Can a show insure or terminate a TV contract because of pregnancy? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Yong Fang · 09-08-2014, 10:29 AM

Pregnancy and death?

I'll bring up as example Eden Shur of "The Middle". She is a 22 year old actress playing a 16 year old virgin, goofy teenage girl. If she did get married and did get pregnant, can the show release her of her contract for the duration of the pregnancy. Would this be legal?

My parents were married when they were her age. Didn't have kids until several years later.

On Mike and Molly for example, if Billy Gardell died, how much insurance is on him, and how expensive would it be. I am obese myself, but not as fat as Gardell. Gardell needs to slim down now, or else. The guy has to be 350 lbs. This show could be on syndication for many years which makes the studio much more money. If we wake up one morning and Billy Gardell is dead of a heart attack, how much insurance goes back to the show because it wont recover and it will be cancelled?

icecream · 09-08-2014, 10:37 AM

Dana Plato was fired from Different Strokes because she got pregnant.

Marvo301 · 09-08-2014, 02:12 PM

TV Shows have differnt ways of handling it when a series regular becomes pregnant. Sometimes they write the pregnancy into the storyline. ( Meredith Baxter's real life pregnacy led to Elyse Keaton also being pregnant on Family Ties) Sometimes they try to hide the pregnancy with baggy clothes and big props. ( They did this with Ann Morgan Gilbert on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Julia Louis Dreyfuss on Seinfeld among others) and sometimes (especially when the actress is playing a young or single character) they fire the actress or put her on hiatus until after the chils is born.

Frenky · 09-08-2014, 07:05 PM

In The Nanny Lauren's pregnancy was also hidden, and actress was absent in few episodes.

factsoflife · 09-09-2014, 01:34 AM

This is all a contractual issue, I believe. It depends on the content of the contract that performer signed. Some contracts might include clauses about altering your appearance; which could include anything from cutting your hair to getting pregnant. It depends on the nature of the contract; the series in question and other factors. One example is Hunter Tylo was fired from a role on "Melrose Place" in the late 90's when she informed producers she was pregnant. The producers claimed she violated a clause in her contract altering her appearance by getting pregnant. She actually sued them, saying it was discrimination and unlawful termination. She cited the fact her character had yet to be written, was vaguely (if at all) defined and also the fact that both Heather Locklear and Lisa Rinna who were on the show both got pregnant and did not get fired by the same show. In fact, Rinna played the role that Tylo was fired from. Both of those actresses were given accommodations by the series; Rinna's pregnancy got written into the show and Locklear's pregnancy was written around.

I think a good lawyer could really work around these issues.

Sometimes contracts include a so-called "morality" clause limiting the personal behavior of performers, usually for the sake of maintaining a wholesome image. I imagine stars on Disney or Nickelodeon shows have these; and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody on a show like "The Middle" had one too.

It all comes down to what your contract says; I'm not sure there is any one way this is done.

in daytime TV (soaps) it's not uncommon for actresses to be fired when they get pregnant. In fact one actress sued ABC daytime after being fired by "General Hospital", Kari Whurer claimed in a lawsuit that she was terminated by the show after informing producers she was pregnant. She settled out of court. However, at least two other actresses at ABC cited similar issues; Leslie Kay, also on GH at the time, claims her pregnancy played a big role in her firing from that show. Laura Koffman from ABC's One Life To Live said she was also fired from ABC; but this was after she went on maternity leave; she was told she wouldn't be allowed back.

I have no idea about the insurance part of the question. I would venture a guess that it varies a lot how much insurance a particular actor has to carry; and I assume it's probably regulated by the union (SAG-AFTRA).

vampirevsrobot · 09-09-2014, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Pregnancy and death?

I'll bring up as example Eden Shur of "The Middle". She is a 22 year old actress playing a 16 year old virgin, goofy teenage girl. If she did get married and did get pregnant, can the show release her of her contract for the duration of the pregnancy. Would this be legal?

Well it has happened before...

Are you sure "Sue" is 16 on the show, I thought she going to be a senior in high school this year.

Also, I'm sure if she was pregnant, they wouldn't fire her...they would probably just work around it.

vampirevsrobot · 09-09-2014, 07:57 AM

X

vampirevsrobot · 09-09-2014, 08:03 AM

Yong Fang:

"I'll bring up as example Eden Shur of "The Middle". She is a 22 year old actress playing a 16 year old virgin, goofy teenage girl. If she did get married and did get pregnant, can the show release her of her contract for the duration of the pregnancy."

...I looked back because I was curious, "Sue Heck" celebrated her 'sweet sixteen' in the very funny "Wheel of Pain" episode that aired during it's 4th season.

James28 · 09-10-2014, 11:29 PM

Can a pregnancy render an actress on a certain TV show expendable?

vampirevsrobot · 09-11-2014, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James28

Can a pregnancy render an actress on a certain TV show expendable?

