Adam Rich's Personal Life: What We Know about the 'Eight Is Enough' Star

Adam Rich, the "Eight Is Enough" star, is sadly deceased. A family member reported that the 54-year-old died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, California. His parents shared more about his unique childhood.

Adam is widely recognized for playing Nicholas Bradford in the ABC comedy-drama "Eight Is Enough." The TV series accumulated five seasons between 1977 and 1981. Dubbed "America's Little Brother," he stood out with his trendsetting pageboy haircut.

The cause of his death is unknown, and according to TMZ, law enforcement confirms that there was no foul play and that a visitor found him lifeless in his home. The child star began his acting career at Chatsworth High School in San Fernando Valley. He has reportedly faced substance abuse and legal issues in the past.

Was Adam Rich Married?

Adam was graced by the life of a famous actor from the age of eight, making him a familiar face to many across the states in his younger days. However, there are no official reports about the child star getting married in his 54 years alive. There are no reports about his romantic relationships, as he maintained privacy.

His mother has spoken about his romantic troubles, saying it was hard for him to navigate his social life. She recalled when he walked into their home and said, "I don't know who my true friends are." She added that it was pretty confusing, considering that he did not fold in the face of a "gorgeous blonde."

Adam's mother, Francine, explained these details to American author Fred Bernstein while being interviewed for his book, "The Jewish Mothers' Gall of Fame," released on February 9, 2011. In addition, he is exclusively survived by his blood relatives without any offspring known to the media.

His Childhood was Sweet

As the title of the book that featured his mother suggests, Adam comes from a Jewish family. His parents, Francine and Rob, welcomed him on October 12, 1968. In the 2011 Fred Bernstein book, Adam's mother revealed that she and her husband share a romance dating back to their teenage years in Brooklyn.

Adam's parents attended high school together in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. They relocated to California six months after Adam was born. While living in California, Adam became an older brother to Wayne Rich. Wayne, five years younger, rejected the child star prospects presented to him. Francine explained:

"From the time he was six. We wanted to give him the same opportunity that we gave Adam. But he didn't enjoy it. So he retired at seven."

Adam Was Hired for the first Ads He tried

Adam was offered the opportunity to become an actor at age five. His mother explains in "The Jewish Hall of Fame" that she asked the now-deceased actor if he would be interested in appearing on television, and he responded positively and posed the naive question, "But how do I get in the box?"

In 2010 when Bernstein interviewed Adam's parents, Rob explained that he was jealous of his son's rapid financial accomplishments in the beginning, "Here I was, a mechanic. I'd been working 20 years. Then Adam Came along does a commercial that takes half an hour, and he gets $25,000. You can imagine how that felt."

Adam's father earned $150 a day at the time, while he exceeded his parents' monthly earnings in a matter of minutes by acting in commercials. His parents eventually got used to the high value attached to their son's name and grew closer to each other, thanks to the phenomenal success of their toddler.

Although he made a huge chunk of his family's income as a child, his parents did not deter giving him a traditional childhood experience. They invested the money Adam was making to provide him with a comfortable adult life and to avoid him depleting the funds when he became old enough to use them.

Francine was active in support of her sons. She would escort Adam onto set daily and was often prized for cooperatively conducting herself, being agreeable, and overall good company on set. Despite Adam's remarkable success and earnings, his allowance matched that of his younger brother, Wayne.

Adam is cemented on a prestigious list of celebrated actors who have trailblazed at a young age. Including Tatum O'Neal, Haley Joel Osment, Johnathan Lipnicki, Daniel Radcliffe, and Christina Ricci, to name a few. Adam's Mantra was, "Life is for living, and I live my life to the fullest every day."