New information has surfaced about the passing of fitness legend Richard Simmons.
On July 13, the day after his 76th birthday, police were called to Simmons’ home by his housekeeper. He was found dead, and authorities said there were no signs of foul play.
A spokesperson for Simmons’ family shared with People.com on August 21 that the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office ruled his death as accidental. It was due to complications from recent falls, with heart disease playing a part too.
The coroner’s office also confirmed that Simmons’ toxicology report came back negative except for prescribed medications.
Simmons became famous in the 1970s after opening several gyms in Los Angeles. He then hosted TV shows like Slim Cookin and The Richard Simmons Show, which even won an Emmy. Throughout the 1980s, he released many fitness tapes, making him a pop culture icon.
He made guest appearances as himself on many TV shows such as All My Children, Arrested Development, General Hospital, and The Larry Sanders Show. He was also seen on late-night shows like Late Night With David Letterman and Saturday Night Live. Additionally, he was a panelist on game shows like Family Feud and The New Hollywood Squares and voiced characters in animated series like Johnny Bravo and Rocko’s Modern Life.
Simmons stopped making public appearances in 2014, which led to rumors that he was being held against his will. In 2017, journalist Dan Taberski created a podcast called Missing Richard Simmons to investigate why he disappeared from public life. Despite ongoing rumors, Simmons told the New York Post in 2022 that he was “happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen.”
We all miss seeing him around.
