Tawny Kitaen

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Tawny Kitaen
Born Julie E. Kitaen
(1961-08-05)August 5, 1961
San Diego, California, U.S.
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress, model, comedian, media personality
Years active 1979–2021
Spouse(s) David Coverdale (m. 1989; div. 1991)
Chuck Finley (m. 1997; div. 2002)
Children 2

Julie E. "Tawny" Kitaen (August 5, 1961 – May 7, 2021) was an American actress, model, comedian, and media personality.

Early life

Kitaen was born Julie Kitaen in San Diego, California, in 1961, the daughter of Linda Kitaen (née Taylor), a housewife and one-time beauty pageant participant, and Terry Kitaen, an employee of a neon sign company.[1] She was Jewish.[2][3] Kitaen began using the nickname "Tawny" at the age of 12 on her own initiative.[4] She went to her first rock concert at age 14 where she saw Peter Frampton at Balboa Stadium.[5] There she and her girlfriends were given backstage passes, and upon seeing the All-Access VIP treatment afforded to Frampton's girlfriend Penny, she aspired to this for herself.[6]

Modeling

Kitaen modeled and appeared in television commercials for Jack LaLanne's European Health Spas in the early 1980s.[7]

Kitaen, who was dating Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby at the time, appeared as the album cover model on the band's debut EP Ratt (1983) and their debut studio album Out of the Cellar (1984).

Acting career

Kitaen began her acting career in 1983 with a minor role in the television movie Malibu. In 1984, she starred as the title character of the erotic-adventure movie The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak, also called Gwendoline.[8] Her other film appearances include Bachelor Party (1984) as the bride-to-be of Tom Hanks’ character,[9] and starring roles in the minor box office hit Witchboard (1986),[10] White Hot,[11] and Dead Tides.[12]

Kitaen appeared in several music videos in the 1980s for the band Whitesnake, including the hits "Here I Go Again", "Still of the Night", "Is This Love," and "The Deeper the Love". She also appeared in Ratt's "Back for More" music video.

Kitaen appeared on television in Seinfeld as Jerry’s girlfriend in the 1991 episode "The Nose Job." She appeared in 19 episodes of the TV series The New WKRP in Cincinnati from 1991 to 1993 as a night-time DJ named Mona Loveland; in the show, her night-time program was called Mona Til Midnight. She also had recurring parts in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and co-hosted America's Funniest People from 1992 to 1994.

Reality TV

Kitaen was one of the cast of the sixth edition of the VH1 reality television show The Surreal Life, which began airing in March 2006. Kitaen also appeared in the second season of the VH1 reality TV show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, which began in October 2008.[13][14][15]

Personal life and death

Kitaen dated Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby during and after high school. She followed the band to Los Angeles in the late 1970s to pursue a career of her own.

Kitaen married Whitesnake singer David Coverdale in 1989. Coverdale and Kitaen divorced in 1991.

Kitaen had an affair with O.J. Simpson while he was married to Nicole Brown Simpson.[16]

Kitaen was married to baseball player Chuck Finley from 1997 to 2002. In 2002, she was charged with domestic violence for an incident involving Finley.[17][18] Three days later, Finley filed for divorce.[18] After a plea bargain, Kitaen agreed to "enter a spousal battery counseling program and avoid contact with Finley."[18] The couple had been married for five years and had two daughters together.[19]

In November 2006, prosecutors charged Kitaen with possessing 15 grams of cocaine in her San Juan Capistrano home in Orange County. The authorities said her two children were home at the time and Kitaen had given deputies permission for the search.[20] In December 2006, she entered a six-month rehabilitation program in exchange for the dismissal of a felony drug possession charge.[21][22]

On September 26, 2009, Kitaen was arrested for driving under the influence in Newport Beach, California.[23] The following July, she pleaded no contest to misdemeanor DUI and was sentenced to two days in jail, ordered to attend a first-offender alcohol program, and required to perform 64 hours of community service.[24]

On May 7, 2021, Kitaen died at her Newport Beach, California, home at the age of 59.[25][26] Kitaen's death was confirmed to the New York Times by her daughter, Wynter Finley, who told the paper the cause of Kitaen's death was not immediately known.[27]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1984 The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak Gwendoline
1984 Bachelor Party Debbie Thompson
1986 Witchboard Linda Brewster
1986 Crystal Heart Alley Daniels
1986 Instant Justice Virginia
1987 Happy Hour Misty Roberts
1989 White Hot Vanessa
1993 Three of Hearts Woman in Bar
1996 Playback Sara Burgess
1997 Dead Tides Nola
2002 Happy Hour Short film
2009 Too Cool
2011 Here We Go Again Short film
2014 After Midnight Rikki

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 To Tell the Truth Herself Game show
1983 Malibu Mahoney's girlfriend TV film
1985 California Girls Karen Malone TV film
1986-1987 Capitol Meredith Ross TV series
1987 Glory Years Melinda Murphy TV film
1989 Santa Barbara Lisa DiNapoli Appeared between February 28, 1989 and July 21, 1989[28][29]
1989 Booker Skylar Samperton Episode: "Someone Stole Lucille"
1991 They Came From Outer Space Monica Bates Episode: "Sex, Lies & UFOs: Part 2"
1991 Shades of L.A. Linda Makowski Episodes: "Line of Fire: Parts 1 & 2"
1991 Veronica Clare Episodes: "The Boxing Story", "Slow Violence"
1991 Seinfeld Isabel Episode: "The Nose Job"
1991-1993 The New WKRP in Cincinnati Mona Loveland Main role (19 episodes)
1992-1994 America's Funniest People Co-host Succeeded Arleen Sorkin
1992-1996 Eek! The Cat Annabelle (voice) Main role (39 episodes)
1994 Married... with Children Dominique Episode: "Shoeway to Heaven"
1994 Hercules and the Circle of Fire Deianeira TV film
1994 Hercules in the Underworld Deianeira TV film
1994 Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur Deianeira TV film
1995 Burke's Law Rhonda Dooley Episode: "Who Killed Cock-a-Doodle Dooley?"
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Deianeira Episodes: "The Wrong Path", "The Other Side"
1997 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Deianeira Episode: "When a Man Loves a Woman"
2006 The Surreal Life Herself
2011 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lydia Kole Episode: "Father of the Bride"
2012 Life@Large TV miniseries
2017 Botched Herself Episode: "Boob Trains and Big Butts"

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ https://twitter.com/tawny_kitaen/status/751537080384167936?lang=en
  3. ↑ https://twitter.com/Tawny_Kitaen/status/1104193273952841729
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Tawny Kitaen Talks about First Concert, Screamer Magazine interview (published to YouTube on Nov 22, 2011)
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ TV Guide, June 23, 2008; Page 8
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ https://www.cleveland19.com/story/730693/indians-pitcher-misses-start-after-wife-allegedly-attacked-him/
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Vyas, Sunil; 'Bachelor Party' actress Tawny Kitaen in cocaine possession row earthtimes.org; November 23, 2006
  22. ↑ Reuters; Tawny Kitaen enters drug rehab for cocaine msnbc; December 18, 2006
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/08/arts/tawny-kitaen-dead.html
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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