How Did Jeff Conaway Die? ‘Grease’ Star’s Injury During Filming Ultimately Led to His Death

When production started on Grease back in 1977, none of the cast expected it to become one of the most iconic films of all time. The movie starred John Travolta (Danny Zuko), Olivia Newton-John (Sandy Olsson), and Jeff Conaway (Kenickie Murdoch), among others.

Jeff Conaway died unexpectedly back in 2011, but it turns out an injury while filming Grease is what ultimately led to his death.

A ‘Grease’ dancing scene ultimately led to Jeff Conaway’s death

Of course, the movie starred Travolta and Newton-John, but there were various other important cast members, including Jeff Conaway, who played heartthrob Kenickie Murdoch. Conaway was a supporting actor in the movie, but Grease fans might not know that he actually went through a difficult back injury while filming a scene for the song “Grease Lightning.”

While dancing on top of the car, Conaway fell and injured his back. The injury resulted in him taking opioids to help with the pain, but he ended up developing an addiction. Conaway’s addiction to pills carried through the rest of his life. He ended up getting involved with other drugs as well, and ultimately, the drugs led to his death.

On May 11, 2011, Conaway was found unconscious; he was placed on life support but died less than two weeks later. The autopsy revealed that Conaway had died from pneumonia with sepsis. However, since Conaway was using drugs, it prevented him from recognizing he was sick. Conaway’s doctors attributed his cause of death to his drug addiction, though the death was ruled accidental, according to CNN.  

Conaway isn’t the only ‘Grease’ cast member who has died

Conaway’s death shocked everyone, as he was only 60. But he’s not the only Grease cast member to have died. The same year the world lost Conaway, Annette Charles, who played Cha Cha, also died. Charles had been battling lung cancer and died from complications after she was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia.

Back in 1993, Dennis Stewart, known for his role as Leo “Craterface” Balmudo, was diagnosed with HIV. He didn’t live long past the diagnosis; in 1994, he died from pneumonia as a result of AIDS complications.

Olivia Newton-John died on Aug. 8, 2022 at the age of 73. The singer and actor had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which eventually metastasized to her lower back and bones.

Susan Buckner played Patricia “Patty” Simcox, the head cheerleader. The actor died in May 2024 at the age of 72.

Since Grease hit theaters, almost the entire school staff cast has died. Eve Arden (d. 1990), Dody Goodman (d. 2008), Sid Caesar (d. 2014), Alice Ghostley (d. 2007), and Darrell Zwerling (d. 2014) are all deceased.

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