Shows Where More Than One Actor Left at the Same Time

[Adamantium]

This is a thread dedicated to mentioning shows that had more than one actor leaving at the same time (or around the same time).

For example:

That '70s Show - Both Topher Grace (Eric) and Ashton Kutcher (Kelso) left the show after seven seasons. Technically, Kutcher appeared in a few more episodes before leaving, he was only a guest star. The last episode he appeared as a cast member was Grace's final episode. So I still count them as leaving together.

Petticoat Junction - Jeanine Riley and Pat Woodell, who played Billie Jo and Bobby Jo, both left after the second season. The third season opened with two new actresses portraying the same roles.

Reno 911! - The latest sixth season had a serious cast change. Deputies Clementine Johnson (Wendi McLendon-Covy), James Garcia (Carlos Alazragui) and Cheresa Kimball (Mary Birdsong) are off the show. Two new characters were added to the force.

M*A*S*H - Both McLean Stevenson (Henry Blake) and Wayne Rogers (Trapper John) left the 4077th after the third season.

Happy Days - Ron Howard (Richie) and Donny Most (Ralph) both left the show after it's seventh season. It was explained they joined the army together.

Spin City - When Michael J. Fox left the show after the fourth season, the fifth season opened with Alexander Chaplin (James), Connie Britton (Nikki), and Victoria Dillard (Janelle) off the show.

[JamesG]

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Part way through filming Season 2 Austin St. John (Jason - Red) Thuy Trang (Trini - Yellow) and Walter Jones (Zack - Black) left the show over a salary dispute.


There are more out there but that's one that I knew of right away.

[browneyes106]

One Tree Hill-Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton left at the same time.

[Buffyboy323]

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Part way through filming Season 2 Austin St. John (Jason - Red) Thuy Trang (Trini - Yellow) and Walter Jones (Zack - Black) left the show over a salary dispute.
Speaking of Power Rangers, in Turbo (season 5), Jason David Frank (Tommy - Red), Johnny Young Bosch (Adam - Green), Nakia Burrise (Tanya - yellow), and Catherine Sutherland (Cat - pink) also left halfway through the season.

[Dusty's Fan]

My Three Sons - Tim Considine and Meredith MacRae left together when their characters got married on the show.

Lassie - I'm pretty certain that original cast members Jan Clayton and Tommy Rettig left at the same time, when Jon Provost's character Timmy & family became Lassie's new owners. (I don't know for certain, but years later I suspect Jon left at the same time as June Lockhart and Hugh Reilley, but the series continued.)

[Buffyboy323]

On ER....

Season 6 saw the exits of Gloria Reuben (Jeannie Boulet), Kellie Martin (Lucy Knight), and Julianna Margulies (Carol Hathaway).

Season 8 saw the exits of Eriq La Salle (Peter Benton) and Anthony Edwards (Mark Greene).

Season 11 saw the exits of Alex Kingston (Elizabeth Corday), Ming Na (Jing- Mei "Deb" Chen), and Noah Wyle (John Carter).

Season 13 saw the exits of Laura Innes (Kerry Weaver) and Shane West (Ray Barnett).

Season 15 [very early on] saw the exits of Mekhi Phifer (Greg Pratt), Goran Visnjic (Luka Kovac), and Maura Tierney (Abby Lockhart).

[megamanj2004]

Nurses - This show had this happen in each of the 1st 2 of the 3 seasons:

- Florence Stanley and Jeff Altman were gone after S1
- Stephanie Hodge and Markus Flanagan were gone after S2, with Hodges getting most of the raw deal of this.


Webster - Cathryn Damon and Eugene Roche left the show in 1986 due to Cathryn Damon's illness, which led to death later.

Benson - Didi Conn and Ethan Phillips were gone by 1984.

Night Court - Both Paula Kelly and Karen Austin were gone after S1, BUT technically Karen Austin left the show a few episodes before S1 ended, though she was still featured in the opening credits.

Happy Days - Ron Howard and Donny Most left the show in 1980, although Ron Howard did return later in the final season I think. I can't remember if Dony returned or not, though.

Hill Street Blues - S6 was the final season for: Ed Marinaro and Betty Thomas

[Buffyboy323]

All In The Family - Sally Struthers (Gloria) and Rob Reiner (Mike) left at the end of season 8.

Saved By The Bell - Tiffani-Amber Thiessen (Kelly) and Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie) left after season 3.

