Sitcoms with major cast changes

Pretty self explanatory. Sitcoms in which a major character was replaced due to the actor playing him/her leaving, dying or getting sacked. The most obvious example is Only Fools and Horses in which Granddad was replaced by Uncle Albert because Lennard Pearce died. And when Buster Merryfield died they (sort of) developed Del Boy's son as a replacement character.

Across the pond, an obvious example is Cheers. When Shelly Long left to pursue a film career after three seasons, they got in Kirstie Allie as a replacement.

And if you know the reasons why the character/actor was replaced, that'd be great.

Neil Morrisey replaced Harry Enfield on Men Behaving Badly.

Cheers again. Dimwitted barman Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) replaced dimwitted barman Coach (Nicholas Colasanto, who died).

Neil Stuke replaced Ben Chaplin in Game On.

Claire Buckfield replaced Claire Woodgate in 2 Point 4 Children.

Sandra Dickinson replaced Patricia Brake, again in 2 Point 4 Children.

Oh, and the guy who died from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet was replaced by his 'son', I think?

Robin Bailey replaced Arthur Lowe as the lead in Potter after the death of the latter.

Last of the Summer Wine's Compo was replaced by his son/twin brother?

The girl on Roseanne! Sarah Chalke?

She was RUBBISH on that. But is now ace on Scrubs.

I have no idea why the original girl got replaced...

Off the top of my head I can think of the following direct cast changes...

Lesley Dunlop replacing Eve Matheson as Zoe in May to December

James Dreyfus replacing Ardal O'Hanlon as George in My Hero

There was also lots of cast swapping in series like Jeeves and Wooster and Yes Minister too.

As it happens, if you're that interested, in a couple of months time we'll have lots of cast data in our new database and will be able to run off a report.

If you're also talking about general similar new characters to replace old ones there's no doubt hundreds. Abbie then Alfie replacing Nick's 'stupid' role in My Family springs to mind for example. And Oliver was an obvious replacement for Jeff in Coupling, whilst more recently Sally Bretton came in to replace the female role in Not Going Out

I'd be interesting to see the production team's faces when a cast member tells the show they're leaving - it must send them into panic.

Quote: zooo @ June 16 2008, 12:48 PM BST

The girl on Roseanne! Sarah Chalke?

She was RUBBISH on that. But is now ace on Scrubs.

I have no idea why the original girl got replaced...

View original

I don't know, but she was reinstated later.

I think she just left, did she not?

And yes Lee - pretty much EVERYONE on Last of the Summer Wine has been replaced at least once!

Trevor Bannister left Are You Being Served? after series 7, being replaced by Mike Berry.

Also Larry Martyn was succeeded by Arthur English in the same show, as the cleaner type character.

Quote: Graham Bandage @ June 16 2008, 12:58 PM BST

I don't know, but she was reinstated later.

View original

Maybe she went to college or something.

Sue Hodge replaced Francesca Conshaw as the second waitress in 'Allo 'Allo!, come series 4. No idea why she left. Also, Sam Kelly of course left (again after series 3) and was replaced by the Italian Captain Bertorelli (Gavin Richards). Kelly has since said it's the biggest mistake he's made in his career.

And not forgetting David Janson (also the postie in Keeping Up Appearances) replacing Richard Gibson as Herr Flick in series 9.

Oh, and in Keeping Up Appearances itself, Shirley Stelfox played Rose in series 1, but was replaced by Mary Millar for the rest.

Goodnight sweetheart lost Dirvla Kirwan and Susan Holmes with Liz Carling and someone else*.

Can't be arsed to look it up.

The disembodied voice of Larry David became actor Wayne Knight for the role of Newman in Seinfeld.

Quote: Tuumble @ June 16 2008, 1:09 PM BST

Goodnight sweetheart lost Dirvla Kirwan and Susan Holmes with Liz Carling and someone else*.

Can't be arsed to look it up.

View original

Emma Amos - well remembered!

Not strictly a sitcom, but since we've gone into American shows I'll throw it in; Stuart Milligan replaced Anthony Head as Adam Klauss in Jonathan Creek (although Head only appeared in the pilot, it was broadcast as S01E01), and Julia Sawalha replaced Caroline Quentin as the loyal if not sceptical sidekick. She, in turn, is rumoured be replaced by Sheridan Smith in the reported upcoming special.