TV Show stars and co-stars leaving a TV series

[spencerkarter85]

In some many cases, some actors/actress leaving a popular television series that were mostly associated with for many years, some folks say "This show is not the same without (him/her)" or went downhill or in the JTS world they call it "Exit...Stage Left". Here's my examples of stars leaving their shows:

Miriam McDonald: Degrassi: The Next Generation as Emma Nelson from 2001-2010 and her final episode when she married Spinner (Shane Kippel) at a beach wedding.
Kathryn Leigh Scott: Dark Shadows in September 1970 after playing various roles (including Maggie Evans) from 1966-1970.
Steve Carell: The Office (US) as Michael Scott from 2005-2011.
Trevor Bannister: Are You Being Served? as Mr. Lucas from 1972-1979. He died from a heart attack last year
John Cleese: Monty Python's Flying Circus after 1973.
Demi Lovato: Sonny with a Chance from 2009-2010. She left because of a heath scare and went into rehab. Rechristened as So Random! in the summer of 2011.

 

[Mark Giardina]

Charlie Sheen- Two and a Half Men
Robert Lansing- 12 o'clock high
William Peterson -CSI
Ivan Dixon- Hogan's Heroes.
Robert Horton- Wagon Train
Pernell Roberts- Bonanza
John Travolta-Welcome Back Kotter
Redd Foxx -Sanford and Son ( Although he did return to the series; but during his absence Whitman Mayo, who played Grady, just didn't have Foxx's comedic ability.
Kathleen Nolan - The Real McCoys. As mentioned by another poster this helped with the demise of the show.

 

[Mark Giardina]

Don Knotts- His departure IMHO started the demise of The Andy Griffith Show. Knott's replacement (Jack Burns) was not funny.

Elinor Donahue - The Andy Griffith Show. She reportedly was let go after the first season ended (1961) because both the producer and Griffith believes there was no chemistry between the characters of Sheriff Andy and Ellie Walker. Donahue reported said she was surprised that she would not be returning to the show.

Redd Foxx - Sanford and Son. Foxx did return following but in the meantime his replacement, Whitman Mayo (Grady) wasn't entertaining at all.

 

[WMC2006]

MASH: Gary Burghoff, McLane Stevenson, Larry Linville
Happy Days: Ron Howard, Pat Morita
Fantasy Island: Herve Villechaize
Charlie's Angels: Farrah

 

[mbclev]

Knots Landing: Constance McCashin (and this still pains me nearly 25 years later). She was fired mostly due to budget cuts because of CBS moving "Knots" to 9 P.M., Eastern time, in the fall of 1986 (opposite a red-hot show like "Cheers"), but also keep in mind that four of the show's writers left for producing jobs on other shows after the 1985-86 season, and I think one of the new writers that replaced them had a vendetta against Constance (her son, Daniel Weisman, posted on the Soapchat "Knots" message board in 2007 that a producer-writer had a vendetta against her. If you want to look it up, Daniel's screen name is "The Real Daniel Avery", and the related thread is in the page 50s of the "Knots" board).

Unfortunately, Constance apparently wants nothing to do with interacting with fans of hers from her "Knots" days, because she is no longer in show business, and has generally refused requests to be interviewed about it. I have been a fan of Constance since November 1983.

 

[wdb2003]

Jackée Harry, Sandra Clark 227. After she left in season 5 the show became very bland and boring. She did appear in a few episodes for season 5

Janet Hubert, Vivan Banks on Fresh Prince. She owned that part Daphne Maxwell Reid to me wasnt really a good choice to replace. Janet was funny and Daphne was real quiet but still respectful to the character. Its sad Will and Janet had a beef.

Tisha Campbell-Martin, Gina Waters/ Payne on Martin. She wasnt the star of the show but her leaving made a major void on the show during its 5th season. It showed in the ratings.

 

[Joey1986]

Edie McClurg--Small Wonder. The explanation I read in various places online was that McClurg, who played Bonnie Brindle, the mother of nosy next-door neighbor Harriet Brindle (who had a crush--an unrequited one at that--on Jamie Lawson, Vicki the Robot's human "brother") left the show after the second season to pursue other acting opportunities. You may remember Bonnie's famous line heard in various episodes: "No na na no no no!" That's what she'd say when answering a yes-or-no question in the negative.

As a side note, I don't recall any episodes in the third or fourth season with Harriet asking her dad, Brandon Brindle, about "mom."

 

[Bob1370]

When George Clooney left NBC's Thursday night medical drama "ER" in 1999 after five years, it didn't hurt the show (which had a strong ensemble cast) much, in that it went another ten successful season...but it set Clooney free to achieve the monster film stardom he's attained over the last dozen years.

