showed up a few more times in Season Six and Seven, but then something major happened off-camera in between April and November of 1989. The comedy, about a bar in Boston, lost one of its main characters after the third season when Nicholas Colasanto, who played the beloved bartender Coach, passed away. Reared in New Orleans, he was always active in sports and performing. At 16 he started as a stand-up on Bourbon St. The post, titled "The kiss of death for Eddie LeBec" reports that Jay Thomas made some negative comments about the show and about Perlman on his radio show: A caller asked him what his experience working on "Cheers" was like, Levine explained in the post, and Thomas "said something to the effect of 'It's brutal. Cheers: Heres Why Jay Thomas Left the Show. Follow him on Twitter at @Brian_Cronin and feel free to e-mail him suggestions for stories about comic books that you'd like to see featured at [email protected]! 'Mandalorian' Funko Pops up to 77% Off Baby Yoda and More for Season 3, Who Plays the Armorer in 'The Mandalorian'? I just don't see any reason for why Levine would make up such a story. (1982) after making a comment during a radio show in which he made fun of Rhea Perlman's looks. That was it for Eddie LeBec. He earned that promotion.. Jay Thomas was born in Kermit, Texas, to Katherine (Guzzino), a tap-dancing South Louisiana belle of Italian descent, and T. Harry Terrell, Sr., an oil man. In the late '80s, actor Jay Thomas appeared on several episodes of Cheers as the love interestand eventual husband ofCarla Tortelli, who was played by Rhea Perlman. For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Heck, note that in the quote above, Thomas even says he was specifically told Perlman was not the reason. appreciated. But there was a point where they [thought] maybe we would live together, and I didn't like the idea of Carla being with somebody because that would make you feel like [you're] not part of the people in the bar. Cheers was an iconic show from decades ago starring Ted Danson and friends. She said, 'I want him off the show,'" Levine claimed. to global superstars), there is something that is almost more amazing, which is to join one of these shows after it has become a hit and become accepted as part of the show's DNA. On the big screen he was featured in "Mr. Holland's Opus", "A Smile Like Yours", and "Santa Claus" 2 and 3. Emmy-winning actor JAY THOMAS is best known to audiences as doomed hockey star Eddie LeBec on "Cheers" and tabloid talker Jerry Gold on "Murphy Brown," but he's also a show business renaissance man, having worked as a stand-up comic, disc jockey, sportscaster and reality show host. Originally intended for just a short story arc, Diane's new boyfriend, Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane, ended up sticking with the show for the rest of its run (plus 11 more seasons in his own spinoff series). On Cheers, Jay played Carla's (Rhea Perlman) hockey goalie husband, Eddie LeBec, for two years before his character was memorably hit by a Zamboni. In 2006, one of the "Cheers" writers, Ken Levine, explained the behind the scenes drama of Thomas' departure from the series in a blog post. She heard this interview and Eddie was written off the show. He guest starred in an episode of "Hung" on HBO. He also hosted a radio show in Los Angeles and, most recently, had a daily gig with SiriusXM. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. Thomas. And I love football, so my two big dreams were totally realized.. Thomas' best known-roles were on the small screen. Eventually, she became pregnant with twins, and the pair got married. We get it: you like to have control of your own internet experience. Levine continues, "we needed (a) some comic spin for the story, and (b) something to discredit Eddie so the audience would ultimately be glad he was out of Carla's life. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. But if that's what cost me my job, my wife will probably say, 'Hey [expletive], I told you so.'". Jay Thomas Dead: 'Murphy Brown,' 'Cheers' Actor Was 69 - The Hollywood He starred in his own TV shows "Married People" with Beth Armstrong and "Love and War" with Susan Dey and later Annie Potts.