A Brief History of Actors Kicked Off Their Television Shows

Conventional wisdom would tell us that even though Charlie Sheen has been given his walking papers, Two and a Half Men is too lucrative of a commodity for CBS to not at least try to continue. But can it survive after a star of the show has been fired? Television shows in the past have continued on to a varying degree of success after a major cast member has been fired from the show -- though if this list is any indication, the sooner it happens in the series' run, the better. With that, let's take a look at a brief history of television shows that have fired or forced out a major cast member.

Mackenzie Phillips, One Day at a Time

Probably the closest parallel to the Sheen situation, at least when thought of in terms of drug abuse. Phillips -- who played oldest daughter Julie on the popular Indianapolis-based sitcom -- developed a severe cocaine addiction, becoming such a terrible situation that she would often be late for work and couldn't be shot for close-ups because of her frail appearance. During the fifth season, Phillips was told that if she didn't quit, she'd be fired. Phillips, with little option, quit One Day at a Time. Two seasons later, Phillips was allowed back as a frequent guest star -- at least until she collapsed on set during the ninth season and was fired for the second and last time.

Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley

Williams played the title character of Shirley Feeney during most of the run of Laverne & Shirley. What some may not realize is that for most of the eighth and final season, there was no Shirley. Cindy Williams had become pregnant, and (allegedly) the show's producers were not exactly happy about the ramifications of this development on the show. Williams' pregnancy was written into the series, but Williams received less and less airtime until, one day, Williams angrily left the set for the final time during the middle of filming. As such, there was never a proper sendoff filmed for the title character (much like our current situation with Two and a half Men). A lawsuit filed by Williams was settled out of court. Without Williams, Laverne & Shirley ended its run at the end of that season. This scene below is a prime example of a Shirley-less episode of Laverne & Shirley.

Suzanne Somers, Three's Company

During the fifth season of Three's Company, Suzanne Somers (on the advice from her husband-manager, Alan Hamel) demanded a 500 percent salary increase plus a percentage of the show's profits in exchange for her continuing to play the role of Chrissy Snow. A power play that alienated her from fellow cast members John Ritter and Joyce Dewitt. When the demands weren't met, Somers often became absent from work. Eventually the producers had enough of her shenanigans and relegated Somers' appearances to an end-of-the-show phone call (in the plot, Chrissy was in Fresno taking care of her mother) from other cast members -- filming her scenes separately from the rest of the cast. Eventually, Somers was open to backing down from her demands, but the damage had been done -- her contract was terminated after the series suffered little ill effects from her absence. Three's Company would continue for three more seasons, followed by an additional season as Three's a Crowd.

Isaiah Washington, Grey's Anatomy

Washington played Dr. Preston Burke for the first three seasons of ABC's popular doctor drama, Grey's Anatomy. In a late 2006 on-set squabble, Washington used a gay slur to describe then fellow co-star T.R. Knight. Knight, a now openly gay actor, wasn't publicly open about that at the time. Because of Washington's indiscretion and the ensuing media controversy, Burke was written out of the show; four years later, Grey's Anatomy remains one of the most popular shows on ABC. Below is the final scene of Washington's last episode, in which Christina (Sandra Oh) discovers his newly abandoned apartment after a called-off wedding. Washington has admitted he wasn't happy about leaving the show and that if ever asked to return, even for a cameo, that he would. Though, he admits, "I don't really see that happening."

Damon Wayans, Saturday Night Live

Over the history of Saturday Night Live, many, many cast members have been fired. That's just how the show works. But no one has been fired in such glorious fashion as Damon Wayans, who was a featured player during the ill-fated 1985-1986 season and was upset about being regulated to supporting roles and not being to show off his flair, if you will. That changed in a sketch called "Mr. Monopoly" in which Wayans played a police officer. Somewhere between dress rehearsal and the live show, Wayans decided that this character needed to be played as a very flamboyant gay man. Lorne Michaels was not amused. According to the writer of that sketch, Andy Breckman, in Tom Shales' Live From New York, Lorne turned to Breckman at that very moment offstage and said, "That's it. I've got to fire him." Wayans would return as host in 1995.

