Tim Conway, the star of The Carol Burnett Show has passed away at the age of 85. According to PEOPLE, Conway passed away at 8:45am on May 14th in the Los Angeles area.
Conway suffered from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), prior to his death. According to the Hydrocephalus Organization, NPH is an “accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that causes the ventricles in the brain to become enlarged.” Conway was showing serious signs of dementia late in his life.
Conway is best known for his performances on The Carol Burnett Show, capturing the imagination of viewers with his characters like Mr. Tudbull and Oldest Man. Conway won a Golden Globe for the series in 1976, as well as winning three Emmys in 1973, 1977 and 1978.
The sketch-comedy star is survived by his wife, Charlene of 35 years, his stepdaughter, his six biological children and two granddaughters.
Here’s what you need to know:
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1. Conway’s Daughter, Kelly, Took Care of Him Late in His Life
- Kelly Conway, 56, asked to be Conway’s conservator late in his life, taking care of and making medical decisions on her father’s behalf. According to The Blast, at the end of Conway’s life, Kelly claimed that Conway’s wife, Charlene Conway, was “planning to move him out of the excellent skilled nursing facility he is currently at.”
Conway’s new facility was an apparent step-down in terms of care, per his daughter. She told The Blast, the new facility will not give Conway access to “registered nurses at all times and his 24-hour caregiver and speech therapist (to help with swallowing).”
GettyTim and his second wife, Charlene Conway.
Kelly also said her father is “almost entirely unresponsive” and is suffering from dementia. The Blast reports Kelly was asking the courts for full conservatorship so she could properly monitor her father’s medications, “for the care and treatment of dementia.”
2. Conway’s Wife, Charlene, Was at Odds With Kelly About Her Husband’s Conservatorship
The battle between Conway’s second-wife, Charlene, and his daughter, Kelly, was a prolonged one, as Kelly sought to put a temprorary restraining order to stop Charlene from moving Conway to what Kelly claimed was a lesser quality facility.
“Moving [Conway] to such a facility without skilled nurses on staff in his current condition will be harmful to his health and life,” Kelly said in court documents obtained by The Blast.
During the battle, Kelly said Charlene’s attempt to transfer Conway to a lesser facility run “contrary” to his “special personal and medical needs.”
Kelly tried to be granted conservatorship of her father prior to September 1st, 2018, but according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Charlene was granted conservatorship.
The court found “clear and convincing evidence” that Conway needed conservatorship, and both the court and Conway consented to Charlene being his conservator.
3. Conway had Six Children With His First Wife, Mary Anne Dalton
- Tim Conway married his first wife, Mary Anne Dalton, in 1961. Over the span of their 17-year marriage, the two had seven children – Tim Conway Jr., Kelly Conway, Jaime Conway, Shawn Conway, Jackie Conway, Pat Conway and Corey Conway.
The two married on May 27th, and their children have gone on to do many things, including Kelly, who starred in her father’s film The Longshot where he wrote and performed in the film.
Tim Conway Jr. on the right.
Jaime Conway also had a short stint in the film industry, where he worked with the music department of the film Dorf Goes Fishing.
It is unknown why Conway and Mary Anne Dalton ended their marriage. Conway went on to marry his second wife, Charlene Fusco in 1984.
4. Tim Conway Jr. is Radio News Talk Show Host in Southern California
The Tim Conway Jr. Show is a news radio show that covers topics spanning from live police chases to Hollywood chatter to humorous takes on current events. His show originally aired on 97.1 KLSX-FM until the station embraced an all-music format. Conway Jr. then joined forces with KFI-AM 640.
One of Conway Jr.’s most popular segments, What The Hell Did Jesse Jackson Say? is, according to KFI’s website, still cherished across the country to this day.
Conway Jr. has also earned several awards for his performance over the air, including, a Golden Mic award, an Edward R. Murrow award, and a Marconi nomination for “Personality of the Year” in 2016.
The son of the sketch-comedy legend has also made several appearances on TV, including participating in a joint interview with his father for Lifestyle Magazine TV.
In the interview, Conway Jr. shared an anecdote about the relationship he and his father had when he was younger. He shared a story about the time when his father gave him some advice when a girl broke up with him.
“I remember saying to my dad. I said ‘Hey – I was really depressed.’ He said, ‘Never pursue anybody who doesn’t want to hang out with you,” Conway Jr. said. “And I showed him a picture of her, and he said, “try to get back together with her.”
“You have the right to change your mind,” Conway responded chuckling with his son and the interviewer.
5. Tim Conway & His Latest Wife, Charlene, Married in 1984
Tim Conway and his wife, Charlene married in 1984, making their marriage longer than his with Mary Anne Dalton at 34 years.
During his second marriage, Conway did a lot of things in modern entertainment, including becoming the voice of Barnacle Boy in Spongebob Squarepants and guest-starring on a season two episode of 30-Rock, a performance that won him an Emmy.
Tim and Charlene lived in Encino, California.