13 Times TV Characters Were Killed After Their Actor Died

When an actor passes away unexpectedly, the character they play on an ongoing TV series often has to die with them. Unless the showrunner can recast the part or otherwise explain their absence, the show’s writers are left with little choice except to kill the character offscreen.

Characters such as Coach from Cheers, Finn Hudson from Glee, and Richard Gilmore from Gilmore Girls all had to die on their respective shows when the actors who played them passed away in real life. Some characters take a while to meet their end on a series after the actor who plays them dies, but they are all eventually written out.

The following TV characters were killed off after the actor who played them died. How did the writers handle it?

Dr. David Kroger From Monk (2002-2009)

Stanley Kamel played Dr. David Kroger, Monk’s psychiatrist and emotional rock, for the first six seasons of Monk. Kamel passed away from a heart attack in 2008 at the age of 65.

Rather than recast the role of Dr. Kroger, Monk‘s writers also made the character suffer a lethal heart attack. Héctor Elizondo then joined the cast as Dr. Neven Bell, a friend of Dr. Kroger who sympathized with Monk’s sense of loss.

Finn Hudson From Glee (2009-2015)

Canadian actor Cory Monteith is best known for playing Finn Hudson on the first four seasons of Glee. After a long struggle with addiction, Monteith died of an overdose at the age of 31 in 2013.

Season five episode three opens three weeks after Finn’s funeral. Although no cause of death is mentioned on the show, we are told in a voiceover that the way he died doesn’t matter but how he lived his life does. Fans who wanted more of an explanation never got one.

Ernie “Coach” Pantusso From Cheers (1982-1993)

Nicholas Colasanto is best known for playing “Coach” Ernie Pantusso, Sam Malone’s former baseball coach turned bartender, on Cheers. Colasanto passed away from a heart attack in 1985 at the age of 61.

Many Cheers fans felt that no explanation given for Coach’s sudden death on the show seemed kind of cold. Instead, Woody Harrelson joined the cast as bartender Woody Boyd, a pen pal of Coach, and remained on Cheers for the rest of its run.

Mayor Adam West From Family Guy (1999-)

Adam West is best known for playing Batman on the 1960s TV show of the same name, but he also had a recurring late-career gig as the hilarious Mayor Adam West on Family Guy. West lost his battle with leukemia in 2017 at the age of 88.

Because the makers of Family Guy had enough voice recordings of West, they kept Mayor West alive on the show for another season or two until they finally acknowledged his death and paid tribute to him.

Peter Gregory From Silicon Valley (2014-2019)

Christopher Evan Welch played socially awkward billionaire Peter Gregory on the first season of HBO’s Silicon Valley. Welch lost his battle with lung cancer at the age of 48 in 2013.

When season two of Silicon Valley begins, viewers learn that Gregory died after a gunshot startled him and he ran away. Intended as a joke about the character’s lack of physical fitness, it came across as a bit disrespectful to the actor who earned a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for playing Gregory.

Gramps From Lassie (1954-1973)

Canadian actor George Cleveland is best remembered for playing George “Gramps” Miller on the first four seasons of Lassie. Cleveland died of a heart attack in 1957 at the age of 71.

Cleveland appeared in the first 12 episodes of season 4 of Lassie. In episode 13 of season 4, Gramp’s death is alluded to as the Millers’ motivation to sell the family farm and move away from Capitol City.

Lennie Briscoe From Law & Order (1990-)

Jerry Orbach played NYPD Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order from 1992 to 2004. He passed away from prostate cancer in 2004 at the age of 69.

The Lennie Briscoe character got written out on the second episode of Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Although a memorial service was filmed for the character, it didn’t air and is only available as a DVD bonus feature. In the following years, each of his former partners mentions Lennie’s death on either Law & Order or one of its spin-offs.

Livia Soprano From The Sopranos (1999-2007)

Lou Grant actress Nancy Marchand played Livia Soprano, Tony’s mother, on the first three seasons of HBO’s The Sopranos. Marchand passed away in 2000 just before her 71st birthday.

The Sopranos writers wrote Livia’s death into the series after Marchand passed away. To create one final scene between Livia and Tony, the producers used existing footage and CGI.

Debbie Wolowitz From The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)

Carol Ann Susi voiced the character of Howard’s mother, Mrs. Wolowitz, on The Big Bang Theory. Despite being heard and not really ever seen, the stereotypical Jewish mother played by Susi delighted fans. Susi passed away suddenly from cancer in 2014 at the age of 62.

On the show, Mrs. Wolowitz is said to have died in her sleep while visiting family in Florida. The gang then pays their respects to the character the rest of us only heard.

Edna Krabappel From The Simpsons (1989-) ​​

Marcia Wallace won an Emmy for voicing teacher Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons. Wallace, also known for her role on The Bob Newhart Show, passed away from breast cancer in 2013 at the age of 70.

Instead of immediately killing off Edna on The Simpsons, she was written off as having retired from teaching. Years after Wallace’s death, The Simpsons paid tribute to her in a 2021 episode and used her voice one last time.

Richard Gilmore From Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

Edward Herrmann played Richard Gilmore, Lorelai’s father and Rory’s grandfather, on Gilmore Girls. Herrmann lost his battle with brain cancer in 2014 at the age of 71. 

Herrmann died before the series revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. The funeral of Richard, who is said to have passed away from complications following a heart attack, is a pivotal plot point of the miniseries for the titular “girls.”

Fred Andrews From Riverdale (2017-2023)

Beloved Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Luke Perry played Archie’s dad and moral compass, Fred Andrews, on Riverdale. Perry passed away from a stroke in 2019 at the age of 52.

On Riverdale, the character of Fred Andrews died after he gets hit by a car while helping someone on the side of the road. The character’s death deeply affects Archie and almost every other character on the show.

Mr. Hooper From Sesame Street (1969-)

Will Lee will forever be remembered as the benevolent Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street. Lee passed away from a heart attack in 1982 at the age of 74.

Even though Sesame Street is a children’s program, it didn’t try to hide Mr. Hooper’s death. Instead, Big Bird is shown going through all the stages of grief that one experiences after losing a loved one.