FREDDIE FUN FACTS

Freddie was born Fredrick Karl Pruetzel on June 22, 1954 in New York City

Freddie was born of Puerto Rican and Hungarian descent

Freddie attended Fiorella La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts

Freddie began his stand-up career at the age of 16 by performing at The Improv in New York

Freddie appeared on the Tonight Show at the age of 18 where he was the first stand-up comic to be asked to sit with Johnny Carson after his act.

Freddie was spotted by executive producer James Komack who produced "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" and "Welcome Back Kotter"

Freddie landed the role of Chico Rodriguez on the NBC sitcom "Chico And The Man" when he was 19 and moved to Los Angeles

Freddie continued his stand-up routine, appearing at nightclubs all across the country including "Mr. Kelly's" in Chicago, "The Improv" in New York, "The Comedy Store" in Los Angeles and cut an album of his comedy called "Loooking Goood!" by the time he was 20 years old

Freddie is hailed as the toast of the town...a rising star

Freddie married Kathy Cochran at the age of 21 in October of 1975 at Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas

Freddie became a father in March of 1976. He was 21 years old

Freddie appeared at the Inaugural Ball of President Jimmy Carter on January 22, 1977

Freddie struggled through his childhood as a chubby child and being picked on

Freddie's relationship with his father Karl was strained

Freddie strived for perfection but couldn't find it within himself

Freddie began to deal street drugs at the age of 15

Freddie suffered a break up from a girl he was quite in love with

Freddie tried to comitt suicide for the first time after this break up while still in his teens

Freddie comes to Hollywood and begins to talk of suicide right away to James Komack

Freddie's stardom came too fast and at too high a price for his young years

Freddie lives life in the fast lane and falls into the celebrity trap of drugs and parties

Freddie found it increasingly difficult to deal with the stress and pressures of Hollywood and seeks the help of a psychiatrist

Freddie is placed on Quaaludes during his marriage to Kathy

Freddie becomes addicted to the tranquilizers, taking as many as 100 a day

Freddie's marriage breaks down and Kathy leaves him, taking their son with her

Freddie slips deeper into depression and frequently plays with his loaded gun and making suicide threats

Freddie is arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance

Freddie is served with divorce papers from Kathy and he is prohibited from seeing his son

Freddie makes out a last will and testament, excluding his wife Kathy and his father Karl

Freddie spends Christmas of 1976 alone in his hotel suite

Freddie appeared at the Inaugural Ball of President Jimmy Carter on January 22, 1977. It was to be Freddie's last public appearance

Freddie shot himself in the head with his .38 cal. revolver in the early morning hours of January 28, 1977 leaving behind a suicide note

Freddie died 33 hours later in a Los Angeles hospital on January 29, 1977. He was with his mother and father, friend Tony Orlando and wife Kathy

Freddie was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery on January 31, 1977


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