David Strickland
A charismatic character actor whose warmth on the sitcom 'Suddenly Susan' was shadowed by a private struggle that ended his life at 29.
1969–1999 (age 30)·American actor·Birthday: October 14·Generation X
Biography
David Strickland's career was a bright, brief flash in the late-1990s television landscape. With a genial, everyman quality, he broke out playing Todd Stites, the lovable music critic on the Brooke Shields vehicle 'Suddenly Susan.' The role made him a familiar face and showcased his talent for comic timing and genuine likability. Off-screen, however, Strickland battled severe depression. In March 1999, during a break from filming, he traveled to Las Vegas. There, in a motel room, he died by suicide. His death sent shockwaves through the show's cast and crew, who remembered him as a kind and gifted colleague. His passing highlighted the often-hidden mental health struggles within the entertainment industry and cut short a promising career that had only just begun to reveal its potential.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
David was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
Key Achievements
- Played the recurring role of Todd Stites on the NBC sitcom 'Suddenly Susan' for three seasons.
- Appeared in several films, including 'Forces of Nature' with Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck.
- His performance was noted for bringing a grounded, humorous energy to his television role.
Did You Know?
He was a talented musician and played the guitar.
His final film, 'Forces of Nature,' was released just weeks after his death.
The cast of 'Suddenly Susan' dedicated their season finale that year to his memory.
He was the son of a NASA aerospace engineer.
“I'm just trying to make people laugh, but the noise in my head is too loud.”
