Danny Gans' Death Was Accidental; Caused By Painkiller

The AP is reporting that the death of Singer-Impressionist Danny Gans, a staple on the Las Vegas Strip, was accidental, according to a coroner's statement released today. Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said Gans' passing was caused by prescription painkiller Dilaudid.

An autopsy, toxicology and microscopic samples showed that the entertainer died from toxic levels of hydromorphone, an opiate, which is commonly marketed as Dilaudid. The drug is used to treat chronic pain, a problem Gans suffered from according to Murphy.

The report indicated that Gans had heart disease caused by high blood pressure. Gans also had polycythemia, a condition that results in too many red blood cells - the opposite of anemia.

"Mr. Gans' health conditions placed him at greater risk for heart irregularities, and the hydromorphone was a factor in exacerbating those risks," Murphy said. "We clearly listed this as accidental."

Gans, age 52, was found dead in bed at home in Henderson early May 1 after his wife, Julie, reported she couldn't rouse him.

The New York Times recently featured a very interesting article that focuses on the loss the entire city of Las Vegas has felt since he died.

The Times explains "Mr. Gans was a show business anomaly, with no movie or television career to speak of and a long-ago one-man show on Broadway that lasted a week. Still, when he died he was grossing $18 million a year as a sure bet to lure people into the casinos that hired him, which is what it's all about."

The paper continues to reveal, "he had no tigers, no scantily clad assistants, no fireworks - only a seven-piece band, a prop or two, and the uncanny ability to summon the voices of dozens of celebrities a night."

To read the full article, click here.

Danny Gans appeared on Broadway in 1995's "Danny Gans on Broadway: The Man of Many Voices." Shortly after his Broadway engagement, Gans found success in Las Vegas, headlining at the Stratosphere Hotel and later the Rio Hotel. In 2000, tycoon Steve Wynn brought Gans to The Mirage Hotel and set the performer up in a 1,250-seat showroom of his own. The Mirage show become a huge hit for the performer, and Gans was named "Entertainer of the Year" in 1997. The title has been awarded to Gans 11 straight years in a row.

In February 2009, Steve Wynn once again brought Gans back in the family, building him a theatre in his new Encore hotel, the sister property to Wynn Las Vegas. Gans' new show opened on February 10, 2009. Gans is survived by his wife and three children.

For more information on Danny Gans, visit www.dannygans.com.

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