The fitness guru Richard Simmons died on July 13, 2024 just one day after his 76th birthday. Though he’d been a recluse in the final years of his life, he spent decades bringing joy to millions of fans through his iconic fitness routines.
In the wake of his passing, we’ve decided to take a walk down memory lane and take a deeper look at Simmons’ life. Scroll through below and learn a little bit more about this legendary fitness star!
When Was Richard Simmons Born?
Simmons was born Milton Teagle Simmons on July 12, 1948 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He would later say that he had “show-business parents,” and he was raised in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans. Simmons’ father worked as a local emcee, and his mother was a dancer.
In his memoir Still Hungry After All These Years: My Story, Simmons wrote that his parents both “fell madly in love with New Orleans. They loved the French Quarter, they loved the atmosphere, they loved the history, they loved the people.”
Simmons also had an older brother named Leonard Jr. The pair remained close throughout their lives.
Richard Simmons’ Obesity Struggles
Simmons struggled with obesity from an early age. He began overeating and was overweight by the time he was 4 years-old. Simmons continued to put on weight throughout his childhood. By the time he graduated from high school, he weighed 268 pounds.
After trying to lose weight with everything from laxatives to bizarre diets, Simmons’ life changed forever when he found aerobics. This craze revolved around dancelike movements that were set to music. For the first time, it made working out fun for Simmons!
Simmons relocated to Los Angeles in 1973. There, he was disturbed to find that most of the gyms catered to people who were already fit, rather than to beginners who were eager to lose weight. This led to him opening his own workout studio called Slimmons in Beverly Hills in 1974.
The rest, as they say, is history, as Simmons quickly became popular in the local fitness scene thanks to his positive attitude and effective aerobics exercises.
When Was Richard Simmons Popular?
Simmons’ peak years of popularity were in the 1980s. The success of his health club led to Simmons being featured on Real People. The program would show Simmons at work as he introduced people who he’d helped lose weight.
In 1980, Simmons was given his own eponymous talk show The Richard Simmons Show, which aired until 1984. He won multiple Emmys for this talk show.
From there, Simmons began releasing a series of fitness workout videos that became incredibly popular. His “Sweatin’ To The Oldies” series was particularly successful.
On top of all that, Simmons became a regular on the late night talk show circuit. These appearances allowed him to show off his quirky but endearing personality, and earned him millions of fans from all over the country.
Did Richard Simmons Wear A Headband?
Many would think that Simmons wore a headband constantly for his legendary workout videos. However, a deep dive of Simmons’ official YouTube channel shows that he never actually did wear a headband!
Thinking that Simmons did wear a headband has been attributed to the Mandela Effect. This means that since we generally associate Simmons and headbands with 80’s era workout videos, the two have been fused together in our brains.
Find out more about this in this viral TikTok below!
Related: Richard Simmons: People ‘Make Fun of Me’ But ‘I Am Glad To Be Me’
Why Did Richard Simmons Disappear?
Simmons’ popularity extended through the 1990s and into the 2000s. During that time, he continued to release fitness videos and make talk show appearances.
In early 2014, however, Simmons quietly stepped back from public life. One of his representatives later explained that this was both a gradual and deliberate process.
“We were turning down stuff for years and just kind of quieting down, and when he decides that he wants to come back, that’s when he’ll come back, and when that will be, I have no idea or if he will at all,” the rep said.
Simmons was effectively a recluse for the remaining years of his life, rarely leaving his home. As concern grew for his wellbeing over the years, Simmons spoke out on a few occasions to say that he was fine.
“No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” he told TODAY in 2016. “You know I do what I want to do as I’ve always done, so people should sort of just believe what I have to say because, like, I’m Richard Simmons!”
The 2022 docuseries TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons concluded that Simmons retreated from the public eye due to a double knee replacement that made it difficult for him to exercise. Simmons never specifically confirmed this, however.
In his final years, Simmons kept in touch with his fans on social media and appeared to be in good spirits. In the end, it seems that he “disappeared” because that’s simply what he wanted to do.
How Did Richard Simmons Die?
The exact cause of death for Simmons is still under investigation. However, it should be noted that no foul play is suspected.
Simmons reportedly fell in his bathroom on the night of his birthday. When Simmons was found by his housekeeper, she begged him to see a doctor. Simmons, however, refused, saying that he wanted to spend his birthday at home and would consider seeking medical attention the next day.
Simmons was found dead in his bedroom by his housekeeper the next morning at around 10 a.m.
“The world has truly lost an angel,” Simmons’ publicist Tom Estey told People Magazine after his passing.
Full Story: Tragic New Details Emerge About Richard Simmons’ Death
What Was Richard Simmons’ Net Worth?
Simmons had an estimated net worth of $20 million. This came after decades of success in the world of fitness and media. It isn’t known at this time what will be done with Simmons passing in the wake of his death.
Simmons was a true legend, and there will never be another one like him. While he’ll be dearly missed, Simmons will always live on through his incredible fitness routines!
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