Jay Thomas, the good-natured comic actor who starred on the sitcoms Murphy Brown and Cheers, died Thursday. Questions and whispers remained about why she ultimately left the show, but she was not alone in questions. 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. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #rheaperlman . And my joke what that I got combat's pay to kiss her." 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? Rhea Perlman is a 74 year old American Actress. Jay Thomas, the good-natured comic actor who starred on the sitcoms Murphy Brown and Cheers, died Thursday. 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. He's acted here and there ever since (including a memorable supporting role in Mr. Holland's Opus). Thomas and the producer had just gotten stoned, he said. In his new book, Directed by James Burrows, Cheers co-creator James Burrows tells his version ofthe story. and more from FamousFix.com, See As a comedian and a person, Thomas was always unfiltered, hilarious and unafraid to cross the line, which explains how he got himself written off of Cheers. | The two-time Emmy winner most recently appeared on 'Ray Donovan' and spent many a Christmas season with David Letterman. Jay Thomas attends "Hateship Loveship" film premiere at the Cinema Society in New York, April 8, 2014. Fans of the program still flock to various streaming services to rewatch their favorite episodes from the show. Thomas' best known-roles were on the small screen. For Kelsey to suggest anything other is not to give himself enough credit. 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. 'Yellowstone' Return Date Info, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? He was 69. Plus, nobody could throw a football like Jay. We get it: you like to have control of your own internet experience. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. Eddie died in a Zamboni accident off-screen, and his character was only maligned further. Watch popular content from the following creators: goodtimeediting (@goodtimeediting), Sumovie (@sumovie363), AlienWarr (@alienwarr), Norm! [January 2005]. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. He was an actor, he was a radio host and he was a comedian. Discover short videos related to jay thomas rhea perlman on TikTok. As you can imagine, important people heard that interview and were not happy about it. 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. In our world, you don't wind up sleeping with the fishes; you die a violent yet comedic death.". 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. At his funeral, it was revealed that Eddie secretly had another wife. But he didn't consider himself lucky, and in fact, complained about Rhea while he was working on the show. In 2013, John McEnroe filled in for Thomas, who was recovering from surgery. Finally we decided to marry them. And Other Amazing Comic Book Trivia! More recently, he appeared as tabloid journalist Marty Grossman on "Ray Donovan. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. However, after his less than pleasant comments on a radio show he was hosting . (@norm.of.cheers), Where everybody knows ur name (@welcome.to.cheers) . This story has been shared 4,038 times. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman., Well, guess who happened to be listening. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. Carla got pregnant with Eddies kid in Season Six, leading to the two getting hitched in the two-parter Little Carla, Happy at Last.. 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 brianc@cbr.com! Updated Always had a smile and a kind word for me, a lowly board op at KIQQ. In a statement, Thomas' friend and agent. 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. Thomas. Survivors include his wife Sally and sons Sam, Max and J.T. All Rights Reserved. Thomas also portrayed Carla's (played by Rhea Perlman) hockey player . He guest starred in an episode of "Hung" on HBO. And I love football, so my two big dreams were totally realized.. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. 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. He briefly played professional football in the old World Football League. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman.. 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. 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.. 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. Thomas' best known-roles were on the small screen. 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. The actor, who went on to have a recurring role onMurphy Brown,added, "Look, I made jokes about kissing Murphy Brown [too]. Why did the show write him, and even have him die? 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. Actor Jay Thomas, best known for his roles in the classic sitcoms "Murphy Brown" and "Cheers," has died, according to his publicist. 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. Born Rhea Jo Perlman on 31st March, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York, she is famous for Cheers. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. "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.". His most recent credits include appearances on Bones, NCIS: New Orleans, and Ray Donovan.. (1987 -. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in an on-screen matchup. However, in Season 7, Eddie is killed off. Following his comment, Thomas was not simply written out of the showhe was written off the show through his character meeting a painful, embarrassing end. Jay Thomas was never seen on Cheers again. 