J. Alan Thomas was a talented actor who appeared in many acclaimed comedies in the 1970s and 1980s. He is best known for his role as Jeff Bennett, the assistant to Louie De Palma, in the Emmy-winning sitcom Taxi. He also had roles in Cheers, Throw Momma from the Train, Broadcast News, and Man on the Moon. But how did he die and what was his life like? Here is the untold story of the Taxi star and his cause of death.
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Early Life and Career
J. Alan Thomas was born on May 8, 1950, in the USA. He started his acting career in the late 1970s, landing guest roles in popular shows like The Rockford Files, MAS*H, and Barney Miller. He also appeared in movies such as The Onion Field, The Rose, and The Jazz Singer.
Taxi Fame and Recognition
In 1978, he joined the cast of Taxi, a sitcom about the lives of a group of taxi drivers working for the Sunshine Cab Company in New York City. He played Jeff Bennett, the quiet and loyal assistant to Louie De Palma (Danny DeVito), the rude and tyrannical dispatcher. He first appeared as a background character in the second episode of the show, but later became a more prominent supporting cast member from season five onwards.
Taxi was a huge success, winning 18 Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards during its run from 1978 to 1983. It also launched the careers of many stars, such as Tony Danza, Christopher Lloyd, Marilu Henner, Andy Kaufman, and Judd Hirsch. J. Alan Thomas received praise for his comedic timing and deadpan delivery as Jeff Bennett. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 1983.
Later Roles and Final Appearance
After Taxi ended, J. Alan Thomas continued to work in television and film. He reunited with Danny DeVito in the 1987 comedy Throw Momma from the Train, where he played Larry Donner’s (Billy Crystal) agent. He also had roles in Cheers, Night Court, L.A. Law, Murphy Brown, and The Golden Girls.
His final on-screen appearance was in Man on the Moon, a biopic about his Taxi co-star Andy Kaufman (Jim Carrey). He played himself in a scene where he attends Kaufman’s funeral along with other Taxi cast members.
J. Alan Thomas Cause of Death
J. Alan Thomas died on April 15, 2007, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 56. According to IMDb, he passed away due to natural causes. His death was not widely reported by the media at the time. He was survived by his ex-wife Sona Chenault and his two children.
J. Alan Thomas was a talented actor who made many people laugh with his role as Jeff Bennett in Taxi. He also had a successful career in other comedies and dramas. He will be remembered as one of the stars of one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.
