To my knowledge, we are never told when or how Joan died. I kind of got the impression that it was of natural causes but that it happened kind of suddenly. I know actress Diana Hyland died of cancer, but that seems unlikely to be the cause of Joan's death.
My best guess - something like an aneurysm, probably around April of '77 (even though I know the last episode of season 1 didn't air until August).
Does anyone know if this theory contradicts anything that was stated on the show?

To my knowledge, we are never told when or how Joan died. I kind of got the impression that it was of natural causes but that it happened kind of suddenly. I know actress Diana Hyland died of cancer, but that seems unlikely to be the cause of Joan's death.
My best guess - something like an aneurysm, probably around April of '77 (even though I know the last episode of season 1 didn't air until August).
Does anyone know if this theory contradicts anything that was stated on the show?

Haven't seen the show in awhile, but I remember a scene where Nicolas was talking about "when Mom gets home..." I believe it was Elizabeth who sat down, and tried to help him understand she wasn't coming home.

This must be before the Christmas episode, which ended up being a tribute to Diana Hyland, imo.

I never understood why another actress wasn't simply hired to replace Diana in the Joan role--it's not like Diana Hyland played her for 2-3 seasons and that is not meaning any disrespect for Diana.

I dunno but that is a good point. Why they chose to go the way they did I'm not sure - but it did work. Betty Buckley was fantastic as Abby.

I think the cast formed an attachment to Ms. Hyland and they probably figured out of respect for her, they wouldn't recast the role. I think it was smart. It prvided new storylines for the show.

Personally, don't you think he remarried a tad too soon?

Personally, don't you think he remarried a tad too soon?

In real life terms, yes. In TV show terms...well, the show was about a couple raising a family and the void had to be filled.

Personally, don't you think he remarried a tad too soon?
I think in the story line they had her die about a year before. It was kind of fast but I still think it provided good stories and it showed a family coming together after they lost a loved one.

Some of the reference books claim that when the show returned for its second season in the fall of 1977, that Joan had been dead for about a year. But that's inaccurate. In the Christmas 1977 episode, Tom is already remarried to Abby, and they find a gift that Joan had bought Tommy earlier that year, before she died. Tom laments, "I guess Joan only had time for Tommy this year." But the show generally glossed over Tom's quick remarriage, because ABC insisted that the producers marry him off quickly if they weren't willing to recast the role of Joan. They were not interested in a single parent show, even though the producer, Bill Blinn, wanted Tom to be single for a while.

The circumstances of Joan's death remained a mystery to us viewers, other than the fact that it was sudden - Tom told Abby when they were dating that he never had the chance to say goodbye to Joan.

On Knots Landing, the character of Sid Fairgate was killed off after the 2nd season when actor Don Murray left the show.

For the entire third season, Karen Fairgate remained a widow, although she did go on a date or two.

The producers said later that having her alone for an entire season was a mistake and that they should have gotten someone in there at some point during that year.

The circumstances of Joan's death remained a mystery to us viewers, other than the fact that it was sudden - Tom told Abby when they were dating that he never had the chance to say goodbye to Joan.

I'm almost finished with season 1. Its so strange. One moment, Joan's there, then she's not. She was missing in episode 4 then back for episode 5, then gone again. And there's no mention of her absence. I always assumed she was off caring for a sick relative (the usual explanation with major characters missing).

It seems to me Diana passed away soon after her last appearance. They must have shut down production of EiE, atleast a short time, to mourn Ms. Hyland, and to rewrite scripts.

Not to change the subject, but didn't Mark Hamill play David in the pilot?

Personally, don't you think he remarried a tad too soon?
Well, in real life, my then-pastor lost his wife in June 1994 and remarried in December 1994. Then again, he was already in his 70s with all grown children, but it does happen in real life.

Not to change the subject, but didn't Mark Hamill play David in the pilot?
Yes.

In real life terms, yes. In TV show terms...well, the show was about a couple raising a family and the void had to be filled.

which goes back to my original point....they could have simply hired another actress, but we've covered that and it's moot.

Well, in real life, my then-pastor lost his wife in June 1994 and remarried in December 1994. Then again, he was already in his 70s with all grown children, but it does happen in real life.

That is an exception though...Dick Van Patten's character was in his 40s I think at the time, but if what was stated earlier is true--that when the second season started, it was announced that a year had gone by, that's fine. I guess I'll wait til the second season to see if it plays out like that.

Hopefully, the 2nd season DVD will see the light of day this century!!!!

That is an exception though...Dick Van Patten's character was in his 40s I think at the time, but if what was stated earlier is true--that when the second season started, it was announced that a year had gone by, that's fine. I guess I'll wait til the second season to see if it plays out like that.
And I'm not 100% sure I was accurate. I was going by what certain books stated. It's been years since I've seen Eight is Enough and although I watched it quite often when it was originally on, I did not watch it every week . I do know that Abby fit right in with the cast real fast though.

The toughest member to win over was Tommy whom resented Abby at first. He was the most sensative over the loss of his Mom.

