actors and actresses that had to leave a sitcom because of a sickness or disease

[ckrtpametulia]

name the unfortunate

[callmetootie]

Dick York from Bewitched.

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Andrew Carden

[DJM77]

Michael J. Fox (Spin City)

[TMC]

I thought that Dick York in reality, got fired over his growing addiction to pain killers. So technically, shouldn't that go into the drug thread that's around this forum.

[dawsongirl]

Bea Benaderet died in the middle of Petticoat Junction's run. Does that count?

[TMC]

If we're going to get into the subject of death, the other examples include:
*Dolph Sweet from Gimmie a Break (unless Nell Carter ate him of course)

*Phil Hartman from Newsradio-He was of course blown away by his crazy wife while he was sleeping.

*Rebecca Shaffer from My Sister Sam-I need some confirmation on this because I'm not absolutely sure if the loser who killed her at her door step did it after the show was canceled.

*David Strickland from Suddenly Susan

*Buck from Married With Children-Although technically, Buck actually had to retire since the producers that that he was getting too old so he was ulimately replaced by Lucky (albeit reincarnated on the show).

[TMC]

Another name that just came to mind in terms of actors who died in the middle of a show's production is Joesph Kerns (the original Mr. Wilson) from Dennis the Menace. Not to mention Ted Knight from Too Close for Comfort shortly after the title was changed to what else, but The Ted Knight Show.

[Madness]

Actor Nicholas Colasanto ("Coach") from Cheers died during its run.

[TJ]

I thought Buck from Married with Children was run over? Atleast in real life...

Rebecca Schaeffer was murdered by a stalker after My Sister Sam had been cancelled and off the air for over a year.

[This message has been edited by TJ (edited 06-17-2001).]

[Kalen Q!]

Didn't one of the Little Rascals need to be replaced because the original had committed suicide? Alphalfa? (however you spell that)

[TV Guy]

Bea Benederet missed quite a few episodes of "Petticoat Junction" due to illness. She returned briefly, but then passed away.

Howard McNear, who played Floyd the barber on "The Andy Griffith Show", missed a couple of years of the show after he had a stroke. He returned for a few more years, then passed away a year before the show ended.

Ellen Corby missed over a year of "The Waltons" after suffering a stroke. She eventually returned as a semi-regular (she was credited in the opening but didn't appear in every episode) for a year or so, and later on returned occasionally for a guest appearance. She even appeared in the 90s reunions movies, which really surprised me. Of course, "The Waltons" wasn't a sitcom, so I guess this doesn't count.