Thomas and the producer had just gotten stoned, he said. TV URBAN LEGEND: Jay Thomas' character on Cheers was killed off because he called Rhea Perlman ugly. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in an on-screen matchup.. On Screen Matchups. Sometimes they are true but sometimes it is a matter of wishful thinking and they didn't get the job for other, more traditional reasons (the actor wasn't good enough for the role, there wasn't enough money in the budget to add another regular, etc.). But advertising revenue helps support our journalism. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman.. 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. Cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli, played by Rhea Perlman, meets ice hockey player. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6161 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Thomas often played loud, sleazy types: He recurred on ShowtimesRay DonovanasMarty Grossman, the operator of a salacious TMZ-like website. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. 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. 1,313, This story has been shared 1,267 times. When asked about kissing Carla on Cheers, Thomas noted he received combat pay for doing so. 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. So Cheers had clearly established itself as a series where notable characters could be added to the ensemble. ", Naturally, Perlman didn't react well to Thomas' comments, and the writers decided to get rid of Eddie by killing him off. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. And the Jay Thomas talk show airs daily on SiriusXM. Both Rhea Perlman and James Burrows deny it had anything to do with writing off Eddie. 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. Her zodiac sign is Aries. photos, Contract disputes, on-set conflicts, or characters just not working out: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Paramount Television/Courtesy Everett Collection, Chris Rock Jokes About Watching Emancipation to See Will Smith Getting Whipped In Advance of Netflix Special: Report, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Jay Thomas, 'Cheers' And 'Murphy Brown' Actor, Dead at 69, Killed Off: A History of TV Shows That Violently Rid Themselves of Core Characters, Will There Be A 'Sex/Life' Season 3 on Netflix? I loved Jay, Letterman told CNN in a statement. 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. He was also a radio DJ and continued to host a radio show while he was on Cheers. Jay Thomas was a popular radio personality for years before he began receiving acting opportunities on television. Publicity Listings Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. What We Know, How to Watch Donald Trump's 2023 CPAC Speech: Live Stream Information, What Time Is Chris Rock's Netflix Special On Tonight? Maybe we should have. As you can imagine, important people heard that interview and were not happy about it. The episode Death Takes a Holiday on Icegot rid of Eddie for good (as Deciders Joe Reid recalled in a recent list). on CBS' Murphy Brown from 1989-98 winning a pair of Emmys after his stint as Rhea Perlman's husband Eddie LeBec, a French-Canadian goalie with the . More recently, he appeared as tabloid journalist Marty Grossman on "Ray Donovan. 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." He won his first award as emcee of the Jesuit High School talent show. And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed and Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? He recurred on Mork & Mindy as deli owner Remo DaVinci, played the love interest of Rhea Perlmans Carla Tortelli on Cheers, and played tabloid talk show host Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown.. She said, "I want him off the show.". Jay was one of a kind, never at a loss for words and filled with so much fun and wonderfully whacky thoughts and behavior, wrote Buchwald. Thomas appeared on nine episodes altogether. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. and more from FamousFix.com, See His apprenticeship duties involved building sets at this summer stock theatre. 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. Biological father of musician and songwriter, The Jay Thomas Show was heard for a number of years on Sirius Satellite Radio Monday through Fridays, 3:00PM to 6:00PM on Sirius Stars Too, Channel 108. When this actor insulted his co-star, he evidently couldn't foresee the consequences he would face. It may have been even better than the original. The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).. His zodiac sign is Cancer. 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. On the latter, his character winds up appearing in an ice show and gets killed by a Zamboni. 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. He was 69. — -- Actor Jay Thomas has died, ABC News has confirmed. He got his start on television in 1979 as Remo DaVinci, the co-owner of a New York deli, on ABCsMork & Mindy. Heck, note that in the quote above, Thomas even says he was specifically told Perlman was not the reason. He is most remembered for Mr. Holland's Opus. Jay Thomas was a popular radio personality for years before he began receiving acting opportunities on television. But he didn't consider himself lucky, and in fact, complained about Rhea while he was working on the show. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. See CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. SinceCheers was primarily set at a bar, we only saw Carlas home life when it pulled up a stool. 1,120, This story has been shared 1,091 times. 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. In this weeks installment, Was Superman a Spy? Hilariously, though, the writers made his demise rather humorous as they revealed he had another wife who looked just like Carla on the show. Thomas TV career started in the early 80s, and he quickly amassed a number of credits. 