He was 62 years old and had a history of smoking, workaholism, and asthma. He was working on a reboot of Dragnet at the time of his death.

• Smoking: He smoked three packs of cigarettes a day. ^{1 4 9}
• Workaholism: He was a perfectionist and a workhorse, often working 16 hours a day. ^{1 4 9}
• Asthma: He suffered from acute asthma since childhood, which affected his breathing. ^{1 4 9}
• Reboot: He was planning to launch a new version of Dragnet in 1983, with a new partner for his character. He had already written five scripts and cast the role. ^{4 9}