Thomas played "Eddie LeBec," Carla's boyfriend and later husband on the show. He got his start on television in 1979 as Remo DaVinci, the co-owner of a New York deli, on ABCsMork & Mindy. Thomas won two Emmy awards for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for his portrayal of Gold. As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. He is survived by his wife Sally and sons Sam, Jake and J.T. 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. Actor Jay Thomas has died at 69. He was 69. When this actor insulted his co-star, he evidently couldn't foresee the consequences he would face. Best Picture Nominee Triangle of Sadness Is Now Streaming on Hulu, When Does 'Black Girl Missing' Premiere on Lifetime? Here's an amusing post-script. One of his biggest roles was as loudmouth TV host Jerry Gold . Thomas TV career started in the early 80s, and he quickly amassed a number of credits. Actor Jay Thomas, who cut his teeth in the entertainment business as a legendary DJ for Charlotte radio station Big WAYS in the 1970s, has died at 69. . Jay Thomas was known for his TV roles, most notably as Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown in the 1990s. 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.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Kevin Levine, a former writer on Cheers, wrote that Thomas said on the spot, said something to the effect of Its brutal. Thomas died after a battle with cancer, his friend and longtime agent Don Buchwald confirmed to the New York Daily News. jay thomas, Other Works Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. More recently, he appeared as tabloid journalist Marty Grossman on "Ray Donovan. 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.. Why did the show write him, and even have him die? But advertising revenue helps support our journalism. Famous last words and two seconds later Jay Thomas was a "dead Cheers actor" walking. He first told the story in 1998 and returned almost every year to tell it again until Letterman retired. quotes, Burrows writes, "That was it. In addition, the actress denies the story, saying: That's not true. Folks came and went on the sitcom, its how things go for the most part. See Sitcom veteran Jay Thomas, best known for his roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, passed away on Thursday. Fans of the program still flock to various streaming services to rewatch their favorite episodes from the show. TV URBAN LEGEND: Jay Thomas' character on Cheers was killed off because he called Rhea Perlman ugly. Jay Thomas and Rhea Perlman were in Cheers(1982) together. A Warner Bros. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. videos, All Rights Reserved. WhenCheers came back for Season Eight, Eddie was nowhere to be seen. | His zodiac sign is Cancer. On the big screen he was featured in "Mr. Holland's Opus", "A Smile Like Yours", and "Santa Claus" 2 and 3. In a statement to the NY Daily News, Thomas' rep, Don Buchwald, said, "Jay was one of . 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 . However, after his less than pleasant comments on a radio show he was hosting . The show actually aired longer without its original female lead than it did with her, a remarkable achievement for any television show. When Will 'Attack on Titan' Season 4, Part 4 Air? ", The Sirius radio host also had roles in films including "Mr. Holland's Opus," "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3." Jay Thomas, the good-natured . The same writer wrote about Kelsey on the show, Quite simply, he was retained because he was terrific and once everyone saw the dynamics between his character and the others in the bar it was clear that Frasier Crane was a keeper. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Even before Coach's departure, the show had introduced a wrench into the main romantic relationship between bar owner Sam Malone and uptight waitress Diane Chambers. 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. "Jay was fired unceremoniously," Burrows writes in his book. However, Jay would try out his stand-up comic routines on the rest of the staff. He won the best actor for and was a co-writer of best comedy at the LA iTV Fest for "Talker". Jay Thomas, the good-natured comic actor who starred on the sitcoms Murphy Brown and Cheers, died Thursday. 2. He starred in his own TV shows "Married People" with Beth Armstrong and "Love and War" with Susan Dey and later Annie Potts. 2,429, This story has been shared 2,179 times. Thomas began his career in entertainment as a radio DJ before trying his hand at stand-up comedy and acting. At his funeral, it was revealed that Eddie secretly had another wife. Most recently, he appeared in the Showtime series Ray Donovan. He earned that promotion.. 1,120, This story has been shared 1,091 times. Don Buchwald, his longtime agent and friend, said Thomas died at his home in Santa Barbara after a battle with cancer. Recently he has hosted shows at Carolines in NYC and the Bellagio in Vegas. Not Rheathey were talking about Carla. 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. 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). He won two Emmy awards for portraying Jerry Gold on"Murphy Brown". news Jay Thomas was one of the funniest and kindest men I have had the honor to call both client and friend for 25 years plus. 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. Thomas played Eddie LeBec, a fictional goalie for the Boston Bruins, who began dating waitress Carla. Discover short videos related to jay thomas rhea perlman on TikTok. (1987 -. 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. Meet Emily Swallow, Stream It or Skip It: 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 on Disney+, Where Pedro Pascal Is Still Daddy (But in a Helmet), New Shows & Movies To Watch: Prime Video's 'Daisy Jones & The Six' + More, 'The Last of Us Part I' Sale: Take 29% Off The Game That Inspired The Show, 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Recap: Mallrats, Yes, Ellie Has Always Been Gay in 'The Last of Us', Watch 'Outer Banks' Star Chase Stokes Confirm He's Dating Kelsea Ballerini on 'Today Show', 'Outer Banks' Is a Perfect Show: Fight Me, A Monkey Peed in Chase Stokes's Eye While Filming 'Outer Banks', 'Outer Banks' Season 3: That Kiss Between Jonathan Daviss and Carlacia Grant Wasn't in the Original Script, 'The View': Alyssa Farah Griffin Calls King Charles "Petty and Cringey" for Evicting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle From Frogmore Cottage, 'The View': Sunny Hostin Rips Activist Matt Schlapp Amidst Sexual Assault Allegations, 'The View': Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg Reject Bill Maher's Definition of "Woke", Joy Behar Denies Making Off-Color Joke About Sara Haines' Dead Dog on 'The View': "I Did Not Say That", Drew Barrymore Reveals Why She Wears Granny Panties: "Nothing Going up the Crack", Rebel Wilson Tells Drew Barrymore About Her "Wild" Strip Club Visit with 'Bridesmaids' Cast: "We Were All Getting Lap Dances", Drew Barrymore Gives Fans a Look Into Her Surprisingly Messy Home in Candid Instagram Video, Drew Barrymore Struggles During Bungee Workout on 'The Drew Barrymore Show': "I Cant Believe I Used to Be a Charlies Angel". 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! Instead, his character was killed off-screen in Season 8. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. The actor, who went on to have a recurring role onMurphy Brown,added, "Look, I made jokes about kissing Murphy Brown [too]. . in which he played Rhea Perlman's . Cheers was an iconic show from decades ago starring Ted Danson and friends. He was on the cast of Mork and Mindy for a time (20 episodes in total between 1979 and 1981). So why do I lean toward it being true? Ive always wanted to be one of those guys on late-night talk shows who everybody wants to see. 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? Rhea Perlman's on-screen hockey player husband was played by Jay Thomas, a somewhat lesser-known (at least these days) actor who probably should've considered himself lucky to act alongside Rhea. Read on to find out what Thomas said about Perlman and how his storyline came to a surprising end. Those curious viewers would be right because it sounds like Thomas's off-set behavior led to him getting kicked off the show. No question about it, as Frasier literally got a spinoff show from his success on Cheers. CNN Jay Thomas, a comic and character actor whose credits include roles on "Cheers" and "Murphy Brown," has died after a battle with cancer, according to his publicist Tom Estey. Eddie died in a Zamboni accident off-screen, and his character was only maligned further. 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. 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. 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. 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. Login Feel free (heck, I implore you!) 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. That was it for Eddie LeBec. 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. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman., Well, guess who happened to be listening. Kelsey Grammer, who played Frasier Crane, was also not a lock to remain on the show long-term. Thomas' best known-roles were on the small screen. Help us build our profile of Rhea Perlman and Jay Thomas! 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 The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).". The Behind-The-Scenes Drama On Cheers That Had Jay Thomas Written Off The Show. 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 . "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. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. And, according to the. However, in Season 7, Eddie is killed off. 2,493, This story has been shared 2,429 times. Thomas first picked off the meatball in 1998 when then-New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde tried the stunt but failed. Paramount Television Actor Jay Thomas, known for his roles on "Murphy Brown" and "Cheers," died Thursday following a battle with . And it has nothing to do with Rhea. Cheers was an iconic show of the time, but it certainly had a lot going on behind the scenes. 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. And he goes, "Look, we're not going to have you back on the show. It also gave us a story arc for Carla. In our world, you don't wind up sleeping with the fishes; you die a violent yet comedic death.". 1,313, This story has been shared 1,267 times. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much He will be dearly missed by so many, Estey said in a statement to CNN. Jay Thomas was never seen on Cheers again. It's TV legend that Eddie was killed off because Thomas slammed his co-star on his radio show. [January 2005]. 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. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman." But he didn't consider himself lucky, and in fact, complained about Rhea while he was working on the show. 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. He was 69. 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. 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. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. Survivors include his wife Sally and sons Sam, Max and J.T. 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. He insulted Rhea, which meant he insulted all of us.