Melrose Place - Daphne Zuniga (Jo) left during the season 4 finale. By the end of season 5, Courtney Thorne-Smith (Alison), Grant Show (Jake), Josie Bissett (Jane), Laura Leighton (Sydney), and Marcia Cross (Kimberly) were all gone.

Buffy The Vampier Slayer - Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia) and David Boreanaz (Angel) left at the end of season 3 to do the spin off series "Angel."

Alias - Bradley Cooper (Will), Merrin Dungey (Francie), and Lena Olin (Irina Derevko) were written out at the end of season 2. Greg Grunberg (Weiss) and Mia Maestro leave after season 4.

Smallville - Kristen Kreuk (Lana) and Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) left at the end of season 7.

[comedyfreak]

Happy Days - Ron Howard and Donny Most left the show in 1980, although Ron Howard did return later in the final season I think. I can't remember if Dony returned or not, though.


Ron Howard only returned for the final episode to attend Joanie and Chachi's wedding.

[Stuck In The '70's]

Ron Howard only returned for the final episode to attend Joanie and Chachi's wedding.
Both Ron and Donny did appear in a two part episode earlier in that season though.

[MikeL]

yeah called welcome home ritchie

bo and luke left dukes of hazzard around same time but reuturned year later round same time

does that count?

[catlover79]

yeah called welcome home ritchie

bo and luke left dukes of hazzard around same time but reuturned year later round same time

does that count?
Yes, I think that would count.

[JamesG]

Speaking of Power Rangers, in Turbo (season 5), Jason David Frank (Tommy - Red), Johnny Young Bosch (Adam - Green), Nakia Burrise (Tanya - yellow), and Catherine Sutherland (Cat - pink) also left halfway through the season.

Thanks for that note. I'm unfamiliar with anything after Season 2. Wasn't interested in any of the new casts.

[catlover79]

Mackenzie Phillips and Michael Lembeck left One Day at a Time due to Mac's drug problem. They were both written back in later, but when Mac was fired a second time, Michael Lembeck stayed on the show.

[Skywalker]

Gimme a Break- Lauri Hendler and Kari Michaelsen left the show after the 5th season.

[factsoflife]

Designing Women:

I'm not 100% sure about this one, but as i seem to recall Delta Burke and Jean Smart both left the show around the same time. I believe that Delta left at the end of one season and Jean left rather quickly thereafter. Delta was replaced by Julia Duffy who lasted only 1 season before being replaced by Judith Ivey. Smart was replaced by Jan Hooks.

[70s show watcher]

charlene tilton and patrick duffy both left dallas at the end of season 8 and buck owens don harron lisa todd and the hager twins lieft hee haw and the end of season 17

[Adamantium]

Jerry O'Connell and Charlie O'Connell, who played sliding brothers Quinn and Colin Mallory on Sliders both left the show after it's fourth season. That was Jerry's fourth season on the show and Charlie's only season.

[tv star collector]

On The Howdy Doody Show, Bob Keeshan (Clarabell), Bill LeCornec
(Chief Thunderthud and Dilly Dally), Dayton Allen (who played a host of
characters, both live and puppets), and Howdy's puppeteer Rhoda Mann all walked off the show in a pay dispute on Dec. 24, 1952 in what have some have referred to as "the Christmas Eve Massacre." Depending on whose account you believe, they either quit or were fired. Buffalo Bob Smith, in his autobiography Howdy and Me insists that he never fired anyone--but Stephen Davis (son
of Howdy writer and director Howard Davis) gives a different version of
what happened, in his book Say Kids! What Time Is It? In any case,
Bob Keeshan was replaced by Bobby "Nick" Nicholson (but Keeshan did all
right years later as Captain Kangaroo), Bill LeCornec returned to the show,
and Dayton Allen developed his popular "Why Not?" character on Steve Allen's
show (no relation). Rhoda Mann later worked for Terrytoons and in commercials.

[catlover79]

Designing Women:

I'm not 100% sure about this one, but as i seem to recall Delta Burke and Jean Smart both left the show around the same time. I believe that Delta left at the end of one season and Jean left rather quickly thereafter. Delta was replaced by Julia Duffy who lasted only 1 season before being replaced by Judith Ivey. Smart was replaced by Jan Hooks.
You're so right. Delta Burke and Jean Smart were both replaced in the 1991-92 season by Julia Duffy and Jan Hooks.

[factsoflife]

On 90210 (the original) Gabrielle Cateries and Mark Damon Espinoza both left at the same time; because their characters were married to one another. They left during Season Five. Carol Potter and James Eckhouse left after season five (going into season six).

