# Show where the most actors died while it was still on the air? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 6, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737 "2007-07-06T14:45:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/1 "2007-07-06T14:45:11Z")
On Night Court, two of the actresses who played female bailiffs died. I vaguely remember a show about an interracial blended family where the lady who played the grandmother died, then man who played the huband died. They replaced the husband with another actor, who also died during the show’s run. At that point the show was cancelled. The show was on FOX during the 90s. Of course, I was a kid while it was on, so my facts might not be 100% correct. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Are there any other shows that had several actors die during its run? ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/2 "2007-07-06T15:24:04Z")
Dunno about “several”, but … John Ritter, the star of “8 Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter” (or whatever the title was) died during the show’s run. I believe that the father in “Valerie’s Family” died; I know his character was written out as though he had died, so I could be confusing the two stories. I remember thinking that playing the female bailiff role on “Night Court” was tantamount to a death sentence when the second old lady died. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/3 "2007-07-06T15:27:10Z")
[QUOTE=Omega Glory] On Night Court, two of the actresses who played female bailiffs died. I vaguely remember a show about an interracial blended family where the lady who played the grandmother died, then man who played the huband died. They replaced the husband with another actor, who also died during the show’s run. At that point the show was cancelled. The show was on FOX during the 90s. Of course, I was a kid while it was on, so my facts might not be 100% correct. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Are there any other shows that had several actors die during its run? [/QUOTE] Was it _True Colors_? Black man, a widower, with two sons marries a white divorcee? She also has a teenage daughter and a bigoted mom. That show? The first actor to play the husband, Frankie Faison, didn’t die. He’s still working according to imdb. The second actor, Cleavon Little (_Where the white women at?_), who took over the role in the second season died but I don’t remember whether he died mid-season. Anyway, the show was not renewed for a third season. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/4 "2007-07-06T15:29:40Z")
I image some soap opera will win this category. People die and are either killed off, written off, or just replaced with another actor. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/5 "2007-07-06T15:37:02Z")
_The Let’s Blow Stuff Up Show._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/6 "2007-07-06T15:52:03Z")
[QUOTE=Sauron] I believe that the father in “Valerie’s Family” died; I know his character was written out as though he had died, so I could be confusing the two stories. [/QUOTE] My bad; I got this completely screwed up. The dad didn’t die in the series “Valerie’s Family”; Valerie Harper, the star of the show, left at the end of the first season or halfway through the second season, and her character was written out as though she had died. The father character stayed around the entire run of the series. In short, I couldn’t have been more wrong if I’d tried. Neither Valerie Harper nor the guy who played the dad in the series have actually died. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/7 "2007-07-06T15:59:34Z")
[QUOTE=Omega Glory] On Night Court, two of the actresses who played female bailiffs died. [/QUOTE] Both of lung cancer. both heavy smokers…hmmmm, I’m getting a message here… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/8 "2007-07-06T16:06:51Z")
“True Colors?” The grandmother, [Nancy Walker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Walker) died of …wait for it…lung cancer. Cleavon Little played the dad and died six months after Walker. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/9 "2007-07-06T17:21:55Z")
All My Children is probably a contender. Kay Campbell played Kate Martin, died in 1985 after being hit by a bus. Frances Helflin played Mona Kane Tyler, died in 1994 of lung cancer. Ruth Warwick played Pheobe Tyler, died in 2005 of complications from pneumonia. (she was 89) There are a number of others who are former cast members who have since died, but since they died after leaving the show I’m not counting them. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/10 "2007-07-06T18:22:58Z")
Petticoat Junction: Bea Benaderet, Smiley Burnette, Byron Foulger, and possibly one or more Mrs. Ziffel. ETA: Although it’s possible that once “Green Acres” debuted, the Ziffels were no longer recurring characters. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/11 "2007-07-06T18:29:52Z")
On “The Sopranos,” Nancy Marchand who played Livia Soprano died of emphysema and lung cancer. They had her character die of a stroke and prepared a scene based on previous scenes with her/CGI for one last scene in the episode where Livia dies. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/12 "2007-07-06T18:53:12Z")
There’s also _Bewitched_. Both Alice Pearce (the original Gladys Kravitz) and Marion Lorne (Aunt Clara) died during the run of the show, and won posthumous Emmys (for Supporting Actress in a Comedy). ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/13 "2007-07-06T19:10:29Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] I image some soap opera will win this category. People die and are either killed off, written off, or just replaced with another actor. [/QUOTE] I think the OP was referring to actors; not characters, who died during the show’s lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/14 "2007-07-06T19:14:12Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] I think the OP was referring to actors; not characters, who died during the show’s lifetime. [/QUOTE] Yes. Soap opera actors do die. Another World lost two big stars, Constance Ford (Ada McGowen) and Douglas Watson (Mac Cory) during its run. David Bailey had just started playing Alister Crane on “Passions” when he drowned. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/15 "2007-07-06T19:29:51Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Yes. Soap opera actors do die. Another World lost two big stars, Constance Ford (Ada McGowen) and Douglas Watson (Mac Cory) during its run. David Bailey had just started playing Alister Crane on “Passions” when he drowned. [/QUOTE] On “Passions” there was also the young man who played Timmy, who passed away suddenly. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/16 "2007-07-06T21:55:56Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Yes. Soap opera actors do die. Another World lost two big stars, Constance Ford (Ada McGowen) and Douglas Watson (Mac Cory) during its run. David Bailey had just started playing Alister Crane on “Passions” when he drowned. [/QUOTE] I misread your post. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/17 "2007-07-06T22:51:10Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] _The Let’s Blow Stuff Up Show._ 😃 [/QUOTE] But, but, but, who’s died on _Mythbusters_? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/18 "2007-07-06T23:16:56Z")
[QUOTE=Cub Mistress] On “Passions” there was also the young man who played Timmy, who passed away suddenly. [/QUOTE] Yeah but Timmy comes back every episode. 😃 Sorry nothing to add to the op but a stupid south park joke. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/19 "2007-07-06T23:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=t-mobileguy] Yeah but Timmy comes back every episode. [/QUOTE] You mixed up Timmy and Kenny… you bastard! ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737/20 "2007-07-06T23:32:25Z")
I think people listing shows where _1_ person died need to go read the thread title again. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/show-where-the-most-actors-died-while-it-was-still-on-the-air/410737.md?page=2)