This is what Adam Rich from “Eight is Enough” looks like today

Becoming a celebrity from very early age can take its toll eventually. This is especially true for young actors who experience fame early in life. Some of them continue their careers in the movie industry, while others can’t put up with that way of life which requires long working hours and a lot of sacrifice.

If you have seen “Eight is Enogh,” the first ever TV show dubbed “dramedy,” chances are you remember sweet Nicholas, who became known as “America’s little brother.”

Played by Adam Rich, the role of Nicholas became widely accepted by the fans who predicted a successful career for the little actor. The truth is that after this show, Adam didn’t have a breakthrough and quit acting in 2003, when he appeared in front of cameras for one last time in the comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, produced by Adam Sandler.

Source: Wikipedia / ABC

Adam fell in love with acting from very early age. His parents very very supportive and helped him get a number of gigs in various commercials. Then, one day, Adam came across an ad by ABC saying they were looking for someone his age for a new TV show Eight is Enough. He wanted to try his luck and auditioned for the role of Nicholas.

There were plenty of young boys who dreamed of getting the role, but Adam was the perfect fit. Speaking of the audition, Adam told The Charlotte Observer in 1978. ”Well, when I went in for an interview – you know how we always play football in the show? Well, I told them a story about when I used to play football, and I think that probably did it.”

Source: Getty Images

The show portrayed the life of newspaper editor Tom Braden who raised eight children. It involved both comedy and drama and was extremely popular, capturing the attention of millions of fans.

Many of the actors who were part of it found their place under the Hollywood sky, including Mark Hamill who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy, and Ralph Macchio who later became known as the Karate Kid. However, that wasn’t the case with Adam. Over time, he found it harder and harder to get a role and experienced some tough time which forced him into rehab several times.

Actor Adam Rich and actor Chad Lowe attend the 30th Annual “Hollywood Stars Night” Celebrity Baseball Game on August 29, 1987 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Ron Galella via Getty Images

One of his friends from Eight is Enough, Dick Van Patten, who played the patriarch Tom Bradford, bailed Adam out of jail in 1991. He was charged with shoplifting.

”Adam was wildly popular (on ‘Eight is Enough), … and then he had a lot of trouble getting roles,” Van Patten told UPI. ”‘He’s short, he’s in that awkward stage where he’s not as cute as he used to be, so he’s difficult to cast.’”

Other than Eight is Enough, Adam also starred in The Love BoatFantasy IslandThe Six Million Dollar Man, and in one episode of Baywatch in 1993. 

Source: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

In 2019, Adam attended the premier of ”Hello Dolly” together with his colleagues from the show which marked his life.

He tends to stay out of the spotlight and keeps his life private. Apparently, he never married and it is unknown whether he has any children. He has a net worth of $1 million.

Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
Monica Pop
Monica Pop
Monica Pop is a senior writer for Bored Daddy magazine covering the latest trending and popular articles across the United States and around the world.

More from author

Related posts

Latest posts

Pressure mounts to strip Harry and Meghan of royal titles following explosive interview

Prince Harry lost his case in the Court of Appeal seeking the return of his police protection. In the past, he claimed the lack...

During the funeral, a crow lands on the little girl’s coffin

The air felt unusually cold and bitter that morning as mourners gathered inside the church for the funeral of sweet Emily, a six-year-old girl...

Husband takes own life day after ‘perfect’ honeymoon

Isabel Coles of Southern Pines, North Carolina, shared her devastation after her husband takes his own life a day after their perfect honeymoon at a...

Study suggests anal cancer is on the rise and reveals who’s most at risk

A recent study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2025 reveals alarming raise of people diagnosed with anal cancer. Anal cancer is a...

Police foil bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga’s concert attended by 2 million

Police foiled a bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attended by an estimated 2.1 million...

Experts issue urgent warning over ‘popcorn lung’ as studies reveal vaping condition is irreversible

While vaping may seem like a safer alternative to smoking for many, the 'permanent' impacts of vaping can be damaging to the body. Donal O'Shea,...