I’d mention Terry Farrell leaving DS9, but Nicole de Boer is just so scrumptious.
But he didn’t disappear. He left acting to become a financial advisor/planner, and is, by all accounts, one of the best there is in LA. Client list a mile long, very respected and making more money doing that than he ever could have made as an actor.
According to the made for TV movie Farrah Fawcett left her show because her husband Lee Majors wanted her at home cooking his dinner.
Katherine Heigl had some big roles just prior to and just after leaving Grey’s Anatomy but they seem to have dried up now.
Topher Grace leaving That 70s Show is a great, and disappointing, example.
While the Rob Morrow returned successfully to TV, he did not hit it big in movies, as he’d hoped. Like David Caruso.
The lead actor from the cheezily-wonderful BBC sci-fi show “Blake’s 7” left after the first season. Fortunately the show soldiered on without him. I think the actor returned to stage work, but don’t know for sure.
How many more Dan in Real Life/s or Evan Almighty/s will a studio want to finance? He’ll be in supporting roles like in Anchorman 2.
Is it interesting that he’s in Foxcatcher. I wonder how well it will be received, as it seems a blatant grab for credibility – like every time Robbin Williams grows a beard and plays it straight.
I bet a bunch. Admittedly, his box office takes are much different than I suspected - it’s a roller coaster - but Evan Almighty did fine.
I predict this Burt Wonderstone movie will be a big hit.
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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.
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She went to court and was awarded many millions from Lorimar and the network. They were apparently at least as at fault as she was.
Yeah, that’s where he ended up. . . after starring in a couple of failed TV shows. One was called “City of Angels” and a co-worker of mine loved that show.
George Lazenby could have been James Bond for a decade, but he walked away because he wanted to make more Important movies. poof!
I think sometimes when a person leaves a show and “disappears” its because they want to “disappear” and do something else, even if it’s lower profile.
A slightly different example is Steven Hill, aka Dan Briggs, the original leader of the IMF on Mission: Impossible. He lost his role because as an Orthodox Jew, he refused to work after sundown and on the Sabbath, throwing the production schedule into disarray (M:I was always behind schedule and over budget). He also was bent on forming a prayer group with people from Desilu, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Herb Solow, and Bob Justman from Star Trek, which was filmed on the same lot.
He was also persuaded by his agent that the Bond series had already run its course. Very, very bad advice! 
Frankie Avalon left the Beach Party movies because he wanted a serious career. He only showed up in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini for about five minutes (with Buster Keaton). The Beach Party craze had probably run its course, but Avalon’s career didn’t go anywhere after that.
Tony Musante was the star of Toma and walked away from the show after the first season. (He claimed he only agreed to do one season.) The show was retitled and recast and continued as Baretta. Musante worked, but never as a star.
For some reason, amid all these worthy nominees, David Caruso stands out as the poster boy. Perhaps it’s the enormous disparity between his self-opinion and reality. Many of the others had a bit more talent, gave their shows a bit more time, and made an almost-sensible move in leaving. Caruso was epic fail on all counts.
Farrell left DS9 to co-star in Becker with Ted Danson. She lasted four years there before being replaced. She’s disappeared since then, but I’d say leaving DS9 for Becker wasn’t a bad career move for her. The show did well in the ratings for CBS and reruns continue to be shown in syndication.
He was also in Back to the Beach with Annette Funicello (1987):
My favorite scene is when Bob Denver is tending bar and says something like “I once was on an island with a guy who could make an atomic reactor out of two coconuts but he couldn’t figure out how to repair a boat!”
Yet another MAS*H alumni: Larry Linville.
Claudia Christian left Babylon 5 after she didn’t get her demand to appear less (to do movies) and get paid the same (JMS was willing let her appear less for less pay, and did so for Vir).
She has been in a few shows, and done some voice acting, but certainly didn’t become a big star.
Brian
You totally missed the dual point of my post, (a) that I was not mentioning Terry Farrell and (b) that Nicole de Boer is yummy.
