1. John Ritter -- Perhaps THE saddest of all cases. Best known as Jack Tripper on the hit 70s sitcom Threes Company, John Ritter (the youngest of 2 sons born to Tex Ritter & Dorothy Fay Southworth) was on the set of his 2002 comeback vehicle 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter (produced by Shady Acres Entertainment for Walt Disney Television) during the afternoon of September 11, 2003 (10 years ago) when John, aged 54, fell ill with what he initially thought was food poisoning; by 8 P.M. ET that night, he was Hospitalized across the street from the Disney lot at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California (where he had been born on September 17, 1948); however, at 1 a.m. ET the next morning, September 12, 2003, 5 days before his 55th birthday, John Ritter died. His cause of death was ruled as a Dissection of the Aorta. Coincidentally, John died on his wife Amy Yasbecks 41st birthday, the day after their daughter Stella, now aged 15, turned 5, and 6 days shy of celebrating his 4th wedding anniversary with Amy Yasbeck. Along with Amy & Stella, John was survived by a legion of fans, along with 3 young adult children (including son Jason, now 33 and a promising young actor in his own right) from his 1st marriage to Nancy Morgan. (FYI: John met Amy on the set of the 1st Problem Child movie while STILL married to Nancy, and though he & Nancy didnt divorce until 1996, he & Nancy had separated soon after Problem Child was in theaters).

2. Phil Hartman -- At the time of his May 28, 1998 murder, Phil Hartman, aged 49, had just completed his 3rd season as Bill McNeal on the hit 90s sitcom NewsRadio. The following Fall, his character was written out as having died of a Massive Heart Attack in the Season 4 debut, 8 months before the series was canceled in May 1999.

3. Nick Colasanto -- Best known as Coach Ernie Pantusso on TVs Cheers, Nicky (as his colleagues referred to him) was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in December 1984. On February 8, 1985, his doctors found him well enough to return to Cheers; 4 days later, February 12, Nicky, aged 61, died of a Heart Attack while watching TV; the following Fall, Coach was written out as also having died, thus Woody Harrelson took his place.

4. Michael Conrad -- OK, so he isnt a sitcom actor, but in November 1983, after a short Cancer battle, Michael Conrad, best known for his role on the hit 80s cop show Hill Street Blues, died of Cancer at age 58; his character, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, was written out in March 1984 by having died of a Heart Attack (off-camera) while making love to a woman.

5. Tim Russert -- Though not an actor, Tim Russert was in his 17th year as host of Meet the Press in June 2008 when he cut short a trip to Italy to celebrate his son Luke having become a recent college graduate; on June 13, Tim, aged 58, dropped dead of a Heart Attack, a story first broken by his NBC News Colleague Tom Brokaw. At the time of his death, he was survived by wife Maureen Orth, son Luke, and dad Tim, Sr., a.k.a. Big Russ, as well as 3 grown sisters.

6. Cory Monteith -- The most recent addition to this list. Cory was best known for his role as Finn Hudson on the hit FOX Network Musical series Glee. Earlier this Summer, after a long fight addiction, Cory, aged 31, died of a Heroin Overdose in Vancouver, Canada during a summer hiatus. Earlier this TV season, Finn was written out as also having died very young.

Joseph Kearns - Dennis the Menace
Pete Deuel - Alias Smith and Jones
Bea Benaderet - Petticoat Junction

Nicholas Colasanto - Cheers
Jack Soo - Barney Miller
Will Geer - The Waltons

:rip: George Cleveland - Lassie

:rip: Freddy Prince - Sanford and Son

Larry Keating- Mister Ed

Alice Pierce-Gladys Kravitz (Bewitched)
Redd Foxx- (The Royal Family)
Selma Diamond-Selma (Night Court)
Florence Halop-Florence Kleiner (Night Court)

Barbara Pepper - Green Acres
Diana Hyland - Eight is Enough
Zara Cully - The Jeffersons

:rip: George Cleveland - Lassie

:rip: Freddy Prince - Sanford and Son
Freddie Prinze was on Chico and the Man.

Dolph Sweet-Gimme a Break
Jim Davis-Dallas
Larry Hagman-TNT's Dallas
Barton MacLane-I Dream of Jeannie

William Frawley - My Three Sons (same day as Alice Pearce)
Glenn Strange (Sam the Bartender) - Gunsmoke
Will Lee (Mr. Hooper) - Sesame Street

Freddie Prinze was on Chico and the Man.

DOH!:doh:

This wasn't a sitcom, but Amanda Blake was only in the first GUNSMOKE "reunion" movie (I put that in quotes because the only cast member in all the movies was James Arness) because after it she died of what was reported to be lung cancer but a later examination of hospital records showed that she died of aids.

Diana Hyland on Eight Is Enough. She only made it through the first four or five episodes. The poor thing was dealing with advanced breast cancer and passed away at 41.

I mentioned her earlier but it looks like someone deleted it.

If an elderly person (64+ years or older) is cast in a new TV series, there's always the potential for him dying/passing away while the show is still producing new episodes. :(

Marcia Wallace - The Simpsons
Michael Thoma - Fame

Soap Opera Circuit:
Larry Riley - Knots Landing
Jeanne Cooper - The Young And The Restless
Ruth Warrick - All My Children
Anna Lee - General Hospital

I don't think anyone's mentioned this, and if not I'm really surprised:eek:

Larry Hagman from I DREAM OF JEANNIE and of course DALLAS

Marion Lorne, Aunt Clara from "Bewitched".

Madeline Kahn died during the 4th (and final) season of "Cosby".

Ray Collins (Perry Mason)
Barbara Colby (Phyllis)

Phyllis also had two actors of advanced age on their cast: Judith Lowry (as Sally "Mother" Dexter) and Burt Mustin (Arthur Lanson). An episode of Phyllis featured the two characters' wedding. Both Lowry and Mustin passed away within a month of the episode's airing (Lowry lived for 86 years and Mustin lived for 93 years).

