Jeff's Last Ride

Jeff Conaway, who died yesterday at 60 after having been in a coma brought on by drug and alcohol abuse, was an example of a talented but troubled actor who had the misfortune of being overshadowed by bigger stars. But at as peak, when he played Kenickie in the movie version of Grease and when he played cab driver and aspiring actor Bobby Wheeler in the TV series "Taxi," Conaway proved he could stand on his own. He had a cool swagger and a cocky self-confidence that illuminated both the small and large screens.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I just learned today that Conaway originally played Danny Zuko in the stage version of Grease (Barry Bostwick was the original Danny) but when he was cast in the movie version, it was as Kenickie, Danny's sidekick. John Travolta simply promised to be a bigger box office draw. (Travolta also turned out to be a good greaser type, which is why he carried the film so well.) To add insult to injury, Travolta was given the lead vocal in "Greased Lightning," a song about a street race car meant for Conaway's Kenickie to sing, as it had been in the stage version. (Producers Robert Stigwood and Alan Carr and director Randal Kleiser probably did Conaway a favor, though; the song was terrible, full of references to female anatomy and ejaculation.)

As Bobby Wheeler on "Taxi," Conaway's best moments were as a straight man. In one episode, he and Tony Banta (Tony Danza) are in a courthouse and Bobby jokes about picking up legal secretaries. "Okay," the clueless Tony says, "but as long as they're legal." The look on Bobby's face is priceless.

Or how about when the Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd), taking his written driving test, asks Bobby sotto voce, "What does a yellow light mean?"

"Slow down." says Bobby.

Jim takes the answer literally and repeatedly asks that question more slowly each time. Bobby has to keep his cool and handle the situation as best as he can, with little success. (Marilu Henner, in that same scene, had to keep poking herself with a pencil all the while to keep from breaking character and laughing.)

Unfortunately, Conaway's coolness was no match for Christopher Lloyd and the late Andy Kaufman - geniuses both - and he was equally eclipsed by Judd Hirsch and Danny DeVito. Conaway left "Taxi" after three seasons, and his addictions pretty much began afterwards. Apart from a recurring role in "Babylon 5," he never regained his earlier fame and promise.

Conaway was too good an actor to be remembered now for the drug and alcohol abuse that plagued him for the second half of his short life. It's best to remember his moments of glory from the late seventies and, in that short period, he had plenty of them. R.I.P. :-(