Jeff Conaway's death has left a hole in the hearts of the cast of Taxi.

"Jeff was like a brother to me," Marilu Henner, who also starred with Conaway onstage in Grease, said in a statement to E! News Friday.

"Tony Danza and I visited Jeff in the hospital almost daily over the past two weeks. We saw how much love surrounded him, along with his sisters, Michelle and Carla, his wife, Kerri, his ex-wife, Rona, and his friend, Lance. Jeff looked the healthiest I'd seen him in a long time and I really thought that he was going to come out of this.

"I will miss my talented, handsome, loving friend so much."

Conaway played Bobby Wheeler, struggling actor by day and NYC cab driver by night, for three seasons.



Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b244514_jeff_conaways_taxi_costar_remembers.html#ixzz1NbEbOk9F

I knew Marilu would be the first of the Taxi gang to publicly comment...so glad she and Tony were there for Jeff.

Following the death on Friday of actor Jeff Conaway, TV veteran Marilu Henner is remembering the close bond she shared with her former co-star.

"He was such a sweetheart," the actress, 59, told People.com. "I've known him since Nov. 28, 1972!"

The late actor, who was 60 when he died this week, first worked with Henner when both were hired as replacement cast members in the original Broadway production of 'Grease,' staged in the early '70s. Conaway played Danny Zuko at the time (the role immortalized by John Travolta in the hit film version, in which Conaway played Kenickie).

"We did 'Grease' together before we did 'Taxi.' We traveled in the national company of 'Grease'... so I was connected to him, and worked with him quite a few times. We were like babies together. And then when he got 'Taxi' it was so great. He always reminded me of my brother Tommy, and I always reminded him of his sister Michelle, so we felt a real familial kind of connection."

Henner reportedly became choked up as she recalled Conaway as "the nicest person.... He was such a sweetheart, you know, a character. He had this wicked sense of humor, but he was so sweet, so sweet, in a way that I think a lot of people don't realize.... He was just a doll. Oh, we always talked on the holidays and stuff."

The actress told E! that she and her 'Taxi' co-star Tony Danza visited their ailing friend "almost daily" in the hospital where he ultimately took his last breath. She said in a statement, "Jeff looked the healthiest I'd seen him in a long time, and I really thought that he was going to come out of this."

Travolta recently spoke out about his friend's passing, saying, "Jeff Conaway was a wonderful and decent man, and we will miss him."

http://www.popeater.com/2011/05/28/marilu-henner-mourns-jeff-conaway/

Another Taxi cast member has acknowledged Jeff's passing:

"May 27, 2011: My condolences to the family, friends and fans who loved Jeff Conaway. God Bless."

- from http://www.randallcarver.com/Homepage.php

Danny DeVito, who co-starred with Jeff Conaway in Taxi, has released a statement about the late actor, who passed away Friday at the age of 60 of complications from pneumonia. DeVito, who played Louie De Palma on Taxi, said of Conaway, who portrayed struggling actor Bobby Wheeler: “Jeff was a good man. I will always think of him fondly and of our days together with the Taxi family. Finally he’s at peace.”

http://insidetv.ew.com/

That's nice to hear from Danny DeVito. I wonder if we'll hear from any of the other cast members...

Yeah, Judd Hirsh and Christopher Lloyd (?) By the way, I did not remember Taxi being honored at the TVLand Awards. I'm glad that happened, and Jeff was there!!

Even though Tony Danza was there with Marilu, I have yet to hear a direct comment from him. The other major cast member (besides the ones you already mentioned) would be Carol Kane - but I don't think she and Jeff worked that much together. He left around the same time Simka became a regular character.

Bruce Boxleitner who co-starred with Jeff on Babylon 5 has commented on him. Someone posted it over at youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eezbhGsbA5E