Robert Urich – Biography, Children, Wife, Net worth, Cancer, How Did He Die

For some, Robert Urich was nothing more than a great television and film actor, while for others he was a complete man. In his youth he was an athlete and later an actor and philanthropist.

At the time of his death in 2002, he had appeared in over 10 films and over 80 television films and shows in a career that spanned three decades. Read about his death, wealth, family and other facts of his life below.

Robert Urich Bio

The actor was born Robert Michael Urich on19. December 1946 in Toronto, Ohio to Cecilia Monica Urich and John Paul. He was raised alongside his brother Tom Urich, who is also an actor in Toronto.

While his father worked as a foreman at the local mill, his mother got a job as a dry cleaner. In his youth he was a good athlete, and thanks to this he later received a football scholarship to Florida State University, where he received a degree in acting and broadcasting. He later earned a Masters in Broadcast Research and Management from Michigan State University.

When he was still in school, he was killed as a result of a head injury and that ended his football career. After graduating, he worked as a radio advertising salesman before pursuing an acting career.

In 1972, he appeared in an episode of the TV show, The FBI, followed in 1973 by appearances in Kung Fu, Owen Marshall: Legal Counsel, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, and Marcus Welby, MD From this point his television career took off well. He appeared in many more shows over the coming years, including Emeril (2001), The Lazarus Man (1999), and American Dreamer (1990–1991).

The first film he appeared in was Magnum Force in 1973, followed by Endangered Species in 1982 and The Ice Pirates in 1984. He acted in a number of other films such as Dragon Fight (1989), The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue (1996) and Clover Bend (2002).

Urich received Golden Globe nominations in 1980 and 1981 for his role in Vega$ (1978) and was awarded a star on the Walk of Fame in 1995.

wife and children

Urich was married twice during his lifetime. The first went to Barbara Rucker when he was only 21 in 1968. At that time he worked as a salesman of radio advertising. Urich and Rucker stayed together until they divorced in 1974.

Shortly after, he began dating Canadian-American model and actress Heather Menzies, who was previously married to John Cluett between 1969 and 1973. In 1975 Urich married Heather. Although they wanted to have children, they decided to adopt after several miscarriages.

Their first two adopted children are Ryan Urich, born in 1978, and Emily Urich, born in 1980. There is also Allison Grady Urich who was born in 1998. Of the three, only Ryan Urich has decided to follow her parents’ path as an actor, famous for movies like The Killer Inside ( 2003) and Night Walk (1989).

In December 2017, 15 years after Robert Urich’s death, his wife Heather Menzies died at the age of 68 from complications of a brain tumor she was diagnosed with in November of that year.

Cancer, how did it die?

While still starring in The Lazarus Man in 1996, Urich was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as synovial sarcoma, which affects the soft tissue. An actor known for his tough roles, he continued to battle the disease without letting his work as an actor suffer.

While being treated for the disease, he also took on the advocacy role in finding a cure for cancer, earning him the Gilda Radner Courage Award. With his wife, Heather Menzies-Urich, who died of complications from brain cancer, he founded the Urich Fund to help the University of Michigan’s Comprehensive Cancer Center raise funds for cancer research.

In 1998 he declared that he was cancer-free. However, in 2001, lumps were discovered in his body, but they were eliminated by a “miraculous” drug. He died in April 2002 at Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, where he had been admitted only a week earlier because of respiratory problems. He had complications such as internal bleeding and a collapsed lung. The actor passed away at the age of 55.

Wealth (income and earnings)

Before his death, Robert Urich had what could easily be called a very successful career, appearing in a large number of films and TV shows with many important roles. Thanks to this, he had an estimated net worth of $3 million.