PeterDavid.net

Seconded on all counts: I saw the news early this morning and just sat stunned for a minute or two.

I never met him, but he always seemed to be very professional in his work and an all-around nice guy when speaking off the cuff. Way, way too young to have this happen.

R.I.P, Rick. You'll be missed.

TWL

My sympathies to Mr. Biggs' family. I did get a chance to speak with him briefly at the Motor City Comic Con a few years ago. He was friendly and personable.

The scary thing about an aneurysm, if that's what it was in this case, is that sometimes they can escape detection, so you don't even know the danger is there. Back in 1997, a co-worker died of an aneurysm while getting ready for work, ironically the same day a new editor came on board. She was only 37.

When we got the word that morning that Carol had died, it was hard for me to wrap my brain around the concept. Surely there was another definition of "died" than the traditional one-- a definition that meant she was running behind, but would be in later on that day? No such luck.

I feel a similar sense of disbelief about Rick Biggs. How is this possible?

Rick

I came here following a link from Whedonesqe.com concerning the "Hush" story and instead found this. Heartbreaking! I've no other words to decribe it.
Rick

I want to say something...anything, but I can do is quote Peter.

"Damn."

RIP

Wow, this is terrible news to read. I got the chance to meet him a few times briefly when he was doing autographs, and as others have attested, he was indeed very friendly and personable. My sympathies to his family.

Man, this is just a shame.

This is the first time I heard about it and my reaction was a mixture of shock and sadness. I have never met him in person because I can`t attend conventions but he was so nice to send me an autographed photo when I wrote to him years ago. I also liked his part in Babylon 5 very much. I will miss him.

My husband`s mother died pretty young too after a second stroke :(.

I spoke to Mumy who told me that he'd heard Rick was actually up and around and preparing breakfast for his family, and simply collapsed. Including being married to one of the most stunning women I've ever seen, he had three kids: ages 6, 4, and a one month old.

PAD

Man, that sucks. Always thought he was very underrated, always wondered why he didn't get more mainstream work, he was one of the best things about B5. Biggs, Stephen Furst, Mumy, Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik made that show worth watching...

Damn, Damn, Double Damn, and another four letter word as well!

Short of losing a family member, losing a member of the family of my favorite TV show ever is just awful.

Never met the man, but by all accounts he was a great guy. I missed out on someone special, didn't I?

I third that: Damn.

Such a talented and NICE man.

Queen said it well:

(Words and music by Brian May)

A hand above the water
An angel reaching for the sky
Is it raining in heaven -
Do you want us to cry?

And everywhere the broken-hearted
On every lonely avenue
No-one could reach them
No-one but you

One by one
Only the Good die young
They're only flying too close to the sun
And life goes on -
Without you...

I'm sorry about your friend, and even more so for his family. His poor kids and wife will have it hard for a long time and I wish it could be better for them.

Sorry.

His IMDB (internet movie database) bio's at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0081863/ if anyone's interested.

He was 43, married for 6 years.

His first series role was in 1987, on a soap. It lasted five years. Then came B5, which lasted as long.

I never met the man, but would have assumed he had the same basic decency that he carried as Stephen Franklin.

43, sheesh. I'm 38. I don't know whether to try to get more years in my life or more life in my years.

Very sad news. My heart goes out to his family.
To read what JMS has to say:
http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17099

Truly feel terrible in hearing about this, especially in light of it being an aneurysm. I have recently been thinking about such things as father died 26 years ago this week from a brain aneurysm. He was 42 at the time, and I had expected him to pick me up from school that day. Instead, I got home just in time to see him being wheeled out to the ambulance.

I'm 40 now, and as I get closer to the age of my father, the more I think about his death and my own health. Not just for my family and my wife, but for my own selfish reasons of sticking around to see them in the years to come.

I'm sorry that Mr. Biggs won't get that chance to be selfish, and I'm sadden for his family. Having been there, I have some ideas of how this is affecting them and wish them all the best.

Good God...

I just read this and had to break this to my wife. Irony of ironies, she had JUST spent this whole week on the phone trying to arrange having Rick and Jason Carter bring their "Biggs and Carter Experience" acting classes to our theatre in Islip. She was seriously stoked for this, to the point of putting up the cash up front just to bring them out here. She'd been anxious to do it ever since we saw the two of them at I-Con some time back, and now that she actually had the money to front it, she was going for it.

