From 1989 to 2000, Mike Newman spent his days on the beach and in front of the cameras playing lifeguard Newmie Newman in the hit action series Baywatch. But after the show ended, he quit acting altogether.
The retired star, who recently opened up to PEOPLE about his 16-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, is now sharing why he quit acting and never looked back.
Baywatch Lifeguard Mike Newman opens up about his 16-year battle with Parkinson’s disease: ‘Everything changes’ (Exclusive)
Although Newman, 66, says he’s had “great pleasure” in acting, he admits: “You don’t realize how difficult it is to look natural in front of the lens and watch yourself progress and, sometimes, not improve.”
But he was never swayed by the allure of fame, saying of the entertainment industry: “If you didn’t have to be there, why would you be? Let’s be honest… there aren’t too many actors who make it through the years in Hollywood.”
Michael Newman in “Baywatch”.
All American TV, Inc.; Hulton Archive; Getty
Newman tells PEOPLE that he actually started out as a “stuntman.” Baywatch, appeared for seven years before finally securing a spot in the checkout line. As the only real lifeguard in the cast — not to mention a working firefighter — he says he was “too useful” to get rid of.
Reflecting on his many stunts over the years, he says: “There’s nothing in the world I can’t do, whether it’s sailing a boat or diving or tackling a guy on a jet ski. I love doing all those things.”
“But,” he continues, “dealing with people scratching your name on a script and putting their name on it? That kind of thing…you never get used to it.”
‘Baywatch’ cast: Where are they now?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(599x0:601x2)/baywatch-michael-newman-2-092923-bceba755745d455d8e6d4e601c80d61c.jpg)
The cast of “Baywatch.”.
Hulton Archive; Getty
Original Baywatch ran for 11 seasons, focusing on a group of lifeguards patrolling the beaches of Los Angeles and, later, Hawaii. David Hasselhoff’s Mitch Buchannon led the team as an original cast member, with Pamela Anderson booked to star as CJ Parker in season three.
Pamela Anderson shows the iconic ‘Baywatch’ look in a tight red T-shirt at the premiere of her documentary
The series was initially canceled after only one season on NBC, but experienced unexpected distribution success and became the most-watched television series in the world at its peak. Many current and future stars have appeared in the series and its spinoffs, including Jason Momoa from the Aloha State as a lifeguard over two seasons Baywatch: Hawaii. (Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron even gave the series a great send-off in the 2017 big-screen comedy riff, also called Baywatch.)
As for Newman, he appeared in a total of 150 episodes of the main series, appearing in 1989. Baywatch: Panic on Malibu Pierin 1998 Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay and three episodes of a short-lived spinoff Baywatch Nights.
Newman and other members of the original cast will appear in an upcoming documentary, Baywatch: The Documentary. Directed by Matt Felker, it is planned to explore the show’s cultural legacy and the lives of its stars. It will also delve into Newman’s battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Baywatch is now available to stream on Amazon Prime and Peacock.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education