Actors unexpectedly exiting television series

Anna Faris exiting Mom broke my heart.

That annoying actress who vanished from The West Wing after one season - that was a good choice.

Why did Mark Harmon leave NCIS?

Farrah leaving "Charlies Angels" owns this thread. Spelling even thought she'd come back while they were filming the first few episodes. I even think they filmed Ladd's scenes separately so if Farrah decided to return, they'd just splice her in

Valerie Harper and Roseanne own this thread.

If you watched Meghan struggle through those first two episodes (it was a two-part opener) you'll understand. She is an absolute shit actress. So very very wooden and she only has a very short range. Think three different facial expressions she uses for everything., plus she mumbles. She was clearly out of her depth. You can see this in the first season of Suits too. Its just comical how bad she is at her craft. You can tell she never paid her dues.

Don Murray from Knots Landing. Oh, Sid... RIP

Although I never watched this shit show, I'd think Charlie Sheen's abrupt departure from TWO & A HALF MEN would own the thread

Mark Harmon just announced he's leaving CSI-whatever shortly before their 60th season starts.

Chris Noth from Law & Order

She was so bad that Fringe decided to go in a completely different direction and recast a male character who became a permanent cast member in place of her. From Reddit:

What happened to Special Agent Amy Jessup?

Posted byu/BethJ2018 2 years ago What happened to Special Agent Amy Jessup? She was fast becoming a great addition to the team and then she disappeared.

9 Comments

Lord_of_Atlantis Cake day · 2y She married a prince.

Actually, she was written out of the show. They thought she would have a bigger role, but they dropped that storyline.

User avatar level 2 hooisit · 1y Good thing.

User avatar level 1 yungsoprano · 2y It's funny because I came to this subreddit a few days ago to find out the same thing. Apparently a user met her and asked what happened and she said the writers decided to go in a different direction.

User avatar level 1 DSFilm96 · 2y Was always disappointed they dropped this storyline, I thought they were really setting up an interesting arc for her.

User avatar level 2 BethJ2018 OP · 2y Me too!!

User avatar level 1 Gbaym · 2y Long story short, Jeff Pinkner and the writers created this character in the midst of the dispute with Kirk Acevedo (ultimately, thank god, they agreed to have him as a guest star in seasons two and three, but by the end of season one the question was whether he will be appearing on the show at al)l, FOX wanted another female character instead of Charlie, but the writers ultimately hated her, viewers didn't like her, so her storyline was quickly dropped. Honestly, watching season two in 2009, I was rather glad we didn't see her as a Charlie replacement, but sad they abruptly ended her storyline.

I will concede the storyline within the show they were setting up for the character was awesome. Sadly Meghan is such a cringeworthy shit actress that nobody could stand her. Read comments after she left Suits too, people were glad that she was gone and didn't like her or Rachel, which she played as herself.

^^^ If she was in two episodes and gone, I doubt that viewers would have even seen those before they aired. They’d have many more episodes ready for viewing before starting the season.

Facts of Life had many characters added to the show and then disappear. The Asian girl, the princess, the tough street girl, the Cassidy kid.

While I agree with the comments that Markle is a limited actress, Fringe was a genre show, not a serious drama that required great acting.

R8 Why would it "own the thread", moron. Are you aware of what a horrible life Chas had? He hated the show, hated Chuck Lorre, and always hated the writing. He was glad to go.

well OP it looks like Justin is a repeat offender because he left Grey's pretty suddenly too.

R6 she was fine, you obsessed freak. As evidenced by her increasing profile in the various shows she did after. She was brought in to replace another character and the writers decided to do something else yet again. The writers were fickle.

Also nice try making a Meghan thread without seeming to, OP. Still gonna get F&Fed

Judy from Family Matters. She went up the stairs and never came back down. Ended up doing porn.

I'm surprised no one mentioned Brian Batt (Salvatore Romano) leaving Mad Men. Of course, perhaps that was a planned exit -- I don't know.

Josh Charles' sudden departure on The Good Wife was pretty unexpected. As I recall, there was no advance word he was leaving, and then suddenly he was killed off in a courtroom shooting that was completely shocking, because he was such a major character (and as became clear after he left, a much needed one).

***SPOILER ALERT*** *

*

*

Damian Lewis left both “Homeland” and “Billions” ver abruptly. I actually don’t think he’s really gone from “Billions.” The exit was just too haphazard.

R21 Damian staying on Homeland after season 1 was a mistake.

Gary Dourdan - CSI

Chuck...the brother from Happy Days.

I till toss and turn at nights thinking about that studly hunk Don DeFore's abrupt exit from "Hazel"!

R12, they may have run those two episodes through a test audience.

The youngest daughter on Family Matters

The "legendary" Beverlee McKinsey left the soap "Guiding Light" by making the day before she started a two month vacation her last day, all done legally according to her contract and leaving everyone at the soap in shock and pissed off to the max. Interview about it at the link.

Really, R27? You couldn't read just 26 posts first? See R18.

Didn't All My Children replace a Kendall or Bianca after one scene?

[quote]Damian Lewis left both “Homeland” and “Billions” ver abruptly. I actually don’t think he’s really gone from “Billions.” The exit was just too haphazard.

Damian left Billions because his wife recently died and he wants to stay settled for their kids. He was able to shoot his scenes away from the cast during the final season so that he could be with her in the UK.

- Was surprised when Thomas Haden Church left "Wings". He was given his own show, "Ned and Stacey" with DL fave Debs Messing.

-Russell Tovey departing "Being Human". His costar Aidan Turner had a planned exit as he was getting ready to do "The Hobbit" and asked to be written out, but once Turner decided to leave Tovey asked to be written out because he didn't want to continue on without Turner and felt it was a good jumping off point for his character.

-Messy Mandy Patinkin jumping ship from "Chicago Hope" and "Criminal Minds".

-Donald Glover leaving "Community". He wanted out to create his own series and pursue music. He's excelled at both.

Laurence Fishburn on CSI

I believe Misha Barton’s exit from The OC hurt the show.

