“Yellowstone” premiered in 2018, and has led to an acclaimed TV franchise, with star Kevin Costner striking gold once again in his career as patriarch John Dutton. Fans were disappointed to learn that Costner has opted to leave “Yellowstone” with the upcoming conclusion of season five; his schedule is currently full as he has been starring in, producing, co-writing and directing “Horizon: An American Saga,” the first of a four-film western saga.
However, this isn’t the first time a star has left a series too early, leaving producers scrambling to find a solution to keep a successful series going. Tour our photo gallery featuring 27 performers who abandoned their programs.
Like Costner, other actors and actresses have left to pursue other projects. Some, like Farrah Fawcett and George Clooney, go on to successful careers in movies or with more TV. Others, like David Caruso and McLean Stevenson, regret leaving a successful show when careers flounder afterwards.
Contract disputes can also cause rifts between series stars and producers. James Garner created a stir that led to litigation when he left the comedy-western “Maverick” over 60 years ago and won a case that would set a precedent for years to come. Suzanne Somers and Valerie Harper also sued after they walked out on contracts, but with less success. Bad behavior, from off-set feuds with co-stars (Shannen Doherty) to misconduct charges (Kevin Spacey), has led to termination of contracts, leaving producers with messes to straighten up onscreen and off.
Illness has also led to a series losing a beloved star. In one of the most infamous cases, Dick York was unexpectedly replaced with Dick Sargent, who strongly resembled him, on “Bewitched.” Years later, it was revealed that York had been suffering from a debilitating back injury that ended his career. On the flip side, Michael J. Fox revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease while starring on “Spin City.” He eventually left to due the progression of the disease.
It’s always a little sad to see a favorite star leave a popular series. Shows like “Cheers” and “NYPD Blue” had several successful seasons, despite predictions they would fail after the departures of Shelley Long from the former and Caruso from the latter. However, show that didn’t fare well after Anna Faris left “Mom” and America Ferrera left “Superstore.” Here’s how some beloved series survived, or not, after a star left — and how that star fared afterwards. Our list is by no means a complete one, but it’s a good conversation starter with our 27 choices in the photo gallery.
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Ellen Pompeo: Grey’s Anatomy (2023)
Image Credit: ABC With 19 seasons, “Grey’s Anatomy” is the longest-running American medical TV drama of all time, and Pompeo has served as main protagonist and narrator Meredith Gray since its premiere episode in 2005. Her role propelled her to fame, and her popularity has led her to become one of the highest-paid TV performers and a producer of the series. Pompeo decided to step down from her role in order to spend more time with her family and to work on other projects, including a Hulu series. She will continue to produce and to provide voiceover narration for “Grey’s,” and will likely occasionally appear in future episodes. A new batch of interns looks to give “Grey’s” fresh new possibilities.
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Anna Faris: Mom (2020)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image The misadventures of the dysfunctional family in “Mom” made it one of the highest-rating sitcoms of its run, largely due to Faris’s starring role as a lovable and childlike single mother and recovering alcoholic. In 2020, Faris decided to leave after seven seasons to pursue other projects. The eighth and final season of “Mom” featured the rest of the cast, focusing on her character’s mother (Allison Janney), but Faris did not return for any episodes. She is currently starring in two podcasts, “The Peepkins” and “Anna Faris is Unqualified.”
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America Ferrera: Superstore (2020)
Image Credit: NBC Ferrera led an ensemble cast in the workplace comedy “Superstore,” with her character’s on-again-off-again romance with Ben Feldman’s character one of the main plot lines for five seasons. In February 2020, Ferrera announced she would be leaving to work on new projects and to spend more time with her young family. However, the COVID pandemic delayed the filming of season five. She returned for part of season six, when her character left to take a corporate job. The rest of the cast carried on, and a former love interest of Feldman’s was brought back, but the series was canceled. Ferrera returned for the finale; currently, she is appearing in “Barbie.”
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Roseanne Barr: Roseanne (2018)
Image Credit: ABC From 1989-1997, “Roseanne” was one of the top-rated sitcoms; 20 years later, a tenth season was released as a mid-season replacement, and was so-well received that an 11th season was ordered soon after the first episode. However, Barr, who had courted controversy in the past, responded to a thread on Twitter with a racist remark about an advisor to President Obama. Although Barr claimed the statement was meant to be political and not racial, “Roseanne” was quickly canceled. However, the series was popular enough that it was revived as “The Conners,” with Barr’s character killed off, and is about to enter its sixth season. Barr continues to spark controversy during interviews, and has a comedy special on Fox Nation.
