'Eight is Enough' actor Adam Rich dead at 54

Rich was found dead at his home on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.

A cause of death was not immediately available, but an autopsy is scheduled. 

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told City News Service it is believed to be a natural death with no foul play suspected.

Rich was born in Brooklyn but grew up in Granada Hills. He gained fame for his role as Nicholas Bradford on "Eight is Enough," which ran from 1977-81. Rich was noted for his "pageboy' haircut, which was widely imitated by other children for a while. 

The show centered on a family of eight children whose father was a newspaper columnist played by Dick Van Patton.

Rich had guest spots on other TV shows during the era, including "Fantasy Island," "The Love Boat" and "CHiPs." He appeared on 13 episodes of the ABC drama "Code Red" that ran from 1981-82.

In later years his acting roles decreased and he experienced problems with drug use, including a 1991 arrest for breaking into a pharmacy to steal drugs, and a 2002 DUI arrest.

Rich last posted to Instagram in 2021 to reflect on being included in CNN's "History of the Sitcom" retrospective, a program that looked at the television shows that played a significant role in American culture.

"Honored to be included! Thanks CNN," Rich captioned the video. "I’m grateful for the joy felt while working on [Eight is Enough]! … I do hope it may have brought you some joy as well."

Adam Rich, an actor who rose to fame as a child playing the youngest Bradford family member, Nicholas, on the TV drama “Eight Is Enough,” has died, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

He was 54.

Rich died Saturday at his home in LA, according to a report by TMZ, citing his family. They did not share a cause of death.

While Rich is best known role on “Eight Is Enough,” he also appeared on several TV shows and assorted TV movies throughout the late ’70s and ‘80s. Some of those credits include “Fantasy Island,” “CHiPs,” “Small Wonder,” and a voice role on the animated series “Dungeons & Dragons.”

Rich’s last TV credit was an episode in “Baywatch” in 1993, before stepping away from on-camera appearances for ten years.

He later played himself in the 2003 David Spade comedy “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star,” and portrayed Crocodile Dundee in the TV series Reel Comedy that same year.

Rich faced legal troubles for alleged burglary in 1991. His TV dad from “Eight Is Enough,” actor Dick Van Patten, once paid his bail, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

As part of a satire on celebrity death, Rich participated in a 1996 hoax which falsely reported his passing, as written by “Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” author Dave Eggers, for Might Magazine.

The former child star was featured in the CNN series “The History of the Sitcom” in 2021, and reflected on his career in a post on Instagram at the time.