Baywatch alum Michael Newman has died, 18 years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Newman died “from heart complications’ on Sunday, October 20, “surrounded by his family and friends,” his friend Matt Felker, who recently directed the Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, confirmed to People.
Newman became known for his role as lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman in NBC’s Baywatch, in which he appeared in 150 episodes from 1989 to 2000.
Newman also appeared in spinoff series Baywatch Nights and the 1998 film Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay, as well as comedy Welcome to Hollywood and action-drama Enemy Action.
Newman was also a full-time firefighter while filming Baywatch, and continued firefighting until he retired, according to People.
After receiving a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis eighteen years ago, Michael Newman, a Baywatch alum, passed away.
Matt Felker, Newman’s friend and the recent director of the Hulu documentary series After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, confirmed to People that Newman passed away “from heart complications” on Sunday, October 20, “surrounded by his family and friends.”.
Newman gained notoriety for playing lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman in 150 episodes of NBC’s Baywatch between 1989 and 2000. The only cast member who was a lifeguard on the show was Newman. He had been employed as an L. a. Serving as a Santa Monica Junior Lifeguard at the age of 10 led to 20 years as a county lifeguard.
After one season on NBC, the action drama series Baywatch—which followed lifeguards patrolling the beaches of Los Angeles County and Hawaii—was canceled. However, it continued to air in syndication, eventually becoming the most watched series globally with over 1 billion viewers. Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. created it. Jeremy Jackson, Parker Stevenson, David Chokachi, Billy Warlock, Erika Eleniak, David Charvet, Yasmine Bleeth, Nicole Eggert, Alexandra Paul, Gregory Alan Williams, Jeremy Jackson, and Pamela Anderson were among the ensemble cast members of Bonann, which starred David Hasselhoff.
Newman also starred in the 1998 movie Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay, the comedy Welcome to Hollywood, the action-drama Enemy Action, and the spinoff series Baywatch Nights.
According to People, Newman worked as a firefighter full-time while filming Baywatch and remained a firefighter until his retirement.
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With pictures of the two, Felker wrote, “I lost my hero yesterday,” in a tribute to Newman on Instagram. Before he left this world, I told him. I’ll be back soon. Believe me. His post is shown below.