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Kevin Spacey: House of Cards (2017)
Image Credit: David Giesbrecht/Netflix Spacey was already a two-time Oscar winner and well-respected actor when he landed the role of power-hungry politician Frank Underwood in the acclaimed Netflix series “House of Cards.” In 2013, he became the first actor the earn an Emmy nomination for Best Drama Actor for a series from a streaming service. After starring in the acclaimed series for five seasons, Spacey was fired by Netflix due to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. The sixth season had already begun production, and had to be completely rewritten. His character was killed off, and his onscreen wife, played by Robin Wright, led the series to its sixth-season finale. Spacey has denied all allegations, but continues to face charges, and his career has never recovered.
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Patrick Dempsey: Grey’s Anatomy (2015)
Image Credit: ABC One of the most beloved storylines on a TV drama was the romance of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd on “Grey’s Anatomy,” and fans were devastated when Dempsey opted to leave during season 11. The actor had grown weary of the long hours required by a weekly series, and the time it took away from his family. His character was killed in a car accident, and season 12 addressed the effects of his death; however, he returned in a dream sequence in season 17. Dempsey has continued to work on TV and film since, and has also indulged in his love of auto racing, having founded Dempsey Racing in 2006 and driven in numerous competitions.
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Nina Dobrev: The Vampire Diaries (2015)
Image Credit: Courtesy of THE CW “The Vampire Diaries” helped establish the CW network, with the love triangle between Dobrev’s character and two vampire brothers captivating audiences. Dobrev chose to depart at the end of season six, with her character put in a deep sleep, thus ending the central storyline of the series. The brothers were made the central figures, but her character remained an integral part; Dobrev returned for the series finale. She moved onto other projects after her departure, and is currently starring in “The Out-Laws” on Netflix.
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Steve Carell: The Office (2011)
Image Credit: © NBC Universal, Inc. Carell won a Golden Globe for his memorable turn as the unorthodox manager of the Dunder Mifflin paper company. His film career started taking off during his time on “The Office,” and he left at the end of the seventh season, with his character moving away with his fiancee. The show continued for two more seasons, and Carell returned for the finale. He has worked steadily in the decade since his departure, including an Oscar-nominated role in “Foxcatcher” (2015) and an Emmy-nominated role in “The Morning Show” (2020).
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Charlie Sheen: Two and a Half Men (2011)
Image Credit: WARNER BROS. Sheen capitalized on his bad-boy image in his starring role as one of the titular men who made this sitcom one of the most popular of the early 2000s. Production stopped in early 2011 while Sheen entered a rehab program. However, in one of the most infamous cases of an actor departing a role, Sheen began making offensive comments about the creator of the the series while also making claims that he was owed a raise. Sheen was fired and his character supposedly killed offscreen. Ashton Kutcher was successfully brought on as a different character, with the series lasting another four seasons. Fans had hoped that Sheen would return for the finale; although his character was the central focus of that episode, the actor did not return. The year after his dismissal, Sheen starred in the short-lived sitcom “Anger Management,” and has made sporadic appearances on film and TV since.
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Topher Grace: That ’70s Show (2005)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Grace was one of a cast of young actors whose careers skyrocketed on the popular sitcom that debuted in 1998. During his seven years on that series, he also appeared in films, including the Oscar-nominated 2000 film “Traffic.” Shooting schedules for a TV series can be very demanding, and Grace left “That ’70s Show” at the end of the seventh season to pursue a film career. His character moves to Africa, although he remains a central figure, and Josh Meyers was brought on as a new character. Season eight was the last for the show, and Grace returned briefly for both the finale and for the recent Netflix revival. His career has flourished, and he currently has a starring role on the ABC sitcom “Home Economics.”
