We've fielded a number of similar questions. Naturally, people are curious about what caused the sudden May 1 death of the 52-year-old long-time Las Vegas impressionist, comedian, and singer who signed a $150 million contract in 2000 and was named Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year a record 11 times in a row.
Gans' cause of death has not been revealed. He didn’t suffer from any publicly known ailments; he was known to be healthy, clean-living, and athletic. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of high school and played minor league ball, till an injury cut short his career (he told that story on stage many times).
Insiders say Gans came down with what appeared to be a common cold about a week before he died. The day he was found dead, he apparently took a nap, then remained in bed all evening. At around 3 a.m., his wife Julie called 911, saying that Gans was having trouble breathing. By the time paramedics arrived, he was gone.
Rumors and speculation about the cause of death abound.
A friend who played golf with Gans on the day before he died has said publicly that Danny was "down in the dumps" and "unusually low in spirits" during the game. The friend, a pastor at the Las Vegas Christian City Church, claimed he didn’t know what Gans’ mood was about, but, according to the Review-Journal, Gans asked him "to pray for guidance about what he wanted to do in the future beyond the live show." (Gans performed 40 weeks a year, with Beyonce and Whoopi Goldberg scheduled to fill in; the article implied that Gans might have felt like he was being pushed out of his own theater.)
One persistent rumor is that Gans was having premonitions about his death. Gans' manager, Chip Lightman, told the Review-Journal that Gans had high blood pressure and there was a history of heart problems in his family. Also, according to R-J columnist Norm Clarke, "No one's willing to discuss it, but there's an insurance issue involving Danny Gans and his deal with Encore that suggests Gans had concerns about his health."
Farther-fetched rumors include complications from HIV, such as pneumonia or pneumocystis (roundly dispelled, due to his looking completely fit and healthy) and possible previous steroid use. The autopsy was inconclusive and toxicology reports are forthcoming, though they might take a month or more.
We wouldn't be surprised if the explanation of this mystery is never revealed. But if it is, we'll certainly say something.
