Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
05-08-21 | 09:10 AM
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Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Tawny Kitaen, ’80s Music Video Vixen and ‘Bachelor Party’ Star, Dies at 59
Julie E. “Tawny” Kitaen, who famously appeared in several music videos for the rock group Whitesnake in the ‘80s, has died. The Orange County, Calif. coroner’s office, which listed her as Tawny Finley, stated that she died at her home in Newport Beach on Friday morning, but a cause of death has not been revealed. She was 59.
Born in San Diego. California, Kitaen’s first introduction to the rock world came in 1983 when she appeared on the cover of back-to-back albums by heavy metal band RATT, including the band’s self-titled 1983 debut and the triple-platinum “Out of the Cellar, in 1984. Kitaen was dating RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby at the time.
Kitaen appeared in RATT’s “Back for More” music video and later became the video vixen best known for her appearance in Whitesnake’s 1987 smash “Here I Go Again,” where she displayed her talent for auto acrobatics. “Still of the Night,” “Is This Love” and “The Deeper the Love” also featured Kitaen, who was briefly married to Whitesnake’s lead singer, David Coverdale, from 1989 to 1991.
Acting roles followed, most notably portraying Tom Hanks’ girlfriend in the 1984 comedy romp “Bachelor Party.” She had additional roles in and “Witchboard,” “White Hot” and “Dead Tides” and also appeared in a Seinfeld episode, “The One With The Nose Job.”
In more recent years, Kitaen participated in several reality shows, including “The Surreal Life,” “Botched” and a season of VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,” the latter of which filmed in 2008.
Kitaen had long struggled with substance abuse, as she revealed on “Celebrity Rehab,” and had several run-ins with the law, including a charge for cocaine possession in 2006 and driving under the influence in 2009.
Kitaen was married to baseball player Chuck Finley from 1997 to 2002. They had two daughters together.
Kitaen last tweeted on May 6, thanking a fan for a drawing.
Julie E. “Tawny” Kitaen, who famously appeared in several music videos for the rock group Whitesnake in the ‘80s, has died. The Orange County, Calif. coroner’s office, which listed her as Tawny Finley, stated that she died at her home in Newport Beach on Friday morning, but a cause of death has not been revealed. She was 59.
Born in San Diego. California, Kitaen’s first introduction to the rock world came in 1983 when she appeared on the cover of back-to-back albums by heavy metal band RATT, including the band’s self-titled 1983 debut and the triple-platinum “Out of the Cellar, in 1984. Kitaen was dating RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby at the time.
Kitaen appeared in RATT’s “Back for More” music video and later became the video vixen best known for her appearance in Whitesnake’s 1987 smash “Here I Go Again,” where she displayed her talent for auto acrobatics. “Still of the Night,” “Is This Love” and “The Deeper the Love” also featured Kitaen, who was briefly married to Whitesnake’s lead singer, David Coverdale, from 1989 to 1991.
Acting roles followed, most notably portraying Tom Hanks’ girlfriend in the 1984 comedy romp “Bachelor Party.” She had additional roles in and “Witchboard,” “White Hot” and “Dead Tides” and also appeared in a Seinfeld episode, “The One With The Nose Job.”
In more recent years, Kitaen participated in several reality shows, including “The Surreal Life,” “Botched” and a season of VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,” the latter of which filmed in 2008.
Kitaen had long struggled with substance abuse, as she revealed on “Celebrity Rehab,” and had several run-ins with the law, including a charge for cocaine possession in 2006 and driving under the influence in 2009.
Kitaen was married to baseball player Chuck Finley from 1997 to 2002. They had two daughters together.
Kitaen last tweeted on May 6, thanking a fan for a drawing.
05-08-21 | 09:27 AM
#2
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Damn, that's too bad. Forever iconic on a hood of a car.