David Caruso/NYPD Blue

[quote] Why would it "own the thread", moron. Are you aware of what a horrible life Chas had? He hated the show, hated Chuck Lorre, and always hated the writing. He was glad to go.

Oh dear. Looks like R15 is off her meds again...

[quote]David Caruso/NYPD Blue

Which wasn't such a big deal in and of itself, but did they have to replace him with mumblemouth Jimmy Smits?

[quote]Her character disappeared after two episodes, even though her character was set-up to be a regular, or at least recurring character.

It happens, but they brought Meghan in as a pawn and potential replacement for Anna Torv. They had the character bring up some potential storyline about biblical stuff. Anna decided to stay and they were taking the show in a different direction so she was out but it was good because if she was on the show she would have never landed Suits.

Henry Ian Cusick suddenly leaving Scandal after the first season was pretty shocking. He was apparently upset that he wasn't receiving enough screen time. I wonder if he had any clue what a hit that show would become. As the only other name there, outside of Kerry Washington, they would have given him a storyline eventually.

"The Good Doctor" has now had two sudden departures that I don't think many people were expecting. First, Nicholas Gonzalez was killed off last season and now Antonia Thomas has left the series as well. Both were wonderful on the show.

Nia Peeples' exit from "Fame" when her character, Nicole, was killed off by a drunken driver.

John Ritter exited 8 Simple Rules abruptly.

"Poochy" left The Itchy and Scratchy Show in mid episode when his spaceship blew up while returning to his never-before-mentioned home planet.

Hello, this is DL, Dick York on "Bewitched" should have been everyone's first answer.

Speaking of "Fame," it actually had constant cast turnover, with people coming and going throughout all of its six seasons. As I recall, only 4 cast members were there from beginning to end: Debbie Allen, Albert Hague, Carlo Imperato and Gene Anthony Ray. (Ann Nelson, who played Mrs. Berg, appeared at the halfway point of season 1 and remained until the series went off the air.)

I heard Meghan speak when River ran some video of some conference she was addressing. I was in the other room and I heard this corncrake Valley Girl screech. For a moment I wondered what happened, if my laptop had switched channels or something. When I saw it I turned it off. Her voice and the fake expression on the lunar landscape that was her face made me recoil. There's no way I could ever listen to her speak again unless threatened by securiddy with grievous bodily harm.

If you've ever seen still shots from 'Suits' you can see she hams up every moment the camera is on her, making quirky, almost spastic moves, next to the actor in the shot. I've never googled shots of her, but just the few I've seen are all alike. The only reason there's scenery left in the shot is because she's still chewing up the rest of it, and she's desperately trying to swallow it so she can chew up the rest of it.

I'm not addressing her marriage or the fallout from that. I'm offering my opinion on my impression of her acting skills, or what passed for them. I'm not a professional actor, I never have been one, and I don't play one on telly. But it's obvious to anybody her ambition far outweighed her talent as an actress.

Sherry Stringfield during the third season of ER. This was before spoilers were a thing, so I believe the general public only knew about it on the day the episode aired.

What about that lady who fell down an elevator shaft on some show? I didn’t watch it, but it’s supposed to be notorious.

Will on The Good Wife. Did not see that one coming.

R46, I believe you're referring to Diana Muldaur on "L.A. Law."

Meghan didn't "land" Suits she was given that job by an also bi-racial director after she claimed they "bonded" after she blew the audition. Her words. She was never going to be kept on Fringe because her acting was not up to snuff. We easily see this on Suits. She didn't have ANY other recurring roles r17, but you know that. The mattress actress had gotten as far as she could.

Also, increasing profile r17? Where? Her Fringe character was a main cast character with her own storyline on a major TV network, unlike 6th on the call sheet Rachel from Suits who was a background character and "love interest' who was being written off the show when her onscreen hubby decided to leave. There was no further work for her being offered.

Shelley Hack when she left "Charlies Angels". Even he didn't know she was leaving.. Same with Kate Jackson -She just never appeared again..

Ross' son Ben on "Friends".

Suzanne Somers on some show about some guy and two girls. Don't recall the name.

The most notorious of all, and the only one that matters:

Mia Farrow leaves Peyton Place....(Starts at the 21:00 minute mark to the end)

Mean Mother Dexter.

I always get her name wrong, but is it Lily Taylor or Liv Tyler on Six Feet Under, whose character seemed to leave abruptly, what was behind that? Wasn’t it that the actors who played Nate and Brenda despised each other and it might have been a hostile set environment?

R33 I think it was mostly the shitty writing. Marissa was an asshole.

Gil Bellows on Ally McBeal.

His storyline had gone down the shitter, but the Ally/Billy romance was key to the series.

R35 Fuck off, Janbot.

R59 - Crazy is as crazy does.

Diana Canova ("Corrine") on SOAP. She was an original cast member and heavily involved in the stories, but sometime around the 3rd season (I think) they ran out of stories for her and she abruptly left Falls River, CT in one episode barely saying goodbye to anyone.

Canova got her own series that year ("I'm a Big Girl Now") that pretty much flopped.

What about that mother on Eight is Enough, she left abruptly in the first season.

R27 I just read that somewhere - Oh, R18

Hermoine Baddeley ("Mrs. Naugatuck") on MAUDE. She was the longest-running Findley maid and became a fixture on the show. Then at the end of one of the later seasons she just abruptly announces she's moving away with new husband Bert Beasley.

Also from KNOTS LANDING - Julie Harris and Constance McCashin. Both of them kicked to the curb unceremoniously for budget reasons despite being on the program for years and adding much to it. Their loss was indeed felt for the remainder of the show's run.

R62 Well it is hard to continue your character when you die in real life.

R62 - Diana Hyland got a spin-off series, DEATH IS ENOUGH. Just a one and done.

Shelley Long

Don Knotts, the Andy Griffith Show.

Were any DLers around back then? What was the public's reaction to Barney leaving Mayberry?

McLean Stevenson, M*A*S*H.

This is another one that I'm curious about, how do you remember people reacting to this?

I guess his character dying makes it a little different.

Curly Howard stroking his way out of the 3 Stooges

Mary Louise Wilson didn't just unexpectedly leave "One Day at a Time"; she fled for the sake of her mental health and professional dignity..

