Adam Rich Dead at 54; ‘Eight Is Enough’ Star Battled Depression for Years

Adam Rich, who is most famous for being a child star on ABC's 'Eight is Enough,' a comedy series, has died at the age of 54 after battling depression for years.

In a statement, Lt. Aimee Earl of the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner's office announced that Rich died on Saturday in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. The star's cause of death was still under investigation but authorities said that it was not considered to be suspicious.

Adam Rich's Death

Also, Rich's publicist, Danny Deraney, remembered the former child star as "simply a wonderful guy." In a Twitter post, Deraney said that Rich was a kind and generous man who was also a warrior who fought against mental illness.

Deraney said that Rich did not have even an ounce of ego, adding that he was unselfish and always looked out for the people he cared about. The publicist said that this was the reason why many people who grew up with him feel that a part of their childhood was now gone with his passing, as per USA Today.

Rich's publicist said that the former child star suffered from a type of depression that defied treatment and noted that he had tried to erase the stigma of talking about mental illness. However, he unsuccessfully tried experimental cures over the years and remained sober.

Deraney said that he and several other people who were close to Rich were worried in the last couple of weeks when they were unable to reach him. The former child star was known for his wide grin and a pageboy haircut.

He found fame through his portrayal of Nicholas Bradford in the comedy series that aired from 1977 to 1981. The show focused on Dick Van Patten who played the character of a newspaper columnist and was the father of eight kids.

Battle With Depression

According to TMZ, which was the first to report about Rich's death, the former child star retreated from show business in the '80s because he said that he did not like the glare of the spotlight, or more specifically, anything celebrity-related.

One of the low points in Rich's life was his substance abuse issues, which resulted in a 1991 arrest after he smashed a pharmacy window in an attempt to get more drugs. Patten was the one who bailed him out of prison but he still had other legal issues.

Rich also appeared on the cover of the December 3, 1979, issue of PEOPLE magazine alongside co-stars Patten, Grant Goodeve, and Willie Aames. The story that was written detailed the road to the show's success. It featured the time when the original series' mother, Diana Hyland, died just four episodes into the show and Mark Hamill exited following a car accident just before the premiere.

Patten, who died in 2015, called the former child star "the most intelligent person on the show and very sweet, careful of people's feelings which is rare in children." Rich, at the time that he was a young kid, said that Patten was like a father but was not bossy, People reported.

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Depression