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Tawny Kitaen death: Bachelor Party and Whitesnake music video star dies, aged 59

Kitaen played Tom Hanks’ fiancé in the 1984 comedy

Jacob Stolworthy
Monday 10 May 2021 08:18 EDT
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Related video: Bachelor party trailer

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Actor and music video star Tawny Kitaen has died, aged 59.

The news was announced by TMZ, who said the actor, who appeared in famous music videos in the 1980s, died in Newport beach on Friday (7 May).

Kitaen’s cause of death is yet to be announced.

She starred in the videos to Whitesnake songs “Here I Go Again” and “Is This Love” and, in 1984, played the fiancé of Tom Hanks’s character in comedy film Bachelor Party.

Her other screen credits included The Perils of Gwendoline and After Midnight.

Kitaen – born Julie Kitaen – had a two-year marriage to Whitesnake’s lead singer, David Coverdale, in 1989, and had two daughters with baseball player Chuck Finley.

In 2002, Finley filed for divorce after five years of marriage after accusing Kitaen of domestic abuse.

Kitaen was charged with domestic violence, but arranged a plea after agreeing to enter a domestic violence counselling programme.

Tawny Kitaen has died, aged 59
Tawny Kitaen has died, aged 59 (Getty Images)

In recent years, Kitaen had TV appearances on US shows Botched and Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew.

Kitaen had a history of substance abuse, which led to an arrest for drug possession in 2006.

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