Simone Biles, 2021 Summer Olympics.

Jessica Savitch, NBC News

Addison Rae, TikTok.

Maude Flanders. Rest in ding dang diddly peace.

[quote] Shelley Long

Not unexpected. The public knew that she quit and would not return for Season 6 long before the Season 5 finale.

The Ropers from Three’s Company. Norman Fell is still reeling from what they offered him which ended up being a huge let down in the end. Although, I did think Mr. Furley was a nice addition to the cast.

The spin-off The Ropers was just horrible.

Did someone mention that one soap scene where the girl goes in for a hug and when she pulls out its a whole different actress? That's some funny shit.

R78 "Norman Fell is still reeling..."

He hasn't been reeling in over 20 years

The Dynasty reboot is constantly shedding cast members. They’re on their third Cristal and their third Alexis and they’ve only aired four seasons. I’m dying to know who the cunt is on that set who is making everyone’s life miserable. My money is on the actress who plays Fallon.

Holy fuck, I forgot Meghan Markle was on Fringe! They should have just had a better actress take her storyline instead of dropping it altogether. Man, I loved that show. Especially seasons 1 and 2.

And I’m pretty sure Justin Chambers has substance abuse problems. He might have been fired from Cold Case and cleaned up just in time for Grey’s Anatomy. I know there was at least one incident of him checking into a hospital for “Exhaustion” during his time on Grey’s.

[Quote] I know there was at least one incident of him checking into a hospital for “Exhaustion” during his time on Grey’s.

Actors are still using that excuse??

That bitch Barbara Bel Geddes unexpectedly left 'Dallas' and then unexpectedly came back.

As a little kid I was thrown by Jeremy Gelbwaks being replaced on The Partridge Family. They couldn’t even find a similar looking actor?

r83 He stayed in the psych ward, so maybe not drugs but actual mental health problems. Or just drug-induced psychosis. I could swear there was a separate incident years later that didn't get as much press.

Love how the article dates itself by mentioning Britney's 5150. Must have been hard for him to pull a "Do you know who I am?!" with the nurses after she blew through.

I was so glad when that awful Coach character died on Cheers. I can't even watch the seasons with him, Woody was the sexiest and the best.

Broadway Edition: Jeremy Piven, Speed the Plow

Cindy Williams from Laverne & Shirley. She was pregnant. But the show had been on the cancellation list since the entire cast moved from Milwaukee to LA.

R89 Lol, the cast was always in LA. Only the characters moved.

Grace Lee Whitney, Yeoman Janice Rand from "Star Trek." On the ship one day, gone the next. There are episodes with other attractive women in roles that could have been for Rand. Apparently, she was let go and later said that she had been sexually assaulted by someone on the show (she never revealed who it had been). She also struggled with drug and alcohol addiction.

Al Corley leaving DYNASTY as Steven Carrington. Most unexpected and disappointing. Same with Pamela Sue Martin about a year later. The show was never the same without them.

I was glad when Paul Schneider’s character left Parks & Recreation, he was adding nothing.

R93 - Did Paul have an uncle who worked as a building superintendent in Indianapolis?

I wonder what happened to Paul Schneider? Wasn’t he an indie movie director for a while? Always thought he was cute.

Rebecca Schaeffer - MY SISTER SAM

Jon Erik Hexum - COVER UP

R95 while I think he was a bit superfluous to requirements on Parks & Rec, I saw him on Broadway in Straight White Men a couple of years ago and he was good.

Why Paul left...

Grey's is known as a set with brutal hours (6 days a week, 18 hours a day) and apparently Chambers developed some sleep-slash-drug-slash-alcohol issues and had some sort of a manic breakdown on set.

Malin Akerman's career had been middling at best (except for "The Comeback") until she landed one of the lead roles on "Billions." And she was very good in it only to be essentially written off after Season 2, I believe, making only occasional appearances, maybe an episode here and there, in the following season or two after which, her character was never mentioned again.

I'm still traumatized by the The Darren Switchout of '69. That's all we talked about on the playground for months.

[quote]I'm still traumatized by the The Darren Switchout of '69. That's all we talked about on the playground for months.

But the Mrs. Kravitz switchout didn't bother you?

I’ll be so happy when Kyle Mooney leaves SNL unexpectedly, don’t feel like you have to finish out a season or anything Kyle to get up and go!

Maybe it was known at the time but I was shocked when they killed off Sydney on Melrose Place. I had no idea she was planning to leave the show and expected her to survive the car crash that ended her last season.

Colton Haynes not coming back after Season 2 of Teen Wolf. Even more unexpected was the sudden death of Allison Argent on the blade of an Oni sword, that ended the next to last episode of Season 3. Left a lot of fans with their mouths hanging open in shock.

Jamie Walters (Ray Pruitt) unexpectedly departed 90210 despite his character (and Jamie) being very popular. He was abusive to Donna, but originally was going to be redeemed as part of a long story arc.

[quote]Ray was originally supposed to get help and find redemption, but when the audience began to see Donna as “stupid” for staying with him, series creator/Tori Spelling’s father called for his termination. Walters went away with a cool million for the work he was supposed to perform, but his career never fully recovered.

Dalton James (who played Mark Reese) was also fired part-way through a story arc because apparently Jennie Garth didn't like him. Aaron Spelling claimed Dalton was anti-Semitic to justify firing him to the writers (see below).

Noel Fisher (“Mickey”) leaving Shameless in season five coincided with the show falling off a cliff. He had become a fan favorite and part of the core romance of the series, but he was contracted to do a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sequel so he was hastily written out at the end of season five. He eventually came back but the show was a shell of its former glory by then.

Sorry, this is still the greatest unexpected exit from a tv series ever.

Dina Muldaur was never told she was being killed until she opened the script.

^ Diana

Beverley Owen--The Munsters. Actress disappeared in middle of the season and was quickly recast with Pat Priest as Marilyn. Has that ever happened before or since on a prime time show--a different actor assuming the role of another, and not without some sort of plastic surgery excuse like Corley/Coleman as Stephen Carrington?

