Francis J. Conway, best known as the production manager for Baywatch and Criminal Minds, passed away on Dec. 17, Deadline reported. The 70-year-old West Hollywood resident died of natural causes.
Conway's death was confirmed by his brother, John. He shared memories about Francis and his love for the entertainment industry.
John Conway recalled how his brother would take his Volkswagen bus "to anybody who wanted help. He loved it and felt like it was a blessing to be working in that field," he said.
"I remember going to the premiere of Baywatch. One of them was in Hawaii. He loved the beach," John Conway said.
Francis Conway was born in Westwood, California, and was one of five children. He studied film at UC Santa Cruz in the hopes of making a career in Hollywood.
He would eventually make a name for himself in the business as production manager on the original Baywatch from 1996 to 2001. He would return to work for the franchise in 2003 for the made-for-TV movie Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding.
Francis Conway also worked as a unit production member for other major television shows of the era. Some of those productions included The Agency, ER, Prison Break, Criminal Minds, and Stalker.
According to his IMDB page, the 2023 series The Consultant was his last credited project. It's unclear whether Francis Conway was in poor health prior to his passing.
Besides his brother John, Francis Conway is survived by his siblings Mary, Anne, and Joe. His brother Chris, along with his parents, preceded him in death.
Francis Conway isn't the only tragedy the long-running series experienced this year. In October, Michael Newman died after a long battle with Parkinson's disease, PEOPLE reported.
Matt Felker, Newman's close friend and director of Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, said he passed away "from heart complications" but was "surrounded by his family and friends." Newman was 67 at the time.
"I got to see Mike the last time he was conscious and he looked [at] me and in typical Mike fashion said, 'You’re just in time,'" Felker recalled. Despite having a role on the hit series, Felker maintained his day job as a fireman and retired after 25 years.
Another Baywatch alum, Nicole Eggert, recently finished treatment for Stage 2 breast cancer, which has created challenges for her. "But the gray area is the hardest because you don’t know what’s happening. When I’m doing treatment, I felt like I was doing something productive," she lamented.
Francis Conway spent his life making popular television, which is enjoyed by many. Although he worked behind the scenes, his contributions to the medium will not be forgotten.
