Which actor left their popular TV shows to become bigger stars but failed... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-08-2022, 03:32 AM

To get it out of the way, the most obvious or biggest go-to answers appear to be David Caruso leaving NYPD Blue, Shelley Long leaving Cheers, and McLean Stevenson leaving MASH.

With that being said, who else left to be bigger but ended up flopping hard?

Sal · 03-08-2022, 12:41 PM

Don Knotts

icecream · 03-08-2022, 01:26 PM

David Caruso did not flop, CSI: Miami lasted a whole decade and was really dominant for awhile.

KentB3 · 03-08-2022, 01:50 PM

Farrah Fawcett left Charlie's Angels after the first season. I don't think she actually failed, but never had quite the same success she had before. David Doyle (John Bosley) actually begged her to stay on the show!

Chocolate Moose · 03-08-2022, 05:09 PM

Didn't most? The better question is, who left a winning show and became even a bigger star!!!

JamesG · 03-08-2022, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icecream

David Caruso did not flop, CSI: Miami lasted a whole decade and was really dominant for awhile.

He originally left TV for film and the lead roles he had at the time were duds.

He went back to TV after his movie career tanked.

JamesG · 03-08-2022, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

Didn't most? The better question is, who left a winning show and became even a bigger star!!!

Probably Ariana Grande who left "Sam & Cat" for a successful music career.

Edward216 · 03-09-2022, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icecream

David Caruso did not flop, CSI: Miami lasted a whole decade and was really dominant for awhile.

I think they were talking about his complete failure of a movie career. And I think David Caruso sucks as an actor anyways, I really don't understand why anybody thinks he's so great. I've watched some episodes of CSI: Miami and I can't stand him on the show at all. He's the reason why I avoid it as much as possible!

Ed.

DEH55 · 03-10-2022, 12:18 PM

Pat Morita left Happy Days after 1 season to star in his own show. It was cancelled quickly and he drifted for 10 years until he was cast in the Karate Kid.

PracTz · 03-10-2022, 12:31 PM

Rob Morrow left 'Northern Exposure' for roughly half a year before the show ending with the one of most dragged out exit arcs imaginable.

And ALL it resulted him has been to been a steadily employed actor but nothing more.

SarahBellum · 03-10-2022, 01:16 PM

Suzanne Somers - Three's Company

Jeff Conaway - Taxi

Abe Vigoda - Barney Miller

RetroGuy2000 · 03-10-2022, 01:32 PM

Suzanne Somers, McLean Stevenson, and Shelley Long came to my mind, too.

Anna Faris might fit into this category, too; guess it will take a few years to see. But she left her popular TV show to "pursue other projects" in 2020, and so far, the only thing that's been released is some voiceover work.

GentlemanJim · 03-10-2022, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

To get it out of the way, the most obvious or biggest go-to answers appear to be David Caruso leaving NYPD Blue, Shelley Long leaving Cheers, and McLean Stevenson leaving MASH.

With that being said, who else left to be bigger but ended up flopping hard?

How about Pernell Roberts? Eventually he found success 14 years after leaving Bonanza. But considering his flaming exit from Bonanza, he flopped around like a fish for quite a while before finding redemption.

GentlemanJim · 03-10-2022, 01:56 PM

How about Jack Paar? He's gotta be one of the biggest examples of "I've got so much more inside me" who never seemed able to find it once it mattered.

icecream · 03-10-2022, 02:15 PM

While Suzanne Somers had some flops, she found success as the female lead of Step by Step. It lasted 7 seasons and 160 episodes, which was longer than her time on Three's Company.

03-08-2022, 03:32 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,775	Which actor left their popular TV shows to become bigger stars but failed... To get it out of the way, the most obvious or biggest go-to answers appear to be David Caruso leaving NYPD Blue, Shelley Long leaving Cheers, and McLean Stevenson leaving MASH. With that being said, who else left to be bigger but ended up flopping hard?

03-08-2022, 12:41 PM	#2
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,178	Don Knotts
	__________________ LIVE TV - Updated By Request - April 2026 ANTENNA TV ME TV ME TV TOONS Zerostream - LIVE TV Guide

03-08-2022, 01:26 PM	#3
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,730	David Caruso did not flop, CSI: Miami lasted a whole decade and was really dominant for awhile.
	__________________ Top 200 TV Shows https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...14#post6225214 Top 150 Movies https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...84#post6175384 Top 1100 Scripted TV Characters https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=493306 Top Rookie TV Shows by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=365017 Top Movies by Calendar Year https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards...d.php?t=473533

03-08-2022, 05:09 PM	#5
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,890	Didn't most? The better question is, who left a winning show and became even a bigger star!!!
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

03-10-2022, 01:32 PM	#12
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Suzanne Somers, McLean Stevenson, and Shelley Long came to my mind, too. Anna Faris might fit into this category, too; guess it will take a few years to see. But she left her popular TV show to "pursue other projects" in 2020, and so far, the only thing that's been released is some voiceover work.
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

03-08-2022, 01:50 PM	#4
KentB3 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 12, 2003 Posts: 553	Farrah Fawcett left Charlie's Angels after the first season. I don't think she actually failed, but never had quite the same success she had before. David Doyle (John Bosley) actually begged her to stay on the show!

03-10-2022, 12:18 PM	#9
DEH55 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 19, 2020 Posts: 320	Pat Morita left Happy Days after 1 season to star in his own show. It was cancelled quickly and he drifted for 10 years until he was cast in the Karate Kid.

03-10-2022, 12:31 PM	#10
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Rob Morrow left 'Northern Exposure' for roughly half a year before the show ending with the one of most dragged out exit arcs imaginable. And ALL it resulted him has been to been a steadily employed actor but nothing more.

03-10-2022, 01:16 PM	#11
SarahBellum Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2007 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,873	Suzanne Somers - Three's Company Jeff Conaway - Taxi Abe Vigoda - Barney Miller

03-10-2022, 01:56 PM	#14
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	How about Jack Paar? He's gotta be one of the biggest examples of "I've got so much more inside me" who never seemed able to find it once it mattered.

03-10-2022, 02:15 PM	#15
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,730	While Suzanne Somers had some flops, she found success as the female lead of Step by Step. It lasted 7 seasons and 160 episodes, which was longer than her time on Three's Company.