Lisa Bonet, A Different World

After three seasons on the most popular show on television, The Cosby Show, Lisa Bonet's Denise Huxtable was spun off into a new series that aired directly after Cosby, A Different World. After the first season, Bonet, with then husband Lenny Kravitz, became pregnant. The producers of A Different World did not feel that having a pregnant Denise was "wholesome" enough for their viewers, so instead she was jettisoned from the show. Denise returned to The Cosby Show before traveling to Africa when Bonet's pregnancy started to show, returning after Zoe Kravitz was born. A Different World would last five more seasons with Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison taking over as the lead characters.

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Comments

  • Scraps says:

    I guess it was less dramatic, but I've always preferred Norm MacDonald's canning on SNL for all the OJ jokes.

  • The Cantankerist says:

    Can't believe that Wayans SNL sketch predates "Seinfeld" by three years... it's a dead-on pre-parody.

  • Matt says:

    I am surprised the list didn't include Valerie Harper, of "Valerie/Valerie's Family/The Hogans."

  • James says:

    From what I read somewhere else, the cruel genius in relegating Somers to a phone call at the end of every episode was that they were not firing her, they kept her on the show, meaning she couldn't take on any other work, but they purposely gave her the least possible screen time.

  • ep says:

    i read the snl book but never saw the sketch before. what did i miss? he played the scene exactly the same as lovitz and miller. is it gay just b/c he's black? i don't understand. did i miss something crazy homoerotic? what was the fireable offense?

  • Bill says:

    I don't think that was the sketch that got him fired. I never knew he was even on SNL.

  • J says:

    What about Shannen Doherty being killed off on "Charmed," after her and Alyssa Milano's supposed feud?

  • JF says:

    John Rhys Davies on "Sliders."

  • Mike Ryan says:

    That's not the sketch in question. Unfortunately, it's not online.

  • Tara says:

    Ally Walker from "Profiler."

  • Mark says:

    No Shannen Doherty?!? She was fired twice and replaced, for 90210 and Charmed.

  • nixnaegie says:

    If you have netflix it's on watch instant. Season 11. Griffin Dunne hosting.

  • write says:

    so sad to hear that, many potential artist in 70's era...

  • James says:

    Doesn't anyone else remember Darrin from Bewitched? The first Darrin (and the better of the two) was sacked for being a drunk.

  • Hamilton Barlow says:

    No Dick York (Darrin #1) was NOT fired for being drunk. He had a severely injured back from stunts performed earlier in the show's run. Although he tried to stick it out, including taking painkillers, he eventually couldn't even stand. This is clearly documented in several places. Normally, I wouldn't bother replying to such slander, but in later years York (mostly housebound and suffering from emphysema) did a great deal of charity work. He spent many hours each day on the phone seeking donations of food, money and resources for less fortunate people and families. Dick York - a very good and brave man who was NOT a drunk.

  • Mike Ryan says:

    From what I understand, this is correct.

  • Lily says:

    Too bad cause I liked Dr.Burke in Grey's Anatomy.

  • Nicole says:

    I would really like to see Damon Wayans' "Mr. Monopoly" sketch. Find out what got someone kicked off the air in the 1980s for gay humor?

  • Stephanie says:

    It wasn't because of that, it was because he tried to sabotage a sketch live on the air.

  • Zoe says:

    This is to remember those past memories... I know even they're kicked of, their world doesn't stop there..

  • trafalgar says:

    Though Isaiah Washington's anti-gay slur definitely was a major nail in his coffin, don't forget -- he (allegedly) physically ATTACKED Patrick Dempsey in an altercation on set, which began when Washington insulted T.R. Knight and Dempsey told him to knock it off. IW's behavior after that incident was obviously, publicly erratic. I've always thought he was fired for anger management issues, not homophobic statements (though these were made, at times when he was pretty obviously not managing his anger.)

  • Luke says:

    I thought Lisa Bonet was kicked off the Cosby Show because of her racy role in Angelheart. Am I wrong?

  • dd says:

    What about Charles Rocket getting canned from the 80-81 SNL cast for saying f*** on the air?

  • Mike Ryan says:

    He made it one more episode after that, plus he wasn't the only one fired. It was pretty much an entire house cleaning.

  • Bowl says:

    They must be having loads of tantrums.