A question about TV divorce

[Meathead1971-1978]

I was wondering. I know this doesn't happen very often but what married couples have divorced or split up on a TV series?

[sreadtx]

You are right it is rare for a married couple to get a divorce on a sitcom. I know that Frazier and Lillits divorced on Cheers. And Rachel and Ross either got divorced or had their marriage annuled on Freinds, but their marriage was only happened because they got drunk.

[Chocoholic]

On Wings, Helen and Antonio got divorced. On The Simpsons, Milhouse's parents got divorced. That's all I can think of.

[TJL]

How about:
On The Jeffersons - Lionel and Jenny
Mad About You - Fran and Mark
This is a longshot, since one of the characters was only seen once after the wedding episode; M.A.S.H. - Margaret and Donald Penobscott
Rhoda - Rhoda and Joe
Married with Children - Steve and Marcy

So much unhappiness in TV marriageland...

This is fun, I'll think about some more.

[JT]

Chuck and Viv from "Maude"

[TJL]

E.R. - Mark Greene and his wife.

If anyone wants to tackle the divorce tally on Dynasty or Dallas -
Good Luck!

[Robert Tilton]

Technically you could say Mrs. Brady on Brady Bunch was divorced before she married Mike, though we never saw Mr. Martin. It was Sherwood's intention, though it was later amended to "widowed" for divorce was controversial in them days on The Tellie.

Oh well. For a show w/No Toilet I'd say:

Let it ride.

Amen.

[TV Guy]

How about Billy Bob Thornton's character on "Hearts Afire". His wife was played by Wendi Jo Sperber during the show's first season, and when the show returned for a second year, she was gone and they were divorced. Or does anyone even remember this show? :)

Did anyone mention Frasier Crane and Lilith Sternin? They got divorced between "Cheers" and "Frasier".

[TJL]

Hearts Afire was a pretty good show. When they revamped it, and moved the location of the show, Billy Bob's Character was divorced. It's too bad because his wife on the show, Wendy Joe Sperber was great. I wonder why they dropped her from the cast?
I thought of another one:

Jackie and Fred on "Roseanne"

[retrotvfan]

Lou and Edie got divorced on Mary Tyler Moore

[Josh9125]

Don't forget Mike & Gloria on "All in the Famly". Also, didn't the parents off of "Unhappily Ever After" get divorced? Also on "Reba", Reba and her husband got divored. :)

[Jimbo]

Vivian Vance may have been the first to portray a divorced woman on a sitcom, when she co-starred as Lucy's friend "Vivian Bagley" on "The Lucy Show". Lucy played a widow named "Lucy Carmichael". Vivian's character was already divorced when the series began, and occasionally this fact was mentioned throughout the series.

I'm guessing that Rhoda and Joe were the first to actually get a divorce as part of a sitcom storyline during the series "Rhonda".

[Ags2000]

On The Golden Girls Dorothy and Stan

On Designing Women Suzanne and several guys.

On Designing Women Annie Potts' character (I'm blank) was divorced.

[TV Guy]

I believe the original poster was asking about characters who were married when the series started, and who divorced during the series. You could fill a book with already-divorced characters (Suzanne Sugarbaker, Dorothy Zbornak, etc.), but there are relatively few who got divorced mid-series, especially where both husband and wife were regular characters on the series.

I thought up another one -- Niles and Maris Crane on "Frasier", although that may not count since we've never seen Maris. But Niles and his second wife (can't remember her name, but she appeared on-camera several times), got divorced, too.

[Meathead1971-1978]

Also Allan's parents on Punky Brewster. Ralph Malph's parents on Happy Days, in the last episode Donny Most appeared in from 1980.

[Tiger32]

Friends
Don't forget Ross, who was married to Rachel albeit briefly, also Ross was married to Susan and a lady from London, I can't remember her name. He is constantly teased because of his 3 failed marriages. Also Rachel's parents are divorced on the show, as are Chandler's. Marlo Thomas (That Girl) plays Rachel's mother.

Cheers
I think Sam was also divorced on Cheers, although they never showed his Ex-Wife. Carla was also divorced from Nick.

A Different World
Dawn Lewis' character was divorced, they talked about it briefly during the first year.

The Cosby Show
Denise's husband was married before and divorced. In fact they showed his Ex on the show a couple of times.

Hanging with Mr Cooper
Mark's cousin (Sandra Quartermain) was married and divorced prior to coming to live with Mark.

One Day at a Time
Valerie Bertinelli and Mckenzie Phillips' mother was divorced.

Who's the Boss
Judith Light played a divorcee

Alice
Linda Lavin plays a divorcee, and if I am not mistaken, so didn't Flo.

Fresh Prince
Will Smith's mother (Thelma Hopkins) plays a divorcee.

The Odd Couple, both Tony Randall and Jack Klugman are divorced. They occassionally have their Ex wives on the show.

Seinfeld
Elaine Benas' parents are divorced.

[Jimbo]

Originally posted by TV Guy
I thought up another one -- Niles and Maris Crane on "Frasier", although that may not count since we've never seen Maris. But Niles and his second wife (can't remember her name, but she appeared on-camera several times), got divorced, too.

Niles' second wife was named "Mel" (short for Melanie). I believe she was Maris' plastic surgeon. She met Niles when he went to her office to complain about a bill.

[James]

Not necessarily a divorce, but on "The Wonder Years" Winnie Cooper's parents separated (Jim moved to Chicago while Evelyn stayed in "Anywhere, USA" with Winnie) but got back together in the next season.