Needless to say, our hearts go out to his family. He was a decent, fun-loving man who will be sorely missed.

I just surfed to Peter's site; it's 11:35 PM in Montreal. To say I'm shocked is an understatement.

I met Rick at Primedia in Toronto in 1997 or 98, when he was a Guest of Honor. He was a friendly, energetic man who came to all the room parties on the Saturday to pull people to the dance.

I consider him one of the most friendly guests I met in over a decade of conventions. He will be deeply missed.

I was watching "Sleeping in Light" as I found out about this via the Art Deco Pavilion (Webderland's posting area). I was never able to meet him in person, but he seemed to be a kind gentleman who has left all to soon.
Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Wow, totally stunned. I first came across Richard Biggs years ago when I was a regular "Days of Our Lives" viewer (I think he played a doctor on this show too). After he'd left the show I was surpised and happy for him that he'd landed on B5, one of my favorite all time shows. I don't remember seeing him in anything lately, but when I did I always took notice.

Man, so young, it seems senseless. I'm saddened by his death and hope that his family will be able to cope with loss.

I'm really shocked. One of his cousins is a friend of mine. He always said that Ricky Biggs is a really nice guy. I feel so bad for the family.

Bollocks. Rotted Bollocks.

My sympathies to his family.

My condolences to his family as well.

I never got the chance to meet him personally, although I had seen him a couple of times at DragonCon. I guess I was just too shy to go up and say "Hi, I enjoy your work".

Among fans he will be missed, espically among those of us who try to keep up with the few african-american actors in genre television/movies.

Sorry to hear about Richard Biggs.

My uncle had emergency surgury last weekend due to an aneurysm. He made it through the surgury, but remains unconscious a week later. One factor that could have increased his chances was going to the doctor when he began having intense pains, instead of waiting over a week......... this appears to be a generational thing, but certainly a lesson learned for our family, who has many of these doctor naysayers.

Biggs was a solid actor (I've only seen the B5 series over the past year. I'm watching the final season of Babylon 5, lent to my by a friend.) and sounds like he was a good person too. Peter, sorry that you've lost your friend.

Sad, sad news. I don't know what else to say ...

My condolences to his family and all who knew him.

im,really sorry peter he will be missed
all my prayers go out to his family

I had the good fortune to meet Richard and Jason Carter at a Mega Con a few years ago in Orlando. Did the autograph thing and have a few pictures of them with my wife. We also attended their acting workshop session, they had wonderful audience participation and were really enjoying themselves. I can't add much more that to reinforce everything that has been stated above, he was a wonderful person and the world is a sadder place without him. All prayers to his family and friends.

I met Mr. Biggs at DragonCon a couple of years ago. He was my first 'can I have an autograph' at my first con. He was everything you could ever hope your first 'star' experience would be, charming, funny, engaged, genuinely glad to be there talking to us all. What a tragedy. My condolences to his family.

That's terrible. I never met Mr. Biggs, but I enjoyed his work on B5 immensely. He will be missed terribly.

My thoughts are with his family.

Horrible news, my condolences to his family and all his friends, JMS mentioned that there might be a place to make donations in his memory, either a scholarship fund for his kids, or a favorite charity of Richard’s. If you hear anything about this Peter could you please post it? I would like to make a memorial donation, somewhere in recognition of the five years of joy his work on Babylon 5 brought me.

What an unblievable shame - it is just so hard to believe that he has passed away. The first time I came across Richard Biggs was when he played Dr. Marcus something or other on Days Of Our Lives. Then a friend of mine recently turned me on to B5 through the DVDs and I really thought he added so much to the show. I am currently towards the end of season 3, and the epsidoe that I happened to watch last night had Dr. Franklin on walkabout and going through withdrawal from stims and I just thought he played those scenes so well. It is incredibly sad that he passed away (while it is a very small consolation to his family and friends) he will live forever on those DVD sets and bring joy to the fans of B5.

I would say something about him being to young to be gone, but for a good person, aren't they always too young to be gone? Condolences to his friends, fans, and most important, family.

You might want to pass this along:

Donations for his children can be sent to:

The Benefit of the Children of Richard Biggs
c/o Washington Mutual Bank
840-N. San Fernando Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502

This is so sad. I remember meeting him at FedCon several times. He was always very open with his fans and really sweet.
We heard about it on Sunday at this years' FedCon - it was a shock to all.

