Fitness Guru Richard Simmons Passes Away At The Age Of 76

Former well-loved fitness personality Richard Simmons has passed away, as first reported by TMZ.

Local authorities responded to a call from his housekeeper, and once police and fire arrived at the scene, they pronounced Simmons dead. As of right now, it is unclear what the cause of his death was, but it is worth noting that he revealed he had skin cancer back in March. His death - at the age of 76 - comes less than 24 hours after he thanked his social media followers for their birthday wishes.

Fitness Advocate Richard Simmons listens to testimony of the first panel before the House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor for a hearing devoted to physical education in schools., July 24, 2008.  He passed away today at the age of 76. (Photo by Jamie Rose/MCT/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Simmons graduated from Florida State University with a degree in art, but he would pursue an entirely different career path. He rose to fame in the 1970’s and ‘80s after opening a series of gyms in Beverly Hills, and then opened his hallmark gym called "The Anatomy Asylum" (later rebranded as "Slimmons").

He was most famous for releasing a variety of fitness tapes and DVDs, which included "Sweatin' to the Oldies," "Party off the Pounds," and "Blast Off." Fans gravitated towards his high-energy personality, as well as his dietary strategies to help people get in shape.

Though he stepped away from the spotlight later in life, he was planning on opening a Broadway musical with renowned producer and composer Patrick Leonard. Unfortunately, he will not get a chance to make that a reality.

As of right now, police do not suspect foul play and are calling Simmons’ death a natural one. We will update you if more details emerge.