Survivors include his wife Sally and sons Sam, Max and J.T. "Jay was fired unceremoniously," Burrows writes in his book. 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. Jay Thomas Dead: 'Murphy Brown,' 'Cheers' Actor Was 69 - The Hollywood 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. 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? TV URBAN LEGEND: Jay Thomas' character on Cheers was killed off because he called Rhea Perlman ugly. 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. In addition to his work on TV, many know Thomas from his annual holiday season appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, where hed retell what Letterman once called the greatest talk show story of all time.. 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. Not Rheathey were talking about Carla. Eddie died in a Zamboni accident off-screen, and his character was only maligned further. In the same oral history, Levine claimed that Perlman was upset about Thomas' radio show comment. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. . And it has nothing to do with Rhea. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Season 6 saw the show change dramatically with the addition of the aforementioned Kirstie Alley, and in that season, LeBec and Carla got married. Jay Thomas was never seen on Cheers again. Jay Thomas was known for his TV roles, most notably as Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown in the 1990s. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman." That was it for Eddie LeBec. Returning to the stage he starred in plays written and directed by Wendy Wasserstein and Woody Allen. 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! 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Thomas also starred on his own sitcom, playing an egotistical sportswriter opposite Susan Dey and then Annie Potts on CBSLove and War, a 1992-95 series created by Murphy Browns Diane English. 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. Eventually, she became pregnant with twins, and the pair got married. So why do I lean toward it being true? In fact, plenty of younger viewers have found the series through streaming services (all 11 seasons are currently available to watch on Hulu). TIL actor Jay Thomas got his character, Eddie LeBec, killed off of the In our world, you don't wind up sleeping with the fishes; you die a violent yet comedic death.". So Cheers had clearly established itself as a series where notable characters could be added to the ensemble. A representative for the actor said Thomas had been battling cancer. 1,836, This story has been shared 1,686 times. Well, it may have stemmed from a radio spot by Thomas where he was asked to talk about his role on the show. 17 Things 'Cheers' Fans Never Knew - Page 4 of 17 - Fame Focus Read on to find out what Thomas said about Perlman and how his storyline came to a surprising end. 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. 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. Kevin Levine, a former writer on Cheers, wrote that Thomas said on the spot, said something to the effect of Its brutal. 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. 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? videos, 'Cheers' actor Jay Thomas dead at 69 | Page Six His other wife, it turned out, looked just like Carla. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).". Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman.. 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. Long said, We never fought. 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 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. The Behind-The-Scenes Drama On Cheers That Had Jay Thomas Written Off The Show. 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. However, after his less than pleasant comments on a radio show he was hosting . As it turns out, it appears Thomas' own big mouth got himself kicked off of the show. Jay Thomas Dead At 69: Fans Remember 'Cheers' Actor And His Late Night Burrows writes, "That was it. news Mark King & Rhea Perlman 1983 Press Photo 7x9 Cheers TV Show *P69a Jay Thomas It also gave us a story arc for Carla. Always had a smile and a kind word for me, a lowly board op at KIQQ. 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. This story has been shared 4,038 times. Her zodiac sign is Aries. The answer was at the funeral Carla learned that he was a polygamist, and had a second wife (who looked just like Carla).. In a statement, Thomas' friend and agent. 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Kissing This "Cheers" Star Was "Brutal," Cast Member Said - Yahoo! He was 69. On the big screen, Thomas played the Easter Bunny in the Santa Clause movies released in 2002 and 2006 and appeared in such films as Legal Eagles (1986), Straight Talk (1992),A Smile Like Yours (1997), Mr. Hollands Opus (1995) as football coach Bill Meister Dragonfly (2002) and Labor Pains (2009). Discovery Company. And I love football, so my two big dreams were totally realized.. Sitcom vet Jay Thomas, best known for his recurring roles on Cheers and Murphy Brown, has died. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Actor Jay Thomas attends the SIRIUS XM. He will be dearly missed by so many, Estey said in a statement to CNN. See The episode Death Takes a Holiday on Icegot rid of Eddie for good (as Deciders Joe Reid recalled in a recent list). His apprenticeship duties involved building sets at this summer stock theatre. Finally we decided to marry them. The comedy, about a bar in Boston, lost one of its main characters after the third season when Nicholas Colasanto, who played the beloved bartender Coach, passed away. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. 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? 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. 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. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman., Well, guess who happened to be listening. 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.