Freddy Prinze, the stand-up comedian who became a television star as the breakout lead of *Chico and the Man*, died by suicide in January 1977 at the age of 22. His death came less than one year after the series made him a household name, and it devastated both his family and the entertainment industry that had embraced him. Born Frederick Karl Prell on June 22, 1954, in New York City, Prinze was raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood by a Puerto Rican mother and a German father. As a child, he was on the heavier side, and his mother enrolled him in ballet classes to help him stay fit.
He later attended the High School of Performing Arts, where he studied drama, but it was his talent for making classmates laugh that set him apart. He left school during his senior year to pursue stand-up comedy full-time, performing at New York clubs including Catch a Rising Star and The Improv. His big break came with an appearance on *The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson*, a common launchpad for comedians of that era. He went on to guest host the program on several occasions between 1974 and 1977.
Prinze was hired for the lead role of Chico Rodriguez on the NBC sitcom *Chico and the Man*, opposite veteran actor Jack Albertson. The show, about the unlikely partnership between a cynical garage owner and a young Mexican-American mechanic, became a ratings hit. After the series took off, NBC extended Prinze’s contract to a reported $6 million over five years. Beyond television, Prinze performed at President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration, appeared on *The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast*, and recorded a comedy album.
He could also sing, performing on an album by Tony Orlando and Dawn and appearing on the group’s variety show. In 1975, Prinze married cocktail waitress Kathy Cochran. Their son, actor Freddy Prinze Jr. , was born in 1976.
That same year, Prinze was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. A few weeks later, Cochran filed for divorce. Prinze was also reportedly romantically linked at the time to actress Pam Grier. Prinze suffered from depression, and the stress of the divorce and legal troubles weighed on him.
On the night of January 28, 1977, his business manager was visiting him at his Los Angeles home. After Prinze had spoken by phone with his family and his estranged wife, his manager reportedly watched helplessly as Prinze took out a firearm and shot himself. He was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where surgeons operated on him, and he was placed on life support. His family made the decision to remove him from that support.
Prinze died at 1 p. m. on January 29, 1977. He was 22 years old.
The death was initially ruled a suicide. At the time, reports noted that Prinze had occasionally played with the weapon in front of others, and there were accounts that he had even engaged in games of Russian roulette. It was also reported at the time that he had left a note indicating his intention to take his own life. Descriptions of the note later became a point of dispute.
Years afterward, a civil case was brought over his death, and a jury concluded that it had been accidental, which allowed his family to receive an insurance payout. Prinze was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Despite his short career, Prinze had a lasting impact on television comedy.
He was remembered as a gifted performer who could easily make people laugh, and his son followed him into acting.
