One long sitcom and then stopped acting? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Alan Brady's Hair · 04-12-2017, 07:37 AM

There's another thread about kid actors, but did any adults have one long running sitcom role and then leave acting? I guess I'd leave out kids and people who left acting due to health or (obviously) death.

John Wright, who played Willy on McHale's Navy, was more interested in music. He did 138 episodes of McHale's Navy, plus the two movies. He was only 24 when that ended, but went back to music and only had five imdb credits over the next 20 years. Did anyone else more or less walk away after a long running series?

Heenan Fan · 04-12-2017, 09:15 AM

Jerry Seinfeld. He does the Comedians In Cars, but that is a talk show.

factsoflife · 04-12-2017, 06:35 PM

Crystal Bernard hasn't been very prevalent since "Wings" ended back in the 90's. She did a few TV movies in the 2000's but hasn't done a series since. Her last regular TV gig was 16 episodes of "According To Jim."

gidgetgrape · 04-12-2017, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by factsoflife

Crystal Bernard hasn't been very prevalent since "Wings" ended back in the 90's. She did a few TV movies in the 2000's but hasn't done a series since. Her last regular TV gig was 16 episodes of "According To Jim."

I forgot about her! She was great.

Ronny G · 04-13-2017, 08:48 AM

Doris Day stopped acting after The Doris Day Show ended(1968-1973).
She did have her own talk show and appeared on other talk shows, but her acting credits stopped after 1973 according to imdb.com.

Retro4Life · 04-13-2017, 11:40 AM

I'd say Jan Smithers, of WKRP fame, fits here. She did a handful of guest star roles after WKRP ended, and it looks like one movie, and that's it. Doesn't appear that she's acted in 30 years!

Also, Gary Burghoff, of M*A*S*H. Besides the ill-fated "Walter" pilot, he pretty much "fell of the radar" after M*A*S*H, and left acting altogether, aside from a movie in 2010.

treky · 04-14-2017, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronny G

Doris Day stopped acting after The Doris Day Show ended(1968-1973).
She did have her own talk show and appeared on other talk shows, but her acting credits stopped after 1973 according to imdb.com.

Doris Day didn't even want to do that sitcom.

TMC · 04-14-2017, 01:52 AM

Not a sitcom and he had a pretty reasonably lengthy career beforehand, but Dennis Franz pretty much retired the moment that NYPD Blue finally went off of the air in 2005.

gidgetgrape · 04-14-2017, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

Doris Day didn't even want to do that sitcom.

Yeah Treky is right. She was forced to do it after her husband died because he had put her in debt and signed a television deal without her knowledge or consent.

I will add Don Grady from "My Three Sons" to the list. The only son to steadily appear on TV after the show ended was Barry Livingston (Ernie). Stanley Livingston (Chip) and Tim Considine (Mike) occasionally did/do guest spots, but Don Grady focused more on his musical career.

Hawkee · 04-14-2017, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gidgetgrape

Yeah Treky is right. She was forced to do it after her husband died because he had put her in debt and signed a television deal without her knowledge or consent.

I will add Don Grady from "My Three Sons" to the list. The only son to steadily appear on TV after the show ended was Barry Livingston (Ernie). Stanley Livingston (Chip) and Tim Considine (Mike) occasionally did/do guest spots, but Don Grady focused more on his musical career.

Don Grady actually works for Disney in their music department and he is a producer of many of Disney's children's music albums while his daughter Ginny Grady has also sung on many of Disney's children's albums as the singing voices of some of the Disney Princesses. What a surprise that Don Grady and his daughter are part of the Disney family now and I never knew that Don Grady was on My Three Sons before working for Walt Disney Records now
Bestie

Ronny G · 04-14-2017, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaBestia

Don Grady actually works for Disney in their music department and he is a producer of many of Disney's children's music albums while his daughter Ginny Grady has also sung on many of Disney's children's albums as the singing voices of some of the Disney Princesses. What a surprise that Don Grady and his daughter are part of the Disney family now and I never knew that Don Grady was on My Three Sons before working for Walt Disney Records now
Bestie

Sadly, Mr. Grady died in 2012.