Speaking of Dynasty, Karen Cellinni and her character Amanda just vanished. No goodbye/farewell scene for her.

[quote]Has that ever happened before or since on a prime time show--a different actor assuming the role of another, and not without some sort of plastic surgery excuse like Corley/Coleman as Stephen Carrington?

The oldest daughter on Roseanne.

[quote]But the Mrs. Kravitz switchout didn't bother you?

I'm not R102 but Alice Pearce was irreplaceable.

[quote]Has that ever happened before or since on a prime time show--a different actor assuming the role of another, and not without some sort of plastic surgery excuse like Corley/Coleman as Stephen Carrington?

Donna Reed replaced Barbara Bel Geddes on Dallas as Miss Ellie. I'm sure there are many examples. Lola Albright replaced Dorothy Malone on Peyton Place as Constance MacKenzie (for a time, when Malone had surgery).

Did anyone mention the various Mork and Mindy characters who kept disappearing into thin air?

R115 I don’t remember that at all, did the aliens take them away? Was Mork shuttling humans to our alien overlords? Cause that changes the whole premise of the show drastically.

It was only for one episode, but Marcia Rodd was the original "Carol" on Maude when its backdoor pilot ran as an episode of All in the Family. When the series premiered in Sept 1972, Rodd was gone and in was buxom Barbeau. Maude also later replaced her grandson Philip (the two, like Chris on The Partridge Family) were total opposites in appearance. No mention of why or how.

I think both the Doris Day Show and Phyllis take the prize. Not only during the course of their run did characters disappear, but so would the set and the whole series premise. Come to think of it, did anyone ever say what the hell ever happened to good old Gordy on the old MTM show? I guess he married Esther Rolle and moved to Chicago.

R112, during the The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (long before most of us can remember), there were four different actors who played the next door neighbor Harry. I can't find the video, know it's somewhere on the interwebs,

In one episode, "Morton Buys Iron Deer/Gracie Thinks George Needs Glasses", George walks on-stage and freezes the scene just before Harry's entrance and explains that Clark has left the show to perform on Broadway. He introduces Larry Keating, who enters, and then calls over Bea Benaderet to introduce the two saying, "This is Larry Keating and he is going to be your husband now". The pair greet and chat briefly, complimenting each other on their previous work. George remarks that if they are going to be so nice to each other, no one will believe they are married. Burns then gives a cue, Blanche resumes her position, and the scene continues where it stopped as if nothing had happened. The new Harry enters and Blanche hits him in the head with a catalog for spending $200 to buy an iron deer.

George Burns was a very clever and a very smart man - really. The TV show had been a radio show. It was filmed so he could own the syndication rights and it ran on TV for eight years.

R116 No, nothing like that. But one season Mindy's father was one of the foils for M&M. Then suddenly, the show was kinda sorta set in a sandwich shop. And then it wasn't. And then, and then......

[Quote]Why did Mark Harmon leave NCIS?

Maybe he's sick and needs time for treatment and convalescense? I hadn't watched the show in a couple of years and was startled by his appearance. Yes, he's aging, but he looked so much more robust not that long ago.

Early on in Glee Rachel had a picture of her Gay dads in her locker, a random Black and white couple. When they showed up on screen years later they were formerly A-list actors.

[quote] He introduces Larry Keating, who enters, and then calls over Bea Benaderet

And Bea Benaderet being on the “George and Gracie Show” meant that Lucille Ball had to search for an actress to play Ethel Mertz, giving us the brilliant Vivian Vance.

Warren Beatty leaving Dobie Gillis was ……...fortuitous

When Coco left The Golden Girls. I really thought he was going to be the break out star!

Gary Burghoff leaving MASH. Everyone hated him because he was a jerk who hated the character, but it was an easy paycheck so I don't know what he was thinking.

We've been rewatching old Match Game episodes and he was on there quite a bit. He seems to have really been a jerk and full of himself, I'm sure the cast and crew were happy with his decision.

Gary Burghoff was on Match Game? Wow, I don't remember that.

Lecy Goranson, Becky Connor # 1 from the original Roseanne Show. Replaced with Sarah Chalke. Lecy Goranson was already a stretch as Dan & Roseanne's bio daughter. Then comes Sarah Chalke, bubbly and not at all like Lecy Goranson, even less plausible as Dan & Roseanne's bio daughter.

Fringe was a fantastic show, especially before it became all biblical.

Jon Erik Hexum's departure was unexpected.

He really went out with a bang......

Helen Wagner abruptly left As the World Turns and didn't even say goodnight!

So inconsiderate.

I remember Mork and Mindy in its first season the supporting characters were Mindy's dad and grandmother. But for the second season, they were gone and replaced by the pizza parlor people. The reason for the change, at least stated publically, was that the producers were trying to make the show more hip to young people. But that never made sense as the show was a huge hit its first season, and ratings dived in the second season. The show never really recovered from that even though the dad and grandmother did appear for guest appearances in seasons 3 and 4 (the final year).

Didn’t Two Men, a Woman and a Pizza Parlor get a cast rejiggering along the way?

R128 Yeah he popped up quite a bit, especially filling in for Charles Nelson Riley when he was off doing theatre.

Also for the eldergays:

Shelley Fabares essentially aged out of The Donna Reed Show as Donna's teenage daughter and was replaced by Paul Petersen's real life younger sister Patti Petersen, who I believe began in the series as an adopted orphan.

And Tim Considine similarly aged out of My Three Sons as the eldest son and was replaced by yet another one of those Livingstone brothers so prevalent on 1960s TV.

And speaking of My 3 Sons, William Demarest replaced Will Frawley as Uncle Bub upon the later's death. Or was Demarest another character called Uncle Charley?

In all the years I've watched "Bewitched," I never realized until recently that the Kravitzes did not appear in the final season (season 8).

The British doctor/BFF on Nurse Jackie.

Mrs. O’Brien from Downton Abbey. They couldn’t even get the actress to film an exit scene.

Dominic Purcell.

