Actors who died while they were a Regular or Recurring Character on a Current Show

[Zoneboy]

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

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

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.

[TMC]

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?

[TMC]

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.

[Edward216]

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.

[icecream]

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

[Edward216]

Originally Posted by icecream

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.

[TMC]

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.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

20 Worst Ways Shows Dealt With an Actor’s Death

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.

[JamesG]

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.

[Dream Canteen]

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.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by treky

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.

Discover the heartbreaking true story of 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, this is the untold tragedy behind the Long Branch Saloon.

[JamesG]

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.

[JamesG]

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.