In the age of the Internet? No.

Twitter, Facebook and other 'anonymous" posts found elsewhere on the web rule any court of public opinion.

...No, believe it or not; 'Sue Heck' could (yes) conceivably get pregnant but ABC would never want to bring Eden Shur to court.

09-08-2014, 10:29 AM	#1
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Can a show insure or terminate a TV contract because of pregnancy? Pregnancy and death? I'll bring up as example Eden Shur of "The Middle". She is a 22 year old actress playing a 16 year old virgin, goofy teenage girl. If she did get married and did get pregnant, can the show release her of her contract for the duration of the pregnancy. Would this be legal? My parents were married when they were her age. Didn't have kids until several years later. On Mike and Molly for example, if Billy Gardell died, how much insurance is on him, and how expensive would it be. I am obese myself, but not as fat as Gardell. Gardell needs to slim down now, or else. The guy has to be 350 lbs. This show could be on syndication for many years which makes the studio much more money. If we wake up one morning and Billy Gardell is dead of a heart attack, how much insurance goes back to the show because it wont recover and it will be cancelled?

09-08-2014, 10:37 AM	#2
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,702	Dana Plato was fired from Different Strokes because she got pregnant.
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09-08-2014, 02:12 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	TV Shows have differnt ways of handling it when a series regular becomes pregnant. Sometimes they write the pregnancy into the storyline. ( Meredith Baxter's real life pregnacy led to Elyse Keaton also being pregnant on Family Ties) Sometimes they try to hide the pregnancy with baggy clothes and big props. ( They did this with Ann Morgan Gilbert on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Julia Louis Dreyfuss on Seinfeld among others) and sometimes (especially when the actress is playing a young or single character) they fire the actress or put her on hiatus until after the chils is born.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

09-09-2014, 01:34 AM	#5
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,744	This is all a contractual issue, I believe. It depends on the content of the contract that performer signed. Some contracts might include clauses about altering your appearance; which could include anything from cutting your hair to getting pregnant. It depends on the nature of the contract; the series in question and other factors. One example is Hunter Tylo was fired from a role on "Melrose Place" in the late 90's when she informed producers she was pregnant. The producers claimed she violated a clause in her contract altering her appearance by getting pregnant. She actually sued them, saying it was discrimination and unlawful termination. She cited the fact her character had yet to be written, was vaguely (if at all) defined and also the fact that both Heather Locklear and Lisa Rinna who were on the show both got pregnant and did not get fired by the same show. In fact, Rinna played the role that Tylo was fired from. Both of those actresses were given accommodations by the series; Rinna's pregnancy got written into the show and Locklear's pregnancy was written around. I think a good lawyer could really work around these issues. Sometimes contracts include a so-called "morality" clause limiting the personal behavior of performers, usually for the sake of maintaining a wholesome image. I imagine stars on Disney or Nickelodeon shows have these; and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody on a show like "The Middle" had one too. It all comes down to what your contract says; I'm not sure there is any one way this is done. in daytime TV (soaps) it's not uncommon for actresses to be fired when they get pregnant. In fact one actress sued ABC daytime after being fired by "General Hospital", Kari Whurer claimed in a lawsuit that she was terminated by the show after informing producers she was pregnant. She settled out of court. However, at least two other actresses at ABC cited similar issues; Leslie Kay, also on GH at the time, claims her pregnancy played a big role in her firing from that show. Laura Koffman from ABC's One Life To Live said she was also fired from ABC; but this was after she went on maternity leave; she was told she wouldn't be allowed back. I have no idea about the insurance part of the question. I would venture a guess that it varies a lot how much insurance a particular actor has to carry; and I assume it's probably regulated by the union (SAG-AFTRA).
	__________________ "and to the fans. I was only supposed to be on every other Tuesday. But, thanks to you, I'm here, and I promise! I will try my best never to let you down. I am going back into that studio on Monday, and I'm going to play Erica Kane for all she's worth!"-- Susan Lucci, May 1999 Daytime Emmy Speech.

09-10-2014, 11:29 PM	#9
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,977	Can a pregnancy render an actress on a certain TV show expendable?
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

09-08-2014, 07:05 PM	#4
Frenky Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2013 Posts: 146	In The Nanny Lauren's pregnancy was also hidden, and actress was absent in few episodes.

09-09-2014, 07:57 AM	#7
vampirevsrobot Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2014 Posts: 170	X

09-09-2014, 08:03 AM	#8
vampirevsrobot Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2014 Posts: 170	Yong Fang: "I'll bring up as example Eden Shur of "The Middle". She is a 22 year old actress playing a 16 year old virgin, goofy teenage girl. If she did get married and did get pregnant, can the show release her of her contract for the duration of the pregnancy." ...I looked back because I was curious, "Sue Heck" celebrated her 'sweet sixteen' in the very funny "Wheel of Pain" episode that aired during it's 4th season.