Seems like Julian Fellowes was vindictive to the actors who wanted to leave Downton Abbey. Sybill looked horrible in the last episode she was in. Dan Stevens (Matthew) last scene was under the wheels of a car, blood dripping from his mouth. O'Brien was a fan favorite (even though a villain) and it would have been nice to have a definitive final episode starring O'Brien.

There has to be a messy story about Justin Chambers and Greys. The way he was written off was SO awkward and made sure he would never reappear.

[Quote] Colton Haynes not coming back after Season 2 of Teen Wolf. Even more unexpected was the sudden death of Allison Argent on the blade of an Oni sword, that ended the next to last episode of Season 3. Left a lot of fans with their mouths hanging open in shock.

Hmm i remember fans speculating about it because the rest of the cast basically confirmed they would be in season 3 except Colton. And Crystal told Jeff she wanted to leave back in season 2. It was stupid to pair her up with her ex bf in 3B.

Nan Woods, who played Cherry on China Beach, wanted to leave the show (and acting altogether).

So her sweet, innocent character was killed off in the middle of the season: a sniper hit during the Tet Offensive.

As a gayling, I watched the show when it aired. That night, I cried and cried.

Abigail leaving Number 96. Only Australians of a certain age would understand.

Also Frankie (Carol Burns) and Vera aka Vinegar Tits (Fiona Spence) were big blows to Prisoner when they left. Carol Burns insisted that her character be killed off.

George Dzundza owns this thread.

NARM! NARM! NARM!

We own this thread because of one epic show. Guess wrong and you'll be sleeping with the fishes.

Lyle Waggoner seemed to go in and out of the Carol Burnett show, he could have needed time off to tan, or maybe rehab?

Jenilee Harrison just disappeared from 3's Company. Her last appearance was on that episode where Janet bought a blonde wig and was bitchy to Cindy Snow at the Regal Beagle because Cindy knew Janet was wearing a wig. Cindy left with a despondent wave. Her character didn't appear in any of the remaining episodes and was never mentioned again.

[quote] Seems like Julian Fellowes was vindictive to the actors who wanted to leave Downton Abbey.

Siobhan Finneran said that before she was hired she told him she would only do three seasons. His hubris, that she was a popular character on a popular show, made him think otherwise. But he also wasn’t a good writer and probably couldn’t think of a good exit for her. At least he didn’t kill her off, so he gets points for leaving the door open in case she changed her mind. He didn’t do that for Dan Stephens or Jessica Brown Findlay.

I don’t watch television. I have a fireplace.

I never liked the way they treated Cindy. Her character was a much better fit for the show in my opinion than Teri was.

Dan Stevens leaving Downton Abbey. Well, I did know because it was in the press but such a shame.

Ditto the actress that played Tom Branson's wife, Sybil. The middle aged hag who was one of the servants was a big loss too.

R154 You mean.....the people we were JUST talking about?

R129 Lecy was plausible as their daughter. She could have taken after Dan's Anglo-Saxon dominated side. Seven time Oscar winner Estelle Parsons was NEVER believable as Roseanne's mother though. She should have been a dark-haired Jewish lady. Sarah Chalke's "acting" was terrible in Roseanne. She was way better in Scrubs.

[quote] Seven time Oscar winner Estelle Parsons was NEVER believable as Roseanne's mother though.

Especially when they brought in Shelley Winters as the grandmother who was very believable. It made Estelle Parsons even more unbelievable.

I think Lecy (and Sarah) were a bit too blonde. They needed an actress with darker hair.

Agreed. Sara "uber carpet muncher" Gilbert was perfect as the daughter and DJ, everyone said, was Roseanne's twin.

R45 didn’t she leave the show to be with her boyfriend in NYC?

What’s wrong with that, r158?

[quote]Didn’t Two Men, a Woman and a Pizza Parlor get a cast rejiggering along the way?

Just a title change and cast additions, not departures (Nathan Fillion, Suzanne Dryer and Jillian Bach).

Yes, R138 -- Nurse Jackie was all downhill after she left. She was a great actress and brought a lot to that show.

Everybody forgets the first DJ on Roseanne, Sal Barone.

[quoteAgreed. Sara "uber carpet muncher" Gilbert was perfect as the daughter

I always thought she favored Jackie. Often physical traits of aunts and uncles will show up in the nieces and nephews.

[quote] Especially when they brought in Shelley Winters as the grandmother who was very believable. It made Estelle Parsons even more unbelievable.

I know, I know. Television. But still Roseanne's maternal lineage never made sense to me. Estelle Parsons was born in 1927, and Shelley Winters was born in 1920. I agree that Parsons was far too much of a patrician WASP to be believable as Roseanne's mother.

Michael Potts and Paz de la Huerta on [italic]Boardwalk Empire[/italic]

[quote] [R129] Lecy was plausible as their daughter. She could have taken after Dan's Anglo-Saxon dominated side.

I guess so. Both Dan and Roseanne were fat, though, and their diet was crap. I think one of the girls (daughters) would have been fat as well.

Estelle Parsons' voice was really grating on the nerves. She was supposed to be a big villain and the cause of all problems. Seemed kind of stupid when obviously Roseanne (character) was no walk in the park.

Michael Pitts was a huge surprise. I still watched BOARDWALK EMPIRE until the series ended but it wasn't as interesting without Jimmy. I don't think the real reason for his departure has been revealed.

Michael Pitt was gorgeous, like Ryan Phillippe. Seems like someone who can ride on his looks until the wheels fall off.

[quote]I know, I know. Television. But still Roseanne's maternal lineage never made sense to me. Estelle Parsons was born in 1927, and Shelley Winters was born in 1920.

I didn't watch the show that much, and I didn't look up the ages at the time, but I remember thinking it didn't make sense because Shelley didn't look old enough to be Roseann's grandmother or Parsons' mother (she was only 32 years older than Roseann, and looked like her mother).

William Frawley played Bub on My Three Sons. Demarest played his replacement character, Uncle Charley. Frawley lived for awhile after leaving the show. He had just become too sick and frail to work any longer.

Gordy made a guest appearance on MTM a season or two after leaving. He had left Minneapolis after becoming a star on the network. Ted kept buttering him up and when he got too obnoxious, Gordy would mention working with Conkrite, which would make Ted start trembling.

