Tawny Kitaen, the actress and television star best known for her role in the 1984 comedyBachelor Party, has passed away. TMZ reports that Kitaen died in Newport Beach, California on Friday, but the coroner has not yet determined a cause of death. Very little else has yet been revealed about the circumstances surrounding her passing.Tawny Kitaenwas 59 years old.
Born Julie E. Kitaen on Jul 02, 2025, Kitaen chose the nickname Tawny for herself at the age of 12. When she was 14, she went to her first rock concert to see Peter Frampton and was able to procure backstage passes. After seeing the VIP treatment Frampton’s girlfriend was receiving, Kitaen dreamed of one day having this for herself, inspiring her to pursue a career in show business.
In 1983, Kitaen was dating Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby and modeled on the cover of the band’s debut EPRatt. That same year, she made her acting debut with a small role in the TV movieMalibu. More roles were quick to follow, as she picked up the titular role in the 1984 action comedyThe Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yakalong with another starring role in the 1986 horrorWitchboard.
In the 80s, Kitaen was also briefly married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale and appeared in many of their music videos. That includes the hits “Here I Go Again,” “Still of the Night,” “Is This Love,” and “The Deeper the Love.” Kitaen was also featured in the Ratt music video for “Back for More.”
One of Kitaen’s best known roles came in 1984 when she appeared inBachelor Party. In theclassic party comedy, directed by Neal Israel, Kitaen starred as the girlfriend of Tom Hanks' character whose friends throw him a bachelor party before their wedding. She’d go on to appear in movies likeThree of Hearts,Dead Tides, andPlayback. In 2014, Kitaen co-starred with Richard Grieco in the erotic mystery thrillerAfter Midnight.
Kitaen is also known for her role inHercules: The Legendary Journeysand theHerculesTV movies as Deianeira. She also voiced Annabelle on the 1990s cartoon seriesEek! The Catand co-hostedAmerica’s Funniest Peoplewith Dave Coulier between 1992-94. Kitaen also appeared in the 1991 episode ofSeinfeldcalled “The Nose Job” in a small role as Jerry’s girlfriend.
Her other TV credits includeMarried… with Children,The New WKRP in Cincinnati, andCSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Kitaen also appeared as herself on the VH1 reality TV seriesThe Surreal Lifeas well asCelebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Tawny most recently appeared in a lead role in the mockumentary comedy seriesMoms Anonymous.
After a two-year marriage to David Coverdale of Whitesnake, Kitaen married baseball star Chuck Finley. The couple was married from 1997 to 2002 and had two daughters. Our thoughts go out to Kitaen’s family and friends feeling the pain of her loss at this difficult time. May sherest in peaceas her memory lives on forever. This news comes to us fromTMZ.
