Actors Who Died Within Ten Years Of Their Show Ending - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Adamantium · 08-12-2009, 12:33 PM

This is a thread dedicated to actors who died within ten years of their show ending. Dying during the show doesn't count. If they left the show before it was finished, then you can count from their departure in the show, rather than the show's end.

William Frawley - Fred Mertz in I Love Lucy. The show ended in 1957. Frawley passed away on March 3, 1966. That's nine years after the show ended. If you include The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour as part of the same show, then Frawley died six years after the show ended.

Peter Boyle - Frank Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond. The show ended in 2005. Boyle passed away on December 12, 2006. That's just over one year after the show ended.

Bob Crane - Col. Hogan in Hogan's Heroes. The show ended in 1971. Crane was murdered on June 29, 1978. That's seven years after the show ended.

Andy Kaufman - Latka Gravas in Taxi. The show ended in 1983. Kaufman passed away on May 16, 1984. That's just one year after the show ended.

Ted Knight - Ted Baxter in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The show ended in 1977. Knight passed away on August 26, 1986. That's nine years after the show ended.

Earl Hindman - Wilson in Home Improvement. The show ended in 1999. Hindman passed away on December 29, 2003. That's over four years (5 months shy of five years) after the show ended.

Bernie Mac - Himself in The Bernie Mac Show. The show ended in 2006. Mac passed away on August 9, 2008. That's two years after the show ended.

Michelle Thomas - Myra Monkhouse in Family Matters. The show ended in 1998. Thomas died on December 22, 1998. That's just over five months after the show ended.

Cathryn Damon - Mary Campbell in Soap. The show ended in 1981. Damon died on May 4, 1987. That's six years after the show ended.

John Ritter - John Hartman in Heart's Afire. The show ended in 1995. Ritter passed away on September 11, 2003. That's just over eight years after the show ended.

Lou Costello - Himself in The Abbott and Costello Show. The show ended in 1954. Costello passed away on March 3, 1959. That's just over four years after the show ended.

Glenn Quinn - Mark Healy in Roseanne. The show ended in 1997. Quinn passed away on December 3, 2002. That's just over five years after the show ended.

Agnes Moorehead - Endora in Bewitched. The show ended in 1972. Moorehead passed away on April 30, 1974. That's just two years after the show ended.

I'm sticking with sitcoms in this first post, but you can include any genre you want.

megamanj2004 · 08-12-2009, 01:41 PM

Kiel Martin (Hill Street Blues) - HSB ended in May of 1987, he died in the very taile end of late 1990, about 3 years after HSB ended.

Rene Enriquez (Hill Street Blues) - like Kiel Martin, he too died in 1990, 3 years after HSB ended.

David Janssen (The Fugitive and Harry O) - the original Fugitive ended in 1967 and Harry O ended in 1976. He died in 1980, 4 years after Harry O and about 13 years after The Fugitive ended.

Rebecca Schaffer (My Sister Sam) - My Sister Sam ended in 1988, she was murdered in 1989, just exactly one year after MSS ended.

Goldilocks · 08-12-2009, 01:53 PM

Ozzie Nelson.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ended in 1966 and he died in 1975 of cancer.

dawsongirl · 08-12-2009, 02:14 PM

Bill Bixby - Died 10 years after Goodnight, Beantown ended (I think it ended in 1983?). He died in 1993.

McGillicuddy · 08-12-2009, 02:28 PM

Michael Landon died in 1991 with in 10 years of both the finales of Little House on the Prairie (1983) and Highway to Heaven (1989).

Vic Tayback, Mel on Alice died in 1990. Alice ended in 1985.

Edward Platt, The Chief on Get Smart died in 1974. Get Smart ended in 1970.

Phil Foster, Frank DeFazio on Laverne & Shirley died in 1985. L & S ended in 1983.

Howard McNear, Floyd on The Andy Griffith Show died in 1969. TAGS ended in 1968, although McNear left the series before that.

Irene Ryan, Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies died in 1973. BH ended in 1971.

