Jeff Conaway had a pretty good run on Babylon 5.
I have heard it said that if an actor(ess) can be on an even MODERATELY successful TV Series(or 2 Good Movies), he (or she) will never have to work again. Is this true?
There was also David Caruso from “NYPD Blue.” He never really went on to do anything in movies, so he jumped back to one of the 3,000 iterations of “CSI.”
Or, do like Wayne Rogers also from MASH. Quit showbiz and get a real job as an investment guy. I think he did a lot better. Smart move on his part.
Helping keep mankind warm for 65 years.
Rob Morrow, who ruined Northern Exposure when he left and then never amounted to a hill of beans.
I remember interviews with fellow MASH actors. They all testified that McLean Stevenson was purposely set up to fail, as revenge for leaving his contract early.
The nutcase that left Bonanza because he was afraid of being typecast , Pernell Roberts. Didn’t see much of him afterward.
How about Scott Baio’s decision to leave “Happy Days” for “Joanie Loves Chachi”?
What is it called when someone in show business parts company and becomes an even greater celebrity? I think I would call it the "Dolly Pardon Effect" but there must be other examples.
Lead actors in NUMBERS.
Shelly Long left the most successful sitcom ever and never did anything of real significance after (but at least she kept working). That decision had to sting, but I guess she can take comfort that she was set for life as long as she didn’t get into drugs or spend her money like the average lottery winner.
Except for Bonanza and Mash, I’ve never heard of any of the shows mentioned on this thread.
I think I’m better for it.
Just sayin’.
Ginger from Gilligan’s Island didn’t leave, I guess, but always complained about how that series ruined her chance to be a big star.
Also, Don Adams was sort of stuck after Get Smart because he was typecast.
Stevenson could see the writing on the wall about M*A*S*H becoming the voice of Alan Alda so he chose not to participate in the show moving from an ensemble to one with a lead (Alda) and everybody else in support roles. Since nobody else on the show really had a big role after M*A*S*H, Stevenson just short-circuited the process but also lost out on a chunk of residuals.
Sasha Alexander - quit after the first 2 seasons of NCIS as agent Caitlyn Todd. She did forgettable parts in forgettable movies for 5 years. Now she’s back in TV on TNT’s “Rizzoli and Isles”. It’s an OK show but nowhere as good as NCIS.
How about Shannen Doherty? After getting kicked off 90210, she never came close to anything like that again. Except for a lead role in Mallrats and a 3 year gig on a WB series (1998-2001), it’s all been bit parts and cameos. She’s as arrogant as Val Kilmer with nothing to back it up.
Aside from Barbara Billingsly’s memorable performance in Airplane, its hard to think of a Leave it to Beaver alum who succeeded in acting beyond their first series.
On the other hand there are people like John Travolta, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington who parleyed their TV success into much greater fame
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Chevy Chase effect works too with the benefit of knowing he is a scumbag in real life.
Suzanne Sommers leaving Three’s Company and Farrah Fawcett leaving Charlie’s Angels. The shows did fine but the actresses languished.