Adam Rich, star of '70s sitcom Eight is Enough, dies at 54
Adam Rich, who rose to fame as a child in '70s sitcom Eight is Enough, has died at the age of 54.
The actor died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, a family member has confirmed to TMZ but the cause of death has not been revealed.
A separate source from law enforcement also told TMZ police were called out to Rich's residence after the actor was found lifeless by an unidentified person.
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Adam Rich has died at 54. Getty
Rich played Nicholas Bradford, the youngest son on Eight Is Enough, which ran from 1977-1981.
The actor's manager Danny Deraney took to Twitter to confirm the death and mourn "America's little brother".
"If you knew Adam, you just loved the guy. And oh the stories he could tell," he wrote, also sharing a statement on the news of Rich's death.
"He was kind, generous and a warrior in the fight against mental illness," Deraney wrote.
"Adam did not have an ounce of ego. He was unselfish and always looked out for those he cared about.
"Which is why many people who grew up with him feel a part of their childhood gone, and sad today."
Fellow former child star Erin Murphy, who played young Tabitha Stephens in Bewitched, also paid tribute to Rich on Twitter.
"How can this be true?! RIP sweet Adam Rich," she wrote, alongside then-and-now photos of several former child stars of the '70s, '80s and '90s.
Following his stint on Eight is Enough, Rich appeared in Code Red and Dungeons and Dragons during the early '80s.
The child star also clinched number 73 on VH1's list of the 100 greatest kid stars.
However, by the late 1980s Rich had decided to retreat from his brewing fame, claiming he did not like the glare of the spotlight nor anything celebrity-related.
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Rich played Nicholas Bradford, the youngest son on Eight Is Enough, which ran from 1977-1981. Disney General Entertainment Con
By the 1990s, Rich had developed substance abuse issues, which peaked when the actor smashed a pharmacy window to obtain drugs.
The actor was bailed out by Dick Van Patten, his TV dad in Eight Is Enough.