2,179, This story has been shared 1,917 times. And the Jay Thomas talk show airs daily on SiriusXM. Thomas best known roles were Remo DaVinci on ABCs Mork & Mindy, Eddie LeBec on NBCs Cheers and Jerry Gold on NBCs Murphy Brown, where he earned two Emmys. And he goes, "Look, we're not going to have you back on the show. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. When NYC beckoned Jay continued his eclectic career as a top rated morning DJ, comic at the Improve in NYC, and began an active off Broadway acting career, that saw him mix drama and comedy. - IMDb Mini Biography By: See 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 Episode Guide: How Many Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Will There Be on Disney+? He was 69. 1,091. 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. Help keep Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas profile up to date. to write in with your suggestions for future installments! 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! 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. As it turns out, though, one notable actor dealt with some off-screen drama that affected her character's arc. Thomas was 69. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com. Long said, We never fought. No question about it, as Frasier literally got a spinoff show from his success on Cheers. I loved Jay, Letterman told CNN in a statement. 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. That was it for Eddie LeBec. "I knew they were deciding [about] whether to add me or Bebe [Neuwirth] to the cast full-time, and I thought he was calling with good news. "Jay was one of a kind, never at a loss for words and filled with so. Hilariously, though, the writers made his demise rather humorous as they revealed he had another wife who looked just like Carla on the show. Eddie is killed off (off-screen) in Season 8's "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice," where we also learn he was married to another woman. 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. 'Mandalorian' Funko Pops up to 77% Off Baby Yoda and More for Season 3, Who Plays the Armorer in 'The Mandalorian'? 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. 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? Returning to the stage he starred in plays written and directed by Wendy Wasserstein and Woody Allen. 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. 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. He was 69. It seemed like Thomas was going to become a regular character. He also found time to put in three years of small college football as a QB. Folks came and went on the sitcom, its how things go for the most part. He and Letterman also took turns throwing a football, trying to dislodge a meatball from the top of a Christmas tree. Thomas appeared on nine episodes altogether. Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas - Dating, Gossip, News, Photos list. She said, "I want him off the show.". "Rhea came up to my office and she was furiousI'd never seen her like this. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. | However, Jay would try out his stand-up comic routines on the rest of the staff. Actor Jay Thomas attends the SIRIUS XM. Although grew up in the south he most played "New Yorky" characters. His character was not just dropped but killed off - death by . She said, 'I want him off the show,'" Levine claimed. So Cheers had clearly established itself as a series where notable characters could be added to the ensemble. 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. Thomas is survived by wife, Sally, and his three sons. Eddie, by then, was working as a penguin in an ice show so we arrived at a Zamboni machine accident. 1,686, This story has been shared 1,313 times. 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. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. 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 writing has been featured at ESPN.com, the Los Angeles Times, About.com, the Huffington Post and Gizmodo. 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. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in an on-screen matchup.. On Screen Matchups. Cheers was an iconic show of the time, but it certainly had a lot going on behind the scenes. It also gave us a story arc for Carla. 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. 1,917, This story has been shared 1,836 times. ), 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. quotes, 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. "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. — -- Actor Jay Thomas has died, ABC News has confirmed. He appeared as a leading guest star in dozens of sitcoms, cop shows, and MOW's opposite Judith Light, John Tuturro, and Christine Lahti. 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He is survived by his wife Sally and sons Sam, Jake and J.T. He won his first award as emcee of the Jesuit High School talent show. While obviously one of the most amazing things that can happen to an actor working in television is to be part of a show that turns out to be a major hit (look at the ways that, say, the cast of Friends went from an assortment of mostly no-names, and "Hey, that's the girl from the Bruce Springsteeen video!" 1,836, This story has been shared 1,686 times. His Lone Ranger story was the best I heard in 30 years. 