<p id=”par-1_17″>Fitness icon <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/celebrity-deaths/?swcfpc=1″>Richard Simmons</a>, who made it his <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/what-is-fitness-guru-richard-simmons-net-worth-and-is-he-making-a-comeback.html/”>mission to make exercising fun</a>, has died at 76. </p>
<p id=”par-2_41″>Los Angeles police responded to a 911 call from Simmons’ home on Saturday, July 13. Once they arrived, they found Simmons deceased, <a href=”https://abcnews.go.com/US/fitness-guru-richard-simmons-dead-76/story?id=111912398″>ABC News</a> reported. No cause of death was given, but he is believed to have died of natural causes. </p>
<p id=”par-3_29″>Simmon had just celebrated his birthday on Friday. In one of his final <a href=”https://www.facebook.com/TheWeightSaint/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Facebook</a> posts, he spoke about how grateful he was for all the well wishes he’d received. </p>
<p id=”par-4_29″>“Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails,” he wrote. “Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Richard-Simmons-BW.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Black and white photo of young Richard Simmons” class=”wp-image-3687951″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Richard Simmons | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images </figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-5_35″>Simmons was born Milton Teagle Simmons in New Orleans in 1948. His experience as an overweight child and teen – at one point he weighed 268 pounds – eventually led to his interest in fitness. </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Richard-Simmons-Exercise-Studio.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Richard Simmons leans against the barre in an exercise studio, surrounded by students” class=”wp-image-3687948″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Richard Simmons in Los Angeles in 1978 | CBS via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-6_25″>In 1974, Simmons opened his own exercise studio, Slimmons, in Beverly Hills. It remained in business for more than 40 years before closing in 2016. </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-3″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Richard-Simmons-Americas-Bandstand.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Richard Simmons dancing on ‘American Bandstand’ in 1982″ class=”wp-image-3687947″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Richard Simmons in a 1982 episode of ‘American Bandstand’ | AMERICAN BROADCASTING COMPANIES, INC.</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-7_29″>In the 1980s, Simmons became <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/whose-line-is-it-anyway-richard-simmons-episode-took-forever-to-film.html/”>a nationally recognized figure</a> thanks to his best-selling books, his <em>Sweatin’ to the Oldies </em>videos, and his daytime talk series, <em>The Richard Simmons Show. </em></p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-4″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Richard-Simmons-General-Hospital.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Richard Simmons in a tracksuit smiling with women in leotards on ‘General Hospital'” class=”wp-image-3687952″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Richard Simmons with Shell Kepler, Gail Ramsey, Louise Hoven, Brooke Bundy, Jackie Zeman, and Bianca Ferguson on ‘General Hospital’ | American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-8_26″>Simmons was also a frequent guest on <em>The Tonight Show </em>and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/general-hospital-3-weirdest-nurses-ball-guest-stars.html/”>played himself on <em>General Hospital</em></a><em> </em>for three years in the last ‘70s and early ‘80s. </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-5″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Richard-Simmons-Jay-Leno.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Richard Simmons talks to Jay Leno during an appearance on ‘The Tonight Show'” class=”wp-image-3687953″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Richard Simmons talks to Jay Leno during a March 16, 1994 appearance on ‘The Tonight Show’ | Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-9_21″>Simmons’ boisterous personality, non-judgmental approach to fitness and health, and willingness to interact one-on-one with fans propelled him to worldwide fame. </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-6″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Richard-Simmons-Macys.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Richard Simmons riding on a float at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” class=”wp-image-3687949″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Richard Simmons attends the 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28, 2013 in New York City | Noam Galai/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/jeremy-ethier-gives-us-his-best-health-and-fitness-tips.html/”>
Jeremy Ethier Gives Us His Best Health and Fitness Tips </a>
</p>
</div>
<p id=”par-10_23″>In recent years, Simmons stepped away from the spotlight. One of his last appearances was at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013. </p>
<p id=”par-11_49″>Simmons’ retreat from the public eye sparked both concern and conspiracy theories, and some people even speculated that he was being held hostage. The 2017 podcast <em>Missing Richard Simmons </em>attempted to discover what had happened to the much-loved exercise instructor, though critics slammed it as invasive and “<a href=”https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/14/arts/missing-richard-simmons-podcast.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>morally suspect</a>.” </p>
<p id=”par-12_37″>In 2022, a spokesperson told the <a href=”https://nypost.com/2022/08/26/richard-simmons-breaks-6-year-silence-after-bombshell-doc/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>New York Post</a> that Simmons was “happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.” Soon after, he resurfaced on social media and began communicating again with his fans.</p>
<p id=”par-13_17″>Earlier in 2024, Simmons spoke out against a proposed movie about his life starring <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/pauly-shore-claimed-katt-williams-successful-black.html/”>comedian Pauly Shore</a>. </p>
<p id=”par-14_68″>“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” he wrote on Facebook. “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”</p>
<p id=”par-15_18″>A few days before his death, he said he was working on sharing his story with the world. </p>
<p id=”par-16_15″>“Getting closer to telling my story in my own words,” he wrote. “I’m so excited!”</p>
<p id=”par-17_16″><em>For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to </em><a href=”https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmTM34h0-P7FcCwuA6h6sw/videos” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel</em></a><em>.</em></p>