Richard Simmons Net Worth Explored. (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Richard Simmons, the flamboyant fitness guru whose advocacy for physical fitness made him a mainstay of television talk shows and infomercials for decades, was reportedly found dead at his Hollywood Hills home on Saturday, July 13.
According to TMZ, Simmons was found dead of suspected cardiac arrest a day after celebrating his 76th birthday. A day before his death, Richard Simmons posted a message on his Facebook thanking his fans for the birthday messages. He wrote, “Thank you. I never got so many messages about my birthday! I am sitting here writing emails. Have the most beautiful rest of your Friday.”
Let’s take a look at the net worth of the man who helped get millions of people in shape.
The New Orleans native moved to Southern California in the 1970s and began working as a maitre d ‘in Beverly Hills before opening his first gym in that city, called Slimmons, in 1974. The iconic gym closed in 2016.
Simmons’s career as a fitness enthusiast took off after several appearances on television as a recurring guest on daytime and late-night talk shows.
His appearance on late-night shows, including “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson,” helped him land his own series, “The Richard Simmons Show,” which ran from 1980 to 1984. The show, which focused on personal health and fitness, won four daytime Emmy awards and led to the release of multiple fitness videos, including the 1988 aerobic series “Sweatin’ to the Oldies, ” which helped him amass a $20 million net worth.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, at the time of his death, the fitness enthusiast was worth an impressive $20 million. The majority of his fortune came from the sale of exercise tapes. In 2003, Richard Simmons told CNN that as an 8-year-old, he weighed 200 pounds, which eventually propelled him to become a fitness expert.
Pauly Shore pays tribute to Richard Simmons
In January 2024, it was announced that comedian Pauly Shore would star in a biopic about the fitness icon. Shortly after, Richard Simmons shared an update via Facebook saying he was in no way involved in the project.
Following Simmons’ death, Shore paid tribute to the fitness Icon, writing, “I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens.”
Richard Simmons was 76 years old at the time of his death.