I understand about the possible age issue with Estelle Parsons but where in her appearance, demeanor or resume would you see her as being too much of a "patrician WASP" r165? She often played working class midwestern women going all the way back to Bonnie & Clyde, For Pete's Sake and Rachel, Rachel.

[quote] Estelle Parsons but where in her appearance, demeanor or resume would you see her as being too much of a "patrician WASP"

Her speech pattern was too “prim” for working class Roseanne. I can understand how that voice would bring Roseanne and Jackie to hate their mother, but Estelle Parsons did seem a bit too high brow for the Connors.

Lemme tell ya 'bout it....

[quote]She often played working class midwestern women going all the way back to Bonnie & Clyde, For Pete's Sake and Rachel, Rachel.

Rachel Rachel takes place in Connecticut But I agree, there's nothing partician about Parsons as an actress. I also remember her playing Betty Hill in the movie of the Betty & Barney Hill UFO encounter story, Interrupted Journey. Putting on a New England accent. (Bah-ney!)

R174 Now THAT's an actress who sounded patrician. Diana Muldaur.

She'll always be a weather girl to me.

Patrician all the way down the shaft, r176!

"Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on the Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard, Muldaur started acting in high school and continued on through college, graduating from Sweet Briar College in Virginia in 1960."

Estellle Parsons in Miss Margarida's Way on Broadway is one off the mast amazing performances I've ever seen.

^ most amazing

I can't remember where (Dick Cavett?), r180, that she performed a scene from it.

David Duchovny leaving X-Files. He had threatened it for years, then actually did it.

Another one for the eldergays:

When the hit Western MAVERICK debuted in 1957, it was the story of the adventures of the four Maverick brothers, Bret played by James Garner, Bart (Jack Kelly), Beau (Roger Moore) and Brent (Robert Colbert). And each episode usually just featured one brother. An unwieldy concept soon solved by the HUGE popularity of Jim Garner who was the only brother audiences really wanted to see.

Garner's popularity was so big, the show gave its unstoppable rival Ed Sullivan Show a real run for its money until it was delayed from 8 until 9 pm. The producers quickly dropped the last 2 brothers (and actors) and within a second season Jack Kelly as Bart was also gone.

George Maharis leaving the hit show, Route 66, was a big deal at the time. In this article he siad it was due to having hepatitis. The show was filmed in constantly varying locations around the US.

It was allegedly because of his drug addiction R168.

R167 I have never liked how Hollywood has been demonizing females for decades now. It is all part of H-wood's rampant misogyny and attempt to portray all mothers as horrible cunts who fuck everything up. Roseanne amped up the mother hate to a million. But later on Roseanne would get hers, being fired from her show/reboot.

Delta Burke leaving 'Designing Women' still surprises me.

Graham Wardle leaving the Canadian show Heartland.

I should have described Estelle Parsons persona as middle-American, not midwestern.

Coco from Golden Girls. Only did the pilot episode.

The pilot of Blue Bloods runs in syndication as the first episode and Erin's daughter is played by a different actress, not nearly as pretty with a whiny voice.

Pardon me r125, missed your Coco comment earlier.

Speaking of Blue Bloods, the actress playing Danny's wife was killed off after Season 7. I read an interview with her where she said her contract was up and she decided not to renew because she had become bored with the character. But sometimes you never get the real story of might have been going on behind the scenes.

Anna Farsi from Mom.

That would be Anna FARIS, R196 -- and see R1.

What about that Kevin James show where he killed off is wife at the end of the first season? Like what does that buy out of the actress’ contract look like?

Blue Bloods is so awful. Usually those mediocre police procedurals have a few entertaining twists each episode but there's literally nothing good about it. Just Donnie Wahlberg hamming it up in the interrogation room (nice ass, though) and then the Hallmark family dinner scenes.

[quote] Speaking of Blue Bloods, the actress playing Danny's wife was killed off after Season 7.

I told ya I leave a series HARDCORE.

Howard's mom in Big Bang Theory. It was only voice characterization. She died.

The character of Malucci was written off ER abruptly, probably to make room in the cast for Sherry Stringfield to return to the show in the episode that followed.

This is so old there won't be many here who will remember or care, but the very FIRST high profile instance of a character being literally killed off of a successful series was Jean Hagen who played Danny Thomas' wife on the first 3 seasons of Make Room for Daddy from 1953-56. Hagen apparently became very dissatisfied playing essentially a boring and rather helpless housewife and mother, in spite of 3 Emmy nominations.

Enraged by her wanting to quit the series, Thomas had her character tragically die (not onscreen!), leaving no possibility for the character to return or even be played by another actress. It was all just explained in the following season and Danny remained a bachelor father until the next season when Marjorie Lord was introduced as his new love interest and eventually his second wife.

By then (1958) Sherry Jackson, who had played Danny's older daughter Terri, also chose to leave the series but was replaced by look-alike Penney Parker, but was less frequently seen as she had left the household and become engaged to a character played by Pat Harrington, Jr., famous later as Schneider on One Day at a Time).

R199 Plus Tom Selleck is 76 and his "father" Len Cariou is 82.

[Quote] What about that Kevin James show where he killed off is wife at the end of the first season? Like what does that buy out of the actress’ contract look like?

I love how that blew up in their faces. If i wanted to see Kevin and Leah bickering back and forth, i could just watch a King Of Queens rerun.

[Quote] Just Donnie Wahlberg hamming it up in the interrogation room

Well he had plenty of practice with the Saw franchise 😆

Franky Doyle from Prisoner. Doreeeeen!

That's alright R192, you're an ok petunia.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was in almost all episodes of "Seinfeld", but then dropped out completely for the pilot.

R208 does not understand the assignment

The best one was Roscoe Born on All My Children. He specialized in playing villains, but the AMC execs and writers did not tell him that his character wasn't going to be just a regular villain but a child molester. He quit in the middle of a scene, after finding out. If I'm not mistaken the actor switch actually occurs in the middle of the episode. But, that is something you should tell the actor prior to hiring them. I respect that he had no problem playing despicable villains but he drew the line at playing a child molester.

