Anecdotes

Was found dead in a field near his Connecticut home on October 7, 2005, his throat had been cut. He was 56 years old. The state medical examiner later ruled the death a suicide.

Acquired a certain notoriety for uttering the ultimate obscenity on live television during the final moments of the February 21, 1981, episode of Saturday Night Live (1975). Contrary to popular belief, Rocket was not immediately dismissed from the program but was fired with producer Jean Doumanian and all but four cast members (Denny Dillon, Gail Matthius, Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo were the exceptions) on March 10, 1981.

Officiated the wedding of Joe Pantoliano and Nancy Sheppard.

Also host of a daily afternoon show called "Super Show" which showed vintage serial television series from the 1950s.

Early in his career, he worked as an anchorman for KOAA-TV, an NBC affiliate in Pueblo, Colorado.

He attended the Rhode Island School of Design in the late 1960s and was part of the Rhode Island underground scene in the following decade. He made several short films and fronted his band, the Fabulous Motels. He later anchored the local news at Channel 12 WPRI. He made his network debut on the popular program Saturday Night Live (1975).

Played the very first angel of death, Adam on Mon ange (1994).

Had a son with his wife, Beth.

He made guest appearances on both Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) and Superman (1996).

He was cremated at Neptune Cremation Service in Newington, Connecticut. His ashes were sprinkled into the Penobscot River in his former hometown (Bangor, Maine).

Appeared in The Disease (1999) and previously in A Leap for Lisa - June 25, 1957 (1992) (as a character named Commander Riker), and also in A Little Miracle - December 24, 1962 (1990). Quantum Leap also starred Scott Bakula who would later play Captain Jonathan Archer in Enterprise (2001).