"NYPD Blue" fared well after David Caruso left at the end of the first season--it also had a strong decade-long run. Caruso didn't do so well in his foray into feature film...although his return to TV as principal star of "CSI:Miami" worked well for him and for CBS.

 

[WMC2006]

Dick York left Bewitched after several seasons due to chronic back pain. He was replaced by Dick Sargeant.

David Garrison left Married...With Children and was replaced by Ted "Jump the Shark" McGinley.

Lauren Tewes left the original Love Boat following drug problems and was replaced by Pat Klous.

Shannen Doherty left BH 90210 and was replaced by Tiffani Thiessen.

Valerie Harper left Valerie and was replaced by Sandy Duncan after which the show was eventually renamed The Hogan Family.

Richard Thomas, Michael Learned, and Ralph Waite all left The Waltons at various times during its run. Will Geer (Grandpa) and Ellen Corby (Grandma) died during the run of the series and were written out.

 

[WMC2006]

"NYPD Blue" fared well after David Caruso left at the end of the first season--it also had a strong decade-long run. Caruso didn't do so well in his foray into feature film...although his return to TV as principal star of "CSI:Miami" worked well for him and for CBS.

Jimmy Smits, who replaced Caruso, left after several seasons. Several more main and supporting characters left that show after several years including Rick Schroeder, Kim Delaney, James McDaniel, Amy Brennamen, and Gail O'Grady. Sherry Stringfeld was in the first season and then went on to ER, a series that she quit and returned to twice. If memory serves, David Schwimmer was in the first season as well. He lived in Caruso's character's apartment building. Caruso called him "4B" after his apartment number.

 

[spencerkarter85]

Also, others include.

Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul: American Idol. Ironically, Abdul was fired from Cowell's other show The X-Factor.
David Hasselhoff, Jerry Springer, and recently Piers Morgan: America's Got Talent.
Samantha Harris: Dancing with The Stars (replaced by season 7 winner Brooke Burke-Charvet)
On Degrassi: TNG, Lauren Collins, Jake Epstein, Jake Goldsbie, Cassie Steele, Adamo Ruggerio, Dan Woods, Sarah Barrable Tishauer, Shane Kippel, Drake the Rapper, etc.
Telma Hopkins: Family Matters
Marg Helenberger: CSI
Abraham Benrubi: Memphis Beat
Christopher Meloni: Law and Order: SVU. Soon, Mariska Hargitay will depart the series too as I've heard from my friends on the internet.
John Saxon: The Bold Ones: The New Doctors

 

[WMC2006]

David Hasselhoff, Jerry Springer, and recently Piers Morgan: America's Got Talent.

The Hoff also left Baywatch (by then, Baywatch Hawaii) after the 10th season but was miraculously back from the dead a few years later for a reunion movie. Pam Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul and a host of others left the show at various points.

 

[spencerkarter85]

The reason why Redd Foxx temporary-departed Sanford & Son was a salary dispute. Similar story to the actors who played Bo and Luke Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard after the 1981-1982 season. They were replaced by least-favorite Coy and Vance Duke. But Bo and Luke came back. Also James Best (who was Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane) temporary-leave the show during the 1979-1980 season due to a simlar dispute. Replaced by three sheriffs (temporary sheriffs).

BTW, this is my 100th post on this board.

 

[WMC2006]

Also James Best (who was Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane) temporary-leave the show during the 1979-1980 season due to a simlar dispute. Replaced by three sheriffs (temporary sheriffs).

BTW, this is my 100th post on this board.

I think you are thinking of Deputy Enos Strate (Sonny Shroyer) who left to star in "Enos", was replaced by Cletus Hogg, and then came back after Enos was cancelled.

Congrats on your 100th post.

 

[Jazz_Kat]

Here are a few,

Lisa Edelstein and Jennifer Morrison - House
Howard Rollins - In the Heat of the Night
Bitty Schram - Monk
Jamie Gomez, Kelly Hu, and Yasmine Bleeth - Nash Bridges
Katherine Heigl - Grey's Anatomy

 

[jwk1979]

Here are a few,


Howard Rollins - In the Heat of the Night

Didn't the producers fire Howard Rollins, Jr. due to his drug use and the delays he was causing on the show because of his drug use? Iirc, he died not long after he was let go from the show.

 

[spencerkarter85]

Here are a few,


Howard Rollins - In the Heat of the Night

Didn't the producers fire Howard Rollins, Jr. due to his drug use and the delays he was causing on the show because of his drug use? Iirc, he died not long after he was let go from the show.

Also Hugh O'Connor (adopted son of the late actor and also co-star Carroll O'Connor) had drug problem and commited suicide in 1995.