Michael Newman, the real-life lifeguard and firefighter who was a mainstay on the hit series Baywatch, has died at 67, following a longtime battle with Parkinson’s disease.
The news was confirmed by Matthew Felker, Newman’s friend and the director of the documentary series After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun. Newman died on Sunday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, he told the Hollywood Reporter.
Newman died of complications from Parkinson’s disease; he was first diagnosed in 2006.
“He found humor all the way until the end,” Felker said in a social media tribute. “Before I left him, we read him letters and played videos from friends from all walks of life. He knew he was loved.”
Newman was born in San Francisco on April 26, 1957 and raised in Los Angeles. He was a Los Angeles County lifeguard for two decades, beginning at the age of 10 — and little did he expect, would soon become one of the most famous lifeguards in the world.
Newman was cast on Baywatch after he was approached by co-creator and former lifeguard Greg Bonnan. He made his debut in the 1989 TV movie pilot, and remained in the series throughout its long run.
His character was loosely based on himself, even sharing the same name. Newman was notably the only member of the cast who was a real-life lifeguard, and lent his expertise to the show, performing stunts and making suggestions to the writers.
Despite being a mainstay of the series, Newman wasn’t in the opening credits for the first few seasons. But “Newmie” proved to be such a fan favorite that he was eventually upgraded to the main cast.
“I was too useful for them to get rid of me,” Newman told People earlier this year. “I basically started off as a stuntman, and after seven years of being out of the opening credits, I finally was anointed and allowed to be in the front of the show.”
Newman appeared in 150 episodes of Baywatch, the most of any cast member other than David Hasselhoff.
Though Baywatch was often mocked by critics and was canceled by NBC after one season, it became one of the most popular series in the world in syndication, making its cast into international stars.
Despite that, Newman continued his job as a Los Angeles firefighter even while working on Baywatch, and went back to the fire department full time after the show ended in 2001.
Just a few years later, Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 50. “Everything changes,” Newman told People. “All those things that you thought you were going to do with your children and grandchildren, pictures we were going to take, all the plans I had… stopped.”
Despite the diagnosis, Newman reportedly kept active and in shape, and never stopped going in the water. After years of keeping his diagnosis private, he went public and started fundraising for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Newman has always remained a favorite among Baywatch fans, and reflected fondly on the hit series.
“Where would I be without it?” he told People. “Well, it would’ve been kind of a boring life, I guess.”
He is survived by his wife Sarah, their kids Chris and Emily and their 1-year-old granddaughter Charlie, per TMZ. Donations in his memory can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Rest in peace to Michael Newman, one of the most iconic and beloved actors on Baywatch.
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