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Shannen Doherty: Charmed (2001), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1994)
Image Credit: Fox Doherty earned a “bad girl” reputation during her “Beverly Hill, 90210” days, with rumors of a feud with costar Jennie Garth and diva-like behavior on set, including chronic lateness. Doherty was fired at the end of the fourth season, and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen was brought on as Valerie Malone; the series lasted six more seasons. Despite the acrimonious departure, “90210” producer Aaron Spelling cast her as one of the sister witches in “Charmed,” which gained a cult following after its 1998 premiere. Reports of tension between her and costar Alyssa Milano led to Doherty’s departure at the end of season three, with her character killed off; ironically, Doherty directed her own final episode. Rose McGowan was added as a long-lost third sister to replace Doherty, and the series continued for another five seasons. Doherty has appeared in several TV series and movies since she left “Charmed;” she has also had health struggles since a breast cancer diagnosis in 2015, which went into remission in 2017. She has made amends with her former costars, even appearing in the 2019 reboot “BH90210.” Sadly, her cancer returned in 2020, and she recently announced that she is in stage four.
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Michael J. Fox: Spin City (2000)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Fox was already a beloved actor, from the sitcom “Family Ties” and from films like “Back to the Future,” when this sitcom debuted in 1996. In 1998, Fox announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991; Heather Locklear was brought onto the series to minimize his workload. In 2000, Fox’s symptoms worsened, and he left the show. His character moved away (with an homage paid to his “Family Ties” character), Charlie Sheen joined the cast, and the show lasted two more seasons. Fox won an Emmy for Best Comedy Actor for this final season, and has continued to guest star on several series, racking up numerous Emmy nominations, with a win for Guest Actor in a Drama for “Rescue Me” in 2009. He and his wife Tracy Pollan have worked to bring awareness to and to support research for Parkinson’s, including books he has written about living with the disease. He officially retired from acting in 2020 due difficulties with speech and memory; he currently stars in the documentary film “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
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George Clooney: ER (1999)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Clooney rose to fame with his starring role as Dr. Doug Ross on the long-running medical drama “ER,” beginning in 1994. His first major film role came in 1996, “From Dusk till Dawn,” while he was still on that series. A successful movie career soon took precedence, and he left the drama series at the end of season five, with Doug moving away. Four new characters were added to “ER” in season six, with Clooney’s onscreen love interest Julianna Margulies leaving at the end of that season; Clooney came back for a surprise cameo so that their characters could have a happy-ever-after. Clooney has had a long and prolific career, and is one of the few people to have received nominations in six different Oscar categories, with wins for Best Picture (“Argo,” 2013) and Best Supporting Actor (“Syriana,” 2006).
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David Caruso: NYPD Blue (1994)
Image Credit: CBS Broadcasting, Inc. Caruso rose to fame as John Kelly in the groundbreaking police drama “NYPD Blue,” winning a Golden Globe award; the success of the series led him to demand a raise, and to be allowed time off to pursue a film career. He notoriously failed to successfully negotiate, and predicted that the series would fail without him. His character was written off four episodes into the second season, with his onscreen partner, Dennis Franz, receiving a new partner in Jimmy Smith. Franz became the central character, surviving several partner changes over a total of 12 seasons. Caruso’s films following his highly publicized departure flopped, and he struggled for several years to find projects. He eventually redeemed himself with another starring role in a police procedural, “CSI: Miami,” from 2002-2012, and then retired from acting.
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Valerie Harper: Valerie (1987)
Image Credit: NBC After Emmy-winning turns on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Rhoda” in the 1970s, Harper made a successful return to the sitcom world with this eponymous series in 1986. When the show was renewed for a third season, Harper tried to renegotiate her salary and her cut of future syndication revenue, which she had done with her previous series. When negotiations stalled, she walked out and was replaced with Sandy Duncan as a new character. The show was retitled “Valerie’s Family” and later “The Hogan Family,” and lasted four more seasons. Harper sued the network and the production company, the latter of which she won. In 1990, she starred in the short-lived sitcom “City,” which aired on another network at the same time as “The Hogan Family.” Despite this hiccup and later health issues, she continued to have a successful career on TV and stage until 2016. In 2013, she was diagnosed with a rare cancer and given three months to live. She fought for six years, and passed away in 2019 at the age of 80.