Larry Hagman was in the middle of filming TNT's Dallas season 2 when he died November 23, 2012, and that was a hit show! Plus he was a icon from the 1st Dallas that was on CBS.

Two pages in, and nobody has mentioned Ann Sheridan. She was starring in CBS's newest Western Pistols 'n' Petticoats, when suddenly, she got cancer during production and died in 1967. She smoked so heavily in her lifetime.

http://www.ann-sheridan.com/

Lee Thompson Young - who played Detective Barry Frost on Rizzoli and Isles tragically committed suicide in August of last year. On the show they had the character killed in a car accident in the first episode of the 5th season.

David Strickland (Todd on "Suddenly Susan") committed suicide at the age of 29 just before completion of the third season. The show lasted one season without him.

Christopher Evan Welch, who played billionaire Peter Gregory on the new HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, died in December 2013 of lung cancer, before the show premiered in April 2014. The producers decided not to recast the role, but he was not written off the show.

I'm surprised no one has said Larry Hagman and DALLAS.

Christopher Evan Welch, who played billionaire Peter Gregory on the new HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, died in December 2013 of lung cancer, before the show premiered in April 2014. The producers decided not to recast the role, but he was not written off the show.
That was so sad, he was my favorite character.

I'm surprised no one has said Larry Hagman and DALLAS.
It was mentioned about 5 posts above :D

Rebecca Schaeffer of "My Sister Sam" died at age 21 a year after her series ended. She was shot in front of her house and died when she tried to escape from her attacker. Her co-stars, including Pam Dawber, reunited for one special appearance soon after to film a special PSA about violence. All of them were still shocked and devastated by the news and Dawber has rarely appeared on TV since, making a special exception for a reunion with her "Mork & Mindy" co-star Robin Williams in an episode of "The Crazy Ones" .



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Anne Baxter, of the Arthur Hailey's Hotel TV show, died of a brain aneurysm in December 1985, midway through Hotel's third season (1985-86).

Ward Bond - Wagon Train
Richard Hart - Ellery Queen
Dorothy Kilgallen - What's My Line?

Dan Blocker (Hoss on Bonanza) died on May 13, 1972 at the age of 43 just weeks before filming of season 14 was set to begin.

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Dan Blocker (Hoss on Bonanza) died on May 13, 1972 at the age of 43 just weeks before filming of season 14 was set to begin.
and they had Hoss die on the show and I think that was the first time a TV show did that.

This season, two shows on the CBS network each lost a castmember unexpectedly.

Miguel Ferrer died of throat cancer midway through the eighth season of NCiS: Los Angeles last January.

Bill Paxton, of freshman series Training Day, died due to complications from heart surgery. CBS stated that production of Training Day had already wrapped in December 2016.

Both actors had lived for 62 years each.

Don't know about hit, but Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus from GWAR) was a regular as his Oderus character on the sitcom Holliston passed away in 2014.

I think Redd Foxx literally died on set during some down time in filming. Wikipedia says it was at the hospital but I think he may have been pronounced dead there. I seem to remember when it happened they said he died on set.

I think Redd Foxx literally died on set during some down time in filming. Wikipedia says it was at the hospital but I think he may have been pronounced dead there. I seem to remember when it happened they said he died on set.

It was in 1991 while he was in his "The Royal Family" show. Redd died from a heart attack.

Current as in still airing new episodes the year they died. DuShon Monique Brown from Chicago Fire died this week at a young age of 49.
Nicholas Colasanto (Coach)- Cheers
Jack Soo (Yemana)- Barney Miller
Jerry Van Dyke (Tag, Frankie's father)- The Middle

I can't remember her name but the actress who played Howard Wolowitz's mom on The Big Bang Theory on some episodes. She was only ever heard but not seen.

Phil Hartman who was a regular on NewsRadio. Infamous death because he was murdered by his wife in his sleep who then committed suicide while their children were also in the house sleeping. Absolutely horrible.

Will Geer. Grandpa Zebulon Walton on The Waltons.

Jim Davis. Jock Ewing on Dallas.

John Ritter. 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter.

Jerry Orbach. Detective Lenny Briscoe on Law & Order.

Dolph Sweet. Carl Kamisky on Gimme A Break.

Ed.

Barbara Colby, who did two guest roles on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, became a cast member on the spinoff show Phyllis. She was murdered in 1975 in a seemingly random attack where she and her male friend were shot to death leaving an acting class. The case is unsolved and will probably remain so since it happened 43 years ago.

Joseph Kearns (George Wilson) - Dennis The Menace

Judith Lowry (Mother Dexter) - Phyllis

Burt Mustin (Arthur Lanson) - Phyllis
Nancy Walker (Sara Bower) - True Colors
David Strickland (Todd Stites) - Suddenly Susan
Selma Diamond (Selma Hacker) - Night Court
Florence Halop (Florence Kleiner) - Night Court

Bea Benaderet (Kate Bradley)- Petticoat Junction
Zara Cully (Mother Jefferson)- The Jeffersons

Diana Hyland (Joan Bradford) - Eight Is Enough

Nancy Marchand (Livia Soprano) - The Sopranos
Glenn Quinn (Doyle) - Angel
Cory Monteith (Finn) - Glee

Dan Blocker (Hoss on Bonanza) died in 1972, just before the 14th (and final) season of Bonanza was to start filming. The first episode had already been written to feature his character and was re-written for the Little Joe's character after Dan passed away.

Marion Lorne (Aunt Clara on Bewitched) died in 1968, before the end of the 4th season of Bewitched.

