Jeff Conaway dies at 60; costars remember 'Grease' and 'Taxi' actor

Jeff Conaway, the "Grease" actor who played Kenickie and appeared on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," died Friday. He was 60.

The actor had been in a medically induced coma before doctors took him off life support Friday. The coma was a result of pneumonia and his unconscious arrival to Encino Medical Center May 10 because of "too many prescribed drugs," his sister Carla Shreve said.

"Jeff was taken off life support [Thursday] afternoon," his manager, Phil Brock, told People. "His family chose to take him off of life support based on advice from physicians. They thought for several days that the situation was hopeless."

Conaway died at 10:30 a.m. and his sisters, nieces and nephews were with him, he added.

Conaway did not die from an overdose, Dr. Drew Pinsky told TMZ.

"This was aspiration with overwhelming pneumonia and sepsis," he said, a result of numerous years on prescription medications that wore out his body.

The Manhattan-born actor launched his career at age 10 by tagging along to an audition for the Broadway show "All the Way Home" with his mother. He soon became a stage actor and went on to play Kenickie, a high school bad boy in the Broadway musical "Grease."

He shot to fame in the movie adaptation of the show in 1978, costarring with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Conaway was a "wonderful and decent man and we will miss him," Travolta said in a statement Friday. "My heartfelt thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this very difficult time."

After "Grease," Conaway went on to become Bobby Wheeler, a struggling actor-turned-cab driver on "Taxi."

"Taxi" costar Marilu Henner described him as a "talented, handsome, loving" friend.

"Jeff was like a brother to me," she said in a statement.

"Tony Danza and I visited Jeff in the hospital almost daily over the past two weeks. We saw how much love surrounded him, along with his sisters, Michelle and Carla, his wife, Kerri, his ex-wife, Rona, and his friend, Lance. Jeff looked the healthiest I'd seen him in a long time and I really thought that he was going to come out of this." 

After subsequent stints on soap operas and television shows, the actor appeared on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club," but left soon after to go to rehab in 2006.

He returned to the network for stints on "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew." His speech was so slurred that he required subtitles.

Conaway developed an addiction to cocaine and pain killers after having back surgery, according to a Times interview. When he tried to quit taking the drugs on "Celebrity Rehab," he threw tantrums, shouted and blacked out.

He is survived by his sister Carla, sister Michele Goffin, wife Kerri Young Conaway and stepson Emerson Hall.

Read the full Times obituary here.

RELATED:

Jeff Conaway 1950 - 2011

Jeff Conaway dies at 60; actor in 'Grease' and 'Taxi

Actor Jeff Conaway comatose after apparent drug overdose

-- Nardine Saad
twitter.com / NardineSaad

Upper photo: Jeff Conaway, Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta and Stockard Channing in "Grease." Credit:  Paramount Pictures / Getty Images

Lower photo:  Jeff Conaway in 2008. Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Al Pacino joins John Travolta, Lindsay Lohan in 'Gotti' cast

Academy Award winner Al Pacino will be joining John Travolta and his famiglia in the "Gotti: Three Generations" biopic, which chronicles the doings of the crime family.

He'll play Aniello "Neil" Dellacroce, the Gambino crime family underboss and associate to Travolta's John Gotti. Dellacroce was allegedly Gotti's mob mentor. 

"Al Pacino is one of the finest actors of all time, and will bring an unsurpassed level of reality and excitement to the film," executive produder Marc Fiore said. "We are very pleased to have Al join the extraordinary team that we are assembling to make this movie."

Dellacroce, the reputed second-in-command who was previously convicted for racketeering, was indicted again in 1985 for racketeering charges and allegedly supervising criminal activities of ''crews'' that engaged in loan-sharking, gambling, highjackings and homicides for nearly two decades. Later that year, before the case went to trial, he died of lung cancer at age 71.

The role isn't too much of a stretch for Pacino: The eight-time Oscar nominee has starred in a few other organized-crime films, including "The Godfather" series. He won the lead actor Oscar for his role in 1992's "Scent of a Woman" and scored top acting honors at the recent Emmys and Golden Globes for his role as Jack Kevorkian in HBO's "You Don't Know Jack."

"Gotti: Three Generations" has also signed "Rain Man" director and Academy Award winner Barry Levinson to helm the project; Nick Cassavetes dropped out last month because of a scheduling conflict.

The film also stars Lindsay Lohan, Joe Pesci and Kelly Preston. Travolta and Preston's daughter Ella Bleu will also appear in the biopic, which illuminates the relationship between mob boss Gotti, who died from cancer in 2002 while serving a life sentence in prison, and his son "Junior" Gotti as the latter tries to break away from the infamous family business. "Junior" Gotti sold the rights to his family's story in 2002 and has signed off on the project. He and other Gotti family members appeared at the "Gotti: Three Generations" news conference in April posing for photos with potential cast members.

Production should begin in New York late fall, with a theatrical release in late 2012. No word yet on who will play "Junior" Gotti.

What do you think of the Pacino casting -- are you excited to see him back in the mob game?

RELATED:

Kelly Preston cast as wife to John Travolta's 'Gotti'

Lindsay Lohan pulled back into the 'Gotti' movie game

Director Nick Cassavetes drops out of "Gotti: Three Generations"

-- Nardine Saad
twitter.com/NardineSaad

Photo: Al Pacino. Credit: Dan Steinberg / Associated Press

Kelly Preston cast as wife to John Travolta's 'Gotti'

This post has been corrected. See the note below for details.

Looks as if it's going to be bring your family to work day every day on the set of "Gotti: Three Generations," now that Kelly Preston has been cast to play the wife of John Travolta's character in the crime-family biopic. Hey, even daughter Ella Bleu is getting in on the action.

"The love and passion between John and Kelly ... will bring a huge benefit to John Sr. and his wife, and to tell you the truth, they have a lot in common. They both lost a child at a young age and they understand what the Gottis went through when the Gottis lost their child," producer Marc Fiore told People.

"She's a terrific actress, and she can really do the role justice," production company spokesman Steve Honig said.

(Plus, in keeping with the subject matter, she brings with her at least a little firearms experience. Preston is the woman Charlie Sheen now says he did not shoot in 1990. His onetime fiancee got herself shot, the unemployed sitcom star told a Vancouver audience Monday, when she picked up a pair of his pants off the bathroom scale and -- whoops! -- a revolver he'd left in the back pocket fell out and discharged. Hey, it happens.)

Travolta will play mob boss Gotti Sr. and Preston will play his wife, Victoria DiGiorgio. Lindsay Lohan was rumored to play Victoria Gotti, the daughter Gotti Sr. and DiGiorgio's (Yes, there are two Johns and two Victorias in the family). Lohan, who was temporarily dropped from the film, will instead play their daughter-in-law Kim Gotti, wife of Gotti Jr. Honig said it was "a larger role in the film" than the Victoria Gotti role. Joe Pesci is slated to play Gotti Sr.'s friend Angelo Ruggiero.

The real-life married couple's 11-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu, will also appear in the film as their characters' on-screen daughter, Angel Gotti. The biopic chronicles the relationship between the late mobster and his son John Gotti Jr., who eventually renounced the ways of the New York-based Gambino crime family.

Gotti Jr. sold the rights to his family's story in 2002, and he and Gotti family members appeared at the "Gotti: Three Generations" news conference in April posing for photos with potential cast members. Click the pics for photos from the presser.

The film is still without a director since Nick Cassavetes dropped out last month because of a scheduling conflict.

[For the record, 9:50 a.m. May 5: This post initially said Kelly Preston would play Victoria Gotti, a role Lindsay Lohan had been considered for. Preston will play Victoria DiGiorgio, the wife of John Gotti Sr. Lohan had been considered for the role of Victoria Gotti, the couple's daughter who shares the same name as her mother.]

RELATED:

Lindsay Lohan pulled back into the 'Gotti' movie game

Director Nick Cassavetes drops out of "Gotti: Three Generations"

Lindsay Lohan may join John Travolta, Joe Pesci in 'Gotti: Three Generations' biopic

-- Nardine Saad
twitter.com / NardineSaad

Photos: Top, John Travolta, left, John Gotti Jr., center, and Kelly Preston. Credit: Emmanuel Dunand / AFP / Getty Images. Right photo: Victoria Gotti, John Travolta, John Gotti Jr. and Lindsay Lohan at the "Gotti: Three Generations" news conference April 12 in New York. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press.

Lindsay Lohan pulled back into the 'Gotti' movie game

 

Just when we thought she was out, Lindsay Lohan pulled herself back in -- back into the cast of the upcoming John Gotti biopic starring John Travolta, that is.

Lohan was taken out of consideration to play Gotti Sr.'s daughter Victoria in "Gotti: Three Generations," executive producer Marc Fiore said Wednesday morning. But only a few hours later, Fiore announced that Lilo was back on board, albeit shifted to the role of John Gotti Sr.'s daughter-in-law Kim Gotti.

Seems Fiore wasn't blowing smoke when he initially said, "She's a wonderful person. Her legal case has nothing to do with it. We just couldn't reach terms." According to TMZ, the disagreements were with Lohan's management team, but the actress got back on the project by reaching out to Fiore personally. 

