Are there any other '80s shows where most of the main cast are now deceased

[TMC]

I know that this is an extremely morbid question, but as of November 2021, we no longer have Harry Anderson, Charles Robinson, and Markie Post. People may forget her time on the series since it happened in the first season (i.e. pre-Christine and pre-Mac), but Paula Kelly (Liz Williams) passed away in February 2020. And of course, it goes without saying that there are the first two female bailiffs, Selma Diamond and Florence Halop, who both died during the show's run.

So in a nutshell, only John Larroquette, Richard Moll, and Karen Austin (Lana Wagner) are among main cast members from Season 1, still with us as I type this. And ironically, Ellen Foley (Billie Young in Season 2) managed to outlive the woman who replaced her, Markie Post.

The only other '80s show that I can immediately think off where most of the main cast is now deceased is The Golden Girls, with only Betty White being the last one standing. And Betty God bless her and God willing, will be 100 next year.

[SarahBellum]

Another 80s show that comes to mind is Newhart. Main cast members Mary Frann, Tom Poston and Peter Scolari are gone.

[RetroGuy2000]

Diff'rent Strokes: Dana Plato, Gary Coleman, Conrad Bain, Nedra Volz, Charlotte Rae, Mary Ann Mobley, and Dixie Carter have passed on. Only Mary Jo Catlett, Todd Bridges, and Danny Cooksey are left.

[EccentricGenius]

With the death of Betty White this past New Years Eve (just roughly two weeks from celebrating her one-hundredth birthday), all four cast members of "The Golden Girls" are now sadly deceased.

"The Jeffersons" (which debuted in 1975 and lasted well into the eighties, wrapping up its eleven-season, 259 episode run in the summer of '85) also shares the dubious--and unfortunate--distinction of having nearly its entire cast no longer among the living...with the exceptions of Marla Gibbs, Damon Evans ("Lionel #2"), Jay Hammer, and Berlinda Tolbert, virtually the entire cast of that long-running sitcom--Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Mike Evans ("Lionel #1"), Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict, Zara Cully, and Ned Wertimer--is sadly all but dead and buried.

[icecream]

Originally Posted by EccentricGenius

With the death of Betty White this past New Years Eve (just roughly two weeks from celebrating her one-hundredth birthday), all four cast members of "The Golden Girls" are now sadly deceased.

"The Jeffersons" (which debuted in 1975 and lasted well into the eighties, wrapping up its eleven-season, 259 episode run in the summer of '85) also shares the dubious--and unfortunate--distinction of having nearly its entire cast no longer among the living...with the exceptions of Marla Gibbs, Damon Evans ("Lionel #2"), Jay Hammer, and Berlinda Tolbert, virtually the entire cast of that long-running sitcom--Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Mike Evans ("Lionel #1"), Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict, Zara Cully, and Ned Wertimer--is sadly all but dead and buried.

epguides.com has three more regulars listed than you mentioned: Ebonie Smith (Jessica), Ernest Harden Jr (Marcus Garvey), and Danny Wells (Charlie the bartender). I have not checked death records recently but presumably Ebonie Smith is still alive since she was so young on the show, don't know about Danny and Ernest (I don't remember a Marcus Garvey even). So that would make at least 5 cast members who are still alive. Even though that is 1/3 of the whole cast, The Jeffersons had such a humongous cast list over the years that 5 regulars is all or most of many other 80s sitcoms. And at 1/3 or more living, while that is a majority of cast members dead I would hardly call it virtually the entire cast dead and buried either.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by icecream

epguides.com has three more regulars listed than you mentioned: Ebonie Smith (Jessica), Ernest Harden Jr (Marcus Garvey), and Danny Wells (Charlie the bartender). I have not checked death records recently but presumably Ebonie Smith is still alive since she was so young on the show, don't know about Danny and Ernest (I don't remember a Marcus Garvey even). So that would make at least 5 cast members who are still alive. Even though that is 1/3 of the whole cast, The Jeffersons had such a humongous cast list over the years that 5 regulars is all or most of many other 80s sitcoms. And at 1/3 or more living, while that is a majority of cast members dead I would hardly call it virtually the entire cast dead and buried either.

Danny Wells passed in 2013 while Ernest Harden Jr. is still with us and is presently, 70 years old.

And I can't believe that when started the thread, I left out Diff'erent Strokes. Todd Bridges is sadly, the last surviving original cast member with Charlotte Rae's death in 2018. We also lost the two actresses who played Maggie McKinney-Drummond (Dixie Carter in 2010 and Mary Ann Mobley in 2014) and Nedra Volz (who was the second housekeeper Adelaide Brubaker following Charlotte Rae's Mrs. Garrett being spun-off to The Facts of Life) in 2003.

Le Tari, who played Dudley's (Arnold's best friend) father, Ted Ramsey also died young. He was only 40 years old when he suffered from a fatal heart attack in 1987.

[Yong Fang]

I wonder what Conrad Bain thought, that two of his three TV kids died before him.

[biffbronson]

Three's a Crowd (1984-85) is worth a mention, with John Ritter and Robert Mandan having passed away -- that's two-thirds of the starring cast (Ritter-Cadorette-Mandan), unless you include Alan Campbell (still living).

[TMC]

Almost The Entire Main Cast Of These TV Series Have Passed Away

As classic shows from decades of television recede into the past, it's more and more likely that many of their cast members are no longer with us.

[Chocolate Moose]

All in the Family. Laverne and Shirley. Mork and Mindy.

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

All in the Family. Laverne and Shirley. Mork and Mindy.

All in the Family is a 70s show.
Laverne & Shirley had most of its run in the 70s.
Mork & Mindy could be considered an 80s show, but it debuted in 1978.

[EccentricGenius]

You can add Three's Company to the list, now that Suzanne Somers has reunited with her deceased co-stars (John Ritter, Norman Fell, Audra Lindley, and Don Knotts) in classic television heaven.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by EccentricGenius

You can add Three's Company to the list, now that Suzanne Somers has reunited with her deceased co-stars (John Ritter, Norman Fell, Audra Lindley, and Don Knotts) in classic television heaven.

Don't forget Ann Wedgeworth, who portrayed Lana Shields in Season 4 of Three's Company.

[EccentricGenius]

Originally Posted by TMC

Don't forget Ann Wedgeworth, who portrayed Lana Shields in Season 4 of Three's Company.

Whoops. My bad. Thanks for commenting, TMC.

[EccentricGenius]

Magnum, P.I. alums Roger E. Mosley (T.C.) and John Hillerman (Higgins) have both passed on, leaving Tom Selleck and Larry Manetti (Rick) as the two remaining surviving cast members of that aforementioned long-running eighties action/adventure/crime drama.