Richard Simmons, the energetic, frizzy-haired TV persona and health coach who made train accessible to tens of millions after which grew to become reclusive in recent times, has died. He was 76.
Simmons died at his house in Los Angeles on Saturday, at some point after his birthday. His rep Tom Estey confirmed the information to Selection.
On Friday, Simmons posted a message on social media thanking his followers for the birthday needs.
“Thanks…I by no means received so many messages about my birthday in my life!” Simmons wrote. “I’m sitting right here writing emails. Have a most lovely remainder of your Friday.”
In early 2017, the “Lacking Richard Simmons” podcast, produced by a former pal, delved into his life and profession historical past and tried to find why he had fully retreated from the general public view after residing most of his life within the public eye. The podcast coated the tales that had circulated questioning whether or not he was affected by despair or was presumably underneath the affect of his housekeeper.
Whereas different health stars like Jack Lalanne, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jane Fonda exhibited spectacular physiques and movie-star beauty, Simmons appealed to the typical viewer with plucky cheer fairly than large muscle groups. His neon-hued, sequined train put on made him a kitsch icon, though he averted discussing his sexuality.
“The Richard Simmons Present,” which featured recipes, train routines and movie star friends, ran from 1984 to 1989 and garnered Daytime Emmys for greatest route and greatest discuss present. A sequence of DVD exercises together with “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” offered effectively for years, bringing his upbeat motivation to viewers across the nation.
Born Milton Teagle Simmons on July 12, 1948, in New Orleans to a showbiz household, he suffered from bronchial asthma as an overweight teenager. Whereas he was an obese alternate scholar in Italy, he had an uncredited half in “Fellini Satyricon.”
After shifting to Los Angeles, Simmons labored as a maître d’ at Derek’s restaurant and started growing an curiosity in health. He was capable of lose 123 kilos and in 1974 opened a Beverly Hills health studio known as The Anatomy Asylum.
Because the studio grew to become extra profitable, he started making appearances on exhibits corresponding to “Actual Individuals” and had a recurring function as himself on “Normal Hospital.”
After his “Richard Simmons Present” went off the air, he stayed within the public eye with visitor appearances on quite a few exhibits corresponding to “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” “CHiPs” and “Arrested Growth.” He was additionally a frequent visitor on the Howard Stern radio present and on “Late Night time With David Letterman.”
An upcoming biopic about Simmons’ life was introduced in January 2024, with Pauly Shore set to painting the health icon. Simmons, who has been a recluse since 2014, spoke out towards the movie.
“Hello Everyone! You’ll have heard they could be doing a film about me with Pauly Shore. I’ve by no means given my permission for this film. So don’t consider all the pieces you learn,” Simmons wrote on Fb. “I now not have a supervisor, and I now not have a publicist. I simply attempt to stay a quiet life and be peaceable. Thanks for all of your love and help.”
Simmons was lively in charity occasions, significantly these selling a healthful life-style, and taught lessons at his train studio. He made himself accessible for frequent interactions along with his many followers, whether or not they had been on film stars’ houses bus excursions, shoppers of his train studio, or passengers on his “Cruise to Lose” cruises. His train studio remained in enterprise in Beverly Hills till 2016.
He’s survived by a brother.