'EIGHT IS ENOUGH' STAR ADAM RICH DEAD AT 54

[Archae]

Source: TMZ

Adam Rich, who starred in the enormous hit, "Eight Is Enough" has died ... TMZ has learned.

A family member tells TMZ ... Adam died Saturday at his L.A. area home. The family member would not reveal the cause of death, but a law enforcement source tells TMZ someone came to his home and found him lifeless. The law enforcement source adds ... this was not foul play.

&t=55s&ab_channel=WarnerBros.

Read more: https://www.tmz.com/2023/01/08/adam-rich-dead-dies-eight-is-enough/

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Another child star who couldn't really handle fame.

[Farmer-Rick]

1. Poor guy

He died so young.

[Wingus Dingus]

2. Only a year older than me. I wasn't a big fan of that show, but

did watch it occasionally. RIP.

[iluvtennis]

3. May Adam Rich Rest in Peace and May his Memory be a Blessing. n/t

[Sky Jewels]

4. Sad. He was a really cute kid. RIP, Adam.

[Archae]

6. Danny Bonaduce (from the Partridge Family show) said it best...

After he grew up.

"If you're cute and you suck, once you are no longer cute, you still suck."

[BumRushDaShow]

5. I saw this pop up on a breaking news banner

I used to watch that occasionally but didn't really keep track of him after that. He did guest star (with billing) on some other shows back then.



R.I.P. to him and hope he is now in a better place.

[Aristus]

7. He was only five days older than me.

My older sister insisted on cutting my hair for me when we were kids, and always tried to give me Rich's hairstyle. She never entirely succeeded.

I heard he had had some bad substance abuse problems. Child Star is not a fate I would wish on anyone.

[AngryOldDem]

9. He was in and out of trouble in his late teens.

After the show was cancelled. These kids don’t have a chance at a normal childhood, and are essentially, “washed up” by their late teens, especially if they are unlucky not to have a healthy support system. He joins the ranks of a lot of broken child stars. 😥

[Kaleva]

36. He joins the ranks of a lot of broken kids

Having been a foster parent, I'm too familiar with kids who didn't have a chance.

I personally know two who turned it around after drug use and time in jail or prison. I know others who never recovered and are dead now.

[AngryOldDem]

8. He is the third kid in the series who couldn't fight the demons anymore

Lani O’Grady (Mary) and Susan Richardson (Susan) are also gone.

“Eight Is Enough” was one of my favorite shows in the late ‘70s and ‘80.

I am so sorry to hear this.

[Mawspam2]

10. Which demons?

A little presumptive on your part?

[tenderfoot]

11. He's struggled with depression and discussed it often on his twitter feed.

eom

[EYESORE 9001]

12. You don't wanna know

the presumptive thoughts running through my mind right now.

[AngryOldDem]

13. From Wikipedia

I admit I was incorrect about Richardson, but don’t you agree that life after the series wasn’t/hasn’t been particularly kind to either?

O’Grady:

O'Grady died in her mobile home in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California at age 46 on September 25, 2001.[2] An autopsy revealed toxic levels of the painkiller Vicodin and antidepressant Prozac in her bloodstream, and the Los Angeles County Coroner's office said she died of "multiple-drug intoxication", although the coroner was unable to determine if her death was an accident or suicide.[3]

Richardson:

On March 15, 1978, Richardson married Michael Virden, and shortly thereafter became pregnant, which was also written into Eight Is Enough. She gave birth to their daughter, Sarah, on February 27, 1980. After her pregnancy, a rumor was spread that Richardson would lose her job if she did not shed her pregnancy weight; she had gained 90 lb (41 kg). Finding it very difficult to slim down by normal means, she started using cocaine.[1]

In January 2013, The Huffington Post published a report from a National Enquirer interview with Richardson. She reported she had experienced extremely hard times, living in an unheated trailer with a rotting floor in Wagontown, Pennsylvania, not far from her hometown of Coatesville. Richardson said she had developed diabetes, suffered three mini-strokes, had lost 60 lb (27 kg), and lost her teeth as the result of a digestive condition.[2]

[ornotna]

15. Susan Richardson is still alive

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Richardson

[AngryOldDem]

23. I acknowledged that in my post above.

[ornotna]

26. Yes you did

But you didn't amend the original post.

