10 Worst Ways Shows Dealt With an Actor's Death

10 Worst Ways Shows Dealt With an Actors Death

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were looking at the most uncomfortable ways that TV shows addressed the death of a cast member or failed to address it.

Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman

That 90s Show (2023-24)

Multiple tragedies loomed over the That 70s Show franchise when this sequel series arrived. Among them was the death of Lisa Robin Kelly, who played Erics sister Laurie throughout the first few seasons. Kelly suddenly left the sitcom due to personal issues, including substance use. Christina Moore replaced her in Season 6 until Laurie was written out altogether. Kelly died in 2013, a decade before That 90s Show premiered. While we give the producers credit for now recasting the role again, Laurie is awkwardly only mentioned a couple of times. The last we hear of her is when Kitty reflects on Lauries criminal tendencies. Its supposed to be funny, but it just reminds us of Kellys legal troubles.

Joseph Kearns as George Wilson

Dennis the Menace (1959-63)

When we think of Dennis the Menace, two things come to mind: his trusty slingshot and his long-suffering neighbor, Good Ol' Mr. Wilson. Despite his best intentions, Dennis had a way of getting into trouble, with Mr. Wilson often enduring the consequences. Their dynamic was at the core of the show, which suffered a curveball when Joseph Kearns died in 1962. Ironically, the last episode to air before Kearns death centered on Mr. Wilson making a will, concerned his days are numbered. The final episode featuring Kearns aired toward the end of Season 3. By the fourth and final season, George and Martha had moved away. John and Eloise Wilson served as replacements, but it wasnt the same without the old Mr. Wilson.

Leslie Dwyer as Mr. William Partridge

Hi-de-Hi! (1980-88)

When a cast member passes away, some shows choose to have their characters die as well. This British sitcom took that approach when actor Leslie Dwyer died kind of. Dwyer, who played bitter childrens performer Mr. Partridge, succumbed to respiratory failure in 1986. Toward the beginning of the seventh series, Mr. Partridge is seemingly discovered in the pool with a knife in his back. The episode mixes quirky farce, murder mystery, and dark comedy, but it feels a little too dark (and tasteless), knowing that the actor who played Mr. Partridge died in real life. In the end, its revealed that Mr. Partridge faked his murder and ran off with a woman. Itd be a funny twist if Dwyer werent actually dead.

Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes (Joshua Smith)

Alias Smith and Jones (1971-73)

This Western centered on a couple of cousins on the run, trying to leave their criminal past behind. Pete Duel played one-half of the reformed outlaws as Hannibal Heyes, who also goes by Joshua Smith. As the second season aired, Duel took his own life, having been dealing with depression, substance use, and legal issues. With Duel being integral, executive producer Jo Swerling Jr. felt the most logical and respectful decision would be to end the show. ABC didnt agree, reportedly telling Swerling that theyd sue if he didnt fulfill his contract. Roger Davis, the shows narrator, thus filled in as the new Hannibal Heyes. It wasnt long after that Alias Smith and Jones was canceled, with many feeling the show died with Duel.

Dan Blocker as Eric Hoss Cartwright

Bonanza (1959-73)

From one classic Western to another, the long-running Bonanza ended the same month as Alias Smith and Jones. A scheduling change and the declining popularity of Westerns contributed to this. Another reason was the death of Dan Blocker a year earlier. Playing gentle giant Hoss Cartwright, Blocker had been with the show from the beginning, appearing in 415 of its 431 episodes. After all this time, Hoss deserved a proper sendoff. At the start of the final season, though, Hoss is just gone. While no outright ignored, Hoss death is an elephant in the room. Co-star Michael Landon said, It might not please everybody. Im sure that some people would rather have a whole hour memorial to Dan, but we just couldnt do that.

Phil Hartman as Bill McNeal

NewsRadio (1995-99)

Weeks after NewsRadio aired its Season 4 finale, Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife, Brynn, who subsequently turned the gun on herself. When the sitcom returned, it was revealed that Hartmans character, Bill McNeal, died from a heart attack. This explanation is somewhat uncomfortable, knowing that Hartmans death was much darker. Still, the episode is respectfully done, with everyones love for Hartman and grief over his death on display. After this touching tribute, though, NewsRadio just couldnt move on. Jon Lovitz tried to fill his late friends shoes. Of course, this casting choice also carried an uneasy sentiment, as Lovitz blamed co-star Andy Dick for allegedly giving Brynn cocaine not long before the murder. For all these reasons, the final season is almost unwatchable.

Redd Foxx as Alexander Alphonso Royal

The Royal Family (1991-92)

Best known for Sanford and Son, Redd Foxx staged a TV comeback with The Royal Family, which Eddie Murphy created. The sitcom centered on Foxx as Alexander Royal and his wife Victoria, played by Della Reese. After barely a month on the air, Foxx endured chest issues on set. At first, some thought Foxx was recycling one of Fred Sanfords classic bits. This heart attack was real, though, and Foxx didnt recover. With the star gone, it didnt make sense for the show to continue. The producers tried anyway, bringing in Jackée Harry as Victorias half-sister who was later retconned as her daughter. The writers scrambled to figure out how the show could function without Foxx. Short answer: it couldnt, ending with two episodes unaired.

Nancy Marchand as Livia Soprano

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

HBO was aware that Nancy Marchand was living with lung cancer when she landed the role of Tony Sopranos mother. Although Livia was supposed to die in Season 1, Marchand reportedly convinced David Chase to keep her around. Heading into Season 3, Chase had big plans for Livia Soprano, who was going to testify against her son. Chase had to change course when Marchands cancer took its toll. Although Livia dies from a stroke off-screen, she was given a final scene with Tony using old sound clips and CGI. Its awkwardly apparent to the audience that this scene was devised after Marchand died. Not only is it distracting, but it adds little to Livias character arc, making us question why it even exists.

Willie Garson as Stanford Blatch

And Just Like That (2021-25)

When Sex and the City returned with this sequel series, everyone mourned the loss of a beloved character. No, not Mr. Big. Obviously, we mean Stanford. Willie Garson was onboard to reprise his role as one of Carries best friends. Garson even shot three episodes, but he died from pancreatic cancer during production. And just like that, Stanford left his husband, moved to Japan to manage a TikToker, and then somehow wound up as a Shinto monk who doesnt care about possessions anymore all of which occurs off-screen. We get that there wasnt an easy way to explain Stanfords sudden absence, and they werent going to have another funeral right after Bigs. Still, this has the carelessness of Im sorry, I cant, dont hate me.

Freddie Prinze as Francisco Chico Rodriguez

Chico and the Man (1974-78)

Its never easy for a show to proceed after a cast member dies, especially when its a lead. The world was shocked and devastated when Freddie Prinze took his life at the height of his comedy career, which seemed like it was just getting started. Prinze reached another level of popularity as one-half of Chico and the Man. Although many felt the show shouldve ended after Prinzes death, the final episodes of Season 3 moved forward without Chico. At the beginning of Season 4, Ed takes a kid named Raul under his wing, nicknaming him Chico. Its later revealed that the real Chico died. Despite Eds comment that Youre all Chicos, there was truly only one, and the show didnt last without him.

Which shows do you think mishandled the death of an actor? Let us know in the comments.