# History of TV character deaths **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654 "2014-09-26T17:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/61 "2014-09-27T02:58:44Z")
1. On _Married With Children_ when the dog who played Buck got too old they had Buck die and go to dog heaven, only to be reincarnated and send back to the Bundys as new puppy Lucky. [Requiem for a Dead Briard](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0642359/) ---
**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:** [September 27, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/62 "2014-09-27T02:59:57Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Will Geer (Grandpa on _The Waltons_) and Jim Davis (Jock on _Dallas_) fit the definition of #1. And actually the _Dallas_ character of Miss Ellie is an example of a “Darren.” Barbara Bel Geddes originally played the character and then left. Donna Reed then played the character until Barbara Bel Geddes returned. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/63 "2014-09-27T03:07:59Z")
Mrs Kravitz on _ **Bewitched** _ was another instance where the actress died and was seamlessly replaced with another woman (who looked nothing like her). ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/64 "2014-09-27T03:58:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I think Hoss Cartwright on _Bonanza_, was the first character to die due to the death of the actor playing him - in this case, Dan Blocker. > [@terentii](#): > > Seconded **here:** > > [The First Time a TV Show Addressed the Death of a Character](http://mentalfloss.com/article/28798/first-time-tv-show-addressed-death-character) Sorry, I believe Mental Floss missed the boat on this one by at least 15 years. In 1957, [Lassie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassie_(1954_TV_series)#Concept_and_development), then on CBS, starred Tommy Rettig as Jeff Miller, Jan Clayton as Jeff’s mother, Ellen, and veteran character actor George Cleveland as Jeff’s Grandpa, George. George Cleveland died unexpectedly in 1957. The new season opened with Gramps’ funeral and with Jeff and his mother selling the farm to Paul and Ruth Martin and moving away. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/65 "2014-09-29T18:31:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Which soap opera character has been “killed” the most number of times? Stefano DiMera of _Days of Our Lives_ is a strong contender. His [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefano_DiMera) lists at least 12 “deaths”. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/66 "2014-09-29T22:38:07Z")
Valerie Harper deserves a mention here: Probably the only title character to be killed off her own show! > **[The Hogan Family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hogan_Family)** > > The Hogan Family (originally titled Valerie and later Valerie's Family: The Hogan's) is an American sitcom television series that began airing on NBC on March 1, 1986, and finished its run on CBS on July 20, 1991, for a total of six seasons. It was produced in association with Lorimar Productions (1986), Lorimar-Telepictures (1986–1988), and Lorimar Television (1988–1991). > Under the title Valerie, the show originally centered around Valerie Harper in the title role as a mother trying to juggl... ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/67 "2014-09-30T00:32:03Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > No, it was on _ **Burns and Allen** _. George literally stopped the show (freeze-frame) to introduce the new actor who would be playing his next-door neighbor: > > _Larry Keating, actually, was not in the original cast, with his character of Harry Morton first being portrayed by Hal March (October-December 1950), then John Brown (January-June 1951), and after that, Fred Clark, until 1953. In one famous episode, “Morton Buys Iron Deer/Gracie Thinks George Needs Glasses,” George walks on-stage and stops the scene just before Harry’s entrance and explains that Clark has left the show to perform on Broadway. He introduces Larry Keating, who enters, and then calls over Bea Benaderet to introduce the two saying, “This is Larry Keating and he is going to be your husband now”. The pair greet and chat briefly, complimenting each other on their previous work. George remarks that if they are going to be so nice to each other, no one will believe they are married. He then gives original cue, Blanche resumes her position, and the scene continues where it stopped as if nothing had happened. The new Harry enters and Blanche hits him in the head with a catalogue for spending $200 to buy an iron deer._ Video of part of that [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb7cNhX7kd4). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/68 "2014-09-30T07:00:33Z")
For number 2 I offer [The Real McCoys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Real_McCoys) where in 1960 Kathleen Nolan as Kate left the show due to a contract dispute and was said to have died. As for the George Burns example, since George talked to the camera and narrated the show, the switch didn’t even involve him breaking character. ---