Marion Lorne (Aunt Clara) - Bewitched

Alice Pearce (Mrs. Kravitz #1) - Bewitched

Freddie Prinze - Chico & the man

Pete Duel - Alias Smith & Jones

George Coe-Archer

Glenne Headly-Future Man

Christopher Evan Welch-Silicon Valley

Lynne Thigpen-The District

Madeline Kahn-Cosby

Marica Wallace-The Simpsons

Jim Davis(Jock Ewing)- Dallas

Will Lee (Mr. Hooper) - Sesame Street
Bill Paxton (Frank Rourke) - Training Day
Lee Thompson Young (Barry Frost) - Rizzoli & Isles

Michael Conrad, Hill Street Blues

Jon-Erik Hexum fatally shot himself in the head w/ a prop gun filled w/ blanks on the set of Cover Up (1984-85).

Antony Hamilton was brought on as the replacement, but the show was shortly canceled after one season.

Sidney James, star of the British sitcom Bless This House

Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus) - Holliston

Frances Bay (Aunt Ginny) the middle.
Doris Roberts (Ms.Rinsky) the middle.
Jerry Van Dyke (Tag Spence) the middle.

Redd Foxx (Fred G. Sanford) had a heart attack while filming an episode of a new series he had started. The irony in this was that one of his most popular acts as Sanford had been faking heart attacks to get out of things.

Redd Foxx (Fred G. Sanford) had a heart attack while filming an episode of a new series he had started. The irony in this was that one of his most popular acts as Sanford had been faking heart attacks to get out of things.

And even more morbid, Redd Foxx was actually doing an interview for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous the very day that he had his fatal heart attack!

Jon-Erik Hexum fatally shot himself in the head w/ a prop gun filled w/ blanks on the set of Cover Up (1984-85).

Antony Hamilton was brought on as the replacement, but the show was shortly canceled after one season.


Weirdly, (If I remember what I've read) they never explained the disappearance of Hexum's character on the show. But maybe I'm wrong.

Ed.

John Spencer (Leo McGarry) - The West Wing

Nancy Marchand (Livia Soprano) - The Sopranos
Glenn Quinn (Doyle) - Angel
Cory Monteith (Finn) - Glee

Glenn Quinn died 3 years after he left Angel.

Ted Knight - The Ted Knight Show/Too Close for Comfort

I think Redd Foxx literally died on set during some down time in filming. Wikipedia says it was at the hospital but I think he may have been pronounced dead there. I seem to remember when it happened they said he died on set.

Everyone on set probably thought he was faking it.

William Frawley - My Three Sons


When Frawley died, he had already been replaced on My Three Sons by William Demarest.

Ted Knight - Too Close for Comfort
Fred Allen - What's My Line?
Dick Elliott - The Andy Griffith Show
Don Pardo - SNL

Nicholas Colassanto-Cheers
John Ritter-Eight Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter
John Hancock-Love & War
Freddie Prinze-Chico and the Man

George Cleveland Jeff’s Collie Lassie
Dolph Sweet Gimmie A Break
Frances Bay the middle.
Jerry Van Dyke the middle.
George Segal The Goldbergs

The actress who played Aunt Clara from Bewitched.
The chief of staff from The West Wing.

The actress who played Aunt Clara was Marion Lorne.

In Defense, Sanford and Chico were very similar shows. Both had a cranky old man and a grown son (although Chico wasn’t the son of “The Man” but they ended up having that relationship. In both shows the characters were struggling, lived in a diverse neighborhood in Los Angles and even had a lot of the same guest stars. The only difference is the old man was funny on Sanford and the young man funny on Chico.

Luke Perry on Riverdale

Wikipedia as an entire article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_performers_who_died_during_production) on this subject.

A recent one is Adan Canto passing betw. Seasons 2-3 of "The Cleaining Lady"

I almost want to say Richard Lewis on Curb Your Enthusiasm, but this is said to be the final season for that show. So can a show that has already announced its conclusion still count, if it features a now deceased actor (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/1b6y430/what_shows_aired_new_episodes_with_a_recently/) and the final season is still ongoing?

Mr Hooper from Sesame Street. His passing was written into the show.

Was Phil Hartman still doing voiceover work on the Simpsons when he died in 1998? Newsradio was another show he was in at the time.

George Cleveland (Gramps Miller) - Lassie

Dick Elliott (Mayor Pike) - The Andy Griffith Show
Will Wright (Ben Weaver) - The Andy Griffith Show
Cheerio Meredith (Emma Brand/Emma Watson) - The Andy Griffith Show

Karl Swenson (Lars Hanson) Little House On The Praire

William Frawley (Bub O Casey) My Three Sons

William Frawley (Bub O Casey) My Three SonsWasn't he fired and written out before dying?

I believe he was written out. Because his last appearance was on The Lucy Show. However he did pass away when My Three Sons was still on. Would this be considered a gray area? Hmmm?

After rereading the topic of this thread he was a main character but no longer on it but passed away when My Three Sons was still airing. I believe there was mentioned of the Bub Character in later Seasons.

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When an actor dies on set, the project (if ever completed) is an eternal memorial, forever remembered for the unique and shocking tragedy. Below is a list of notable celebrities who died while filming a movie (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/DiedDuringProduction/LiveActionFilms) or TV show (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/DiedDuringProduction/LiveActionTV), from Heath Ledger to Brandon Lee to Marilyn Monroe. The list also includes famous actors killed on set. The untimely deaths of the following actors and actresses occurred either while they were on set, during the middle of filming, or before production was completed on the project. These unexpected and tragic deaths of television and film entertainers were shocking and the celeb's loss was felt all over the world, while there are also other deaths on this list that have even been considered some of the most fascinating unsolved Hollywood murders.

Another recent one was Angus Cloud from HBO's "Euphoria".

As of now it is unknown what will happen to his character, Fez, when it returns for its (delayed) 3rd season.

Wasn't he fired and written out before dying?

Yes, he died a year or two later.

"Gen V" actor Chance Perdomo was killed in a motorcycle accident.
Production on Season 2 has been delayed.

https://deadline.com/2024/03/gen-v-season-2-production-chance-perdomo-dead-1235872453/

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These celebrity deaths sent shockwaves throughout the entertainment industry. For this list, we’ll be looking at various television stars who passed away while their show was still in production. Our countdown includes Miguel Ferrer, Adam West, Luke Perry, Steve Irwin, Mary Kay Bergman, and more. Do you remember your reaction to these shocking bits of news?

