# TV shows in which cast members have ended relationships during their runs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 7, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356 "2012-12-07T21:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/21 "2012-12-08T16:03:22Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > also - Kaley Cuoco & Johnny Galecki had a fairly long relationship during the beginning of Big Bang Theory’s run. They aren’t seeing each other any more, but are still costarring. This one really doesn’t count. First of all, the “relationship” was only announced by publicists _after_ the fact. This surprised a lot of people who know them. Secondly, Galecki is notorious for having “girlfriends” for PR purposes. E.g., one of his former “girlfriends” is Sara Gilbert, who is now an out lesbian. (And so, no, she doesn’t count either. Not for them on _Roseanne_ or on _TBBT_.) ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/22 "2012-12-08T16:40:12Z")
Anna Torv married/divorced her first season _Fringe_ co-star Mark Valley. Although he was only on the show for the first season. Weren’t Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny ‘forbidden’ from dating during _The X Files_’ run to prevent any unpleasantness on-set? ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/23 "2012-12-08T16:46:05Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > John Cleese and Connie Booth co-wrote and co-starred in _Fawlty Towers_ - and their marriage broke up - ending in divorce during the first run of the show. Their marriage had been under strain for some time due to their clashing work schedules. At one time Cleese would (literally as my brother observed) run from the BBC studios where he was filming Python to the theatre she was performing at as it was the only time they got to see each other all week. Doing a project together had been a last ditch attempt to save the marriage. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/24 "2012-12-08T16:55:32Z")
Scott Baio and Erin Moran dated and broke up many times while on _Happy Days_ and _Joanie Loves Chachi_. I seem to recall their spin off ended because the two actors refused to work together any more. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/25 "2012-12-08T16:56:07Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > This one really doesn’t count. First of all, the “relationship” was only announced by publicists _after_ the fact. This surprised a lot of people who know them. Secondly, Galecki is notorious for having “girlfriends” for PR purposes. E.g., one of his former “girlfriends” is Sara Gilbert, who is now an out lesbian. (And so, no, she doesn’t count either. Not for them on _Roseanne_ or on _TBBT_.) I don’t get this at all. How does it matter if the public knew whether they were dating? They did. Whatever affected them because of their relationship or end of it was a work issue at every moment, exactly as the OP asked about. Are you honestly saying that they never had a relationship at all and that it was made up after the fact for some bizarre PR reason? Why would either of them do it or go along with it? No one has ever denied it. And since when does a later announcement of a preference preclude dating the opposite sex when younger? Besides, he didn’t make the announcement. [She did.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/kaley-cuoco-johnny-galeck_n_744930.html) How does that fit into your theory? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/26 "2012-12-08T18:30:43Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > No, as far as I’ve been able to determine, Bob and Ray did not host the show. That was a cameo appearance. Do you have any evidence otherwise? You’re right, they didn’t. It actually was [an NBC special](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_and_Ray#Television) with just the girls from the original SNL cast. Can’t find it on YouTube though (NBC pulls their stuff off there asap). ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/27 "2012-12-08T18:49:20Z")
With all of the discussion about Abby Elliott, why is no one mentioning the single most interesting factoid possible about this little sidebar digression? To wit, Abby Elliott claimed that she was forced to drop out of college BECAUSE A MOUSE URINATED ON HER EYEBALL WHILE SHE WAS SLEEPING. In the entire rich & storied history of children coming up with farfetched, bizarre, and truly incredible excuses to their family in order to justify bailing on their school (in her case Marymount Manhattan College) has there ever been one that can top this? Sadly, I never paid much attention to Ms. Elliott back when she was on _SNL_, but I now have a newfound respect and admiration for the young ingenue, and am going to seek her out to gain her counsel the very next time that I need an excuse as for why I was clocked doing 59 in a 25 MPH zone… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/28 "2012-12-08T19:37:44Z")
I was thinking about Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly. But checking it out, I found that while they got together during the production of _Dark Angel_, their break-up didn’t happen until a few months after the show was cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/29 "2012-12-08T22:25:02Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I don’t get this at all. How does it matter if the public knew whether they were dating? They did. Whatever affected them because of their relationship or end of it was a work issue at every moment, exactly as the OP asked about. > > Are you honestly saying that they never had a relationship at all and that it was made up after the fact for some bizarre PR reason? Why would either of them do it or go along with it? No one has ever denied it. And since when does a later announcement of a preference preclude dating the opposite sex when younger? > > Besides, he didn’t make the announcement. [She did.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/kaley-cuoco-johnny-galeck_n_744930.html) How does that fit into your theory? No, there was no actual relationship. No one believes it actually happened. Galecki, at the very least, needed a beard. There’s a lot of rumors about his sexuality and for some reason he needs to appear to be straight. (And straight or gay, I don’t see what the problem is. It doesn’t seem to have hurt his co-star Jim Parsons to be out. And if he’s straight, who cares?) The PR machine was already at work before your linked article. It is really not believable that two people at this level of fame to have had a real relationship for two years and no one knew about it. So, no. Doesn’t count in terms of this thread topic. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/30 "2012-12-08T22:42:03Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Their marriage had been under strain for some time due to their clashing work schedules. At one time Cleese would (literally as my brother observed) run from the BBC studios where he was filming Python to the theatre she was performing at as it was the only time they got to see each other all week. Doing a project together had been a last ditch attempt to save the marriage. Coincidently this is how **I Love Lucy** started. The Arnazes’ marriage was on the rocks, and when CBS wanted to turn her radio show, **My Favorite Husband** , into a TV series Ball saw it as a chance to work with her husband and keep them both in LA (instead of moving NYC, where most TV shows were made). In their case it worked, for almost a decade. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/31 "2012-12-08T22:52:03Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > No, there was no actual relationship. No one believes it actually happened. Galecki, at the very least, needed a beard. There’s a lot of rumors about his sexuality and for some reason he needs to appear to be straight. (And straight or gay, I don’t see what the problem is. It doesn’t seem to have hurt his co-star Jim Parsons to be out. And if he’s straight, who cares?) The PR machine was already at work before your linked article. The idea that a moderately famous actor known for his nerdiness would need a beard in 2012 is absurd. Also, I don’t care if Sara Gilbert is currently a lesbian, if you don’t understand why he’d want to date her, you’re either over the age of 35 or under the age of 28. For those of us of a certain age (and a certain nerdy bent), Sara Gilbert was our dream girl. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/32 "2012-12-09T01:17:37Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > The idea that a moderately famous actor known for his nerdiness would need a beard in 2012 is absurd. Also, I don’t care if Sara Gilbert is currently a lesbian, if you don’t understand why he’d want to date her, you’re either over the age of 35 or under the age of 28. > > For those of us of a certain age (and a certain nerdy bent), Sara Gilbert was our dream girl. Sara Gilbert just might be my dream girl and I am 43 and a straight woman. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/33 "2012-12-09T01:46:33Z")
The previous post reminds me that Lisa Simpson and Nelson had a thing going on for a while. There still seems to be some chemistry there, so maybe it’s not over. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/34 "2012-12-09T02:53:38Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan started and ended relationships during their time on **Alias** First one I thought of. It was awkward. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/35 "2012-12-09T02:57:31Z")
As for whether a reported relationship was “real” or not, unless the couple was actually married how can any of us know? We’re all just reporting what we read; these performers are strangers to us. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/36 "2012-12-09T03:29:54Z")
In the WWF, Macho Man Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth got kayfabe-married at Wrestlemania around the same time that their real-life marriage was falling apart. When they finally divorced, she disappeared from the WWF- but when Macho switched to WCW a few years later, Elizabeth reappeared as his valet and kayfabe-wife as well. (Until she shacked up with Lex Luger and became his manager, of course.) ---
**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:** [December 9, 2012, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/37 "2012-12-09T11:56:33Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > You’re right, they didn’t. It actually was [an NBC special](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_and_Ray#Television) with just the girls from the original SNL cast. Can’t find it on YouTube though (NBC pulls their stuff off there asap). It was called [Bob & Ray, Jane, Laraine and Gilda](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078888/). IMDB says it aired in 1981, but I’m pretty sure it was 1979. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/38 "2012-12-10T02:35:44Z")
Yeah, '81 would have been weird, as Curtain, Radner, and Newman were all gone by then. Maybe it had been on the shelf for a while? More likely, it originally ran earlier but NBC did air a rerun in '81, after it became clear no one was watching the SNL S6 cast. Star Trek: DS9’s Nana Visitor and Alexander Siddig got together and married during the show’s run. Their marriage outlasted the show by a couple years, but I’m reasonably sure I heard they’d already separated before the last episode. I might be wrong. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/39 "2012-12-10T03:49:07Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Star Trek: DS9’s Nana Visitor and Alexander Siddig got together and married during the show’s run. Their marriage outlasted the show by a couple years, but I’m reasonably sure I heard they’d already separated before the last episode. I might be wrong. There’s enough additional wierdness in that one, in that Visitor’s pregnancy got written into the show by her character becoming the surrogate for the characters played by Colm Meaney and Rosalind Chao, hence Siddig’s character, a doctor, had to play scenes where he was pretending to give prenatal care to a colleague who was carrying someone else’s baby, opposite his future wife who was carrying his own. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356/40 "2012-12-10T14:07:39Z")
From the cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Nana Visitor (Major Kira) and Siddiq el Fadil/Alexander Siddiq (Dr. Bashir) met on set, had a child in 1996, were married in 1997, and divorced in 2001. The show’s run was over by the time of the divorce… so I guess this isn’t exactly the answer you were looking for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-in-which-cast-members-have-ended-relationships-during-their-runs/643356.md?page=3)