11 Best New Movies on Netflix: March 2023's Freshest Films to Watch, 'Next In Fashion' Season 2 on Netflix: Follow the Designers on Instagram, The 8 Best Soundbars To Buy In 2023, Per Experts, 'Wheel of Fortune' Gets Awkward as Pat Sajak Snaps at Contestant for Grabbing Wheel: "Don't Touch That", Sex/Life Season 2: Adam Demos Tops His Famous Full Frontal Moment With, Uh, Tip, Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? Thomas is survived by wife, Sally, and his three sons. A native of Kermit, Texas, who was raised in New Orleans, Thomas got his start in radio as a high school football announcer for the Rutherford High Rams in Panama City, Fla. 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. Actor Jay Thomas, best known for his roles in the classic sitcoms "Murphy Brown" and "Cheers," has died, according to his publicist. 1,917, This story has been shared 1,836 times. 3,505, This story has been shared 2,911 times. The actor was also known as an annual guest on The Late Show With David Letterman where he came on during the holiday season to help out with Christmas. They were right. Rhea Perlman is a 74 year old American Actress. 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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. "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. Questions and whispers remained about why she ultimately left the show, but she was not alone in questions. appreciated. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He was 69. For Kelsey to suggest anything other is not to give himself enough credit. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in Cheers(1982) together. | A notable exception was Cheers. He has written two books about comics for Penguin-Random House Was Superman a Spy? Cheers: Heres Why Jay Thomas Left the Show. Discovery Company. He was 69. In Season 6, they got married and it seemed like Thomas would be sticking around. Be sure to check out my Entertainment Urban Legends Revealed for more urban legends about the worlds of TV, Movies and Music! Like on Carson, when [Don] Rickles would come out. 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mark King & Rhea Perlman 1983 Press Photo 7x9 Cheers TV Show *P69a at the best online prices at eBay! 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. Fans of the program still flock to various streaming services to rewatch their favorite episodes from the show. The tale of Thomas awkward exit from Cheershas become a bit of sitcom lore, a piece of TV history thats recounted time and time again. And Other Amazing Comic Book Trivia! (@norm.of.cheers), Where everybody knows ur name (@welcome.to.cheers) . Login 2,493, This story has been shared 2,429 times. And he goes, "Look, we're not going to have you back on the show. photos, Jay Thomas portrayed Eddie LeBec in nine episodes between 1987 and 1989, his biggest role since his memorable two-year run as deli owner Remo DaVinci on Mork and Mindy, and just before he'd. The Behind-The-Scenes Drama On Cheers That Had Jay Thomas Written Off The Show. 2,429, This story has been shared 2,179 times. Thomas. Jay Thomas, the good-natured comic actor who starred on the sitcoms Murphy Brown and Cheers, died Thursday. Don Buchwald, his longtime agent and friend, said Thomas died at his home in Santa Barbara after a battle with cancer. He's acted here and there ever since (including a memorable supporting role in Mr. Holland's Opus). Ive always wanted to be one of those guys on late-night talk shows who everybody wants to see. Read on to find out what Thomas said about Perlman and how his storyline came to a surprising end. Here's an amusing post-script. Kevin Levine, a former writer on Cheers, wrote that Thomas said on the spot, said something to the effect of Its brutal. ', "Well," Levine wrote, "guess who happened to be listening. I loved Jay Thomas as Eddie LeBec. 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Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. However, I think it is fair to say a leading cause in Thomas' dismissal had to do with comments he made on his radio program (Thomas still kept his disc jockey job even while acting). He worked at stations in Panama City; Pensacola, Fla.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Nashville; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Charlotte, N.C., where he earned nicknames like The Mouth of the South, The Scorpion and The Prince of Darkness.. He boxed, wrestled, played football, and ran track. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. Folks came and went on the sitcom, its how things go for the most part. Survivors include his wife Sally and sons Sam, Max and J.T. 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. 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. He starred in his own TV shows "Married People" with Beth Armstrong and "Love and War" with Susan Dey and later Annie Potts. Jay Thomas died on Thursday at 69 after a battle with cancer. A representative for the actor said Thomas had been battling cancer. 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. in which he played Rhea Perlman's . The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).". Thomas played "Eddie LeBec," Carla's boyfriend and later husband on the show. 'Yellowstone' Return Date Info, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? TIL actor Jay Thomas got his character, Eddie LeBec, killed off of the TV show "Cheers" when he talked about how horrible it was to kiss his character's wife, Rhea Perlman, on his radio show. Thomas first picked off the meatball in 1998 when then-New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde tried the stunt but failed. He also found time to put in three years of small college football as a QB. 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. When Thomas joined Cheers, he was already known for his starring role as Remo on Mork&Mindy and for appearing on other shows including Family Ties and The Love Boat. Thomas began his career in entertainment as a radio DJ before trying his hand at stand-up comedy and acting. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in an on-screen matchup. His departure ended up being a bit more complicated, however, as viewers were a fan of Carla and Eddie as a couple. 