Richard Simmons was known to millions for his fitness routines and infectious personality – but his path to worldwide fame was sparked by secret turmoil.
Simmons – who died aged 76 on July 13 – had struggled with his weight since childhood. Growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, the star – born Milton Teagle Simmons – began overeating and was overweight by the age of four.
Aged 15 his weight had soared to 182lbs and he would eventually reach a peak weight of 268lbs at 5ft 7.
In 1999 memoir Still Hungry After All These Years Simmons revealed he first realized he was bigger than other kids his age when his mom took him clothes shopping.
A salesman pointed him to the husky-sized clothes which confused Simmons into thinking he was getting a dog.
Richard Simmons was known to millions for his fitness routines and infectious personality – but his path to worldwide fame was sparked by secret turmoil – pictured 1992
He wrote: ‘The salesman overheard me and laughed… “You don’t understand; husky is a size in clothing for boys who are bigger than average”.
Simmons also revealed he was bullied at school, with his friend Antoinette DiPiazza telling People: ‘You could always tell sometimes at school when he was younger he would try to hold back tears. I felt for him, the boys would just pick up on him because of his weight and during gym class and stuff.’
Images of the future star before his 100lb+ weight loss are scarce – but as an adult art student he appeared almost unrecognizable on screen among the freak show characters in Fellini films Satyricon (1968) and The Clowns (1970).
He was said to have destroyed all other photos of himself when he was obese.
After graduating from Florida State University, Simmons – who had changed his first name to Richard aged 11 – travelled to Italy to study art.
There came the pivotal moment that propelled Simmons into completely overhauling his lifestyle while he was working as a ‘fat model’ in Europe per the New York Times.
In 1968 aged 20 he found a mysterious, anonymous note on the windshield of his car – which read: ‘Dear Richard: Fat people die young. Please don’t die.’
Stunned by the note Simmons began crash dieting and developed an eating disorder – surviving on water and lettuce for more than two months, popping diet pills, trying hypnosis and exercising obsessively.
Simmons – who died aged 76 on July 13 – had struggled with his weight since childhood – and devoted his life to helping others overcome their weight issues
Images of the future star before his 100lb+ weight loss are scarce – but as an adult art student he appeared almost unrecognizable on screen among the freak show characters in Fellini films Satyricon (1968 – pictured) and The Clowns (1970).
Growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana , the star – born Milton Teagle Simmons – began overeating and was overweight by the age of four
Aged 15 his weight had soared to 182lbs and he would eventually reach a peak weight of 268lbs at 5ft 7 – he is pictured in 1968 aged 20
Two and a half months later he had lost a mammoth 112lbs – but was battling numerous medical issues, including hair loss, foul breath and drooping skin.
He said: ‘I ended up looking like a thin Glad bag.’
He previously told Oprah: ‘At a certain point, I was very afraid to eat because I was very afraid to die and so I stopped eating and I got to 119 pounds and I ended up in the hospital.’
‘Like, when I saw spaghetti, I saw worms. I mean, I started picturing food as an enemy.’
The star returned to Los Angeles in 1971 where he worked as a maître d’ at a restaurant – before quitting in 1975.
Having developed a keen interest in fitness and seeing a gap in the market due to exercise studios only catering to already in-shape customers – he opened his own studio – named The Anatomy Asylum.
Through the studio he promoted his own inspirational ethos of healthy eating in correct portions as well as fun workouts.
His mantra was: ‘Love yourself, move your body and watch your portions.’
The studio – later renamed Slimmons – was where Simmons began teaching his famed aerobics classes in his signature sequins and dolphin shorts.
The Anatomy Asylum began attracting celebrity clients with Simmons’ outrageous personality landing him his own Emmy Award-winning television series The Richard Simmons Show, which aired from 1980 to 1984.
He also released book Never-Say-Diet.
In 1968 he found a mysterious, anonymous note on the windshield of his car – which read: ‘Dear Richard: Fat people die young. Please don’t die.’ Stunned by the note Simmons began crash dieting and developed an eating disorder. Pictured in NYC in 2006
Simmons pictured teaching a fitness class back in 2013
He also opened exercise studios and starred in exercise videos, including the wildly successful ‘Sweatin’ to the Oldies’ line, which became a cultural phenomenon.
Simmons’ daytime show was seen on 200 stations in America, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan and South America. His first book, ‘Never Say Diet’, was a smash best-seller.
He was known to counsel the severely obese, including Rosalie Bradford, who held records for being the world’s heaviest woman, and Michael Hebranko, who credited Simmons for helping him lose 700 pounds.
After winning a legion of fans with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity, Simmons stepped away from the limelight in 2014.
Simmons revealed he was diagnosed with skin cancer in an emotional Facebook post in March after discovering a ‘strange looking bump’ under his right eye.
After calling a dermatologist, the fitness trailblazer recalled feeling ‘a little bit nervous’ after the doctor looked at his mysterious bump ‘through a magnifying mirror.’
‘He told me he would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope,’ the New Orleans native told his fans. ‘He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word.’
He continued: ‘I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basel Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.’
Simmons was then told he had to go to ‘a cancer doctor right away.’
Having developed a keen interest in fitness and seeing a gap in the market due to exercise studios only catering to already in-shape customers – he opened his own studio – named The Anatomy Asylum. Through the studio he promoted his own inspirational ethos of healthy eating in correct portions as well as fun workouts. Pictured in August 2013
Simmons is pictured in October 2013 just months before he dipped out of the public eye
To treat the cancer, he said his doctor explained that he needed ‘to burn’ his ‘skin to remove the cancer cells.’
‘There was no numbing it just had to be done with a small instrument,’ the actor detailed. ‘As he started burning my skin a tear dropped down my cheek. You can’t cry during this and he wiped my tear. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.’
Following the procedure, he was told to return in an hour and a half to see if they ‘got it all out.’
‘After driving around the city, I went back to some sad news,’ he noted. ‘I didn’t get it all out. He burned my face again. This time was worse than before…It was deeper. I did not cry this time but I did grit my teeth.’
Simmons went on to reveal in a second post that the ‘third time was a charm’ and they removed ‘all the cancer cells out.’
‘Before I left, he checked my arms, my back, my chest and my legs. I had a little Frankenstein under my right eye for a while,’ he continued. ‘He gave me some cream to put on it which I did religiously. Because of his fine work I don’t have a scar.’
The skin cancer announcement came just days after the reclusive star sparked fears he was dying with a worrying social media post.
He posted on X and Facebook: ‘I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am …. dying. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.
‘Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.’
In a later post, Simmons apologized and said he was ‘sorry for the confusion’.
‘Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me,’ the fitness celebrity wrote on a post on X. ‘I am not dying.’
The media figure, who was known for his formerly outgoing personality, abruptly stopped making public appearances in 2014, and many of his fans voiced their concerns about his well-being over the following years.
However Simmons’ spokesman Tom Estey provided a statement to the New York Post in 2022 and expressed that he was ‘happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.’
The star posted his final Facebook message to fans a day before his death – which read: ‘Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard’.