Raymond Bailey, Mr. Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies died in 1980.

Edgar Buchanan, Uncle Joe on Petticoat Junction died in 1979. PJ ended in 1970.

megamanj2004 · 08-12-2009, 02:59 PM

Howard Rollins and Hugh O'Connor both died shortly after "In the Heat of the Night" ended in 1995. Howard was initially barred from the show after S6 and permanently barred for good during the late filmings of S7 after his guest-starred cameos earlier during that season in 1993.

Hugh died just a few days after "In the Heat of the Night" just finished its series run in 1995.

Howard died in 1996 a year after In the Heat of the Night ended and a few years after his banishment from the show.

Richard Mulligan died 5 years after "Empty Nest" ended its run.

Rock Hudson died about 8 years after "McMillan and Wife" (titled just "McMillan" during the 1976-77 season)

George Peppard - he died 7 years after The A-Team ended and days after his guest-star appearance on "Matlock" in 1994.

dakert · 08-12-2009, 03:02 PM

Family Affair
Buffy died in 1976
Mr French in 1977

MickeyMac · 08-12-2009, 04:23 PM

Carl Betz died in 1976. Ten years after The Donna Reed Show was cancelled and seven years after Judd For The Defense was cancelled.

Marvo301 · 08-12-2009, 06:08 PM

Life With Lucy last aired on November 15, 1986

Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989 ( two and a half years later)

Gale Gorden died on June 30, 1995 (eight and a half years later)

megamanj2004 · 08-13-2009, 02:15 AM

Jack Albertson - died in 1981, 3 years after Chico and the Man ended in 1978.

Scatman Crothers - died in 1986, 8 years after Chico and the Man ended.

Ray Combs - died 2 years after his reign on Family Feud ended and 1 year after he was fired from his other game show "Family Challenge".

Bert Convy - died 2 years after Super Password ended, 1 year after his other game show "3rd Degree" he hosted and created ended.

TMC · 08-13-2009, 05:04 AM

Mary Frann, Bob Newhart's wife on Newhart. The show ended in 1990, while Mary died eight years later.

Stafford Repp, who played Chief O'Hara on Batman died in 1974, about six years after Batman ended.

Heather O'Rourke, who played Fonzie's girlfriend's daughter during I think, the second to last season of Happy Days (the 1982-83 season) died about five years later.

Le Tari, who played Dudley's dad on Diff'rent Strokes died of a heart attack at the age of 40 in 1987, only one year after Diff'rent Strokes ended.

Cleavon Little died of colon cancer shortly after the sitcom True Colors was cancelled in early 1992. Ironically, Little replaced Frankie Faison as Ronald Freeman. As of typing this, Frankie Fazion is still alive and well.

TMC · 08-13-2009, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by megamanj2004

Kiel Martin (Hill Street Blues) - HSB ended in May of 1987, he died in the very taile end of late 1990, about 3 years after HSB ended.

Rene Enriquez (Hill Street Blues) - like Kiel Martin, he too died in 1990, 3 years after HSB ended.

David Janssen (The Fugitive and Harry O) - the original Fugitive ended in 1967 and Harry O ended in 1976. He died in 1980, 4 years after Harry O and about 13 years after The Fugitive ended.

Rebecca Schaffer (My Sister Sam) - My Sister Sam ended in 1988, she was murdered in 1989, just exactly one year after MSS ended.

There seems to be a slight misconception that the reason why My Sister Sam ended was because of Rebecca Schaffer's murder, not that it had already been cancelled a year in advance.

comedyfreak · 08-13-2009, 05:27 AM

Peter Boyle died in 2006 approximately a year after Everybody Loves Raymond ended in 2005.

megamanj2004 · 08-13-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

There seems to be a slight misconception that the reason why My Sister Sam ended was because of Rebecca Schaffer's murder, not that it had already been cancelled a year in advance.

My Sister Sam was cancelled by CBS in 1988 because CBS moved the show from Monday (where it aired with Newhart and Kate and Allie) to Thursdays (the death night for many shows that aired up against NBC's Powerhouse shows at the time).

