Freddie Prinze biography
Date of birth : 1954-06-22
Date of death : 1977-01-29
Birthplace : New York City, New York, US
Nationality : American
Category : Famous Figures
Last modified : 2011-06-22
Credited as : Actor, and stand-up comedian,
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The son of a Puerto Rican mother and a Hungarian father, Freddie Prinze was a 20 year-old stand-up comedian when he earned a spot on the TV sitcom, Chico and the Man. The show made its debut in 1974, was a ratings success, and by 1977 Prinze was one of the biggest stars on TV. At the height of his popularity, despondent over personal problems and apparently under the influence of drugs, he shot himself in the head and died several hours later.
Prinze's career, like that of Bill Cosby, took off after he appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
Prinze suffered from depression, and on January 28, 1977, shot himself with a small semi-automatic pistol after talking on the telephone with his estranged wife. His business manager, Marvin "Dusty" Snyder, tried to intervene, but Prinze shot himself in the head, and was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center to be placed on life support following emergency surgery. Prinze's family removed him from life support, and he died at 1 p.m. on January 29. He was 22.