Sounds like a lotta "Gotti" goodwill -- because of course this couldn't be ingenious marketing, could it?

Incidentally, Kim Kardashian's name was originally floated for the Kim Gotti role; despite Lohan's surprising current resemblance to Victoria, a blond, she has in fact rocked darker locks in recent memory.

RELATED:

John Travolta to play Mafioso John Gotti in biopic

Director Nick Cassavetes drops out of "Gotti: Three Generations"

Lindsay Lohan may join John Travolta, Joe Pesci in "Gotti: Three Generations" biopic

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Lindsay Lohan at a "Gotti: Three Generations" press conference on April 12, 2011. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press

 

 

 

Lindsay Lohan dropped from 'Gotti' biopic consideration

Sounds like a tale of organized crime won't pay for Lindsay Lohan, who, despite her stunning resemblance to crime boss John Gotti's daughter, has been dropped from consideration for the role of Victoria Gotti in the mobster biopic "Gotti: Three Generations."

A week ago, the "Mean Girls" star was "in talks" to join John Travolta and Joe Pesci in the film. "Talks have stopped," producer Marc Fiore told People, giving no details except to note that Lohan's off-screen legal woes were not an issue.

"She's a wonderful person," Fiore said. "Her legal case has nothing to do with it. We just couldn't reach terms."

The troubled actress is facing a felony charge for allegedly stealing a necklace from a Venice boutique. Her penchant for partying has also landed her in trouble with the law, and she is still dealing with the aftermath of her 2007 DUI arrests.

The announcement comes on the heels of news Tuesday that Nick Cassavetes, whose titles include "The Notebook" and "Alpha Dog," has dropped out of his directorial role in the film due to a scheduling conflict with the indie drama "Yellow," which he was already signed on to direct.

Lohan and Cassavetes both attended a news conference a week ago promoting the mobster flick, posing for pictures with Victoria Gotti and John Gotti Jr. Other actresses are now being considered for the role, Fiore said.

Meanwhile, Lohan may still be in the running for another mob movie: Fiore has expressed interest in casting Lohan in "Mob Street," a film about the Mafia's involvement on Wall Street.

RELATED:

John Travolta to play Mafioso John Gotti in biopic

Director Nick Cassavetes drops out of "Gotti: Three Generations"

Lindsay Lohan may join John Travolta, Joe Pesci in "Gotti: Three Generations" biopic

-- Noelene Clark
twitter.com/NoeleneClark

Photo: Victoria Gotti, left, and Lindsay Lohan at a news conference for "Gotti: Three Generations" on April 12. Credit: Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images

Director Nick Cassavetes drops out of 'Gotti: Three Generations'

Less than a week after officially announcing the biopic "Gotti: Three Generations," Nick Cassavetes has dropped out of his directorial role in the film starring John Travolta.

A scheduling conflict was behind Cassavetes' departure from the production in which Travolta plays mobster John Gotti, producer Marc Fiore told the Associated Press.

Cassavetes was released from his contract because of his commitment to the independent drama "Yellow," a production spokesman told Variety.

Production is scheduled to begin this fall and producers are hoping to keep it that way by actively scouting for a new director for the biopic chronicling the relationship between the mobster and his son John Gotti Jr., who sold the rights to his life story last year. His father died in prison in 2002.

The film also stars Joe Pesci and Travolta's daughter Ella Blue. Lindsay Lohan has been in talks with producers for the role of Victoria Gotti, the Mafioso's daughter who had a reality show on A&E.

Who do you think will make a good director for the mob movie? Tell us in comments.

RELATED:

John Travolta to play Mafioso John Gotti in biopic

Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt cast in 'The Dark Knight Rises'

Lindsay Lohan may join John Travolta, Joe Pesci in 'Gotti: Three Generations' biopic

-- Nardine Saad
Twitter.com / NardineSaad

Photo: Director Nick Cassavetes, left, John Gotti Jr., center, and John Travolta, right, at a news conference for "Gotti: Three Generations" April 12, 2011. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press

Lindsay Lohan may join John Travolta, Joe Pesci in 'Gotti: Three Generations' biopic

Will Lindsay Lohan be joining John Travolta in the biopic "Gotti: Three Generations"? Possibly.

Travolta is set to play late mobster John Gotti Sr., who died in prison in 2002 while serving a life sentence for murder, racketeering, extortion and tax evasion.

The embattled "Mean Girls" actress is in "talks" to join him and Joe Pesci in the film, producer Marc Fiore said at a New York news conference, according to Reuters.

