On the night of August 28, 1951, Walker's housekeeper reportedly found Walker in an emotional state. She called the actor's psychiatrist, Frederick Hacker, who arrived and administered amobarbital for sedation. Walker had allegedly been drinking before the outburst, and it is believed the combination of amobarbital and alcohol caused him to lose consciousness and stop breathing. Efforts to resuscitate Walker failed and he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. He was aged 32. The loss of such a promising young Hollywood actor was widely lamented.