Jeff Conaway (1984)

Jeff Conaway was one of the most recognizable faces of 1970s popular culture, and he began his career on the stage. Born in New York City in 1950, he made his Broadway debut at age ten in Arthur Penn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Way Home and stayed with the production for its entire run. After training at the North Carolina School of the Arts and New York University, he joined the original Broadway cast of Grease in 1972. He began as an understudy for several roles, eventually took over the lead role of Danny Zuko, and played it for about two and a half years.

His film and television fame followed quickly. He played Kenickie in the 1978 film version of Grease, reuniting with his friend and fellow Broadway Grease alum John Travolta. That fall he began a four-season run as the struggling actor Bobby Wheeler on the ABC sitcom Taxi. He later starred as Prince Erik Greystone in Wizards and Warriors, played Mick Savage on The Bold and the Beautiful, and found a devoted new audience as security officer Zack Allan on Babylon 5. He died in 2011 at the age of 60.

In 1984, Conaway appeared at the Historic Elitch Theatre in a touring production of Foxfire with Mason Adams and Phyllis Thaxter. The Historic Elitch Theatre is proud to count him among the performers who have graced our historic stage.

Conaway’s Bio from the 1984 Program for Foxfire at Elitch’s Theatre:

JEFF CONAWAY (Dillard Nations) — since his portrayal of Bobby Wheeler in ABC-TV’s hit comedy series Taxi, has become one of the fastest rising male stars in television. He recently starred in the ABC movie-for-television, Male Models as well as starring in the CBS-TV medieval odyssey Wizards and Warriors.

Jeff’s persona is tough but lovable. Once you’ve seen the 6’2″ blond or heard his deep voice coming at you as though amplified through a speaker, you are captured by his charisma, even if he walks into the room for only a moment. His role in Taxi has solidified the popularity Jeff originally achieved through his portrayal of Kenickie in Grease. Since the block-buster motion picture premiered in the spring of 1978, it has become the top grossing musical in history, and Jeff has been growing along with it.

A native New Yorker, whose parents were performing both on and off Broadway, Jeff turned to acting at an early age. As the youngest of three children, his initial goal was to be an astronaut, but his need to wear glasses squelched that dream. While growing up he haunted Saturday matinees enthralled by an endless string of action films and by his then on-screen hero, Elvis Presley. But, his first acting break was unexpected. Once, while accompanying his mother on a call for the production of James Agee’s All The Way Home, Jeff met director Arthur Penn. Penn was looking for a young boy with a Southern accent to feature in the production. Having spent summers in South Carolina with his aunt and uncle, Jeff could easily affect a Southern drawl. Penn was impressed and signed the fledgling actor on his tenth birthday. Ironically, his mother didn’t get the role, but Jeff’s career was solidly launched.

A successful series of one night stands in the touring production of Critics Choice with Wanda Hendrix and Jeffrey Lynn followed. After returning to New York, Jeff began working steadily modeling fashions for magazines and catalogs, doing commercials and occasional television roles in Voices of Firestone and The Doctors, as well as stock productions of Critics Choice and appearances with the Equity Library Theatre.

At the age of 14, he began playing guitar with a group of friends. By 15, he teamed with four other young musicians to form 32, a rock group which quickly landed spots as the opening act for such powerhouse sixties’ groups as Herman’s Hermits, the Animals, Chuck Berry, the Young Rascals, and Gladys Knight and the Pips. As lead singer and guitarist, Jeff was back on the road touring with the groups for over a year, culminating with a minor hit record for Cameo Parkway Records titled Hey Gyp, written by sixties’ legend, Donavan.

When the group disbanded, he enrolled in the North Carolina School of the Arts on a partial scholarship. He studied for a year before returning to New York and the theatre program at NYU. Managing to attend classes and work simultaneously, he appeared in more commercials and in summer productions at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. His film debut came at the age of 19, when he appeared in United Artists’ Jennifer On My Mind, also starring Michael Brandon, Tippi Walker and a then-struggling young actor named Robert De Niro. With actor-friend Barry Bostwick, Jeff wrote two feature songs for the film, Peace and Love and Going Down Words.