Linda Lavin had already finished 7 of the 10 episodes of the upcoming Hulu series that she had a role in, Mid-Century Modern, making it unclear how they will proceed now.

Linda Lavin Died With 3 Episodes Left to Shoot for New Hulu Comedy Series ‘Mid-Century Modern’ (https://www.thewrap.com/linda-lavin-dies-hulu-mid-century-modern-episodes/)

Leslie Jordan from Call Me Kat. He was actually driving to the studio to film an episode of the show when he suffered a fatal heart attack, crashing his car. The series was cancelled not long after his passing.

Another actor who died in a car accident is Larry Breeding.

He guest starred as Laverne's boyfriend in three episodes of Laverne & Shirley. He was dating Penny Marshall at the time.

He died in a car accident on his 36th birthday on September 28, 1982. Someone posted that he was smoking a cigarette and it landed in between his legs. He slammed into the wall on the freeway.

How did Larry Breeding die? (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=14255)

Lance Reddick on "Percy Jackson and the Olympians"
Role replaced by Courtney B. Vance


Ray Stevenson on "Ahsoka"
Role replaced by Rory McCann

Larry Riley appeared as Frank Williams on Knots Landing, neighbors to Valene & Mac and Karen on the cul-de-sac for several seasons, before dying of kidney failure in 1992. His character was written out.

Also from Knots Landing, actor Steve Shaw, who played Karen's son Eric, died in a car accident in 1990 at the age of 25 while still appearing on the series.

Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma which delayed the production of "Spartacus" Season 2 as he underwent treatment.

He suffered a relapse in September 2010 and Liam McIntyre was brought on as the replacement. He passed in September 2011.

Weirdly, (If I remember what I've read) they never explained the disappearance of Hexum's character on the show. But maybe I'm wrong.

Ed.

His character was killed off.

Yes, he died a year or two later.

William Frawley was let go from “My Three Sons” because his health problems led to him no longer being able to get health insurance.

There are quite a few actors who passed while appearing on the soaps:

Jeanne Cooper passed away in 2013 while starring as Katherine on The Young & The Restless. Her deteriorating health had been written into the show, and the character died. The show honored Jeanne with a special memorial episode later that year, with past and present cast-mates sharing their memories of the legendary actress.

Michael Morrison (Caleb Snyder) died of a drug overdose at the age of 33 in 1993 while appearing on As the World Turns. The part was re-cast with actor Graham Winton, and the actors had to film scenes with Winton the very day they found out about Morrison's death while dealing with their shock and grief on set.

Benjamin Hendrickson, who won an Emmy award playing beloved detective Hal Munson on As the World Turns, took his own life in 2006. The character was killed in a heroic shoot-out, and the characters/actors honored Hal/Benjamin in a special episode sharing their fond memories while mourning their loss.

Frances Heflin played Mona, the forever suffering mother of Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) on All My Children, from its debut in 1970. The actress died in 1994, and the character was killed off the following year.

Josh Ryan Evans played the character of "living doll" Timmy on the soap Passions from its premiere episode in 1999. The actor was born with achondroplasia dwarfism and stood only 3'2" tall. His health deteriorated in 2002, and show's producers decided to write the character off, with Timmy's death saving the character of Charity with a heart transplant. In an eerie coincidence, Evans died on the very same day his character Timmy died on the show in 2002.

There are quite a few actors who passed while appearing on the soaps:

Jeanne Cooper passed away in 2013 while starring as Katherine on The Young & The Restless. Her deteriorating health had been written into the show, and the character died. The show honored Jeanne with a special memorial episode later that year, with past and present cast-mates sharing their memories of the legendary actress.

Michael Morrison (Caleb Snyder) died of a drug overdose at the age of 33 in 1993 while appearing on As the World Turns. The part was re-cast with actor Graham Winton, and the actors had to film scenes with Winton the very day they found out about Morrison's death while dealing with their shock and grief on set.

Benjamin Hendrickson, who won an Emmy award playing beloved detective Hal Munson on As the World Turns, took his own life in 2006. The character was killed in a heroic shoot-out, and the characters/actors honored Hal/Benjamin in a special episode sharing their fond memories while mourning their loss.

Francis Heflin played Mona, the forever suffering mother of Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) on All My Children, from its debut in 1970. The actress died in 1994, and the character was killed off the following year.

Josh Ryan Evans played the character of "living doll" Timmy on the soap Passions from its premiere episode in 1999. The actor was born with achondroplasia dwarfism and stood only 3'2" tall. His health deteriorated in 2002, and show's producers decided to write the character off, with Timmy's death saving the character of Charity with a heart transplant. In an eerie coincidence, Evans died on the very same day his character Timmy died on the show in 2002.

Jeanne Cooper was actor Corbin Bernsen’s mother, and Frances Heflin was actor Van Heflin’s sister.

Jeanne Cooper was actor Corbin Bernsen’s mother, and Frances Heflin was actor Van Heflin’s sister.

I was wondering while I wrote the post if Frances was related to Van Heflin. He was a great actor.

I was wondering while I wrote the post if Frances was related to Van Heflin. He was a great actor.

Van’s final role was in the ABC TV movie “The Last Child”. He died before the show aired. Ironically, he plays a former Senator trying to stay alive in an America that has introduced draconian population control programs.

Other soap actors who passed away while appearing on the shows include:

Douglass Watson, who played Mac Cory on Another World. Watson died of a sudden heart attack at age 68 in 1989. Many storylines had to be completely re-written to explain his character's absence from the show, until Mac died on-screen later that year. He was given a memorial storyline, and several actors who had left the show returned for the touching funeral.