WHET Roscoe Born?

OP, I was a member of a Cold Case board back in the way. A few insiders posted there and one flat out said that Justin was let go and that it wasn't in good terms. He had some kind of behavior problem.

R211 He committed suicide last year, his family said he suffered from bi-polar disorder. He was also, apparently, a singer and had recorded a song about the Boy Scout sex scandals. Maybe he had some experience with the subject matter AMC was trying to force on him or he knew people who did, and was just like I'm out.

Murray Bartlett exited in Jake Lacy’s suitcase in The White Lotus. That was definitely unexpected.

I didn't keep up with gossip, so I was surprised when Shannen Doherty left both BH 90210 and Charmed.

R215 Her severe cuntitude is pretty obvious. Why'd it surprise anyone?

R216 Don’t speak ill of the almost dead.

[quote] I respect that he had no problem playing despicable villains but he drew the line at playing a child molester.

Was Stephen Collins not available?

[quote]Her severe cuntitude is pretty obvious. Why'd it surprise anyone?

At the time she was on 90210 I don't remember detecting severe cuntitude.

"Nan Woods, who played Cherry on China Beach, wanted to leave the show (and acting altogether)."

I may be conflating actors, but wasn't she the sister of Fredric Lehne of ORDINARY PEOPLE fame?

CHINA BEACH was one of the truly great television drama series. It puts non-starters like THE SOPRANOS and MAD MEN to shame. No, I'm not kidding--like BREAKING BAD, it actually was ABOUT something and had a point, IMHO.

Sasha Alexander from NCIS.

R218 seeing him on 7th Heaven for over a decade was bad enough.

R221 maybe she couldn't stand being around Michael.

[quote]Fredric Lehne of ORDINARY PEOPLE fame?

Who?

R212 Thanks for sharing. I've heard all sorts of theories (in addition to "he left to be on Gray's Anatomy" I've also heard "he was never intended to be a regular" even though he was in the opening credits), but none ever made sense.

R164 My sister looks exactly like one of our aunts.

I thought of another: Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton were fired from One Tree Hill. Murray even posted weird video about how he didn't want to leave online. He did do a few appearances on the show after though .

The explanation given was "cost cutting" but it seems to me like they could've let go some of their supporting actors before the guy who plays the main character, so I never really bought that explanation.

R226 the OTH set sounded like a complete nightmare thanks to Mark Schwahn.

Who?

Meloni's sudden departure began SVU's downfall.

R226 they werent fired. They had 6 season contracts and chose not to renew. Hilarie has been very vocal about that.

R219 O please. Anyone who worked with her knew she was the hugest cunt around. Producers were pissed at her behavior.

R228 the creator of the show.

Writer-producer Larry Molin explains why Shannen left - his version . - @ 10paragraphs down

It is frightening that anyone would spend 10 paragraphs to discuss BH 90210 in the first place.

R233 Jesus fuck. Until reading that I had no idea Doherty was THAT MUCH of a fucking cunt.

Dick Wolf finally let Sophia Bush escape Chicago PD before her contract was up. Unbelievably toxic workplace. NDAs were signed all around when she left.

I OWN THIS THREAD!!!

You mean that bitch from the first few seasons of Voyager! She was horrible. Any episode without 7 of 9's amazing breasts are unwatchable.

I can't believe Abe Vigoda hasn't been mentioned yet. He became the most popular character on Barney Miller and left for his own show that was pretty terrible.

[quote] I agree that Parsons was far too much of a patrician WASP to be believable as Roseanne's mother.

I believe the show used the trope of daughters rebelling against their parents / mothers. Parsons rebelling against common Winters by becoming prim and proper, and Roseanne rebelling against her prim and proper mom and embracing Winters' commonness.

Jake T. Austin leaving the Fosters. At the time, he got some bad press for being a douche and a hit and run. Then at the end of the second season, Austin's character gets into a car accident which was supposed to be a cliffhanger, but Austin kind of spoiled it by announcing he would leave the show. Later in season three, Noah Centrino showed up as Jake's replacement.

[quote]It is frightening that anyone would spend 10 paragraphs to discuss BH 90210 in the first place.

Well I wouldn't want to frighten you. He was a producer-writer on the show and it was an interview. It's much longer than 10 paragraphs but not everyone has an attention span.

The guy who played Brandon on 90210 is known to have a huge 10 incher IRL. That is the only interesting thing about that horrible show.

Considering some of the shit people think is good now, it wasn't so bad.

R230 What's the difference?

^R238 = crazy lesbo

R244 Most are brain dead turds these days so they get exactly what they deserve. Shut up, Kate. You should be kicked in the ovaries for the way you brutalized Jeri Ryan.

R247 I don't know what you're talking about (literally no idea) but I was talking about BH 90210.

R247 is a drooling old Patrick Stewart.

R248 You are pretending you are Kate Mulgrew and you don't know she brutalized Jeri Ryan on Voyager. Man, you are a stupid cunt.

From the 90210 interview:

[quote] Mollin: Luke, he was tired of it. All the kids hated the show by season 5, other than Tori. They all just hated it. Every day they would come in was just torture for them. We were making them do things, making them play these characters. Luke is a wonderful man and a good professional but he just wanted to go. We tried to really stack it up, and thank god we cast Rebecca Gayheart [Toni], who was just such a dear and so wonderful in that part.

R250 I know dumbass. I just don't care like you do.

Jeri agreed to change her bimbo image & then backtracked. She hid behind her powerbroker boyfriend until the show was over & dumped his ass.

I've been watching the Jeri seasons & her look is ridiculous.

She was trying to run in high heels when the Doc & her were taking care of the crew in "One".

Another episode had her outside in high heels in a muddy forest scene. So practical.

Jeri was dumb for not suggesting flexible footwear in some episodes to ground the character in her Borg efficiency beliefs which she nagged the crew over for 4 fuckin years. It's even dumber that none of the characters called her out as a hypocrite when she did her holier than thou routine. By the book Tuvok berated a female Maqui member in "Learning Curve" for wearing a headband & a male for an earring but Seven's high heels are Star Fleet acceptable? Unbelievable.

