14 DAY TRIAL // Things have taken a turn for the worse for “Grease” actor Jeff Conaway who, in recent years, has been known more for his reckless behavior and substance abuse than for his movies. He is now into a coma, after a drug overdose last week.
The actor was found passed out and unresponsive on May 11 in his home, from an apparent OD, PopEater reports.
He was rushed to the hospital and it is believed he never recovered consciousness, though his manager isn’t saying much about his condition for the past days.
“The former ‘Taxi’ star’s manager, Phil Brock, says the 60 year old was found unconscious on May 11 after possibly OD’ing on pain pills,” PopEater reports.
It could be that he was taking the pills for injuries sustained in a serious freak home accident of earlier this year, when he fell down the stairs of his home, also presumably under the influence of drugs.
“Brock would not disclose what hospital Conaway is admitted to, only that it is located in Encino, Calif. The actor’s recovery is uncertain,” says the same e-zine.
It is believed that Conaway is in critical condition, and there’s no saying if he’ll ever recover.
“He is in a coma and unresponsive at this time. He turned his head two days ago, but nothing since,” Conaway’s manager, Brock, says in a statement.
As noted above, in recent years, the once-promising actor rather grabbed headlines for his drug use than for his movie roles.
He won over critics and fans with his role on “Grease” and then starred in TV series “Taxi.” Shortly after, he began dabbling into drugs and the movie offers stopped coming.
In 2008, Conaway again came to the attention of the international media as he appeared on “Celebrity Rehab” and the full extent of his addictions was made public.
He seemed genuinely committed to stay clean, but in January 2010 he was already back on pills – and in hospital after he fell down the stairs of his home.