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Jeff Conaway, star of ‘Grease’ and ‘Celebrity Rehab,’ dead at 60

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Jeff Conaway, the actor best known for his role in the film ‘Grease’ and the sitcom ‘Taxi,’ died Friday due to complications from pneumonia, according to his family. He was 60.

The actor was found unconscious at his home earlier this month and had remained in a coma at an Encino hospital since then. Conaway had a long and highly publicized struggle with drug addiction and appeared on two seasons of the VH1 reality show ‘Celebrity Rehab.’

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On his Twitter account last week, Dr. Drew Pinsky, who treated the actor on the program, said Conaway’s illness showed no relation to an intentional drug overdose and that he was sick with pneumonia and sepsis.

‘[W]e all need to pray for him,’ Pinsky wrote on May 21. ‘Not doing well today suddenly’

In an interview in December, Conaway told The Times that despite his health issues, he continued to garner strength from those who related to his troubles.

‘I got a lot of love from people, and when people stop me on the street and say, ‘Man, your story touched me so much,’ it just makes all this pain worthwhile, you know?’ he said, beginning to weep. ‘Because I don’t know where actors go after they die, but I know people who help other people have a nice place to go. And I would like to go there if I can.’

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-- Amy Kaufman

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