The story focuses on the Gambino crime family, specifically the father-son relationship between the Teflon Don and Dapper Don as told through Gotti Jr.'s eyes, who sold the rights to his life story for the movie.

"This is probably the most interesting untold story in this country, and what a character to approach and understand," Travolta said at the conference.

Lohan has not been officially cast, but rumor has it that she could play Victoria Gotti, the daughter of Gotti Sr. Lohan is facing trial and possible jail time in Los Angeles in connection with the alleged theft of a necklace from a Venice jewelry store. Click the pics for more photos and tell us what you think of the casting (and physical similarities) in comments.

Pesci, who has appeared in other mob classics such as "Goodfellas" and "Casino," is set to play Angelo Ruggiero, a close friend of Gotti Sr. in the film.

Nick Cassavetes of "Face/Off" will direct "Gotti: Three Generations," which is set to begin shooting in October.

RELATED:

John Travolta to play Mafioso John Gotti in biopic

Lindsay Lohan surveillance video sale could affect court case

Judge tells Lindsay Lohan any plea deal in theft case would include jail time

-- Nardine Saad
Twitter.com / NardineSaad

Left photo: John Travolta in March 2010. Travolta is set to play John Gotti Sr. in an upcoming biopic. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times. Right photo: Lindsay Lohan in Beverly Hills court in July 2010. Lohan is "in talks" to play a role in the Gotti biopic. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Lower right photo: Victoria Gotti, John Travolta, John Gotti Jr. and Lindsay Lohan at the "Gotti: Three Generations" press conference April 12, 2011 in New York. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press

John Travolta to play Mafioso John Gotti in biopic

John Travolta is revving up to play John Gotti Sr., the mobster who headed the Gambino crime family, in the biopic "Gotti: Three Generations."

Nick Cassavetes, who worked with Travolta in the thriller "Face/Off," is set to direct the Fiore Films project, which will shoot primarily in New York.

We smell a "Godfather"-like classic in the making! It'll be fun to again see Travolta as a villain ("Pulp Fiction," anyone?). The Leo Rossi screenplay is supposed to explore the father-son relationship in the Mafia family, specifically Gotti's relationship with his son John Gotti Jr. ("Teflon Dan"), who last told his father ("Dapper Dan") that he'd be leaving the business before his father died in prison.

The real Gotti Jr. has signed off on the project, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Producer Marc Fiore announced it in the fall when he secured the rightes to Gotti's story.

On April 12, Travolta, Cassavetes, Gotti Jr. and producer Marc Fiore will give a news conference about the project at the Sheraton New York Hotel.

We can be certain -- or at least hope -- that this film will probably go over much better than the A&E reality series "Growing Up Gotti," which followed Gotti's daughter Victoria and her three sons.

RELATED:

Bryan Cranston cast as villain in 'Total Recall' reboot

John Travolta extortion case dropped in the Bahamas

Kelly Preston anything but silent about birth of baby Benjamin

— Nardine Saad
Twitter.com / NardineSaad

Photo: John Travolta at the Golden Camera awards on Feb. 5 in Berlin. Credit: Andreas Rentz / Getty Images.

Kelly Preston anything but silent about birth of baby Benjamin

 
Proud mommy Kelly Preston is talking about her new baby boy -- a stunner who has daddy John Travolta's signature blue eyes.

"I just think any time you get pregnant at this age, it is a miracle," said Preston, 48, on the "Today" show Wednesday for her first TV interview since she had her baby with hubby Travolta, 56. (See the full clip below.)

The couple had been trying for another child for three years and Preston said it was exciting for her to have another baby, especially after they lost their 16-year-old son Jett to a seizure in 2009.

"We were sort of blessed with being lucky to still conceive," Preston said.

John Travolta and Kelly Preston welcome baby boy

It's a boy for John Travolta and Kelly Preston, and the new baby's name is Benjamin.

The couple welcomed their new son Tuesday at a Florida hospital, they said through a publicist. He's 8 pounds, 3 ounces.

"John, Kelly and their daughter Ella Bleu are ecstatic and very happy about the newest member of the family. Both mother and baby are healthy and doing beautifully," the statement said.

Travolta, 56, and Preston, 48, lost their oldest son, Jett, last year. He died of a seizure at age 16 while the family was in the Bahamas on Jan. 2, 2009.

RELATED:

John Travolta extortion case dropped in the Bahamas

John Travolta's dogs killed in accident at Maine airport

Travolta trial: The guy who talked is sorry, and he's shutting up now

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Reuters contributed to this report.

Photo: Kelly Preston and John Travolta at "The Last Song" premiere in Hollywood on March 25. They announced in May that they were expecting a child. Credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images