**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:** [September 30, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/69 "2014-09-30T13:06:32Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > In 1957, [Lassie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassie_(1954_TV_series)#Concept_and_development), then on CBS, starred Tommy Rettig as Jeff Miller, Jan Clayton as Jeff’s mother, Ellen, and veteran character actor George Cleveland as Jeff’s Grandpa, George. George Cleveland died unexpectedly in 1957. The new season opened with Gramps’ funeral and with Jeff and his mother selling the farm to Paul and Ruth Martin and moving away. Damn! I remember watching that episode when I was three or four (it says in my Baby Book that I _loved_ _ **Lassie** _), probably in a rerun (I would have been two in 1957). I was kind of bewildered that the whole cast was changing, except for the dog, and always wondered what happened to Jeff. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/70 "2014-09-30T13:18:10Z")
the Millers…what happened to the first kid? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/71 "2014-09-30T14:57:00Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > How do the two _Darrens_ on Bewitched count? Well if you think about it, Dick _Sargent_ was the replacement for Dick _York_. Sargent . . . York. _Sergeant York_. No, there’s no point to this. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/72 "2014-09-30T18:25:36Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Damn! I remember watching that episode when I was three or four (it says in my Baby Book that I _loved_ _ **Lassie** _), probably in a rerun (I would have been two in 1957). I was kind of bewildered that the whole cast was changing, except for the dog, and always wondered what happened to Jeff. ☹ Tommy Rettig and Jan Clayton both wanted to move on from the show, so Timmy (Jon Provost) was brought in early to ease the transition as Ellen Miller’s foster child and he and Jeff became friends. When the Martins bought the farm from the Millers, they agreed to adopt Timmy and let him stay on the farm. When the Millers got ready to leave, Jeff called Lassie to get in the car, but she wanted to stay with Timmy, so Jeff agreed that she could be his dog. Paul and Ruth Martin were originally played by Jon Sheppod and Cloris Leachman, but they proved not to be popular with viewers and Leachman was supposed to be difficult to work with, so they were recast with Hugh Reilly and June Lockhart. I know all this because COZI TV runs all of the old Lassie episodes in the afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/73 "2014-09-30T22:49:33Z")
along the lines of actors replaced without anything said, the oldest son was played by some guy who was replaced after the first episode. Apparently his film carreer was taking off. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/74 "2014-09-30T23:40:37Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > along the lines of actors replaced without anything said, the oldest son was played by some guy who was replaced after the first episode. Apparently his film carreer was taking off. What oldest son from which show? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/75 "2014-10-01T00:06:58Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > along the lines of actors replaced without anything said, the oldest son was played by some guy who was replaced after the first episode. Apparently his film carreer was taking off. Would that be Chuck Cunningham? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/76 "2014-10-01T00:20:44Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > along the lines of actors replaced without anything said, the oldest son was played by some guy who was replaced after the first episode. Apparently his film carreer was taking off. > [@notfrommensa](#): > > Would that be Chuck Cunningham? 😃 Could be, but doubtful. The first actor to play Chuck Cunningham, Gavan O’Herlihy, was in nine episodes and lasted longer than the second actor, Randolph Roberts, who was written out of the series after only two episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/77 "2014-10-01T00:28:46Z")
> [@alted315](#): > > Speaking of Bea Benaderet didn’t she die during Petticoat Junction to be replaced by June Lockhart? Sorry didn’t see previous post Lockhart was not a Kate replacement but a doctor who came to Petticoat Junction. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/78 "2014-10-01T00:51:46Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > Along the lines of actors replaced without anything said, the oldest son was played by some guy who was replaced after the first episode. The actor who played Jim Garner’s dad in the _ **Rockford Files** _ pilot was replaced without comment by Noah Beery (an excellent choice) when the show went into production. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/79 "2014-10-01T00:54:48Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > Along the lines of actors replaced without anything said, the oldest son was played by some guy who was replaced after the first episode. Weren’t the original Bud and Kelly both replaced after one episode of _ **Married … with Children** _? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/80 "2014-10-01T00:58:55Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Weren’t the original Bud and Kelly both replaced after one episode of _ **Married … with Children** _? No, they were always played by David Faustino and Christina Applegate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654.md?page=5)