Hawkee · 04-14-2017, 03:53 AM

Thank you very much for the info Ronny G. No wonder why I haven't seen Don Grady's name on many of Disney's music albums as producer anymore and he was wonderful having an amazing job working for Disney
Bestie

MrCleveland · 04-14-2017, 01:24 PM

Kari Michaelsen from GAB. Unlike the other actresses that portrayed the Kaniski daughters, she only had two other roles between 1986 and 1991...

Girl Talk and Full House where she played Joey's girlfriend Stacey.

She later retired from acting.

Edward216 · 04-15-2017, 01:44 AM

Crystal Bernard since Wings has concentrated a lot on her singing career. She's released several country music albums/cds. I have a cassette copy of one of them. I think she's a terrific singer and I really like her stuff.

Larry Linville. After he left the role of Frank Burns on the hit sitcom M.A.S.H. he did the failed spinoff from The Jeffersons that centered on Marla Gibbs' character Florence Johnston. It only lasted a few months and I don't think he ever acted again after that.

Ed.

icecream · 04-17-2017, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by factsoflife

Crystal Bernard hasn't been very prevalent since "Wings" ended back in the 90's. She did a few TV movies in the 2000's but hasn't done a series since. Her last regular TV gig was 16 episodes of "According To Jim."

What was her role?

04-12-2017, 07:37 AM	#1
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,825	One long sitcom and then stopped acting? There's another thread about kid actors, but did any adults have one long running sitcom role and then leave acting? I guess I'd leave out kids and people who left acting due to health or (obviously) death. John Wright, who played Willy on McHale's Navy, was more interested in music. He did 138 episodes of McHale's Navy, plus the two movies. He was only 24 when that ended, but went back to music and only had five imdb credits over the next 20 years. Did anyone else more or less walk away after a long running series?

04-12-2017, 06:35 PM	#3
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,744	Crystal Bernard hasn't been very prevalent since "Wings" ended back in the 90's. She did a few TV movies in the 2000's but hasn't done a series since. Her last regular TV gig was 16 episodes of "According To Jim."
	__________________ "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.

04-13-2017, 11:40 AM	#6
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	I'd say Jan Smithers, of WKRP fame, fits here. She did a handful of guest star roles after WKRP ended, and it looks like one movie, and that's it. Doesn't appear that she's acted in 30 years! Also, Gary Burghoff, of MASH. Besides the ill-fated "Walter" pilot, he pretty much "fell of the radar" after MASH, and left acting altogether, aside from a movie in 2010.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

04-14-2017, 01:24 PM	#13
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	Kari Michaelsen from GAB. Unlike the other actresses that portrayed the Kaniski daughters, she only had two other roles between 1986 and 1991... Girl Talk and Full House where she played Joey's girlfriend Stacey. She later retired from acting.
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

04-12-2017, 09:15 AM	#2
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	Jerry Seinfeld. He does the Comedians In Cars, but that is a talk show.

04-13-2017, 08:48 AM	#5
Ronny G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 14, 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 540	Doris Day stopped acting after The Doris Day Show ended(1968-1973). She did have her own talk show and appeared on other talk shows, but her acting credits stopped after 1973 according to imdb.com.

04-14-2017, 01:52 AM	#8
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,621	Not a sitcom and he had a pretty reasonably lengthy career beforehand, but Dennis Franz pretty much retired the moment that NYPD Blue finally went off of the air in 2005.

04-14-2017, 03:53 AM	#12
Hawkee Michael Fassbender Fanatic Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jan 17, 2016 Location: California Posts: 10,782	Thank you very much for the info Ronny G. No wonder why I haven't seen Don Grady's name on many of Disney's music albums as producer anymore and he was wonderful having an amazing job working for Disney Bestie

04-15-2017, 01:44 AM	#14
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,634	Crystal Bernard since Wings has concentrated a lot on her singing career. She's released several country music albums/cds. I have a cassette copy of one of them. I think she's a terrific singer and I really like her stuff. Larry Linville. After he left the role of Frank Burns on the hit sitcom M.A.S.H. he did the failed spinoff from The Jeffersons that centered on Marla Gibbs' character Florence Johnston. It only lasted a few months and I don't think he ever acted again after that. Ed.