# Actors who left hit shows for "better opportunities" and disappeared **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693 "2013-02-18T14:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/1 "2013-02-18T14:27:05Z")
Thread inspired by this post from the Downton Abbey thread (re an actor who played a major character on the show and was just killed off): > [@Downton Abbey S3 - spoiler-free until broadcast in the U.S.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downton-abbey-s3-spoiler-free-until-broadcast-in-the-u-s/645791/843): > > In that case the actor’s a prick, and a stupid one at that. Pursue other acting opportunities? Like what? He’s never getting another regular TV show part after this shenanigan. I’m thinking of other actors in other series who think that because the show’s a hit, they’re now Hot Stuff, and leave to pursue “better opportunities” only to never (or virtually never) be heard\* from again. Two that come to mind are MacLean Stevenson of M_A_S_H_ and Rob Morrow of _Northern Exposure._ M_A_S_H_ went on to thrive with Stevenson’s replacement, Col. Potter, but Morrow’s departure pretty much killed one of the best series of the late 80’s. \*\*Prize for most intricate split infinitive. \* ---
**Author:** ![powerjacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/2 "2013-02-18T14:36:33Z")
George Clooney left E.R. to never be heard from again. 😉 What about the kid from Home Improvement? Jonathan Taylor Thomas? Can’t remember why he left, but I remember him having one or two movies after his departure but nothing really good. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/3 "2013-02-18T14:37:52Z")
First person that comes to mind is Shelly Long, departing from Cheers after five seasons. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/4 "2013-02-18T14:44:37Z")
Well, these folks didn’t disappear FOREVER, and all eventually had some success after leaving the TV show that first made them famous. But… 1. Pernell Roberts left\*\*\* Bonanza,\*\*\* complaining that its stories were lowbrow and weren’t socially or politically relevant. He ended up unemployed for nearly two decades, before making a comeback on _ **Trapper John, MD.** _ His new show was far stupider than\*\*\* Bonanza,\*\*\* but by now, he’d learned to shut up and be grateful for a steady paycheck. 2. David Caruso left _ **NYPD Blue** _ to make movies that nobody watched. He eventually found a good job taking his his sunglasses on and off on _ **CSI: Miami.** _ 3. Suzanne Somers thought she was too good for _ **Three’s Company** _ and made some awful movies that nobody saw, then spent some years in Limbo before getting a few more sitcoms. 4. Farrah Fawcett left Charlie’s Angels to make the movies \*\*\*Somebody Killed Her \*\*\*\*\*\*Husband \*\*\*and _ **Sunburn** _ (anybody see them? didn’t think so!). The moral is, don’t be too quick to give up a lead role on a hit TV show. You MIGHT be moving on to better things, but then again, this MIGHT be as good as it ever gets. Henry Winkler and Michael J. Fox were HUGE stars on TV sitcoms, but were smart enough to STAY with those sitcoms to the end, even as they tried to make movies too. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/5 "2013-02-18T14:46:57Z")
Tasha Yar. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/6 "2013-02-18T14:47:38Z")
IIRC, Don Knotts, aka Barney Fife, even though he had some good comedy movies, didn’t quite make the bucks after giving up The Andy Griffith Show. The Show went to crap, too. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/7 "2013-02-18T14:49:31Z")
Steve Carell’s movie career sucks. He’ll still make major bank off of pap like Despicable Me 2, but he’s lacking a leading-comedic-man hit. If he doesn’t get a hit before the decade is out, I suspect you’ll see about as much of him as you do Mike Meyers. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/8 "2013-02-18T15:08:05Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Steve Carell’s movie career sucks. He’ll still make major bank off of pap like Despicable Me 2, but he’s lacking a leading-comedic-man hit. If he doesn’t get a hit before the decade is out, I suspect you’ll see about as much of him as you do Mike Meyers. Huh? _The 40 Year Old Virgin_ was a hit. He has done a lot of enjoyable work in _[Little Miss Sunshine](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/reference)_ and _[Date Night](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1279935/reference)_. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/9 "2013-02-18T15:08:51Z")
Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode on _Gunsmoke._ He claimed he was glad to get out of the role when he did, but it was another ten years or so before he resurfaced as McCloud. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/10 "2013-02-18T15:10:52Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Well, these folks didn’t disappear FOREVER, and all eventually had some success after leaving the TV show that first made them famous. But… > [snip] > \*\*The moral is, don’t be too quick to give up a lead role on a hit TV show. \*\*You MIGHT be moving on to better things, but then again, this MIGHT be as good as it ever gets. Henry Winkler and Michael J. Fox were HUGE stars on TV sitcoms, but were smart enough to STAY with those sitcoms to the end, even as they tried to make movies too. Yes, this IS my point. There’s a peripheral [discussion](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/arts/television/killing-off-tv-characters-carries-risk.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0)of this phenomenon in the NYTimes online today. (Clicking will take you to the article, so if you don’t want to mess with your quota, don’t go there.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/11 "2013-02-18T15:18:04Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Huh? _The 40 Year Old Virgin_ was a hit. He has done a lot of enjoyable work in _[Little Miss Sunshine](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/reference)_ and _[Date Night](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1279935/reference)_. Yeah Steve Carrell may be the worst example. He left the Daily Show to go to The Office for 7 hit seasons. Since 2003 by my count he has been in 14 well known movies as either the lead or one of the main supporting roles. Some of those movies have been small indies and others big Hollywood movies. In the next couple of months he has two more movies coming out in which he is the star. He seems to be doing quite well for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/12 "2013-02-18T15:19:39Z")
I remember hearing that the Highlander TV show ended largely because the star…Adrian Paul? What that his name?..felt that he had finally broken through to be a real life Actor, and wanted to pursue his film career. The results speak for themselves. The last season of the show had him in maybe a scant handful of scenes. It turned into a season-long audition to try out various female Immortals, trying to find one that could star in a spinoff series. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/13 "2013-02-18T15:26:11Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode on _Gunsmoke._ He claimed he was glad to get out of the role when he did, but it was another ten years or so before he resurfaced as McCloud. Dennis showed up on Kentucky Jones and Gentle Ben in between. But neither was much of a show. In his case leaving Gunsmoke may have been a good idea, he could have ended up typecast as Chester. Julianna Margulies left ER for greener pastures, never really found them and returned for the final season (I don’t know how many appearances). ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/14 "2013-02-18T15:33:02Z")
There must be dozens of examples from SNL. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/15 "2013-02-18T15:43:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Rob Morrow of _Northern Exposure._ Rob Morrow spent six seasons as a star of _Num3ers_, which was as big or bigger a show. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Julianna Margulies left ER for greener pastures, never really found them and returned for the final season (I don’t know how many appearances). Julianna Margulies is the absolute darling of network television as the star of _The Good Wife_. Topher Grace looked for a moment like he was going to be a giant star when he left _That 70s Show_ but hasn’t happened yet. Valerie Harper got herself fired off a show with her name in the title. That isn’t exactly leaving, although it’s suicide by mod-like, but I can’t think of a worse implosion. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/16 "2013-02-18T15:49:39Z")
Wayne Rogers. Left MASH to do some utterly forgetable television. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/17 "2013-02-18T15:57:37Z")
Jackie the Jokeman and Artie Lange, when they left Howard Stern. Jackie saw greener pastures, and allegedly walked off aver $50,000 a year, which was like 5% of his salary (again, allegedly). Bad mistake, career-wise. Every ancillary comedy thing to the show that he had going on dried up almost completely without the constant promotion and daily radio presence that he had with Howard. Artie is still having major drug issues, IMHO, and is better off, even if he never works as a comedian again. And frankly, he blows goats as a standup and as a film actor. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/18 "2013-02-18T16:04:44Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Steve Carell’s movie career sucks. He’ll still make major bank off of pap like Despicable Me 2, but he’s lacking a leading-comedic-man hit. If he doesn’t get a hit before the decade is out, I suspect you’ll see about as much of him as you do Mike Meyers. Steve Carell will be around until he decides not to be. He’ll never reach the height of fame that Myers did, but I also think he’ll have a more fruitful career than Myers will. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/19 "2013-02-18T16:07:57Z")
Hervé Villechaize, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-hit-shows-for-better-opportunities-and-disappeared/650693/20 "2013-02-18T16:12:08Z")
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