When people think of Ted Bessell, they usually picture that kind, slightly exasperated face looking at Marlo Thomas in the 1960s sitcom That Girl. He was the ultimate TV boyfriend. But his life ended far too soon, and it happened right as he was reinventing himself behind the camera.
On October 6, 1996, the entertainment world lost a major talent. Ted Bessell’s cause of death was officially determined to be a ruptured aortic aneurysm. He was only 61 years old. Honestly, it was a shock to everyone in Hollywood. One day he was prepping for a big-budget movie adaptation, and the next, he was gone. There wasn't some long, drawn-out illness or a public battle with a disease. It was just a sudden, catastrophic medical event that took him in an instant at UCLA Medical Center.
The Day Everything Changed
It was a Sunday. Most people in Los Angeles were just finishing up their weekend when the news broke. Bessell had been rushed to the hospital, but doctors couldn't do much. A ruptured aortic aneurysm is basically a ticking time bomb in the body’s largest artery. When it goes, the internal bleeding is so fast and so severe that survival rates are incredibly low.
Basically, the wall of the aorta weakens and bulges out. If it bursts—which is what happened to Ted—it’s a medical emergency that usually ends in tragedy before surgeons can even scrub in.
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A Career Interrupted
At the time of his passing, Bessell wasn't just resting on his laurels from the sixties. He had actually transitioned into a very successful director and producer. You might not know this, but he shared an Emmy Award in 1989 for his work on The Tracey Ullman Show. He was a creative force.
When he died, he was in the middle of a massive project. He was set to direct a film version of Bewitched for his long-time friend Penny Marshall. It’s wild to think about what that movie would have looked like with his touch. Penny Marshall was reportedly devastated by the loss; they were incredibly close, and his death left a massive void in that production and her personal life.
Why Ted Bessell’s Cause of Death Surprised the Industry
Bessell always seemed like a guy who had it together. He didn't have that "tortured actor" vibe you see in the tabloids. He was a Georgetown graduate, a former child prodigy on the piano, and a guy who really cared about the craft. Because his death was so sudden, there were initially a few rumors—standard Hollywood gossip—but the autopsy cleared everything up. It was a natural cause, albeit a violent and sudden one.
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The "Don Hollinger" persona followed him for years, and he’ll always be remembered as that character. But the man himself was so much more than a sitcom sidekick.
- Birth Name: Howard Weston Bessell Jr.
- Born: March 20, 1935, in Flushing, New York.
- Died: October 6, 1996, in Los Angeles, California.
- Resting Place: Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Santa Monica.
Understanding the Aortic Aneurysm
To understand Ted Bessell's cause of death from a health perspective, you have to look at how silent this condition is. Often, there are no symptoms at all. Doctors sometimes call it the "silent killer" because people walk around with an enlarged aorta for years without knowing it.
Risk factors usually include things like high blood pressure or smoking, though sometimes it's just genetic. In 1996, screening for these things wasn't nearly as common as it is today. If you have a family history of heart issues, modern doctors are way more aggressive about checking for this stuff.
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His Lasting Legacy
A few days after he passed, there was supposed to be this big tribute to That Girl at the Museum of Television and Radio in Los Angeles. It was scheduled for October 11, 1996. Instead of a celebration of the show’s success, it turned into a memorial. Marlo Thomas, Bernie Kopell, and the rest of the crew were there, but the mood was heavy.
They weren't just mourning a co-star; they were mourning "Teddy." That’s what everyone called him. He was the guy who could play the "straight man" to Marlo Thomas's antics but still bring enough charm to make the audience fall in love with him.
Actionable Health Insights
While we can't change what happened to Ted Bessell, his story is a reminder of how important cardiovascular health is. If you want to take a proactive step in his memory, here is what you can actually do:
- Check your blood pressure. Persistent high pressure is the number one enemy of your arterial walls. Keep it in check to prevent the "bulging" that leads to an aneurysm.
- Screening. If you are over 65 and have ever been a smoker, most health organizations recommend a one-time ultrasound to check the aorta. Even if you're younger, if heart issues run in your family, ask your doctor about a screening.
- Listen to your body. While often silent, sometimes an aneurysm can cause deep, throbbing pain in the back or side. Never ignore weird, persistent "internal" pain.
Ted Bessell lived a full, creative life that spanned from the golden age of sitcoms to the cutting edge of 90s sketch comedy. He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, just a few miles from the studios where he made television history.