By Neil Genzlinger. Plus, nobody could throw a football like Jay. But advertising revenue helps support our journalism. Reportedly, he stated, "It's brutal. READ THIS NEXT:Kissing Brad Pitt Was "Disgusting," This Co-Star Said. Grammer and Danson played Dr. Frasier Crane and Sam Malone respectively, who were both major parts of Dianes story arc. Perlman and Thomas might have hit a sour note after he showed his true colors on the radio, but that wasnt the only tense moment between cast members. It's TV legend that Eddie was killed off because Thomas slammed his co-star on his radio show. [20] The couple later separated again for a second time in March 2017 on amicable terms. Perlman is the author of the illustrated children's book series Otto Undercover, whose six books to date (as of the middle of May 2012) are Born to Drive, Canyon Catastrophe, Water Balloon Doom, Toxic Taffy Takeover, The Brink of Ex-stink-tion, and Brain Freeze. He first told the story in 1998 and returned almost every year to tell it again until Letterman retired. [emailprotected]. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. 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. I also remember after it came out on air, she had something to do with him getting his show canceled or something. 01:39. Who talks about this person. It also gave us a story arc for Carla. 2023 Cable News Network. In 2013, John McEnroe filled in for Thomas, who was recovering from surgery. Aug. 24, 2017. Cast members come and go. Thomas played Eddie LeBec, a fictional goalie for the Boston Bruins, who began dating waitress Carla. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Kissing This "Cheers" Star Was "Brutal," Cast Member Said, Kissing Brad Pitt Was "Disgusting," This Co-Star Said. Born July 12, 1948 Died August 24, 2017 (69) Add to list Won 2 Primetime Emmys 3 wins & 1 nomination total Photos 47 Known for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause 4.8 Easter Bunny 2006 The actor and singer is still in show business but mainly works behind the scenes now. "Jay was one of a kind, never at a loss for words and. 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.. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); She is a graduate of Hunter College in New York. Thomas was perhaps best known for playing Jerry Gold on "Murphy Brown" from 1989-1998. Thomas was 69-years-old and is survived by his wife, Sally, and sons, Sam, Max, and J.T. She also portrayed a therapist called Dr. Parella in the 2000 film Secret Cutting, which follows the story of a young girl named Dawn who self-injures. 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 began his career in entertainment as a radio DJ before trying his hand at stand-up comedy and acting. Their third child, Jake, was born in 1987. [10] Producers Glen and Les Charles saw her in that play, which led to her landing the role as wisecracking barmaid Carla Tortelli on their sitcom Cheers in 1982. 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. I searched when I watched the series a couple years back and IIRC it was on live radio in the 1980s, so there is no audio available. 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. Jay Thomas The actor had been battling cancer. Danny and Rhea extended their brood by welcoming three children into the world. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. Both Rhea Perlman and James Burrows deny it had . The pair became parents for the first time when they welcomed their daughter, Lucy, in 1983. Rhea Jo Perlman is an American actress. Danny DeVito Moving To New York: He Misses The Big Apple! I have to kiss Rhea Perlman., Well, guess who happened to be listening. When this actor insulted his co-star, he evidently couldn't foresee the consequences he would face. Thomas, a Texas native who began his radio and acting. For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker.We'd really appreciate it. The actor, who went on to have a recurring role onMurphy Brown,added, "Look, I made jokes about kissing Murphy Brown [too]. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { 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. Frank Biondo on guest stars on Sesame Street - Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman. When this actor insulted his co-star, he evidently couldn't foresee the consequences he would face. 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. Soon after, Eddie LeBec found himself part of a new plot point: squashed by a Zamboni. Watch on. In a feature spotlighting behind-the-scenes maneuvering of stars of shows and films affecting their plots, see how Rhea Perlman got her on-screen husband on Cheers killed off. She is mother of Three (Lucy Chet DeVito, Grace Fan DeVito, and Jacob Daniel DeVito). As you can imagine, important people heard that interview and were not happy about it. Maybe we should have. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress six times, more than anyone else in that category. Rhea can soon be seen in comedy film Marvelous And The Black Hole which is set for limited release tomorrow. [6] In the mid-1980s, her parents moved to Los Angeles, and her father became an extra on Cheers. According to Mental Floss, Thomas made a commenton his radio show. Long said, We never fought. In addition, Levine wrote about the incident on his amazing blog here, explaining how he came up with the episode where they killed Eddie off. The Poms actress, 71, opened up about why she would never divorce her ex Danny DeVito on Thursday . It has long been known that Shelley King, who played Diane Chambers, didnt get along with actors Kelsey Grammer or Ted Danson. The insult had some pretty major consequences for the guest star. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee As it turns out, it appears that Perlman, and Thomass own big mouth, got Thomas kicked off of the show. How Did The Big Bang Theory Film Howard in Outer Space? In the same oral history, Levine claimed that Perlman was upset about Thomas' radio show comment. 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. Thomas was 69. When asked what it's like working on Cheers he said "It's brutal. "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. Had a question about Jay Thomas who played Eddie LeBec on CHEERS (okay, I've had it for awhile but am just now getting to it.) ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. 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. Discovery Company. I just dont see any reason for why Levine would make up such a story. His departure ended up being a bit more complicated, however, as viewers were a fan of Carla and Eddie as a couple. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman." Carla and Eddie had met when Eddie began frequenting the bar after moving to Boston to play goaltender for the Boston Bruins hockey team. In 1994, Perlman voiced 9-Eye in The Timekeeper, a Circle-Vision show at the Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland. Thomas played Eddie LeBec, a fictional goalie for the Boston Bruins, who began dating waitress Carla. A total dick? His most recent credits include appearances on Bones, NCIS: New Orleans, and Ray Donovan.. On camera, everything seemed perfect the relationships and character plotlines all intertwined accordingly. Rhea Jo Perlman is an actress, best known for portraying in the sitcom Cheers, as Carla Tortelli for which she won four Emmy Award, in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site. Jay Thomas was never seen on Cheers again. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. I think where we all drew the line was when Ted [Danson] wanted to leave," Perlman said. In 1992, she starred in the made-for-TV-movie, To Grandmother's House We Go opposite Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen, playing the wife of Jerry Van Dyke's character; the couple kidnapped the Olsen Twins' characters, hoping to cash in on ransom before Christmas. LeBec is a hockey player for. Eventually, she became pregnant with twins, and the pair got married. The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).". He said, like in a movie, Are you sitting down? And he goes, Look, were not going to have you back on the show. Thomas appeared on nine episodes altogether. Still, there has always been an assumption that Grammer and Danson are the real reasons she left, seeing as how her movie career never took off. He recurred on "Mork & Mindy" as deli owner Remo DaVinci, played the love interest of Rhea Perlman . Ed ONeill Adorably Surprises His Former TV Daughter, Christina Applegate. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman.. He was on the cast of Mork and Mindy for a time (20 episodes in total between 1979 and 1981). Mr. Thomas was one of the main characters in "Love & War," a CBS sitcom that ran for three seasons beginning in 1992. } else { I loved Jay, Letterman told CNN in a statement. "Everybody was a little worried after Shelley left, but I just knew it would go on. Yahoo reported that Cheers writer Ken Levine said the writers had to make sure none of the shows fans were too disappointed when he died so they made him a Polygamist who was living a secret double life. The "Cheers" star, 74, looked back on her legendary Hollywood career and. Read on to find out what Thomas said about Perlman and how his storyline came to a surprising end. Perlman at the 1988 Emmy Awards Perlman began her acting career with a small role as an attendant in the off-off-Broadway play Dracula Sabbat, which ran from September 1970 to June 1971. But, Perlman remembers the situation differently. actor Jay Thomas appeared on . Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much "I'm doingCheers, having the greatest time of my life, and one day I get a phone call from Jimmy [Burrows]," Thomas said. His character was killed off in a unique way. He was 69. But off camera, things on the sitcom werent always so smooth. 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