Also Jason Priestly and Tiffani Amber Thissen both left the series in season nine. Thissen's val left two episodes after Priestly Brandon character.

[Retro4Life]

Both Gareth Thomas and Sally Knyvette left "Blakes 7" after Season Two.

Michael Ironside, Blair Tifkin and Mickey Jones all left "V" at the same point in the show's only season, during the spring of 1985.

Ned Beatty and Daniel Baldwin both left "Homicide: Life on the Street" after the third season.

Both Michelle Rodriquez and Cynthia Watros left "Lost" at the end of the second season.

Both Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Tamlyn Tomita left "The Burning Zone" after only 11 episodes.

[megamanj2004]

Johnny Depp, Peter DeLuise, Dustin Nguyen - left "21 Jump Street" after S4. BUT...Peter DeLuise would make apperances from time to time for the 5th and final season and even got opening credits billing whenever he does appear in some S5 eps. w/ his brother Michael.

[Dusty's Fan]

77 Sunset Strip: Following Season 5, Edd Byrnes, Roger Smith, Jacqueline Beer, Louis Quinn, Robert Logan, and Byron Keith all left (actually were let go). The show continued for one more season, with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. being the only regular cast member to return.

[DSfan]

I was just thinking, didn't those two older women leave Step by Step at the same time? I'd be more specific but although I love the show I actually never had a clue who those characters were - they were so useless lol.

[catlover79]

I was just thinking, didn't those two older women leave Step by Step at the same time? I'd be more specific but although I love the show I actually never had a clue who those characters were - they were so useless lol.
You mean Peggy Rea and Patrika Darbo, who played Suzanne Somers' mom and sister. Yeah, they were only on the first season.

[factsoflife]

You mean Peggy Rea and Patrika Darbo, who played Suzanne Somers' mom and sister. Yeah, they were only on the first season.

and didn't the Beauty shop itself dissappear at one point too? I know it was on during the first season and then it seemed it was gone. I know that when Bronson Pinchot came on they did have a beauty shop again, but i'm not sure it was in the same spot in the house?

[catlover79]

and didn't the Beauty shop itself dissappear at one point too? I know it was on during the first season and then it seemed it was gone. I know that when Bronson Pinchot came on they did have a beauty shop again, but i'm not sure it was in the same spot in the house?
I think it did disappear because I don't remember it ever being mentioned again. I wasn't watching anymore when Bronson Pinchot came on so I can't vouch for where the beauty shop was then.

[megamanj2004]

77 Sunset Strip: Following Season 5, Edd Byrnes, Roger Smith, Jacqueline Beer, Louis Quinn, Robert Logan, and Byron Keith all left (actually were let go). The show continued for one more season, with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. being the only regular cast member to return.

And we have Jack Webb to thank for that stint!

And b/c of the shoddy ratings, coupled with the mid-season series cancellation during that 5th season, Jack Warner, head of Warner Bros. (at the time) ultimately fired Jack Webb from ever working for them again!


Airwolf - The entire original cast was shafted when the show moved from CBS to USA.

A Different World - Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei were both gone from the show after S1, although Lisa Bonet supposedly guest-starred on a S3 episode, I think.

[Schmoopie]

Didn't practically all of the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" leave SNL at the same time?

[catlover79]

Didn't practically all of the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" leave SNL at the same time?
You're absolutely right!! How could I forget?

[Torgo]

Land of the Lost- Spencer Milligan(Rick Marshall), Joe A. Giamalva(Ta), and Sharon Baird(Sa) weren't back for the 3rd season(Rick was supposedly sent back to their home world, Ta and Sa were killed in an earthquake)

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries- Edith Atwater(Aunt Gertrude), Jean Rasey(George), and George O'Hanlon Jr.(Ned) didn't return for the second season. Rasey was replaced by Susan Buckner, and O'Hanlon was replaced by Rick Springfield(Who only appeared in one episode. And though he played Ned, Ned was reintroduced as a totally different character)

[DSfan]

I think it did disappear because I don't remember it ever being mentioned again. I wasn't watching anymore when Bronson Pinchot came on so I can't vouch for where the beauty shop was then.

I remember in the later seasons it became an apartment for JT and his friend, Rich who was dating Dana I think.

[megamanj2004]

Hawaii Five-O - this one is kind of a semi-tricky one: Both Al Harrington as Ben Kokua and Douglas Mossman as Frank Kemana (who filled in for Al Harrington during some S7 episodes) mysteriously dissapeared after S7 (1974-75).