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. He insulted Rhea, which meant he insulted all of us. 3,505, This story has been shared 2,911 times. 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. 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. In the same oral history, Levine claimed that Perlman was upset about Thomas' radio show comment. Well, it may have stemmed from a radio spot by Thomas where he was asked to talk about his role on the show. 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. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. It's likely all going to be paraphrase since it was a radio show. He was 69. Maybe we should have. 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.. 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 features legends about entertainment and sports at his website, Legends Revealed and other pop culture features at Pop Culture References. . I knew they were deciding [about] whether to add me or Bebe to the cast full-time, and I thought he was calling with good news. 3,913, This story has been shared 3,885 times. He recalled: I'm doing Cheers, having the greatest time of my life, and one day I get a phone call from Jimmy. 3.2M views. "Since he was no longer on the show, Eddie also had to go. 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. He was a delightful character. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. She heard this interview and Eddie was written off the show. WhenCheers came back for Season Eight, Eddie was nowhere to be seen. When asked about kissing Carla on Cheers, Thomas noted he received combat pay for doing so. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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.). The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).". videos 4. A representative for the actor said Thomas had been battling cancer. Jay Thomas, the good-natured . Publicity Listings 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. His other wife, it turned out, looked just like Carla. He first told the story in 1998 and returned almost every year to tell it again until Letterman retired. About that Lone Ranger story: Thomas was a radio host with big hair in Charlotte in the early 70s, and he and his producer offered to give Moore wearing his crime-fighter costume and mask for an appearance at a car dealership a ride to the airport. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman. 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. 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? Jay Thomas kissed and told too much Between 1987 and 1989, the late Jay Thomas played the recurring role of hockey player Eddie LeBec on the hit sitcom Cheers. And, according to the. 1,313, This story has been shared 1,267 times. At 16 he started as a stand-up on Bourbon St. Jay broadcast from California, New York, and New Orleans. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker.We'd really appreciate it. The biggest surprise exit from the program came from Shelley Long. Official Sites. 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. 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In Season 6, they got married and it seemed like Thomas would be sticking around. 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 . CBR Senior Writer Brian Cronin has been writing professionally about comic books for over fifteen years now at CBR (primarily with his Comics Should Be Good series of columns, including Comic Book Legends Revealed). Those curious viewers would be right because it sounds like Thomas's off-set behavior led to him getting kicked off the show. ', "Well," Levine wrote, "guess who happened to be listening. In a statement to the NY Daily News, Thomas' rep, Don Buchwald, said, "Jay was one of . Ive always wanted to be one of those guys on late-night talk shows who everybody wants to see. He said, like in a movie, "Are you sitting down?" He is most remembered for Mr. Holland's Opus. 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. They were right. 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. photos, Thomas also had small but memorable parts in films such as Mr. Hollands Opus and the latter two Santa Clause movies. 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 . His zodiac sign is Cancer. He boxed, wrestled, played football, and ran track. Sitcom veteran Jay Thomas, best known for his roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, passed away on Thursday. SinceCheers was primarily set at a bar, we only saw Carlas home life when it pulled up a stool. 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. Appearing as an annual Christmas guest alongside Letterman has been fun, hesaid in 2014. Actor Jay Thomas has died at 69. What We Know About Her Continued 'Today Show' Absence, Joy Behar Scolds Co-Hosts for Texting 'The View' EP With Their Problems: "He's a Producer, Not a Gynecologist". 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. (1982) after making a comment during a radio show in which he made fun of Rhea Perlman's looks. Famous last words and two seconds later Jay Thomas was a "dead Cheers actor" walking. Most recently, he appeared in the Showtime series Ray Donovan. Both Rhea Perlman and James Burrows deny it had anything to do with writing off Eddie. Jay now hosts a daily talk show on Sirius "Stars" channel and is selling high end real estate in Santa Barbara. 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. It's TV legend that Eddie was killed off because Thomas slammed his co-star on his radio show.