Richard Simmons, the fitness guru with a flamboyant, relentlessly positive persona, died on Saturday (July 13) at his home in the Hollywood Hills. His death, which appears to be of natural causes, came a day after his 76th birthday.
Simmons' multifaceted fitness empire included at least 12 books, 10 CDs and 22 DVDs, including five signature volumes Sweating to the Oldies.
Simmons had a platinum album in 1982 with Reach, which led the Billboard 200 for 40 weeks. The album consisted of Simmons singing motivational hits such as “What Are You Waiting For?”, “You Can Do It”, “Wake Up”, “Reach” and “Live It”.
Simmons' album entered the Billboard 200 for the week ending June 5, 1982, a week after Jane Fonda's workout record made his debut. Jane Fonda's double disc album reached No. 15 in the chart and went double platinum. It consisted mostly of upbeat jams like the Jacksons' “Can You Feel It” and “Stomp!” by Brothers Johnson. Both albums were part of the craze of the time, which was also captured in Olivia Newton-John's “Physical” video, released in 1981.
Simmons' colorful personality made him a natural for television, where he achieved his greatest fame. From 1980-84, he hosted his own daytime show The Richard Simmons Show, focusing on personal health, fitness, exercise and healthy cooking. He also made frequent appearances as himself General Hospital and many other programs.
He was also a frequent guest on late-night television and radio talk shows, such as Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) and Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) and The Howard Stern Show, where these hosts knew how far they could tease Simmons without crossing the line into cruelty. Simmons, dressed in his signature Dolphin shorts and sparkly tank tops, always seemed to be in on the joke.
He understood his role in show business. In a 2012 interview with Men's Health, is reported to have said: “When the king is depressed, he does not call his wife or the cook. He turns to the little man in the pointed hat and says to the court jester 'make me laugh'. And I'm that court jester.”
Simmons was born Milton Teagle Simmons was born on July 12, 1948 in New Orleans. He grew up in the French Quarter, where, as he noted in his biography, “lard was a food group and dessert was mandatory.” Simmons struggled with his weight from a young age. He reportedly weighed 268 pounds when he graduated from high school.
When he moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s, Simmons developed an interest in fitness. He opened a fitness studio, Anatomy Asylum, later renamed Slimmons. His interest in fitness helped him lose more than 100 pounds. In 2010, he proudly announced that he had maintained this weight for 42 years.
Simmons has not made any major public appearances since 2014. In February 2017, the podcast Richard Simmons is missing began, investigating why Simmons left public life so suddenly.
In August 2022, in response to ongoing rumors and a TMZ documentary, What really happened to Richard SimmonsSimmons issued a statement on New York Post that “he is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.”
In March 2024, Simmons revealed that he had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, located under his right eye. That same month, Simmons issued a statement clarifying that he was not dying, after a cryptic post he had written on Facebook sparked public concern.
“I'm dying…” Simmons had written on Facebook. “Oh, I can see your faces now. The truth is we all die. Every day we live we get closer to our death. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy. “
Earlier this year, actor Pauly Shore portrayed Simmons in a short film titled The Court Jester, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. While promoting the film, Shore teased the production of a larger biopic on the fitness icon
Simmons, however, clarified that he was not involved in the film.
“You may have heard that they might be making a movie about me with Pauly Shore,” Simmons wrote in a post. “I have never given my permission for this film. So don't believe everything you read.”
Simmons, who has been active on social media, appeared to be in good spirits on Friday, his birthday. He posted a black and white photo of himself next to a cake. “I've never gotten so many birthday messages in my life!” Simmons wrote on Facebook. “I'm sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”