Also from Another World, Constance Ford, who played tough-as-nails Ada Hobson, mother to Rachel, died in 1993. The show wrote the death into the storyline later that year as well, with all the various characters being deeply affected by her passing and sharing their memories.

Don MacLaughlin originated the role of Hughes family patriarch Chris on As the World Turns from the show's debut in 1956. The actor would die in 1986 after a brief illness. One of the actor's last appearances on the show was for the 30th anniversary episode in 1986, which coincided with the wedding anniversary of Chris and his wife Nancy (Helen Wagner). The character died on-screen later that year.

Helen Wagner, who played Nancy Hughes for an astonishing 53 years, would also pass away, shortly after the announcement that As the World Turns had been cancelled in 2010. The writers originally intended for the final episode to center around her character of Nancy, but her death was written in earlier to give her a proper memorial.

Elaine Herlie played the beloved character of Myrtle Fargate for 30 years on All My Children, who ran the show's fashion boutique & knew all the town gossip. She died in 2008 at the age of 90, and the show would give her a special memorial episode in December of that year.

Soap star deaths (continued):

Drake Hogestyn, who played John Black on Days of Our Lives. Suffering from pancreatic cancer, he filmed his final scenes before his death in September, 2024. He had given his blessing for the producers and writers to kill off the secret agent character in a mysterious, covert operation. Cast and crew struggled to film the scenes with the knowledge of Hogestyn's condition. These scenes were to be broadcast after the actor passed away.

Kristoff St. John, who played Neil Winters on The Young & The Restless, winning two Emmy Awards with many nominations. Struggling with depression after the loss of his son Julian, who took his own life at the age of 24, St. John would also take his own life in 2019. Cast and crew were left in shock and dismay following his death. The character of Neil Winters would die of an undiagnosed heart condition after St. John's passing.

James Mitchell, who played millionaire codger Palmer Cortlandt on All My Children beginning in 1979. He would retire for health reasons in late 2009 before passing away in January 2010 at the age of 89. His final scenes were broadcast following his passing, and the character would die later that year.

Former soap star Kamar de los Reyes (One Life to Live) played the role of Coach Montez on the CW football drama All American beginning in 2022. He would pass away from cancer at the age of 56 in 2023.

Actor Mark Frankel was killed in a motorcycle accident at the age of 34 in London while playing the head vampire Julian Luna in the cult classic series Kindred: The Embraced in 1996. The series, based on a popular role-playing game from the 90s, was cancelled after his death.

Christina Milian took over Naya Rivera's role on Starz' "Step Up: High Water" after she tragically drowned in July 2020.

Other soap actors who passed away while appearing on the shows include:

Douglass Watson, who played Mac Cory on Another World. Watson died of a sudden heart attack at age 68 in 1989. Many storylines had to be completely re-written to explain his character's absence from the show, until Mac died on-screen later that year. He was given a memorial storyline, and several actors who had left the show returned for the touching funeral.

Also from Another World, Constance Ford, who played tough-as-nails Ada Hobson, mother to Rachel, died in 1993. The show wrote the death into the storyline later that year as well, with all the various characters being deeply affected by her passing and sharing their memories.

Don MacLaughlin originated the role of Hughes family patriarch Chris on As the World Turns from the show's debut in 1956. The actor would die in 1986 after a brief illness. One of the actor's last appearances on the show was for the 30th anniversary episode in 1986, which coincided with the wedding anniversary of Chris and his wife Nancy (Helen Wagner). The character died on-screen later that year.

Helen Wagner, who played Nancy Hughes for an astonishing 53 years, would also pass away, shortly after the announcement that As the World Turns had been cancelled in 2010. The writers originally intended for the final episode to center around her character of Nancy, but her death was written in earlier to give her a proper memorial.

Elaine Herlie played the beloved character of Myrtle Fargate for 30 years on All My Children, who ran the show's fashion boutique & knew all the town gossip. She died in 2008 at the age of 90, and the show would give her a special memorial episode in December of that year.

Actually, the actress's name was Eileen Herlie and not Elaine.

Ed.

Cole Brings Plenty died at 27 in-between Seasons 1 and 2 of "1923".

He had gone missing after he was declared wanted by the Lawrence Police Department on allegations of domestic violence. His body was discovered in an isolated wooded area after someone spotted an abandoned vehicle. The cause of death was not disclosed, but most likely a suicide.

His role was replaced by Jeremy Gauna for Season 2.

Johnny Hardwick had completed six episodes of Hulu's "King of the Hill" revival before his death in 2023.

His role of Dale is being replaced by Toby Huss.

Larry Keating who played Roger Addison on Mister Ed died from leukemia during the 3rd season.

David "Stringbean" Akeman of Hee Haw and his wife were murdered by burglars in Nov, 1973

Barbara Pepper (Doris Ziffel) passed away during the third season of Green Acres

Larry Keating who played Roger Addison on Mister Ed died from leukemia during the 3rd season.

David "Stringbean" Akeman of Hee Haw and his wife were murdered by burglars in Nov, 1973

Barbara Pepper (Doris Ziffel) passed away during the third season of Green Acres

With respect to Barbara Pepper she was no longer on Green Acres when she passed away. Barbara was let go after the filming of "The Spring Festival" (the episode aired in February of 68 during the 67-68 TV season). Barbara had a significant drinking problem, it was one of the reasons she was not considered for the role of Ethel Mertz on I Love Lucy. She had shown up on the set suffering from hangovers, her looks had deteriorated and her overall performance was not meeting standards so Jay Sommers let her go. She appeared in other television series during the 68-69 season (Mayberry RFD, and The Doris Day Show) and appeared in a movie, in addition she did some voiceover work. She passed away in July of 69.

