A iconic figure behind the Baywatch TV series has passed away at t he age of 77.
The legendary show’s publicist Paul Nichols died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, on March 14. No cause of death has been disclosed as of yet.
The news was shared by his family on Wednesday.
He died only 12 days after his wife of 31 years, Linda, passed away making it a double tragedy for the Nichols family.
Paul was a publicist working at The Lippen Group in 1991 when he helped the show from being canceled by getting it into syndication.
The series went on to become a powerhouse money maker.
Baywatch aired from 1989 until 2001 with 241 episodes in all. The beach-set drama starred David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth and Nicole Eggert.
A iconic figure behind the Baywatch TV series has passed away at t he age of 77. Here are
The legendary show’s publicist Paul Nichols died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, on March 14. No cause of death has been disclosed as of yet. The news was shared by his family on Wednesday
The show focused on Lt. Mitch Buchannon who was the dedicated leader of a group of lifeguards at Malibu Beach in Los Angeles.
Although this prime-time soap opera features a lot of sand, sun and bikinis, it also tackles many serious themes and features multifaceted characters.
There was also a movie made in 2017 starring The Rock and Priyanka Chopra.
Paul was born in Delaware in 1948 and graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970.
He started out as a DJ then went into showbusiness.
His first big job was on the talk show The Mike Douglas Show, based in Philadelphia.
In 1980, he relocated to California to work for John Davidson, Douglas’ talk-show successor.
He also was employed at Group W, All American Television and Sony Pictures Television.
Paul was a publicist working at The Lippen Group in 1991 when he helped the show from being canceled by getting it into syndication
The series went on to become a powerhouse money maker. Baywatch aired from 1989 until 2001 with 241 episodes in all. The beach-set drama starred David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth and Nicole Eggert
This comes after Michael Newman died at the age of 68 in October.
He was best known for his role as a lifeguard named Mike ‘Newmie’ Newman on the hit TV series Baywatch.
And the actor also starred on Baywatch Nights for three episodes in 1996.
Newman passed away due to complications related to Parkinson’s Disease, according to PageSix. He was first diagnosed with the crippling diseases in 2006 at the age of 50.
His friend Matt Felker told People that the complications were with his heart.
Newman was the only Baywatch actor who had worked as a lifeguard in real life.
In October Michael Newman died at the age of 68. He was best known for his role as a lifeguard on the hit TV series Baywatch
Michael is seen center at top, just above David Hasselhoff
He appeared on 150 episodes of the show, which was the most of anyone else on the show, except for the show’s main star David Hasselhoff.
The actor was also a full-time firefighter while starring on Baywatch.
His struggle with Parkinson’s disease was mentioned on the recent documentary Baywatch: Moment in the Sun.
‘This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn’t want, but it’s brought me wisdom,’ Newman told People in August.
‘My body has changed so slowly that I hardly notice it, yet I am constantly reminded that Parkinson’s has now become the center of my life,’ he added.
He appeared on 150 episodes of the show, which was the most of anyone else on the show, except for the show’s main star David Hasselhoff
Newman also said, ‘I am cherishing the days that I get to be on this earth with family and friends. I’m taking life seriously.’
He shared that the words he lives by are, ‘It’s not a run-through.’
Michael’s Baywatch alter ego Newmie was based on himself as he was a lifeguard in real life.
The actor wasn’t intended to star on the show and was first employed as a stuntman, but he eventually got to be right at the heart of the action.
‘I was too useful for them to get rid of me,’ he said.
‘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.’
After his stint on Baywatch, Michael retired from acting because he found it ‘hard’ to ‘look natural’ on camera. He explained: ‘If you didn’t have to be there, why would you be? Let’s be honest … there’s not too many actors that have survived the years of working in Hollywood.’
He admitted there are negative sides to the industry that led to his exit.
Newman attending the premiere of After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun in August
Douglas Schwartz, Michael Berk, Ingrid Walter, Carmen Electra, Matthew Felker, Jeremy Jackson, Nancy Valen, Michael Bergin, Brandy Ledford, Michael Newman, Erika Eleniak, Alexandra Paul, Jaason Simmons, Nicole Eggert, Traci Bingham and David Chokachi
Michael said: ‘Having to deal with the people who scratch your name out on the script and put their name on there? That kind of thing … you never get used to that.’
Michael is survived by his wife, Sarah, and their son Chris and daughter Emily, as well as their granddaughter, Charlie.
Baywatch aired from 1989 until 2001; it had many spinoffs and a movie with Priyanka Chopra.
Newman appeared in the 1999 movie Enemy Action with costars C Thomas Howell and Louis Mandylor.
The thriller was about two Air Force officers who are after a stolen high tech smart bomb.