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John Pannozzi (05-08-21)
05-08-21 | 09:30 AM
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
That's too bad. I saw her on one of those plastic surgery disaster programs, and she said that her doctor had put in giant breast implants without her consent, when she was expecting just a little increase. She didn't seem to be a happy person. She was sexy when she was young, but I don't think she had the brains to transition from that to anything that would last. Once I watched part of a clip of her doing bad porn, and it just made me cringe.
05-08-21 | 10:19 AM
#4
DVD Talk God
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
That's unfortunate. I recently watched Bachelor Party for the 1st time on Starz several months ago. She's had a troubled life with the drug addiction as well.
I became aware of her when she was the co-host of America's Funniest People with Dave Coulier back in the early 90s. I didn't follow White Snake, so I didn't see her videos until later. Then noticed that she was married to Chuck Finley of the Angels in the 1990s, but their relationship ended on a nasty divorce. I followed the Angels and she was allegedly abusive to him, but I guess that was partly due to the drug issues.
I became aware of her when she was the co-host of America's Funniest People with Dave Coulier back in the early 90s. I didn't follow White Snake, so I didn't see her videos until later. Then noticed that she was married to Chuck Finley of the Angels in the 1990s, but their relationship ended on a nasty divorce. I followed the Angels and she was allegedly abusive to him, but I guess that was partly due to the drug issues.
05-08-21 | 10:39 AM
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DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
My wife worked Human Resources at the then California Angels in the mid-90s and spoke to her several times regarding insurance and other benefits. I got the impression that Tawny wasn't very nice to her on the phone.
05-08-21 | 10:54 AM
#6
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
I loved her in Witchboard, but I don't know that I ever saw her in many things. Shame. 59 is too young.
05-08-21 | 11:27 AM
#7
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
I remember one of her first movies mostly for its unusually long title: The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak
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John Pannozzi (05-08-21)
05-08-21 | 11:35 AM
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05-08-21 | 12:14 PM
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
She used to beat on her husband at the time, Chuck Finley. He was one of my favorite California Angels pitchers at the time. Dude is a tank at 6'6 and could have knocked her head clean off, but was always a class act even when she and other people would try to punk him. I remember in the news back then, Finley was pitching at some stadium and the guy in charge of music selection for the game played "Here I go again" by Whitesnake. Tawny used to be married to David Coverdale, so that turned into a bit of a mess.
Last edited by Why So Blu?; 05-08-21 at 12:29 PM.
05-08-21 | 12:19 PM
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Sadly, I wasn't the least bit surprised when I saw this news.
Tawny had been troubled for a long time, and whether or not that factored in to her death, it did almost make it expected. It's sad - she was so iconic in the 80's. Most guys who were Hard Rock fans loved her.
Such a shame, though, that she was so troubled for so long. Dating and living with the late Robbin Crosby of RATT in the early 80's couldn't have gotten her off on the right foot. He had a ton of his own problems.
Tawny had been troubled for a long time, and whether or not that factored in to her death, it did almost make it expected. It's sad - she was so iconic in the 80's. Most guys who were Hard Rock fans loved her.
Such a shame, though, that she was so troubled for so long. Dating and living with the late Robbin Crosby of RATT in the early 80's couldn't have gotten her off on the right foot. He had a ton of his own problems.
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Rob V (05-09-21)
05-08-21 | 12:44 PM
#11
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
My first thought when I read this was “What is this, the third of fourth time she’s died?” and then I remembered that was Tanya Roberts.
I liked Tawney Kitaen since I saw her in Bachelor Party. She was very pretty. I saw she fell victim to plastic surgery over the years.
I liked Tawney Kitaen since I saw her in Bachelor Party. She was very pretty. I saw she fell victim to plastic surgery over the years.
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Rocketsfan (05-10-21)
05-08-21 | 01:40 PM
#12
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
I think she might have been my first crush... the "Here I Go Again" video from Whitesnake.
And, yeah, Erik's right about Robbin Crosby. He was, like, one of the only 80s hair metal guys to die of AIDS, so you know he was a fucking hot mess. She always struck me as a professional groupie, though she did have a handful of movie credits like Bachelor Party and Witchboard.
