A child star who rose to fame on the hit police drama Hill Street Blues died in hospital nearly nine months ago – yet no one in Hollywood knew of his passing until now.
Zero Hubbard worked almost non-stop until 2003, but when roles dried up, his death in May 2025 went completely unnoticed outside his circle of family and close friends, the Daily Mail can reveal.
No public obituary was ever issued, and there is virtually no record of his passing at age 54 on May 16 apart from a GoFundMe appeal that raised less than half its target.
Hubbard was best known for playing Betty Thomas’s adopted son, Fabian DeWitt, on Hill Street Blues, appearing in 14 episodes from season three through season seven (1983–1987). He also had guest roles on TV series including LA Law, Tribes, Cagney and Lacey, Pacific Blue, Trapper John MD, and Diff’rent Strokes.
The actor was hospitalized with breathing difficulties, fever and chills, and his condition took a turn for the worse after he developed pneumonia and a rhinovirus infection, his sister Barbara Hubbard told the Daily Mail.
‘Doctors immediately put him on antibiotics, he was unresponsive. He quickly developed heart and respiratory failure requiring intubation and when we were advised there was no chance of recovery, one of his sons made the heartbreaking decision to take him off life support,’ his sister said.
Hubbard was best known for playing Betty Thomas’s adopted son, Fabian DeWitt, on Hill Street Blues
Zero Hubbard, who worked almost non-stop as a child star, died at the hospital nearly nine months ago – but his passing remained a secret, with no public obituary
Hubbard, born Zerondrick, took on many guest roles after Hill Street Blues before opportunities ran out by 2003
‘Ultimately the decision rested in the hands of his son. But there were those family members, including me, who felt we were rushing to judgement and should give him more time, but sadly the decision was out of our hands.’
Hubbard’s life was marked by tragedy. At just 16, his mother was shot and killed in a liquor store over a money dispute, and according to his sister Barbara, he carried the guilt with him until he died
While Hubbard, whose real first name was Zerondrick, played countless characters on screen, his own life often unfolded like a TV drama.
‘Sadly, Zero went to his grave blaming himself for our late mother’s brutal murder,’ said Barbara. ‘Our mother raised nine kids in the Watts area of Los Angeles, and she often depended on welfare to care for us all.
‘When Zero was 16, he had been working as an actor for a few years, and whenever his agent would send his checks, he would take them to the little corner liquor store to cash,’ his sister said.
‘He suggested mom take her welfare checks there too, and because she would walk home from the store with cash, she always carried a gun.
‘One day, there was an argument over the fact that Zero owed the store a couple hundred dollars for something, and they wanted mom to pay.
Barbara said her brother was hospitalized with breathing problems, went into heart and respiratory failure, and when doctors saw no chance of recovery, his son decided to remove him from life support
After his mother was killed, Hubbard was taken in and later adopted by Betty Bridges, a well-respected acting teacher in the Black community and the mother of child actor Todd Bridges (pictured right with his mother)
After being taken into the Bridges’ home, he landed a role on an episode of Diff’rent Strokes, acting alongside Todd, who played Willis
Hubbard pictured with (from left) his sister Barbara’s father, her daughter Timeca, and her niece Tanika. He was one of nine siblings
‘The argument ended with my mom drawing her gun and another man in the shop shooting her in the back with a shotgun.’
After his mother’s death when he was only 16, Zero was taken in by Betty Bridges, the mother of Todd Bridges, who he would later become castmates with on Diff’rent Strokes.
‘The boy always dreamed of being a star,’ said one long-time friend. ‘His big break came when Betty took Zero under her wing, agreeing to give him free acting lessons if only he could get to her acting classes. He jumped at the chance.’
Betty was highly respected within the African American acting community, Barbara told the Daily Mail.
When he expressed interest in taking her class, Betty recognized his talent despite his financial struggles and offered to let him attend for free.
‘Once a week he would board a city bus on his own and take it into the city,’ said the friend.
‘Zero told me he owed his success to Betty. When his mom died, and he was going to be sent out of town to live with a relative, Betty told him that not only could he move in with her and her kids, she was also willing to adopt him.
After Hollywood turned its back on him, Hubbard moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, to manage a health and massage spa. He married and divorced several times and was father to 10 kids
His destitute financial situation led the family to set up a GoFundMe to raise money for a memorial and cover funeral costs
Todd attended the memorial and helped pay for the service which was held in June
‘From that moment on he became a part of her family.’
By the time showbiz turned his back on him, Hubbard had been married and divorced a couple of times and was father to 10 kids.
Needing to reinvent himself and pay the bills, he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where he went on to manage a health and massage spa.
But he continued to struggle financially, and when he died, his bank account was empty.
Had he lived until 55, he likely would have qualified for his SAG pension – a lifeline that could have eased their burden.
Instead, relatives were forced to set up a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of his funeral.
‘We did our best to give Zero a small intimate send-off,’ said his sister Barbara. ‘We had a little memorial service for family and a few close friends, and Todd Bridges and his brother Jimmy attended.
Barbara also stated that Todd helped pay for the service that was held in June.
‘Zero had a difficult life,’ adds his sister. ‘He was kind, but he struggled. He never got over the fact our mother died over a problem he had with the store.
‘And for the rest of his life, I think my brother blamed himself for my mother’s murder,’ she says.
‘I know that in the end, guilt took a toll on him and on his health. I loved him dearly, and I miss him terribly. And I hope he is finally at peace.’
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