# Actors who left show business for another career? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280 "2010-03-04T14:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/21 "2010-03-04T16:37:34Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Wil Wheaton, of “Shut up, Wesley!” fame, seems to have pretty much left acting. He worked for Amiga for a while in the 90s, and I think he’s still in the tech sector, though I don’t really know. He also enjoys a considerable following in the blogosphere: [http://www.wilwheaton.net/](http://www.wilwheaton.net/) I’m pretty sure Wil Wheaton still primarily considers himself an actor, though he does keep a blog and has written books. Most recently he’s been on Big Bang Theory. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/22 "2010-03-04T16:44:12Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’m pretty sure Wil Wheaton still primarily considers himself an actor, though he does keep a blog and has written books. Most recently he’s been on Big Bang Theory. Yeah, I was going to say the same thing. He still regularly goes to auditions and he’s never indicated he wants to stop acting. Though he does also consider himself an author and it’s clear that he dedicates a great deal of time to that particular branch of his career. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/23 "2010-03-04T16:58:03Z")
Lisa Gerritsen (Bess Lindstrom from **Phyllis** and **The Mary Tyler Moore Show** , Lydia Monroe from **My World and Welcome To It** ) quit acting at age 20 and reportedly never looked back. Jeremy Gelbwaks, the original Chris Partridge ( **The Partridge Family** ), quit acting at age 10. Both apparently went into the software industry. Gelbwaks had some bad blood with the cast, especially with Danny Bonaduce, but it was ultimately his family that yanked him off the show. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/24 "2010-03-04T17:02:16Z")
The girl who played Newt in _Aliens_ made one movie. Then she lived her life and last I heard is an elementary teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/25 "2010-03-04T17:26:26Z")
Both Sonny Bono and Fred “Gopher” Grandy (The Love Boat) went into politics. Both were in the U.S. House of Representatives. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/26 "2010-03-04T17:32:30Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Peter Ostrum, the kid who played Charlie Bucket in **Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory** , quit acting after that one film, despite being offered a three-picture deal. He’s a large animal vet in rural New York state. Danielle Spencer, who played little sister Dee on _What’s Happening!_ also became a veterinarian. ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/27 "2010-03-04T19:33:54Z")
Danny Lloyd (Danny from **The Shining** ) is now a science teacher. Gabe Kaplan became a financial investor and poker champion. Amy Linker (Lauren from **Square Pegs** ) is an elementary school teacher. Belinda Bauer (Mad Scientist Chick from **Robocop 2** along with some other stuff) is now a therapist. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/28 "2010-03-04T19:44:53Z")
Connie Booth from Fawlty Towers and Monty Python is a therapist in London. For a long time she refused to talk about her time as an actress but she recently did one interview. She was married to John Cleese. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/29 "2010-03-04T19:54:40Z")
**Melissa Gilbert** left acting, and became head of the Screen Actor’s guild, among other things. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/30 "2010-03-04T21:04:41Z")
[Mark Lester](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Lester), the kid who played the title role in _Oliver!_, quit acting and became an osteopath. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/31 "2010-03-04T21:08:04Z")
Rick Moranis quit acting when his wife died so that he could take care of his kids full time. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/32 "2010-03-04T21:17:50Z")
Jaimee Foxworth, the little sister on Family Matters (with Urkle), left acting in mainstream roles to become a porn starlet. I guess that’s still showbusiness. :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/33 "2010-03-05T04:07:47Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > But did these people _leave_? Or were they unable to find acting jobs so they went into another line? What, \*you \*wouldn’t leave if you unable to find a job?:eek: My friends, often, marvel at my wit! But, seriously, I am with you. They didn’t leave show business, they were downsized. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/34 "2010-03-05T04:26:51Z")
Two guys from _CHiPs_: Larry Wilcox went into pharma for a bit and now I think is the CEO of a tech company, and Brodie Greer, the guy who played Officer Barry “Bear” Baricza is a real estate agent. I don’t know why I know this. I was looking up people from 1970s shows for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/35 "2010-03-05T04:31:44Z")
Another former child actor, [Charlie Korsmo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Korsmo) (_Dick Tracy_, _Hook_) is now a lawyer and conservative political activist. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/36 "2010-03-05T04:52:42Z")
Robert MacNaughton, the older brother in _ET_, left show business in 1983 and has worked in Phoenix as a US Postal Service mail handler ever since. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/37 "2010-03-05T04:59:38Z")
William Hopper appeared in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s before entering the military in World War II. When he got out, he sold cars for about 8 years. He then returned to acting in the role he is most famous for: Paul Drake on the “Perry Mason” TV series. Hopper’s mother was Hedda Hopper, a bit actress who in the 1930s became one of the most famous and feared gossip columnists. She called her Beverly Hills mansion “The House That Fear Built”. My understanding is William had an arms length relationship with her: She was constantly pushing for him to act, and putting pressure on studios to hire him. He didn’t have an overwhelming desire to and when he did, he wanted to get the job on his own merits. Hopper’s father, DeWolf Hopper, was famous for making the poem “Casey at the Bat” with an estimated 10,000 recitations in a overly dramatic, highly wrought style. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/38 "2010-03-05T10:59:48Z")
[Bobby Sherman](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0792385/) left acting and music to become a paramedic and deputy sheriff. These aren’t exactly what the OP wants, but they’re all interesting to me. [Daniel Day-Lewis](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000358/) left acting temporarily to [work as a cobbler](http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20139070,00.html) in Florence, Italy before coming back to be Bill the Butcher in **Gangs of New York**. [Angela Cartwright](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001021/) from **The Birds/The Sound of Music/Lost In Space** became a [photographer](http://www.angela-cartwright.com/), art teacher, curator of an art gallery, novelist and artist. She still acts occasionally. [Tippi Hedren](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001335/) from **The Birds/Marnie** started a [sanctuary for exotic animals](http://www.shambala.org/). She never totally left acting either and has some upcoming projects. [Donna Douglas](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0235031/) from **The Beverly Hillbillies** became a real estate agent in Beverly Hills. She continued to do some scattered acting. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/39 "2010-03-05T11:32:27Z")
Dolores Hart, a romantic lead opposite Elvis Presly, George Hamilton, and others, in the late fifties and early sixties, became a Benedictine nun and is now prioress of her convent in Conneticut. > **[Dolores Hart | Actress](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0366247/)** > > Known for: Where the Boys Are, Francis of Assisi, Come Fly with Me ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280/40 "2010-03-05T12:07:15Z")
[Pamela Stephenson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Stephenson) left comedy/acting to focus on a career in clinical psychology (in which she has a doctorate). She does have a British television show in which she interviews various celebs wearing her psych hat although officially the interviews are not “therapy”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-show-business-for-another-career/531280.md?page=3)