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Sometimes the loss of a cast member leaves TV shows in a tough spot, leading to awkward or uncomfortable ways of handling their absence. From ignoring key characters to unsettling plot twists, this video explores moments when shows struggled to pay fitting tribute or continue gracefully after an actor’s death. We dive into stories like the recasting and minimal mentions of Laurie Forman in “That ‘90s Show,” the sudden disappearance of Hoss Cartwright on “Bonanza,” and the uneasy tribute to Phil Hartman on “NewsRadio.” Other examples include the controversial murder mystery plot following Leslie Dwyer’s passing on “Hi-de-Hi!” and the off-screen character exit of Stanford on “And Just Like That….” Which moments do you think missed the mark?

TV Deaths That Happened Because The Actor Died In Real Life (https://www.looper.com/226684/tv-deaths-that-happened-because-the-actor-died-in-real-life/)

TV might be all about fantasy, but every so often, the real world intrudes.

Lee Thompson Young died by suicide at only 29 years old while he was playing police detective Barry Frost on the drama Rizzoli & Isles. He'd first become famous as a teenager on the DisneyTV series The Famous Jett Jackson. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they killed off his character on Rizzoli & Isles also by suicide.

ETA: I was wrong. They killed off his Barry Frost character in a car accident.

Ed.

That would have been too much if they had his character commit suicide as well.

That would have been too much if they had his character commit suicide as well.

You're probably right. I must've been thinking of a different show.

Ed.

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When actors pass away, TV shows face tough decisions. Join us as we explore poignant moments when shows chose to have characters follow their actors into the afterlife. From George Segal's Pops Solomon to John Ritter's Paul Hennessy, these tributes remind us of the real lives behind our favorite characters. Our countdown includes Dr. Charles Kroger from "Monk," Finn Hudson from "Glee," Mrs. Wolowitz from "The Big Bang Theory," Mr. Hooper from "Sesame Street," and more! Which character departure affected you the most? Share your memories and tributes below.

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20 Worst Ways Shows Dealt With an Actor’s Death (https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/20-worst-ways-shows-dealt-with-an-actors-death/freddie-prinze-as-francisco-chico-rodriguez)

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Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Brisco - Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005-06): Throughout most of his “Law & Order” tenure, Jerry Orbach was privately receiving cancer treatment. Although his health continued to decline, Orbach remained passionate about playing Detective Lennie Briscoe. He thus signed on for the spinoff “Trial by Jury,” which came with less demanding hours. Orbach only managed to shoot two episodes before succumbing to his illness, however. Since he could barely speak in his final scene, it was redubbed so all the actors whispered. While this was a clever workaround under tragic circumstances, it carries an unnecessarily unsettling sentiment when one character says, “I’m dying.” Although the franchise as a whole honored Orbach, this short-lived spinoff essentially forgets about Briscoe going forward, serving as an unceremonious sendoff in the character’s storied TV history.

Rod Serling as Rod Serling - The Twilight Zone (2019-20): The Jordan Peele-produced “Twilight Zone” was the third revival that fell short of the original. You got the sense that the showrunners genuinely wanted to continue the late Rod Serling’s legacy, but the episode “Blurryman” was a misguided tribute. In a meta twist that most viewers predicted, Zazie Beetz’s character discovers that the mysterious “Blurryman” is Rod Serling in all of his uncanny valley awkwardness. What aims to be a powerful reveal plays more like something we’d see at the queue for the Tower of Terror. They even got the same actor, Mark Silverman, to supply Serling’s voice. While Silverman does a solid impression, zooming in on Serling’s face only makes the effect look faker. A cameo that should’ve been left… in the Twilight Zone…

Adan Canto as Arman Morales - The Cleaning Lady (2022-25): Adan Canto played the gangster who gets the titular cleaning lady mixed up with the mob. Viewers were surprised and saddened when Canto lost his life to appendiceal cancer, which he had been privately dealing with. While the third season was respectfully dedicated to Canto, the showrunners struggled to address his character’s absence. The season opens with the revelation that Arman is missing. He’s tracked down in the season’s sixth episode, but the decision to digitally bring Canto back makes Arman’s final sacrifice feel cartoony. This is only emphasized as his car goes off a cliff, which is supposed to be dramatic, but comes off as too over-the-top. It just looks silly, which doesn’t at all mesh with the grief everyone felt over Canto’s death.

Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett - Hawaii Five-O (2010-20): Jack Lord is best remembered for playing Steve McGarrett on the original “Hawaii Five-O.” Lord passed away more than a decade before the reboot. Nevertheless, co-showrunner Peter M. Lenkov wanted to bring Lord back for a CG cameo. He initially envisioned this for the series finale, but instead used it for the Season 7 premiere. Alex O'Loughlin’s character, also named Steve McGarrett, finds himself at a church, contemplating his future. He receives encouraging words from a stranger who resembles Jack Lord… through a PlayStation 3 filter. On paper, this might’ve sounded like an affectionate passing of the torch. In execution, though, it feels like O'Loughlin is talking to an animated caricature, because he essentially is. Sometimes, it’s better to let characters rest with actors.

Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel - The Simpsons (1989-): Just as Phil Hartman’s characters were retired after his death, “The Simpsons” writers knew that only Marcia Wallace could voice Mrs. Krabappel. The remaining lines that Wallace recorded were played at the end of a Season 25 episode, followed by Ned Flanders and Nelson grieving her. While hearing Wallace’s voice one last time brings some closure, it feels tacked on in an episode that otherwise has nothing to do with Edna. We get why Ned is in this epilogue, since he had recently married her. However, Nelson’s place really should’ve been filled by Bart, who had a more meaningful relationship with Mrs. K. Although future episodes did a much better job of addressing Krabappel’s passing, this initial acknowledgement, while sincere, fell short.

Jim Davis as Jock Ewing - Dallas (1978-91): Known for his work in Westerns, Jim Davis’ career ended with his most iconic role, Jock Ewing from “Dallas.” During the fourth season, Davis died from multiple myeloma. After being away for most of Season 5, it’s revealed that Jock seemingly perished in a helicopter accident. It’s an overly melodramatic way to go out, but we suppose that fits this primetime soap’s tone. Our main issue comes with the arrival of Wes Parmalee, played by Steve Forrest, a few seasons later. Wes claims to be Jock, which was initially the producers’ plan to bring him back. When viewers caught wind of this, there was an uproar. The producers thankfully abandoned this idea, but the fact that it even crossed their minds was disrespectful to Davis.

Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams - Wagon Train (1957-65): Working as a character actor with legendary film directors like John Ford and Frank Capra, Ward Bond got top billing as the original wagon master in this classic series. During the fourth season, Bond suffered a heart attack that claimed his life. Rather than have another actor play Major Seth Adams, it was decided that John McIntire would take over as the new wagon master, Christopher Hale. While handing the reins to another leading man made the most sense, Seth Adams’ absence isn’t delved into. You could argue that there wasn’t much precedent for TV shows acknowledging an actor’s passing at the time, but even “Lassie” gave Gramps a funeral when George Cleveland died. “Wagon Train” could’ve done the same.

Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi - Cobra Kai (2017-25): When “Cobra Kai” was announced, we all wondered how this premise could work without Mr. Miyagi, the heart and soul of the original films. To our surprise, the show was not only a fresh take on “The Karate Kid,” but it handled Pat Morita’s death with respect and dignity… for the first five seasons. The final season includes a couple of dream sequences where Miyagi initially appears to Daniel as an opponent, and later to fight alongside him before imparting some last words of wisdom. We get why the creators wanted to bookend this story with Miyagi’s return. For a show full of practical stuntwork, though, bringing Miyagi back as an AI puppet just didn’t sit well in a season that otherwise stuck the landing.

Naya Rivera as Collette Jones - Step Up: High Water (2018-22): Following her breakthrough work as Santana Lopez on “Glee,” Naya Rivera was cast as Collette Jones on this show based on the “Step Up” movies. After two seasons, news broke that the series would move to Starz. The subtitle “High Water” was dropped, which eerily mirrored Rivera’s fate months after the announcement. Although she managed to save her son, Rivera lost her life in an accidental drowning. Season 3 underwent revisions, leading some to believe that Collette would be written out. Instead, the role was recast with Christina Milian. Milian is a talented actress, but it would’ve been wiser to create a new character for her to play. Assuming that viewers would accept anybody other than Rivera as Collette was a misstep.

Jon-Erik Hexum as Mac Harper - Cover Up (1984-85): This short-lived spy series is sadly remembered for one thing: a tragic accident involving star Jon-Erik Hexum. Waiting for an episode to resume taping, Hexum pretended to play Russian roulette with a revolver he’d been given. This game got real when Hexum pulled the trigger. While it didn’t have any bullets, the gun was loaded with blanks. Following surgery, Hexum was left brain-dead and taken off life support. Antony Hamilton took his place as Jack Striker while Hexum’s character, Mac Harper, died off-screen while on a mission. The show couldn’t get past Hexum’s death or Harper’s abrupt exit. While the episode’s closing dedication comes from a place of love, they bizarrely misspelled Jon-Erik’s name in the text, making his eulogy feel rushed.

Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman - That ‘90s Show (2023-24): Multiple tragedies loomed over the “That ‘70s Show” franchise when this sequel series arrived. Among them was the death of Lisa Robin Kelly, who played Eric’s sister Laurie throughout the first few seasons. Kelly suddenly left the sitcom due to personal issues, including substance use. Christina Moore replaced her in Season 6 until Laurie was written out altogether. Kelly died in 2013, a decade before “That ‘90s Show” premiered. While we give the producers credit for now recasting the role again, Laurie is awkwardly only mentioned a couple of times. The last we hear of her is when Kitty reflects on Laurie’s criminal tendencies. It’s supposed to be funny, but it just reminds us of Kelly’s legal troubles.

Joseph Kerns as George Wilson - Dennis the Menace (1959-63): When we think of Dennis the Menace, two things come to mind: his trusty slingshot and his long-suffering neighbor, Good Ol' Mr. Wilson. Despite his best intentions, Dennis had a way of getting into trouble, with Mr. Wilson often enduring the consequences. Their dynamic was at the core of the show, which suffered a curveball when Joseph Kearns died in 1962. Ironically, the last episode to air before Kearns’ death centered on Mr. Wilson making a will, concerned his days are numbered. The final episode featuring Kearns aired toward the end of Season 3. By the fourth and final season, George and Martha had moved away. John and Eloise Wilson served as replacements, but it wasn’t the same without the old Mr. Wilson.

Leslie Dwyer as Mr. William Partridge - Hi-de-Hi! (1980-88): When a cast member passes away, some shows choose to have their characters die as well. This British sitcom took that approach when actor Leslie Dwyer died… kind of. Dwyer, who played bitter children’s performer Mr. Partridge, succumbed to respiratory failure in 1986. Toward the beginning of the seventh series, Mr. Partridge is seemingly discovered in the pool with a knife in his back. The episode mixes quirky farce, murder mystery, and dark comedy, but it feels a little too dark (and tasteless), knowing that the actor who played Mr. Partridge died in real life. In the end, it’s revealed that Mr. Partridge faked his murder and ran off with a woman. It’d be a funny twist… if Dwyer weren’t actually dead.

Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes (Joshua Smith) - Alias Smith and Jones (1971-73): This Western centered on a couple of cousins on the run, trying to leave their criminal past behind. Pete Duel played one-half of the reformed outlaws as Hannibal Heyes, who also goes by Joshua Smith. As the second season aired, Duel took his own life, having been dealing with depression, substance use, and legal issues. With Duel being integral, executive producer Jo Swerling Jr. felt the most logical and respectful decision would be to end the show. ABC didn’t agree, reportedly telling Swerling that they’d sue if he didn’t fulfill his contract. Roger Davis, the show’s narrator, thus filled in as the new Hannibal Heyes. It wasn’t long after that “Alias Smith and Jones” was canceled, with many feeling the show died with Duel.

