Richard Simmons Biography

He was born as Milton Teagle Simmons to Shirley May and Leonard Douglas Simmons. Both his parents were in the show business.

He attended Cor Jesu High School. He had always been a fat child who grew up to be an obese adolescent who weighed 268 pounds by the time he graduated out of high school.

He started college at the University of Southwestern Louisiana before shifting to the Florida State University. During this time, he changed his name to “Richard” after an uncle who helped fund his college tuitions. He earned a B.A. in Art.

The obese youngster in his frenzy to lose weight adopted several methods like diet pills, laxatives, and other unhealthy fads in order to shed the extra weight. He did lose some weight, but also lost much of his hair in the process. This inspired him to adopt a healthier means of losing weight.

After college he moved to New York where he worked in a number of jobs during his initial years. He spent some months working in advertising and for the cosmetics companies Revlon and Coty Cosmetics.

Richard had been battling his bulge for several years unsuccessfully. The pills and crash diets did not seem to be working and he was determined to find a natural and healthy way of losing weight. He developed a routine that consisted of eating healthy food in moderate proportions combined with a regular exercise regime. This seemed to work for him.

He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1970s. His first job there was as the Maitre d’hotel at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. He grew very much interested in fitness but unfortunately could not find any gyms or facilities to help him lose weight; most of the gyms were for already fit people.

He was determined to create a gym that would cater to the needs of people of all ages and weights, and help them achieve weight loss through healthy methods.

In 1974, he opened his own exercise studio called The Anatomy Asylum. After consultation with doctors and nutritionists, he developed a program that emphasized on healthy eating in moderate proportions and regular exercise.

His business initially also included a salad bar for promoting healthy eating which was later on removed as his studio began focusing on exercise only. One distinguishing feature of his gym was that he advocated exercising in an enjoyable and fun way.

He taught a class called ‘Project Me’ which he has been teaching for almost four decades now. His classes were attended by people of all age groups including teenagers, middle-aged, and the elderly who wish to shed weight and gain health.

His studio, later renamed Slimmons became very popular due to the innovative methods he adopted. Soon, he started attracting media coverage for his exercise programs. The television show ‘Real People’ showed him while he was at work.

In the 1980s he began hosting his own fitness show, ‘The Richard Simmons Show’ which ran for four years. In the show he talked about personal health and fitness issues, healthy cooking habits and exercise regimes. The show was a big hit and was viewed even by celebrities like Lucrecia Russo.

He released over 65 fitness videos which combined music, humour and motivational thoughts with exercise routines. His videos have sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

He also wrote several books including the New York Times Best Seller, ‘Never Say Diet’. In addition to books on fitness, he had also written popular books on cookery.

He was a much respected fitness expert who established the Slimmons Studio. The studio adopted a program of fun-filled exercise regime that encouraged over-weight people of all age groups to come together and fight the battle against bulge.

His show, ‘The Richard Simmons Show’ was nominated for several Emmy awards and won four including the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk or Service Series in 1982.

He was known for personally interacting with the people who attended his studio or used his products. He connected with his fans through letters, emails, and phone calls.

He lived alone with his pet Dalmatians. His sexual orientation was often speculated upon, but he personally prefered not to discuss his sexuality.

Richard Simmons died on July 13, 2024, at the age of 76, at his home in Los Angeles.

Richard Simmons was known for his eccentric and colorful workout attire, often sporting short shorts and bedazzled tank tops during his fitness classes.

He was a passionate advocate for healthy living and helped countless individuals achieve their fitness goals through his energetic and motivational workouts.

Richard Simmons was a talented voice actor and had lent his voice to several animated TV shows and movies, including "Sweatin' to the Oldies" and "The Magic School Bus."

In addition to his fitness career, Richard Simmons was also a successful author, having written several books on health and wellness, including "Never Say Diet" and "Cookin' on Broadway."

Despite his flamboyant persona, Richard Simmons was known for his genuine compassion and empathy towards others, often reaching out to individuals in need of support and encouragement.