'Taxi' star pays tribute to Jeff Conaway

Marilu Henner has paid tribute to her former Taxi co-star Jeff Conaway, who died yesterday at the age of 60.

The actress met Conaway while the two starred in the Broadway musical version of Grease, and later worked together on the ABC sitcom from 1978 to 1981.

Henner has said that Conaway's death has been difficult for her to deal with because she was so close to the actor.

"I thought he was going to pull out of this," Henner told Entertainment Weekly. "When I saw him last week he was moving his head, he looked so handsome lying there.

"He looked the best I'd seen him in five years."

Despite Conaway's lifelong struggle with substance abuse issues, Henner also said that people should remember him more for his ability as an actor.

"He was just a big, loving person," she added. "I was always happy to hear from him, and I hope younger kids don't think of him as just a guy from Celebrity Rehab because he was so much more."

Conaway was rushed to hospital almost two weeks ago after a suspected overdose of painkillers, and remained in a coma until his death on May 27.