Dan Blocker as Eric “Hoss” Cartwright - Bonanza (1959-73): From one classic Western to another, the long-running “Bonanza” ended the same month as “Alias Smith and Jones.” A scheduling change and the declining popularity of Westerns contributed to this. Another reason was the death of Dan Blocker a year earlier. Playing gentle giant Hoss Cartwright, Blocker had been with the show from the beginning, appearing in 415 of its 431 episodes. After all this time, Hoss deserved a proper sendoff. At the start of the final season, though, Hoss is just gone. While no outright ignored, Hoss’ death is an elephant in the room. Co-star Michael Landon said, “It might not please everybody. I’m sure that some people would rather have a whole hour memorial to Dan, but we just couldn’t do that.”

Phil Hartman as Bill McNeal - NewsRadio (1995-99): Weeks after “NewsRadio” aired its Season 4 finale, Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife, Brynn, who subsequently turned the gun on herself. When the sitcom returned, it was revealed that Hartman’s character, Bill McNeal, died from a heart attack. This explanation is somewhat uncomfortable, knowing that Hartman’s death was much darker. Still, the episode is respectfully done, with everyone’s love for Hartman and grief over his death on display. After this touching tribute, though, “NewsRadio” just couldn’t move on. Jon Lovitz tried to fill his late friend’s shoes. Of course, this casting choice also carried an uneasy sentiment, as Lovitz blamed co-star Andy Dick for allegedly giving Brynn cocaine not long before the murder. For all these reasons, the final season is almost unwatchable.

Redd Foxx as Alexander Alphonso Royal - The Royal Family (1991-92): Best known for “Sanford and Son,” Redd Foxx staged a TV comeback with “The Royal Family,” which Eddie Murphy created. The sitcom centered on Foxx as Alexander Royal and his wife Victoria, played by Della Reese. After barely a month on the air, Foxx endured chest issues on set. At first, some thought Foxx was recycling one of Fred Sanford’s classic bits. This heart attack was real, though, and Foxx didn’t recover. With the star gone, it didn’t make sense for the show to continue. The producers tried anyway, bringing in Jackée Harry as Victoria’s half-sister… who was later retconned as her daughter. The writers scrambled to figure out how the show could function without Foxx. Short answer: it couldn’t, ending with two episodes unaired.

Nancy Marchand as Livia Soprano - The Sopranos (1999-2007): HBO was aware that Nancy Marchand was living with lung cancer when she landed the role of Tony Soprano’s mother. Although Livia was supposed to die in Season 1, Marchand reportedly convinced David Chase to keep her around. Heading into Season 3, Chase had big plans for Livia Soprano, who was going to testify against her son. Chase had to change course when Marchand’s cancer took its toll. Although Livia dies from a stroke off-screen, she was given a final scene with Tony using old sound clips and CGI. It’s awkwardly apparent to the audience that this scene was devised after Marchand died. Not only is it distracting, but it adds little to Livia’s character arc, making us question why it even exists.

Willie Garson as Stanford Blatch - And Just Like That… (2021-25): When “Sex and the City” returned with this sequel series, everyone mourned the loss of a beloved character. No, not Mr. Big. Obviously, we mean Stanford. Willie Garson was onboard to reprise his role as one of Carrie’s best friends. Garson even shot three episodes, but he died from pancreatic cancer during production. And just like that, Stanford left his husband, moved to Japan to manage a TikToker, and then somehow wound up as a Shinto monk who doesn’t care about possessions anymore… all of which occurs off-screen. We get that there wasn’t an easy way to explain Stanford’s sudden absence, and they weren’t going to have another funeral right after Big’s. Still, this has the carelessness of “I’m sorry, I can’t, don’t hate me.”

Freddie Prinze as Francisco “Chico” Rodriguez - Chico and the Man (1974-78): It’s never easy for a show to proceed after a cast member dies, especially when it’s a lead. The world was shocked and devastated when Freddie Prinze took his life at the height of his comedy career, which seemed like it was just getting started. Prinze reached another level of popularity as one-half of “Chico and the Man.” Although many felt the show should’ve ended after Prinze’s death, the final episodes of Season 3 moved forward without Chico. At the beginning of Season 4, Ed takes a kid named Raul under his wing, nicknaming him Chico. It’s later revealed that the real Chico died. Despite Ed’s comment that “You’re all Chicos,” there was truly only one, and the show didn’t last without him.

Stanley Kamel, who played Dr. Charles Kroger on "Monk", died in April 2008 which was in-between Seasons 6-7.

The 1st episode of the 7th Season began with Monk dealing with Dr. Kroger's unexpected death.

Peter Scolari died of cancer between seasons after playing Bishop Thomas Marx in Evil for two years. The first episode of season three was dedicated to him, but I don’t recall any mention of his character’s whereabouts, but his role in the series was filled by another priest played by Wallace Shawn.

This wasn't a sitcom, but Amanda Blake was only in the first GUNSMOKE "reunion" movie (I put that in quotes because the only cast member in all the movies was James Arness) because after it she died of what was reported to be lung cancer but a later examination of hospital records showed that she died of aids.

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Discover the heartbreaking true story of Amanda Blake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Blake), the legendary 'Miss Kitty' of Gunsmoke, whose final years were defined by a secret Hollywood desperately tried to hide. From a Western icon to a silent victim of a global plague (https://shows.acast.com/thehivpodcast/episodes/amanda-blake), this is the untold tragedy behind the Long Branch Saloon.

Eric Dane on "Euphoria"

He returned to film the final (3rd) season of the HBO drama after being diagnosed with ALS. Since the final season hasn't aired yet, it premieres in April 2026, it counts as a current show.

Ian Abercrombie voiced Palpatine (Darth Sidious) on the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars". He died in January 2012 during its 5th Season.

Tim Curry was brought on to take over the role for the remainder of Season 5 into Season 6.