NEW reports on the suicide of “Suddenly Susan” star David Strickland paint a new, ominous picture of the TV star’s death.
According to “Entertainment Tonight,” Strickland, 29, had been partying with “News Radio” star Andy Dick, 33, for three days straight before he took his life.
Original reports last March were that the two men had just met and that they had been together only on the night before.
Also according to “ET,” Strickland’s “Suddenly Susan” co-star, Brooke Shields, hired a private eye to find Strickland when he did not attend a scheduled court hearing for a cocaine case.
The private eye was the one who found Strickland dead in a seedy Vegas motel room.
Original reports said a motel clerk, 36-year-old Cheri Alvarez, discovered the body hanging by a bedsheet strung over a wooden beam.
Strickland had stopped taking the anti-depressant drug lithium recently, according to published reports. He was also known for bouts of drug and alcohol abuse.
On “Suddenly Susan,” Strickland played Todd, the music critic on the magazine Shields character worked for.
The two had a flirting relationship which was supposed to blossom into romance next season.
Strickland’s death emotionally devastated Shields and the cast, who cancelled the final three shows of this past season after the incident.
Later, they came back to tape a specially written farewell episode to Strickland, which aired earlier this month.
In the interim, Shields’ announced that she and tennis star Andre Agassi had separated in anticipation of divorcing.
Last week, it appeared NBC was preparing to rejuggle the show and cast in the wake of Strickland’s death and the departure of co-star Judd Nelson, who played Shields’ boss.
Casting notices began circulating in Hollywood last week calling for actors to play two new characters – Ian, the new boss, and Nate, the new boyfriend.
The role of Ian calls for an actor in his “late 40s-early 60s…very much a Lou Grant type”
Actor-candidates for the role of Nate should be “late 20s-early 30s. Tall, good-looking sports reporter…He is a smart, sexy, dangerous type who will most likely become a love interest for Susan,” according to the casting documents.
On the day he killed himself, Strickland was due in Los Angeles Municipal Court for a progress report on his suspended sentence for cocaine possession last October.
The report that Strickland and Dick were allegedly on an extended bender may have an impact on Dick’s latest brush with the law.
Dick was arrested two weeks ago on drunk driving and drug possession charges, after crashing car into a utility pole just hours after his series, “News Radio,” had been cancelled by NBC.
The actor was booked for driving under the influence and for allegedly possessing cocaine and marijuana. He was released on $10,000 bail.
He has since announced he had returned to rehab for substance abuse while awaiting the outcome of his case.