Tawny Kitaen star of The Bachelor Party and 80s Music Video is no more. She was of Jewish heritage and an American actress, comedian, and media personality who was also famous for her appearance in many music videos for the rock group called Whitesnake in the 1980s. Apart from this, Tawny became more popular when she made public her struggle with drugs.
Early Life
Tawny Kitaen was born on August 5, 1961, in San Diego, California. She was the daughter of Linda Kitaen and Terry Kitaen. Her mother was a house and a former beauty pageant participant and her dad was an employee of a neon sign company. She was named Julie E. Kitaen at birth. At 12, she began calling herself ‘Tawny’. She studied at Mission Bay High School in San Diego and eventually dropped out without completing her education. She started her career as a model to support herself.
Tawny Kitaen Career
Karen’s first appearance was in 1983 when she appeared on the cover of back-to-back albums by heavy metal band RATT. She appeared in that band’s self-titled debut album and the “Out of the Cellar” in 1984. Her acting career began in 1983 when she played a minor role in the television movie ‘Malibu’. In 1984, she played the main character of an erotic adventure movie ‘The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak’ which is shortly called Gwendoline. She also appeared in ‘Bachelor Party’ in 1984, ‘Witchboard’ in 1986, ‘White Hot’ and ‘Dead Tides’. Tawny became a video vixen when she appeared in Whitesnake’s 1987 hit “Here I Go Again”.
She was also featured in “Still of the Night”, “Is This Love” and “The Deeper the Love”. Kitaen also played a role as Jerry’s girlfriend in ‘Seinfeld’. She had a recurring role in ‘Hercules: The Legendary Journeys’. She co-hosted America’s Funniest People from 1992 to 1994. From 1991 to 1993, she was also in 19 episodes of the TV series ‘The New WKRP in Cincinnati’. Kitaen was one of the casts of the VH2 reality television show ‘The Surreal Life’, which started airing in 2006. In October 2008, she appeared in the second season of the VH2 reality television show ‘Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew’.
Controversies
Kitaen had an affair with O. J. Simpson while he was still married to Nicole Brown. In 2002, Kitaen made headlines when she was charged with domestic violence against Finley, whom she kicked in the face several times with her high-heeled foot. The charges against her were dropped after she completed a year of counseling. In November 2006, she was arrested for possessing cocaine. In December that year, she entered a six-month rehabilitation program. But in September 2009, Kitaen was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs, in Newport Beach, California.
Social Media
She remained active on social media platforms throughout her career and made fans on so many fans on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Tawny stayed in touch with her fans, receiving and giving them love. She had 131k followers on Instagram and 77.7k followers on Twitter.
Tawny Kitaen Biography |
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| Real Name | Julie E. Kitaen |
| Birth Date | 5 August 1961 |
| Died | 7 May 2021 |
| Aged | 59 Years |
| Birth Place | San Diego, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actress |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sun sign | Leo |
Physical Statistics |
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 |
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| Height | in feet inches – 5’ 7” – in Centimeters –170 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 62 kg – in Pounds – 136 lbs |
| Body Measurements | 36-26-36 |
| Bra Size | 34B |
| Waist Size | 26 |
| Hips Size | 36 |
| Shoe Size | 7.5 (U.S.) |
| Hair Color | Red |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Body Type | Average |
Family |
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| Father | Terry Kitaen |
| Mother | Linda Kitaen |
| Sister | One |
| Brother | One |
Qualification/Education |
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| School | Not Known |
| College | Not Known |
Relationship Status |
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| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Affair | No |
| Is she a Lesbian? | No |
| Husband? | Chuck Finley (m. 1997–2002) |
| Children | Two (Wynter Merin Finley, Raine Finley) |
Personal Life
Tawny Kitaen dated Robbin Crosby, Ratt guitarist while she was in and after high school. In the 1970s, she followed the band to Los Angeles to start her career. In 1989, she married Coverdale, but their marriage was short-lived. They divorced in 1991. And soon she started dating Chuck Finley, a professional baseball player. They got married in 1997. They have two daughters, Wayne and Raine. She dropped her career to raise her children. Kitaen and Finley got divided in 2002. She died on May 7, 2021, at the age of 59.
Tawny Kitaen Net worth
Tawny Kitaen even today has not lost her popularity despite having been in so many controversies. But her peak career fell down in the 1990s. Her net worth is estimated to be $500 Thousand.
Trivia
- She had dyslexia and because of that faced a hard time at school.
- Tawny became a sex symbol of the 1980s after starring in Whitesnake videos.
- She shared that she had a drug problem in the show ‘Celebrity Rehab’ where she had trouble maintaining her sobriety.
- She decided she wanted a popular life when she saw the VIP treatment afforded to stars, at her trip to the rock concert backstage when was 14.