Rebecca herself murdered one year after CBS cancelled My Sister Sam.

megamanj2004 · 08-13-2009, 04:27 PM

John Sylvester White (aka Mr. Woodman on Welcome Back Kotter) - died 9 years after WBK ended.

Bud Collyer - he died one year after his version of To Tell the Truth ended (He hosted TTTT from 1956-68). Ironically, he died the very same day that Garry Moore's (Collyer was also good friends w/ Garry Moore) version debuted.

08-12-2009, 12:33 PM	#1
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,840	Actors Who Died Within Ten Years Of Their Show Ending This is a thread dedicated to actors who died within ten years of their show ending. Dying during the show doesn't count. If they left the show before it was finished, then you can count from their departure in the show, rather than the show's end. William Frawley - Fred Mertz in I Love Lucy. The show ended in 1957. Frawley passed away on March 3, 1966. That's nine years after the show ended. If you include The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour as part of the same show, then Frawley died six years after the show ended. Peter Boyle - Frank Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond. The show ended in 2005. Boyle passed away on December 12, 2006. That's just over one year after the show ended. Bob Crane - Col. Hogan in Hogan's Heroes. The show ended in 1971. Crane was murdered on June 29, 1978. That's seven years after the show ended. Andy Kaufman - Latka Gravas in Taxi. The show ended in 1983. Kaufman passed away on May 16, 1984. That's just one year after the show ended. Ted Knight - Ted Baxter in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The show ended in 1977. Knight passed away on August 26, 1986. That's nine years after the show ended. Earl Hindman - Wilson in Home Improvement. The show ended in 1999. Hindman passed away on December 29, 2003. That's over four years (5 months shy of five years) after the show ended. Bernie Mac - Himself in The Bernie Mac Show. The show ended in 2006. Mac passed away on August 9, 2008. That's two years after the show ended. Michelle Thomas - Myra Monkhouse in Family Matters. The show ended in 1998. Thomas died on December 22, 1998. That's just over five months after the show ended. Cathryn Damon - Mary Campbell in Soap. The show ended in 1981. Damon died on May 4, 1987. That's six years after the show ended. John Ritter - John Hartman in Heart's Afire. The show ended in 1995. Ritter passed away on September 11, 2003. That's just over eight years after the show ended. Lou Costello - Himself in The Abbott and Costello Show. The show ended in 1954. Costello passed away on March 3, 1959. That's just over four years after the show ended. Glenn Quinn - Mark Healy in Roseanne. The show ended in 1997. Quinn passed away on December 3, 2002. That's just over five years after the show ended. Agnes Moorehead - Endora in Bewitched. The show ended in 1972. Moorehead passed away on April 30, 1974. That's just two years after the show ended. I'm sticking with sitcoms in this first post, but you can include any genre you want.
	Last edited by Adamantium; 08-12-2009 at 12:54 PM.

08-12-2009, 01:41 PM	#2
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	Kiel Martin (Hill Street Blues) - HSB ended in May of 1987, he died in the very taile end of late 1990, about 3 years after HSB ended. Rene Enriquez (Hill Street Blues) - like Kiel Martin, he too died in 1990, 3 years after HSB ended. David Janssen (The Fugitive and Harry O) - the original Fugitive ended in 1967 and Harry O ended in 1976. He died in 1980, 4 years after Harry O and about 13 years after The Fugitive ended. Rebecca Schaffer (My Sister Sam) - My Sister Sam ended in 1988, she was murdered in 1989, just exactly one year after MSS ended.
	__________________ 10 AND A HALF YEARS GOING STRONG!!! Last edited by megamanj2004; 08-12-2009 at 02:45 PM.