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Shelley Long: Cheers (1987)
Image Credit: NBC Although it was nearly canceled after its first season due to low ratings, “Cheers” eventually became one of the most successful and enduring sitcoms of the 1980s, largely due to the will-they-or-won’t-they romance of Sam and Diane, played by Ted Danson and Long. Long won an Emmy for the first season, but decided to leave the popular series at the end of season five to concentrate on her film career and her family, thus ending one of the main storylines. Diane left to pursue her career aspirations as a writer. Although many feared this would end the series, Kirstie Alley was introduced as Rebecca Howe, and actually reinvigorated “Cheers,” which lasted another six seasons. Long has had a long career on film and TV, most notably as Carol Brady in the theatrical “Brady Bunch” movies in the 1990s and as DeDe Pritchett on “Modern Family,” as well as Emmy-nominated returns to her role as Diane on the series finale of “Cheers” and on “Frasier.”
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Patrick Duffy: Dallas (1985)
Image Credit: CBS Duffy was half of one of the best sibling rivalries on TV, with his role as the kindhearted Bobby Ewing to Larry Hagman’s conniving J.R. Ewing. He left at the end of season eight to pursue other opportunities, with Bobby hit by a car and killed. However, his career didn’t quite take off, and he was compelled to return to help “Dallas” recover from a decline in ratings. He reappeared in one of the most unexpected and infamous TV moments: at the end of season nine, Bobby’s romantic partner Pam wakes up to find him in her shower – and the entire season was revealed to be a dream! Every storyline from that season was wiped out, and Duffy remained with the series until its end in 1991. He has worked on TV steadily since, including “Dallas” films and the revival series, and as Stephen Logan on “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
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Pamela Sue Martin: Dynasty (1984)
Image Credit: ABC “Dynasty” premiered in 1981 and quickly became a must-watch guilty pleasure. Martin portrayed the spoiled but savvy Fallon Carrington, which became a favorite character. Martin decided to leave at the end of season four, with Fallon presumably killed in a car accident. At the end of season five, Emma Samms replaced Martin, with Fallon suffering from amnesia, and continued the role until the series ended on its ninth season, as well as a reunion movie. Martin has worked sporadically since.
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Suzanne Somers: Three’s Company (1981)
Image Credit: ABC “Three’s Company” debuted in 1977, and quickly rose to the top of the ratings, launching Somers and costars John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt to instant fame. At the beginning of season five, contracts were renegotiated, and Somers demanded a sizable pay increase and a percentage of the show’s profits. When she was denied, she began to miss work, leading to tension between her and the other two stars. Her character was sent back home to help her sick mother, Jenilee Harrison was added to the cast as her cousin to act as the third roommate and Somers appeared on a “phone call” with her roommates at the end of each episode. Once the season was over, Somers was fired; she sued, but settlements largely favored the network. “Three’s Company” ended in 1983 after eight seasons, and Somers went on to have a varied career. She became a spokeswoman for Thighmaster, has written several books and starred in another successful sitcom in the 1990s, “Step by Step.”
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Ron Howard: Happy Days (1980)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Already a veteran TV star, Howard’s all-American 1950s teenager Richie Cunningham was originally the star of the popular 1970s sitcom. However, Henry Winkler’s Fonzie was a breakout character, and the two gained equal status. By the end of season seven, Howard had already directed some TV movies as well as “Grand Theft Auto,” and he decided to leave “Happy Days” to direct films. The ever-popular Fonzie took over as lead for the series for its final four seasons, with Richie joining the Army, and returning for the series finale. Howard has gone on to become an award-winning director and producer.
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Kate Jackson: Charlie’s Angels (1979)
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives Jackson was a veteran TV actress when she was cast as one of the original trio of angels who made this detective series an unexpected hit in the 1970s. At the beginning of the series’s third season, due to scheduling conflicts, she was forced to turn down the role in “Kramer vs. Kramer” that eventually netted Meryl Streep her first Oscar. By this time, Jackson also began to complain about the declining quality of scripts for the series, and she was let go at the end of season three. She was replaced with “new angel” Shelley Hack, who was in turn replaced in the fifth and final season by Tanya Roberts. In 1983, Jackson began starring in, as well as co-producing, another successful series, with “The Scarecrow and Mrs. King” airing for four seasons. Despite two bouts of breast cancer and open heart surgery between 1987 and 1995, Jackson has continued to make guest appearances in TV films and programs.