A brief stint as Billy the Kid in Wanted, an off-Broadway musical, followed before Jeff auditioned for director Tom Moore and Grease. Eight auditions later his big break came. He replaced Barry Bostwick in the starring role of Danny Zucko. Jeff stayed with the hit production for two and one-half years on Broadway, then joined the national touring company which paired him with another rising young talent, John Travolta.

Turning down the London production of Grease, Jeff left the company and drove to Los Angeles determined to concentrate on television and film. His determination paid off. He began appearing as a guest-star in such television shows as Movin’ On, Barnaby Jones, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Having Babies, and Happy Days. His feature credits include The Eagle Has Landed, Evil Clown, Pete’s Dragon, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Delta County, U.S.A., and the role of Kenickie in Grease.

Seasons at the Theatre

1984

Productions/Roles:

1984 – Foxfire as Dillard Nations

Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:

All the Way Home (Broadway, 1960–61): Made his Broadway debut at age ten as one of the boys in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, and remained for the entire run of 333 performances.
Grease (Broadway, 1972–1980): Joined the original cast as an understudy, then played the lead role of Danny Zuko for about two and a half years, succeeding Barry Bostwick.
Grease (film, 1978): Played Kenickie, leader of the T-Birds, opposite John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, and Stockard Channing.
Taxi (ABC, 1978–1982): Played aspiring actor Bobby Wheeler, appearing in 69 episodes of the classic sitcom.
Wizards and Warriors (CBS, 1983): Starred as Prince Erik Greystone in the fantasy-adventure series.
The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS, 1989–1990): Played Mick Savage in 61 episodes of the daytime soap opera.
Babylon 5 (1994–1999): Played Zack Allan, who rose from security guard to Security Chief, in 74 episodes and several TV movies. The role gained him a loyal science fiction following.
Recording artist: Fronted the 1960s rock band The 3½, and released a self-titled solo album on Columbia Records in 1979.

Elitch Theatre Connections:

Grease (Broadway, 1972) — Adrienne Barbeau (HET 1967). She originated Rizzo, and Conaway was in the original company as an understudy.
Happy Days (TV series, 1975–76) — Marion Ross (HET 1986). She was a series regular, and Conaway guest-starred as Rocko.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Menage-a-Lou” (TV episode, Jan 24, 1976) — Gavin MacLeod (HET 1986). MacLeod was in the main cast, and Conaway guest-starred as Kenny Stevens in the same episode.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (film, 1977) — Sylvia Sidney (HET 1928). Both were in the cast; Sidney played Miss Coral and Conaway played the fantasy warrior Lactamaeon.
Pete’s Dragon (film, 1977) — Mickey Rooney (HET 1972) and Shelley Winters (HET 1973). Conaway played Willie Gogan, Winters’s on-screen son. Rooney played Lampie, and Winters and Conaway shared the “Bill of Sale” number.
Grease (film, 1978) — Eve Arden (HET 1965), Sid Caesar (HET 1971) and Edd Byrnes (HET 1968). They played Principal McGee, Coach Calhoun and Vince Fontaine, and Conaway played Kenickie.
Taxi (TV series, 1978–82) — Judd Hirsch (HET 1981). They were co-stars: Conaway was a regular in the first three seasons and recurring after that.
The Love Boat, “Roommates / Heartbreaker / Out of the Blue” (TV episode, Dec 7, 1985) — Sandy Dennis (HET 1974). Both were billed as guest stars in this episode.
- Gavin MacLeod (HET 1986) was also the series’ Captain Stubing. That is a same-series connection only, because I could not confirm he appeared in this episode.
George & Leo, “The Cameo Episode” (TV episode, Nov 3, 1997) — Judd Hirsch (HET 1981) and Tom Poston (HET 1969). Hirsch was the series co-star, and Poston and Conaway were both guest cameos in this reunion episode.