R252 You are one of the stupidest trolls on here. Jeri Ryan had ZERO fucking choice in what she wore or to what, wear fucking high heels! You really think about what footwear actors are wearing. Clearly, you are retarded or stage 5 autistic. Jeri Ryan was the only watchable character in all seven seasons of the show. None of the others mattered one iota.

[quote]You are pretending you are Kate Mulgrew and you don't know she brutalized Jeri Ryan on Voyager. Man, you are a stupid cunt.

I think you must have the wrong post number, dear.

Geneviève Bujold was originally cast as Capt. Janeway in Star Trek Voyager. After two days of shooting, she was appalled by the long hours and hectic pace and the producers were equally appalled by her performance. She left by mutual agreement. Kate Mulgrew had auditioned before Bujold and was asked back for a second test, after which she was cast immediately and production resumed.

^ One of the few times the press releases said left by mutual agreement and it was actually true. But the Paramount legal department required both Bujold and the producers to sign legal agreements that neither said would disparage each other, and, more importantly, that neither side would sue each other for not fulfilling their original contracts. Bujold had an ironclad contract for 26 episodes and if Paramount had simply fired her, she could have caused a lot of trouble. But she really wanted out.

^ neither side, not neither said

R253 You are the dumbest poster on the DL this year. Many fans thought her heels/outfits were dumb & impractical for a former Borg drone.

Jeri had passed out on more than one occasion wearing her original silver outfit so she had some input (as did union rules) & her power player boyfriend. Paramount didn't want the newest cast member to have any health problems that would lead to potential lawsuits or quit after what the cast went thru with Jen's forced departure. Sci-fi actresses Lynda Carter or Y. Craig didn't wear heels as high as Ryan's as it would affect their physical performances. Jeri has admitted that the heels/outfits made it harder to do physical scenes (like climbing out of a J. tube or getting down off a bio bed.

I'm sure Kate & the rest of the crew wasn't too thrilled when she had to do multiple takes because of her wardrobe. Jeri took longer to use the bathroom (than other crew members) because the outfit took so long to get on & off. Paramount had changed Lt. Torres's look when the actress became pregnant for most of a season so they could've easily altered Seven's look for certain scenes for more credibility.

The Seven Of Nine character had all of Capt. Picard's memories due to her Borg history & could've easily passed the Star Fleet exams required to put on a blue SF uniform (like she wore for only 1 episode "Relativity"). Jeri's boyfriend & Paramount liked the attention her dumb catsuit generated so her impractical & illogical cheesecake look remained. Paramount tried to use the catsuit gimmick again in Enterprise but it did nothing for the ratings. Pure karma.

R236 I wonder if it was better or worse than her time on OTH.

I'd rather hear more about Jean Hagen and Danny Thomas.

(quote)The Seven Of Nine character had all of Capt. Picard's memories due to her Borg history

Was it ever adressed as to how Seven of Nine lacked the knowledge to build a transwarp drive engine, or was that an apparent plothole of the series,R258?

R258 is the strangest troll on here. Obsessed with what Star Trek actors wore. Serious fucking loser. Jesus Cripe. Jeri Ryan's sexy rack were the only things that kept Voyager from being canceled. Who gives any fucks what the nobody cast thought of her? None of them would have had jobs without her, so fuck 'em.

Not a TV show but Noomi Rapace exiting the Prometheus franchise was unexpected. Did it have anything to do with Michael Fassbender?

And then there was the remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which starred Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. Both were replaced, respectively, by Sverrir Gudnason and Claire Foy in the sequel.

[quote]Didn't All My Children replace a Kendall or Bianca after one scene?

Days Of Our Lives recast Belle with Charity Rahmer, who was out almost as soon as she started (9 days).

So, when I mentioned on another thread how little Lily Rabe was on American Horror Story this season, yet got top billing and probably full salary someone mentioned that her parts were truncated, which now seems obvious as they both petered out quickly, and Ryan let her go off to film another project. I don’t get this where TV series actors are not honoring their initial commitments to shows they are regulars on, but get to go off and do vanity projects. Where’s that committed work ethic? I watch SNL for Kate, yet she’s not been on at all this season, and last year it was Aidy and Ciely.

Lily has a good agent. Or maybe just a hot one who appeals to Ryan Murphy

John Amos

Bea Benaderet left Petticoat Junction due to illness.

[quote]When Bea Benaderet became ill with cancer and was forced to leave the series, her absence was explained by having Kate go away to visit her sister. Rosemary DeCamp was brought in as a temporary replacement, to play the Bradley girls' Aunt Helen.

Imbd

Michael Pitt was written off Boardwalk Empire for several reasons.

1-He was a dick to cast and crew and everyone hated his egocentric ass.

2-He was a drug and alcohol abuser who often left cast and crew waiting for hours while he was fucking whatever slag he'd dragged to his trailer.

3-He started trashing everyone involved with the show to anyone who's listen to his drunken ranting.

4-He had to leave before several of the cast had him killed and dumped in the Meadowlands.

I was there for most of it. He was a despicable human being.

I worked with Pitt when he was barely out of his teens and mostly unknown and he was insufferable (and stank of cigs and alcohol) even then.

^Tell is more, R270.

I am surprised that the set of Boardwalk Empire didn't open a portal to hell with Michael Pitt and Paz de la Huerta causing all the dark and negative energy on set.

R264 Rahmer was embarassingly bad. It's like she took every bad acting choice actors aren't supposed to do, and amplified it. Almost like if it was a parody.

She was mocked online not only because she was so bad but she also had an official website up at the time that noted on her biography/resume noting that she was a "very experianced" actress.

I wish her scenes were still on youtube. They were very fun to watch, they were so bad.

R172-I'm surprised Michael Shannon didn't smack the shit out of Pitt.

😭.

Holy shit, shut up! Chicago Fire has been on the air for TEN seasons?! WTF

I also want to hear more stories about Michael Pitt!

Great body to look at, but you wouldn't want to smell there.

Maggie Roswell exited The Simpsons, causing them to kill off Maude Flanders.