The cause of death for Adam Rich, the child actor known for his role on the hit family dramedy “Eight is Enough,” has been revealed as an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Rich, who was 54, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on January 7, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office ruled his death an accident and said that he had non-toxic levels of alcohol and lorazepam in his system.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that is often used illegally. It can be deadly even in small doses. Rich’s publicist, Danny Deraney, said that Rich had been struggling with addiction for several years.
“Adam was a kind and gentle soul who struggled with addiction,” Deraney said in a statement. “He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.”
Actor Dick Van Patten, who played Bradford’s father in the series, previously said Rich was “why the show was a big success.”
“People loved him!” Van Patten said. “[Fans] named a child Nicholas and everything because of him. He was cute, and he was a good actor. He was very natural.”
Rich was born in New York City in 1968. He began his acting career at the age of 6 and starred in several television shows, including “The Partridge Family” and “The Love Boat.” He is best known for his role as Nicholas Bradford on “Eight is Enough,” which ran from 1977 to 1981.
During Rich’s adult life, he struggled with substance abuse. In the ’90s, the star was arrested on suspicion of burglarizing a pharmacy.
One media outlet noted that he spent the following years in and out of rehab.
In 2002, he was arrested for driving under the influence after nearly hitting a California Highway Patrol car.
In a CBS News interview, Rich denied the charges and told the outlet, “I’ve been sober for ten years.”
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'Eight Is Enough' star Adam Rich died in January from the effects of fentanyl, according to an autopsy report from a Los Angeles County medical examiner. https://t.co/uURk0TGsIM
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) June 27, 2023
