At the end of Cobra Kai season 5, episode 3, “Playing With Fire,” a tribute card appeared for one of the crew team members. The message read “In Memoriam Jeff Kay 1965-2021,” which left many audiences wondering who he was. Sadly, Jeff Kay died of a heart attack midway through the filming of Cobra Kai season 5.
This is not the first time the series has made a tribute. The production team dedicated an episode to Tommy actor Rob Garrison.
Who is Jeff Kay – Cobra Kai season 5 tribute explained
Jeff Kay was born on April 1965, and he died of a heart attack on October 17, 2021, during the same period that Cobra Kai season 5 was filming. Jeff Kay exemplifies the importance of a TV production crew; the hard work, the long hours, and how you all become a family. Following his death, tributes poured in regarding Jeff Kay and his work:
Nicolas Falacci on Twitter: “Jeff Kay was one of the best 1st ADs in the biz. Jeff Kay was family.”
American Housewife actor Diedrich Bader: “My friend Jeff Kay the longtime AD on @AmericanWifeABC, died today. He was a beautiful joyful ebullient ray of light and brought nothing but joy to every second the world is a dimmer place without him & everyone who ever had the chance to know him is better off bc [because] of it. RIP.”
Robert Phillips (also worked on Cobra Kai): “I just got to know Jeff over this past month in Atlanta. He didn’t know me, but took his time to talk to me about this industry. He told me about his bagel shop he [used] to own, how he got in the film industry and his love for golf. Wish I knew him like everyone else did. RIP.”
Jeff Kay’s work
Jeff Kay has an extensive catalogue beyond Cobra Kai. As per IMDB, he is also known for:
- Courage Under Fire (1996) – second assistant director.
- Power (1995) – second assistant director.
- Gettysburg (1993) – additional second assistant director.
- Twisted (2014) – first assistant director for 9 episodes.
He also worked on some recent recognizable work:
- American Housewife (2017-2021) – first assistant director on 45 episodes.
- Training Day (2017) – first assistant director on 3 episodes.
And so that explains the Cobra Kai season 5 tribute to Jeff Kay. A kind reminder that beyond the stars and director, there’s an entire crew working hard, putting in their craft to make the magic on our screens. Rest in Peace, Jeff Kay.