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Farrah Fawcett: Charlie’s Angels (1977)
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives Fawcett rose to stardom alongside her fellow angels in the surprise hit detective show; people were soon copying her famous feathered blonde mane, and scrambling to buy her one-piece red bathing suit poster, which is the best-selling poster of all time. She left the series at the end of the first season, firing up legal battles over her four-year contract. Her character Jill Munroe was written off as pursuing an auto racing career, and Cheryl Ladd was brought on as her younger sister Kris. Ladd successfully filled what seemed to be an impossible void, and the show went on for four more seasons. Stories vary as to the motive behind Fawcett’s departure, but she eventually agreed to guest star in six episodes over two years. Although her first few films after her departure did not do well, she eventually established a successful career that included four Emmy nominations before a very public battle with anal cancer beginning in 2006. She passed away in 2009 at the age of 62.
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Cindy Williams: Laverne & Shirley (1982)
A spinoff of “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” was a top three show its first four seasons, largely due to the comedic chemistry between Penny Marshall and Williams as the title characters. By season eight, though, there was tension between the two stars, and producers weren’t pleased when Williams became pregnant in real life, with Williams stating that she was expected to work on her due date. Contract negotiations failed, and Shirley was abruptly married off in the second episode of the eighth season; the title remained the same and didn’t fare well without half of the team, leading to its cancellation. Williams had a prosperous career until her death in January 2023 at the age of 75, with her most recent appearance in “Sami” released this year.
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Wayne Rogers: M*A*S*H (1975)
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Following the success of the film, “M*A*S*H” debuted in 1972, and became one of the defining sitcoms of the decade. Rogers and Alan Alda began the series as co-leads Trapper John McIntyre and Hawkeye Pierce; however, Alda’s character gradually became the lead, with Rogers more of a sidekick. Rogers became frustrated, and, combined with contract disputes, left at the end of season three. At the beginning of season four, his character was said to have been discharged and sent home; Mike Farrell was added as B.J. Hunnicutt, and became Hawkeye’s partner in pranks until the series end at season 11. Rogers continued to act until 2003, and also found success as a real estate and stock investor. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 82.
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McLean Stevenson: M*A*S*H (1975)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox and Hulu Stevenson originally auditioned for the role of Hawkeye, but was convinced to play Henry Blake instead. “M*A*S*H” was one of the highest-rated sitcoms of its day, but Stevenson wanted to be the star and resented the fact that Alda had become the lead. He chose to leave at the end of season three, and Henry was to be written off as discharged and sent home. In one of the most shocking moments in TV history, Henry’s plane was shot down and he was killed. Henry Morgan was added to the cast as Sherman Potter, and remained until the end of the series. Stevenson’s career declined, with a series of failed sitcoms. He filled in for Johnny Carson several times on “The Tonight Show,” but his career never recovered from his decision to leave the popular sitcom, and he later acknowledged that it was a bad decision. He passed away in 1996 at the age of 68.
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Dick York: Bewitched (1969)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sony “Bewitched” is one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 1960s, largely due to the charm and chemistry of Elizabeth Montgomery as the “bewitching” Samantha and York as her befuddled mortal husband for five seasons. At the beginning of season six, Dick Sargent, who looks a lot like York, abruptly took over the role for the show’s final three seasons. It was later revealed that York had suffered a severe injury while filming “They Came to Condura” in 1959; the resulting pain and debilitation led to a prescription drug addiction. He had collapsed while filming a “Bewitched” episode, and agreed that he could no longer work. In the years that followed, he battled his prescription painkiller addiction and finally quit cold turkey. Other than a couple of guest spots in the 1980s, York’s career was over. He spent much of his time advocating for the homeless before he passed away in 1992 at the age of 63.
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James Garner: Maverick (1960)
Image Credit: ABC Garner’s irresistible charm as gambler Bret Maverick made this comedy western a surprise hit, and made Garner a star. Time-consuming production led to the addition of brother Bart (Jack Kelly) during the first season. After three seasons, Garner was suspended due to the writers strike; Garner claimed that was a breach of contract, thus voiding it – and won when the case went to trial. Producers attempted to add a Maverick cousin and another brother during season four, but these proved unsuccessful, and Kelly finished the series as the sole Maverick for the fifth season. Garner continued to act over the next 50 years, including a 1978 Emmy win for another hugely successful series, “The Rockford Files” and an Oscar nomination for “Murphy’s Romance” (1986). He passed away in 2014 at the age of 86.
I always regretted Pernell Roberts leaving Bonanza.Even though it remained popular I feel it was at its best when he was in the show. I’ve talked to some people who agree with me