[AngryOldDem]

28. Sorry I didn't follow DU etiquette.

I figured offering a correction in a reply would be sufficient.

[DownriverDem]

14. The actress that played

Mary died of an overdose in 2001.

[Dr. Shepper]

16. Oh no. That was my fav show

When I was little. We called it Nicholas not Eight is Enough.

[Warpy]

17. Oh, he managed fame OK

It's the long years after it that are so tough for child stars.

I knew one guy who was a regular on a few 50s cowboy shows and who had a lot of commercials under his little belt. He had good parents who banked all the cash and kept him from taking Hollywood too seriously, preparing him for the day when he aged out. He did OK and I hope life was good to him, he was one of the good guys.

Other child stars have parents who want the gravy train to last forever and blame the kid when aging out occurs. Those are the ones who have the toughest time growing up because the penalty for growing up is severe.

I hope that wasn't the case in Rich's life, that he hadn't turned to heavy drugs to ease the pain of losing both fame and family, that he was OK and a nice, quick heart attack in his sleep was his lot.

[Hekate]

29. I understand what you're saying

[Mosby]

32. They don't really "age out"

They reach a point where they have to be able to act pretty well, and most can't.

[Warpy]

33. Even powerhouse performers like Tatum O'Neill

had a hiatus between child roles and an adult career, mostly to get past that gawky, adolescent stage.

I'll admit it's hard to judge a kid's acting ability from sitcoms, they mostly go for one liners.

[Mosby]

37. True, and a lot if child actors are chosen because they are small

And can play roles younger than their chrono age. That can present problems later especially with boys.

[Warpy]

39. I think O'Neill was all of eight when she was with her dad in "Paper Moon"

and she stole every single scene she was in. Her age was appropriate to the role, the story line lifted from "Addie Pray."

[GenThePerservering]

18. It may be just a bad photo

but he looks prematurely aged and worn in the second shot.

[Shellback Squid]

19. but he didn't pay for that baseball!1!

[tenderfoot]

20. His final tweet

Link to tweet

[AngryOldDem]

24. This breaks my heart.

I know exactly where he was coming from with this.

It is damn exhausting: 1) trying to live up to what others expect of you; and 2) just trying to get through the damn day, and when you do, feeling like you just climbed fucking Everest.

We do need to fight the stigma.

They say “It’s OK not to be OK.” If anyone knows anybody who’s strggling, please let them know you’re there for them, and that this is true. Depression is about the most isolating thing there is at times.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

21. May he rest in peace

[jmowreader]

22. It makes you wonder...

…how Emma Watson and Ron Howard kept it together.

[tenderfoot]

27. Rance Howard was a good dad.

I know people that knew the Howards. They (Clint and Ron) had to do chores around the house and their parents wouldn't them hangout in the Hollywood scene when they were teens.

[LakeArenal]

25. Some grow up okay.

Even tho I hate them, the Camerons and Olsen twins.

Also Mayum Bialik is great. Danica McKeller, too.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

35. Sarah Jessica Parker

[Aristus]

38. I wouldn't say Kirk Cameron grew up okay.

He got an actress fired from his show because she once posed nude for Playboy. What a horrible, filthy, vicious thing to do, and in no way representative of the kind of forgiveness that his supposed "Christianity" extends.

He and his putrid sister are just smug, moralizing assholes with no redeeming qualities of any kind.

[LakeArenal]

40. I said I don't like them. But they aren't killing themselves with drugs or booze either.

[The Grand Illuminist]

30. I didn't believe it because of this......

https://www.neonbooks.org.uk/dave-eggers-faking-death-might-magazine/

[progressoid]

31. Wow. I've never heard about this before.

Crazy.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

34. wow...the little boy is 54? time flies. RIP