Baywatch actor Michael Newman (68) has died

Baywatch actor Michael Newman has died, 18 years after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Newman died "of heart complications" on Sunday, October 20, "surrounded by his family and friends," confirmed his friend Matt Felker, who recently directed the Hulu documentary After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun.



Newman (pictured) became known for his role as lifeguard Mike "Newmie" Newman on NBC's Baywatch, in which he appeared in 150 episodes from 1989 to 2000. Newman was the only cast member on the series who was actually a lifeguard. He worked as a lifeguard in L.A. County for twenty years, starting at the age of ten as a Junior Lifeguard in Santa Monica.

Baywatch, an action drama series about lifeguards patrolling the beaches of Los Angeles County and Hawaii, was canceled after one season on NBC but survived in syndication and eventually became the most-watched series worldwide with more than 1.1 billion viewers.

The series was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz and Gregory J. Bonann and starred David Hasselhoff, along with an ensemble cast including Pamela Anderson, Alexandra Paul, Gregory Alan Williams, Jeremy Jackson, Parker Stevenson, David Chokachi, Billy Warlock , Erika Eleniak, David Charvet, Yasmine Bleeth and Nicole Eggert.

Newman also appeared in spin-off series Baywatch Nights and the 1998 film Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay; as well as the film comedy Welcome to Hollywood and the action drama Enemy Action.

Newman was also a full-time firefighter during the filming of Baywatch and remained a firefighter until he retired.

Felker penned a remembrance to Newman on Instagram, along with photos of the two, writing “I lost my hero yesterday. As I told him before he left this Earth. I will see you again. I promise.”