Actors who left their shows too early: 27 times a series lost a star [PHOTOS]
“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.
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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.
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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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Launch Gallery: Actors who left their shows too early: 27 times a series lost a star
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