And the Christmas episode seemed to help him bond a little with Abby, IIRC.

The toughest member to win over was Tommy whom resented Abby at first. He was the most sensative over the loss of his Mom.
Wasn't she one of his teachers or something?

I remember the episode where Abby first appeared . Tommy broke his leg, the school sent over a tutor so he wouldn't fall behind, and Abby was that tutor .

^ Thanks!!

John Travolta said that he didn't want Diana Hyland to take the role, but she really wanted it.

When an actor leaves a show for whatever reason, the option to recast the role with another actor is more likely to be used--though in many or most cases, even that is not done, and the character is replaced by another character. But when the actor playing the character in real life passes away, it is generally considered proper to discontinue the character and create another, because the public has heard that the actor passed away. Sometimes the character is written out of the show as having moved away--this is especially true if the actor was ill for a period, and the writers were unsure whether or not a return would happen. When the actor dies suddenly, in most cases the character does, as well.

When an actor leaves a show for whatever reason, the option to recast the role with another actor is more likely to be used--though in many or most cases, even that is not done, and the character is replaced by another character. But when the actor playing the character in real life passes away, it is generally considered proper to discontinue the character and create another, because the public has heard that the actor passed away. Sometimes the character is written out of the show as having moved away--this is especially true if the actor was ill for a period, and the writers were unsure whether or not a return would happen. When the actor dies suddenly, in most cases the character does, as well.

Towards the end of Dallas's 4th season in 1981, Jim Davis (Jock Ewing) was dying in real life and his character was hastily sent off on a second honeymoon to write him out of the remaining episodes for that season.

Davis died in between the shooting of seasons four and five and when season five began, a storyline was contrived that had Jock going off on a secret govt-related mission. Shortly later, the news came back to Dallas that Jock's helicopter had gone down in a jungle and he had died.

I have to say that while the real life death of Diana Hyland was tragic, (I can only imagine how the cast and crew felt), I think the death of Joan Bradford ended up being a good thing for the show. It sort of set the show apart from the other big family shows (i.e. The Waltons, The Brady Bunch, etc) in that it became a show where the mother died and the kids gained a stepmother instead.

Of course the Brady Bunch was sort of a show about a stepmother and stepfather but we all know that was glossed over in about one episode whereas EiE dealt with it the entire series. The kids called Abby "Abby" and not "Mom". There were many instances where the kids clashed with Abby (Tommy and Joanie pop into my mind right away) and the relationships weren't perfect. But we also saw how the kids and Abby developed a closeness as the series went on. I loved that about the show.

Also, Joan is not forgotten and she is mentioned in every season. Of course the Christmas episode in S2 where Joan leaves a gift for Tommy is the one forefront in my mind but there were many other episodes. For example, in S4, Tom and Susan share a heartfelt moment when Tom gives Susan Joan's wedding dress to wear at her own wedding. And of course, Joan is mentioned often in the S5 episode where Joan's parents come to visit after Sandra Sue is born.

I think in S1, the show is in so much of a shock about what to do about Diana Hyland's illness and subsequent death, that they didn't know what to do. And it shows. But by S2, it is very apparent that EiE has become a different show, and it finds it's stride as a large family where the dad remarries and the kids gain a stepmother. I'm not really sure who was responsible (I think it's William Blinn), but the transformation is amazing in my opinion.

In Italy, S1 has been transmitted in 1978 by RAI 1 (the first national channel). Then, starting from 1981, S2 to S5 have been transmitted by Mediaset channels.
In 2009, S1 has been transmitted for the second time - by Fox Retro (a pay-tv channel dedicated to old tv series; unfortunately, Fox Retro closed last January).

Thus, in Italy, Joan is little or never known, unfortunately.
Btw, I agree with lakesgirl: the presence of Abby gave to EiE more substance.

Of course, had Miss Hyland not died, not only would the show have taken a different direction than it did [and may not have lasted as long] but also, perhaps her companion, John Travolta would have had a very different career [and life] than he has since that tragedy.

Haven't seen the show in awhile, but I remember a scene where Nicolas was talking about "when Mom gets home..." I believe it was Elizabeth who sat down, and tried to help him understand she wasn't coming home.

This must be before the Christmas episode, which ended up being a tribute to Diana Hyland, imo.

I always thought it to be a car accident or something since Tom said he never got to say goodbye to her and Nicholas thought she was coming back. She could have died in a car accident and he was convinced she’d return home.

John Travolta said that he didn't want Diana Hyland to take the role, but she really wanted it.

I do wonder (https://moviechat.org/tt0075500/Eight-Is-Enough/58c7324e5ec57f0478f7bcf8/Death-of-Diana-Hyland) why Diana Hyland (https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/65892-eight-is-enough/) was cast (https://forums.primetimer.com/topic/137080-eight-is-enough-general-discussion/) in the first place considering that she was ill. This is of course, assuming that she was already diagnosed with cancer (https://news.withthefirstpick.com/en/eight-is-enough-cast-facts-ku-celebs) before Eight Is Enough (https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/eight-is-enough) formally began production.