# Actors Who Left Successful Series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138 "2009-11-11T02:28:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/21 "2009-11-11T03:53:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Suzanne Somers famously left Three’s Company after a salary dispute. It took a long time before her career recovered. Oh, and when will that happen? ---
**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:** [November 11, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/22 "2009-11-11T03:54:17Z")
Smits was also in Star Wars Episodes II and III as Bail Organa, adoptive father of Princess Leia. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/23 "2009-11-11T03:56:50Z")
Well Ashton Kutcher left **That 70s Show** before it’s final season. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/24 "2009-11-11T04:02:31Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Suzanne Somers famously left Three’s Company after a salary dispute. It took a long time before her career recovered. > > Oh, and when will that happen? Well, she did star on Step by Step from 1991-97, starting about ten years after she left Three’s Company. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/25 "2009-11-11T08:33:57Z")
I don’t know if Voyager is considered successful or not but Jennifer Lien left in Season 4, denying herself 3 years of residuals. If she has a post-Voyager career I haven’t heard of it. Similarly, on Deep Space Nine, Terry Farrell left at the end of Season 6 (of 7!) but went on to do Becker which IIRC was fairly successful. Gates McFadden left Star Trek: The Next Generation at the end of season 1 but was back in season 3. Charisma Carpenter left Angel at the end of season 4 but IIRC didn’t hurt for money doing some T&A flicks and Veronica Mars appearances. Monica Potter left (or was booted) from Boston Legal at the end of season 1. Not sure where she ended up. Mark Valley lasted until season 4 (of 5) but I think he’s got a series now… except it’s a sci-fi series on Fox. Nice knowing you, Mark. Julie Bowen left around the same time and ditched her horrible pantsuits to become “yoga ass” on Weeds. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/26 "2009-11-11T08:49:00Z")
It’s too early to determine if David Tennant’s decision to leave Doctor Who was wise or foolish. I keep hearing that he’s supposed to play Bilbo Baggins in the film version of **The Hobbit**. **If** that comes off, he’ll be in good shape. (Though I keep getting stuck on “He’s way too tall and skinny to be a hobbit!”) If it doesn’t, he may end up filed in the Caruso category. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/27 "2009-11-11T08:57:07Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Larry Linville (Frank Burns) also left _M_A_S_H\* early on. While he continued to work consistently (almost entirely in TV), he never really had another success. It should be noted that this wasn’t a ‘David Caruso’ situation - Linville was just tired of playing Frank, no matter how successful the show was, and wanted to do…pretty much anything else by that point. So, he seems to have gotten what he wanted by jumping ship when he did. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/28 "2009-11-11T10:53:06Z")
**Denise Crosby** left TNG early on. Doesn’t seem to have done anything major since then, though a lot of guest appearances in series and the occasional minor film role. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/29 "2009-11-11T11:07:05Z")
Almost forgot one of the classic examples. **Chevy Chase** Somehow, _Saturday Night Live_ has managed to struggle on for 30+ years without him. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/30 "2009-11-11T11:53:23Z")
How many of these performers left vs being left. I’d imagine not all of these exits were voluntary. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/31 "2009-11-11T11:56:39Z")
Ron Howard grew tired of playing Richie on Happy Days and seems to have had some success as a director. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2009, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/32 "2009-11-11T12:06:31Z")
Almost every original actor left NYPD blue. At the end only Sipowicz and Medavoy were left. After Smits left Ricky Schroeder joined the show but he left before the show ended as well. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/33 "2009-11-11T12:14:34Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Well Ashton Kutcher left **That 70s Show** before it’s final season. So did Topher Grace. He was in Spider-Man 3 but hasn’t achieved as much fame afterward as Kutcher. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/34 "2009-11-11T12:17:31Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > It’s too early to determine if David Tennant’s decision to leave Doctor Who was wise or foolish. I keep hearing that he’s supposed to play Bilbo Baggins in the film version of **The Hobbit**. **If** that comes off, he’ll be in good shape. (Though I keep getting stuck on “He’s way too tall and skinny to be a hobbit!”) If it doesn’t, he may end up filed in the Caruso category. You’re joking, right? Tennant will have no problem finding stage or television work in Britain. He can act rings around Caruso and is very popular indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/35 "2009-11-11T12:30:51Z")
Sherry Stringfield left _NYPD Blue_ after 1 season and took a role on _ER_. We can call that one a push. Then she left _ER_ in season 3. Apparently having realized what a mistake that was, she returned to _ER_ in its 8th season, only to leave _again_ in the 12th. (The show limped on for another 3 years.) Aside from those two credits, her career consists of some obscure movies, a failed TV series, and a handful of guest appearances. Sherry, if you ever find yourself on a hit show again, just _stay put!_ ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/36 "2009-11-11T12:33:37Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Almost every original actor left NYPD blue. At the end only Sipowicz and Medavoy were left. > > After Smits left Ricky Schroeder joined the show but he left before the show ended as well. The thing I remember about NYPD Blue was how Sipowicz really was the Angel of Death. Anyone closely involved with him, family or co-workers, was eventually going to be killed off. Just off hand His son & new police officer killed His wife shot in court His Jimmy Smits partner stabbed & dies of blood poisoning His Ricky Schroder partner shot & rolled up in a carpet ---
**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:** [November 11, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/37 "2009-11-11T13:37:06Z")
Jimmy Smits character needed a heart transplant and got one but the new heart went bad and he died. Maybe somebody else on the show was stabbed? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/38 "2009-11-11T13:38:09Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > You’re joking, right? Tennant will have no problem finding stage or television work in Britain. He can act rings around Caruso and is very popular indeed. Tennant has already been cast to star in a US series next year. Mandy Patinkin left two successful series ( **Chicago Hope** and **Criminal Minds** ). He has no problem getting work on Broadway and with recording albums. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/39 "2009-11-11T13:47:30Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So did Topher Grace. He was in Spider-Man 3 but hasn’t achieved as much fame afterward as Kutcher. He also didn’t marry Demi Moore and get free publicity from all that hooey. And to be honest, has Kutcher done anything decent lately? In Topher’s defense, I did like him in _Traffic_, _Win a Date With Tad Hamilton_ and his bit parts in the \*Ocean’s \*series. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138/40 "2009-11-11T13:51:04Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I guess George Clooney did all right for himself after leaving ER. And ER did all right for itself without Clooney. It did alright, for sure. However, it was never as high in the ratings after Clooney left. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-left-successful-series/517138.md?page=3)