08-12-2009, 02:28 PM	#5
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Michael Landon died in 1991 with in 10 years of both the finales of Little House on the Prairie (1983) and Highway to Heaven (1989). Vic Tayback, Mel on Alice died in 1990. Alice ended in 1985. Edward Platt, The Chief on Get Smart died in 1974. Get Smart ended in 1970. Phil Foster, Frank DeFazio on Laverne & Shirley died in 1985. L & S ended in 1983. Howard McNear, Floyd on The Andy Griffith Show died in 1969. TAGS ended in 1968, although McNear left the series before that. Irene Ryan, Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies died in 1973. BH ended in 1971. Raymond Bailey, Mr. Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies died in 1980. Edgar Buchanan, Uncle Joe on Petticoat Junction died in 1979. PJ ended in 1970.
	Last edited by McGillicuddy; 08-14-2009 at 08:57 PM.

08-12-2009, 06:08 PM	#9
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	Life With Lucy last aired on November 15, 1986 Lucille Ball died on April 26, 1989 ( two and a half years later) Gale Gorden died on June 30, 1995 (eight and a half years later)
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08-13-2009, 05:04 AM	#11
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 127,507	Mary Frann, Bob Newhart's wife on Newhart. The show ended in 1990, while Mary died eight years later. Stafford Repp, who played Chief O'Hara on Batman died in 1974, about six years after Batman ended. Heather O'Rourke, who played Fonzie's girlfriend's daughter during I think, the second to last season of Happy Days (the 1982-83 season) died about five years later. Le Tari, who played Dudley's dad on Diff'rent Strokes died of a heart attack at the age of 40 in 1987, only one year after Diff'rent Strokes ended. Cleavon Little died of colon cancer shortly after the sitcom True Colors was cancelled in early 1992. Ironically, Little replaced Frankie Faison as Ronald Freeman. As of typing this, Frankie Fazion is still alive and well.
	Last edited by TMC; 08-13-2009 at 05:21 AM.

08-12-2009, 01:53 PM	#3
Goldilocks Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 08, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 693	Ozzie Nelson. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ended in 1966 and he died in 1975 of cancer.

08-12-2009, 02:14 PM	#4
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	Bill Bixby - Died 10 years after Goodnight, Beantown ended (I think it ended in 1983?). He died in 1993.

08-12-2009, 02:59 PM	#6
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	Howard Rollins and Hugh O'Connor both died shortly after "In the Heat of the Night" ended in 1995. Howard was initially barred from the show after S6 and permanently barred for good during the late filmings of S7 after his guest-starred cameos earlier during that season in 1993. Hugh died just a few days after "In the Heat of the Night" just finished its series run in 1995. Howard died in 1996 a year after In the Heat of the Night ended and a few years after his banishment from the show. Richard Mulligan died 5 years after "Empty Nest" ended its run. Rock Hudson died about 8 years after "McMillan and Wife" (titled just "McMillan" during the 1976-77 season) George Peppard - he died 7 years after The A-Team ended and days after his guest-star appearance on "Matlock" in 1994.

08-12-2009, 03:02 PM	#7
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	Family Affair Buffy died in 1976 Mr French in 1977

08-12-2009, 04:23 PM	#8
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,008	Carl Betz died in 1976. Ten years after The Donna Reed Show was cancelled and seven years after Judd For The Defense was cancelled.

08-13-2009, 02:15 AM	#10
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	Jack Albertson - died in 1981, 3 years after Chico and the Man ended in 1978. Scatman Crothers - died in 1986, 8 years after Chico and the Man ended. Ray Combs - died 2 years after his reign on Family Feud ended and 1 year after he was fired from his other game show "Family Challenge". Bert Convy - died 2 years after Super Password ended, 1 year after his other game show "3rd Degree" he hosted and created ended.

08-13-2009, 05:27 AM	#13
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	Peter Boyle died in 2006 approximately a year after Everybody Loves Raymond ended in 2005.
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08-13-2009, 04:27 PM	#15
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,361	John Sylvester White (aka Mr. Woodman on Welcome Back Kotter) - died 9 years after WBK ended. Bud Collyer - he died one year after his version of To Tell the Truth ended (He hosted TTTT from 1956-68). Ironically, he died the very same day that Garry Moore's (Collyer was also good friends w/ Garry Moore) version debuted.