to write in with your suggestions for future installments! Thomas went on to have a recurring role on Murphy Brown and then a starring role on the sitcom Love and War (from Murphy Brown creator Diane English). He won his first award as emcee of the Jesuit High School talent show. ), Then 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 Carlas life. in which he played Rhea Perlman's . The colorful anecdote involved Thomas giving a ride to a costumed Clayton Moore, star of TVs The Lone Ranger, and getting involved in a minor car crash that escalated into more. So, the decision was made to write him out of the show, to the dismay of the fans as folks seemed to like the on-screen chemistry of Thomas and Perlman. 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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. Thomas' best known-roles were on the small screen. As it turns out, though, one notable actor dealt with some off-screen drama that affected her character's arc. "I'm doingCheers, having the greatest time of my life, and one day I get a phone call from Jimmy [Burrows]," Thomas said. TIL actor Jay Thomas got his character, Eddie LeBec, killed off of the 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. Thomas. They were right. Later, Bebe Neuwirth joined the cast as Frasier's wife Lilith. 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? Jay Thomas may not be a name many kids know now, but he was a constant comedic presence for those that came of age in the 80s and 90sespecially if you were a sitcom superfan. He became a sports announcer and DJ in college. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. Thomas also portrayed Carla's (played by Rhea Perlman) hockey player . He has written two books about comics for Penguin-Random House Was Superman a Spy? He starred in his own TV shows "Married People" with Beth Armstrong and "Love and War" with Susan Dey and later Annie Potts. During the panel discussion for the 200th episode of Cheers that aired in Season 9, Thomas heckled the cast and crew (presumably as a joke) over being written off the show. His zodiac sign is Cancer. Jay Thomas Dead: 'Murphy Brown,' 'Cheers' Actor Was 69 - The Hollywood He was also a radio DJ and continued to host a radio show while he was on Cheers. Actor Jay Thomas has died at 69. Jay Thomas Dead At 69: Fans Remember 'Cheers' Actor And His Late Night 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. and more from FamousFix.com, See Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Feel free (heck, I implore you!) ', "Well," Levine wrote, "guess who happened to be listening. 'Cheers,' 'Murphy Brown' Character Actor Jay Thomas Dead at 69 I became that guy. Burrows writes, "That was it. And it has nothing to do with Rhea. The two-time Emmy winner most recently appeared on 'Ray Donovan' and spent many a Christmas season with David Letterman. 4,038, This story has been shared 3,913 times. And The Lone . Characters Killed Off Because Of The Actor's Bad Behavior - Looper.com He was 69. 1,917, This story has been shared 1,836 times. Heres how show writer Ken Levine tells it, per his blog: He was terrific in the episodes, he and Rhea made a very cute couple and so he was brought back periodically as her boyfriend. Cheers Actors You May Not Know Passed Away - Looper.com And he goes, "Look, we're not going to have you back on the show. Thomas first picked off the meatball in 1998 when then-New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde tried the stunt but failed. 17 Things 'Cheers' Fans Never Knew - Page 4 of 17 - Fame Focus 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. Well, it may have stemmed from a radio spot by Thomas where he was asked to talk about his role on the show. 2,429, This story has been shared 2,179 times. The Behind-The-Scenes Drama On Cheers That Had Jay Thomas Written Off The Show. And I think I did a pretty good job, although maybe it wasnt good enough for him.. His first TV role was in "Mork and Mindy". 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. Why did the show write him, and even have him die? — -- Actor Jay Thomas has died, ABC News has confirmed. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Instead, his character was killed off-screen in Season 8. Discovery Company. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. TV Legends Revealed: Why You Don't Mess With Carla On Cheers - CBR Thomas was 69. He attended Gulf Coast College, University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, Central Piedmont College, and Jacksonville University, graduating with an AA, BS, and MA. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site. 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. After kicking off his TV career with a supporting role in Robin Williams Mork & Mindy,Thomas became the go-to guy for sitcoms needing a pinch hitter (Family Tiesone week,The Golden Girls the next). Cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli, played by Rhea Perlman, meets ice hockey player Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas) in Season 5 and the two continue to date on-and-off for a while. Jay Thomas In Season 6, they got married and it seemed like Thomas would be sticking around. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. In addition, Levine wrote about the incident on his amazing blog here, explaining how he came up with the episode where they killed off Eddie. Cookies help us deliver our Services. 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. How Playwright Sam Hunter Processed His Own Trauma, Netflix's 'Money Shot' Documentary Trailer Shines A Harsh Light On Pornhub, The "Most Trafficked Website In The World", 'The Skinny Shot' on Hulu Is An Ozempic "Documentary" That Plays More Like A Commercial, Where Is Estonia Located? Returning to the stage he starred in plays written and directed by Wendy Wasserstein and Woody Allen. 1,313, This story has been shared 1,267 times. Thomas died after a battle with cancer, his friend and longtime agent Don Buchwald confirmed to the New York Daily News. 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. One of the greatest strengths of the classic show is itsensemble cast, who portrayed the gang of compelling characters from the ladies' man bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) to his on-and-off academic girlfriend Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) who are still celebrated today. Thomas chased the vehicle, then confronted the other driver who denied anything had happened and told him he was going to call the cops. But he didn't consider himself lucky, and in fact, complained about Rhea while he was working on the show. I don't see it, so I'm willing to believe that, at the very least, Thomas' insult of Perlman was a notable cause in his removal from the show. "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.". By Ken Levine: The kiss of death for Eddie LeBec - Blogger Jay Thomas attends "Hateship Loveship" film premiere at the Cinema Society in New York, April 8, 2014. Then on to LA radio as the #1 jock at Power 106, The Ensemble Theater Group, and recurring on "Cheers" as Carla's ice hockey playing husband. 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. To explain his departure we decided to just kill him, which led to one of my favorite episodes that David and I wrote, Death Takes a Holiday on Ice. videos, 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. Jay Thomas, the good-natured . Jay Thomas was a popular radio personality for years before he began receiving acting opportunities on television. However, Jay would try out his stand-up comic routines on the rest of the staff. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in Cheers (1982) together.. About. He is most remembered for Mr. Holland's Opus. Thomas began his career in entertainment as a radio DJ before trying his hand at stand-up comedy and acting. In addition, the actress denies the story, saying: That's not true. In an oral history of Cheers published by GQ in 2012, Thomas, Perlman, and writer Ken Levine spoke about Thomas being written out of the show. 2023 Cable News Network. Cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli, played by Rhea Perlman, meets ice hockey player.