I also seem to recall that she was fucking O. J. Simpson at one point, I think it was while she was married to David Coverdale.
And, yeah, Erik's right about Robbin Crosby. He was, like, one of the only 80s hair metal guys to die of AIDS, so you know he was a fucking hot mess. She always struck me as a professional groupie, though she did have a handful of movie credits like Bachelor Party and Witchboard.
I also seem to recall that she was fucking O. J. Simpson at one point, I think it was while she was married to David Coverdale.
05-08-21 | 02:00 PM
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Rip tk
05-08-21 | 02:25 PM
#14
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
when she was hot, there was nobody hotter
they can put that on her tombstone
they can put that on her tombstone
05-08-21 | 08:08 PM
#15
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
RIP. I liked her in Witchboard, an underrated movie. I forgot about the OJ affair. She was very beautiful, and obviously had an interesting and tumultuous life.
Last edited by spoon81; 05-08-21 at 10:08 PM.
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Giantrobo (05-10-21)
05-08-21 | 09:12 PM
#18
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
It's the first thing I saw her in (I think I may have seen her on Hollywood Squares before this movie), and it is fair to say that the movie left an indelible impression on 14 year old me.
05-08-21 | 09:26 PM
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
I remember seeing her at the Whitesnake/Motley Crue concert at Long Beach Arena in 1987. Seeing her up close as she walked by.. I no longer found her attractive. 
05-08-21 | 09:34 PM
#21
DVD Talk God
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Tawny was doing Cameo videos. Some samples are on the link. Don’t know how recent these are, but she was not looking very good. The bad plastic surgery really shows.
https://www.cameo.com/tawnykitaen?qid=1620527551
https://www.cameo.com/tawnykitaen?qid=1620527551
05-08-21 | 09:53 PM
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
As a kid in the early 90's watching her on America's Funniest People I thought she was wat older then her actual age because of the Kathy Lee Giffordesque way the wardrobe and makeupt dept of that show attired her. Kinda messed up that generation of women in the industry got done so dirty they basically forced them into middle aged housewive cosplay the second they hit 30.
05-08-21 | 09:56 PM
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Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Be on Seinfeld, die. You know how many actors died who were guests on Seinfeld? Granted most were the parents. Only Liz Sheridan around, I believe. Brandon Tartikoff (who saved from cancellation), guy who played Kruger from Krueger Industrial Smoothing. Daniel Von Bargen? Even tried to commit suicide, I believe, failed, obviously. But, I think he actually died, perhaps of complications over diabetes which he originally tried to commit suicide bc some toes or fingers being amputated. Not sure what it was he actually died of though, I’m just guessing daibetes. Never actually disclosed, I think there have been others, but prominent on screen guests. Dead. After Seinfeld. A lot have died from show though, when you think about it...
Of course, I’ll remember her and Adrian Zmed in only the 2nd movie I’ve seen him in and of course, Dance Fever reboot. Blah. She was cute though.
Of course, I’ll remember her and Adrian Zmed in only the 2nd movie I’ve seen him in and of course, Dance Fever reboot. Blah. She was cute though.
05-08-21 | 10:46 PM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Tawny Kitaen - Dead at 59
Be on Seinfeld, die. You know how many actors died who were guests on Seinfeld? Granted most were the parents. Only Liz Sheridan around, I believe. Brandon Tartikoff (who saved from cancellation), guy who played Kruger from Krueger Industrial Smoothing. Daniel Von Bargen? Even tried to commit suicide, I believe, failed, obviously. But, I think he actually died, perhaps of complications over diabetes which he originally tried to commit suicide bc some toes or fingers being amputated. Not sure what it was he actually died of though, I’m just guessing daibetes. Never actually disclosed, I think there have been others, but prominent on screen guests. Dead. After Seinfeld. A lot have died from show though, when you think about it....