I still can't believ he is gone.

I'm in shock...I remember meeting him at Dragon*Con two years ago for Celebrity Who's Line? in the British Track. He was so nice and creative...I just can't believe it. He's the same age as my dad. It's not fair for things like this to happen.

I am so sad right now, because I never got to thank Richard Biggs for the episode, "Confessions and Lamentations."
The last time I saw him was about 2 years ago at Shore Leave with Jason Carter. At the time The lines were so crowded that I couldn't get to the microphone or to the end of the autograph line. So I thought I'd tell him the next time he came.
The reason I wanted to thank him, was because if it hadn't have been for him and that episode, I might not have become a B5 fan.
For those who don't remember that episode, it was the one about the aliens who had the AIDs like virus who died at the end. When the episode started I thought it was standard TV sci-fic stuff that they'd have resolved by 50 minutes into the show.
But at the end of course that was not to be. Dr. Franklin failed to save them and I was taken aback, because this was so different from Star Trek where McCoy or Crusher would have saved these people in time for the last commercal and moved onto next week's problem. Then Franklin watches as the bar patrons joke about it and blame the Vorlons, and at last he says, "It never changes." Meaning humanity's lack of understanding and compassion.
Because of this unforseen twist, I was hooked on B5 all the way to the end. It was all because of Richard Biggs that my life is so much richer today. I wish I had said thank you for that.

This is indeed a tragedy. For someone so talented, and who by all accounts was a genuinely nice person, to pass away at such a young age is really a damn shame.
My condolences go out to his family and friends.
Sorry you lost a friend, PAD.

I've had the fortune to meet Mr. Biggs several times at the Gen Con Game Faire in both Milwaukee and, now, Indy. Helluva guy. Always polite, even when he was obviously tired and, maybe, a little bored of the "fanboys." Last year, he appeared with Carter and Robin Atkin-Downes. They appeared to get on great as friends. I got autographed pics of him a few times, and he was always nice about it.

I heard of this the same night I heard that my Aunt passed away due to cancer and emphysema. Just not a good week. My condolences to his family and friends.

Jason Carter and Richard Biggs were at a convention a few years back in Dallas, Texas. They were going to be putting on a "how to" for acting, as memory serves.

But life happened, and I couldn't make it.

Truly, it was my loss to have never met Richard.

My thoughts and prayers to Richard's family.

I really cursed myself out over this. I saw Mr. Biggs twice at Megacon a few years ago. The first time I passed his booth, I didn't recognize him, he had grown a beard and was wearing a black leather cap (kind of a Wesley Snipes type) and I said hi politely, not knowing him. Then, on Sunday, running around the con, looking for last minute best deals, I saw him again and he was packing up and I saw that someone had finally put a big placard (before, I guess they hadn't gotten him totally set up) with his name and a pile of his stills for autographs. I said to myself, dammit, it's the Doctor from B-5!!! But, he was packing up, ready to go and I thought, I will get him at the next con. Stupid, stupid me! I didn't even talk to the man and that chance is gone forever. Welp, my problem and nothing next to the family and friends that loved him. Love to those people and rest well, Mr. Biggs...

My wife and I had the pleasure of spending a bit of time with Richard Biggs and Jason Carter at DragonCon in Atlanta over the past four years. It seems that we would always be in line to pick up our guest passes either in front of or behind Richard year after year. We always laughed about the coincidence. As we waited in line together, we'd pass the time talking. Richard was an incredibley nice man. I can't stress that enough. Warm, friendly, witty,... just a pleasure to be around. We'd talk to he and Jason at the autograph tables when we'd see them there as well. The shock of hearing that this kind, friendly guy, who always seemed fit as a fiddle, had passed was stunning. This very down-to-earth, talented man will be sorely missed. He was scheduled to be at Atlanta's DragonCon again this year. How sad that he's gone. What a waste.
Doug - a major B5 fan

My condolences to Mr. Biggs family and friends. I never met him, but I could e-mail him a year ago, I told him how B5 was aired in Spain and he liked to be known outside his country. You'll be missed

I saw Richard at several Rising Star conventions in Salem, VA. As stated he was a warm, friendly and humorous man. He really enjoyed running the scholarship auctions and would tease and coerce the paying audience to bid a bit more. He remembered repeat bidders and would encourage them to dig deep for a good cause.

He will be deeply missed.