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. 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. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in Cheers (1982) together.. About. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Love at First Kiss' on Netflix, a Spanish Rom-Com About a Man Gifted with 'Romantic Clairvoyance', Stream It Or Skip It: Tonight Youre Sleeping With Me on Netflix, a Dull, Passionless Polish Rom-Dram, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Disconnect: The Wedding Planner' on Netflix, A Nollywood Rom-Com, Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Sunday Affair' on Netflix, a Lukewarm Nollywood Love-Triangle Drama, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me' On HBO Max, Making The Oscars Slap All About Him, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Triangle of Sadness' on Hulu, Ruben Ostlund's Skewering of the Moneyed Elite. All the leads from Friends in its final season were the same as in its first; the same with Seinfeld. Jay broadcast from California, New York, and New Orleans. Help us build our profile of Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas! On the big screen he was featured in "Mr. Holland's Opus", "A Smile Like Yours", and "Santa Claus" 2 and 3. 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. His claim to fame was to serve as the dresser for, He lost his recurring role as Carla's husband on, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, Actors and Celebrities Who Died of Cancer, Sally Michelson He was 69. 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. He was a regular guest on "The Late Show with David Letterman.". [January 2005]. 'Mandalorian' Funko Pops up to 77% Off Baby Yoda and More for Season 3, Who Plays the Armorer in 'The Mandalorian'? Actor Jay Thomas has died at 69. 3.2M views. The show actually aired longer without its original female lead than it did with her, a remarkable achievement for any television show. Eventually, she became pregnant with twins, and the pair got married. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman., Well, guess who happened to be listening. '", Thomas explained of what he said on the radio show, "[Listeners] would go, 'What's it like to kiss Carla?' Jay was one of a kind, never at a loss for words and filled with so much fun and wonderfully wacky thoughts and behavior," his agent, Don Buchwald, said. 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. 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. As it turns out, though, one notable actor dealt with some off-screen drama that affected her character's arc. In our world, you don't wind up sleeping with the fishes; you die a violent yet comedic death.". It's TV legend that Eddie was killed off because Thomas slammed his co-star on his radio show. Eddie, by then, was working as a penguin in an ice show so we arrived at a Zamboni machine accident. 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. 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. He first told the story in 1998 and returned almost every year to tell it again until Letterman retired. (1987 -. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker.We'd really appreciate it. For years, Thomas appeared on David Lettermans late-night talk show during Christmas season and told an entertaining, never-gets-old story centered on Clayton Moore, star of TVs The Lone Ranger. 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. 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. His zodiac sign is Cancer. This story has been shared 4,038 times. 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. 4,038, This story has been shared 3,913 times. Below are steps you can take in order to whitelist Observer.com on your browser: Click the AdBlock button on your browser and select Don't run on pages on this domain. 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. In the same oral history, Levine claimed that Perlman was upset about Thomas' radio show comment. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman." "Jay was fired unceremoniously," Burrows writes in his book. Jay Thomas was known for his TV roles, most notably as Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown in the 1990s. Those curious viewers would be right because it sounds like Thomas's off-set behavior led to him getting kicked off the show. Official Sites. But, Perlman remembers the situation differently. READ THIS NEXT:Kissing Brad Pitt Was "Disgusting," This Co-Star Said. . Start Time, How To Watch. 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. (1982) after making a comment during a radio show in which he made fun of Rhea Perlman's looks. 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. He said something to the effect of Its brutal. He was 69. The actor, who went on to have a recurring role onMurphy Brown,added, "Look, I made jokes about kissing Murphy Brown [too]. 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! 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 . The guy took one look at Thomas and his producer and said, Oh really, who do you think they are going to believe, you two hippie freaks or me? At this point, Moore emerged from the backseat and said, Theyll believe me, citizen.. Here is where things get a bit disputed. 2. Jay Thomas, an actor and radio personality whose work on the television series "Murphy Brown" won him two Emmy Awards in the early 1990s, died on Thursday at his home in Santa Barbara, Calif.. So why do I lean toward it being true? Instead, his character was killed off-screen in Season 8. | Updated Why did the show write him, and even have him die? He guest starred in an episode of "Hung" on HBO. My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com. He was a delightful character. 2023 Cable News Network. "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.". 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. 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). Well, it may have stemmed from a radio spot by Thomas where he was asked to talk about his role on the show. Finally we decided to marry them. quotes,