Willie Aames pays tribute to Eight Is Enough costar Adam Rich: 'My only little brother'
Willie Aames is remembering his former Eight Is Enough TV brother Adam Rich.
Aames said he was gutted by news that his lifelong friend, who portrayed younger brother Nicholas to his Tommy Bradford in the 1977 ABC sitcom, died Saturday at the age of 54.
"Adam was more than a colleague," his Facebook tribute read. "He was very much my only little brother. A lifelong friend. These last few years Adam had dreams of renewing his career. He was one of those kid actors that our generation will always remember."
Of his former co-star's legacy, Aames said, "I can't tell you how many parents have told me they named their first child 'Nicholas' after his Eight Is Enough character. The diminishing fraternity of kids that grew up in the golden years of family television has lost another of our own."
Aames concluded, "I will miss him deeply. You were the cutest TV kid of them all."
Rich died Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, his publicist Danny Deraney confirmed to EW. A cause of death has not been shared, but law enforcement sources told TMZ, which was the first outlet to report the news, that there was no foul play. Deraney said he had no additional information at this time.
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images Willie Aames and Adam Rich in 'Eight is Enough'
The former child star's death comes several years after the passing of his TV dad Dick Van Patten, who died in 2015 at the age of 86 from diabetes complications.
Betty Buckley, who played Nicholas' and his siblings' stepmom Abby, also remembered Rich as a "light" in her own homage. "I adored him and loved working with him," Buckley shared on Instagram. "He was so sweet, funny, fresh, and natural. He brought a lot of joy to all of us on the show and to our audiences. Adam and I have remained friends all of these years. His love and support have always meant a lot to me."
"Sending my love and deepest condolences to his friends and family," Buckley added. "In recent years Adam dedicated himself to providing inspiration for others with mental and emotional illness. I will miss him greatly."
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
Related content:
