Veteran actor Mandy Patinkin played Special Agent Jason Gideon in the successful CBS crime drama, Criminal Minds. The actor was with the show from the very beginning, but he was killed off after only two seasons for a couple of reasons. He talked about his feelings with New York Magazine, saying: “I thought [Criminal Minds] was different. I never thought they were going to kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year. It was very destructive to my soul and my personality.”
His unhappiness affected his work and he began missing shoots, so the producers decided to kill him off, which worked out well for everyone.
Isaac Hayes, South Park
Isaac Hayes was the iconic voice of Chef on Comedy Central's animated classic, South Park, for years. The show is famous for holding nothing sacred and manages to offend a lot of people in the process. On one occasion, the creators went too far, according to Hayes, and the actor got so offended that he decided to quit the show.
He did not approve of the way the show poked fun at the religion of Scientology. It seems like Hayes and South Park’s creators did not have an amicable parting because his character was killed off in an extremely gruesome way.
Jay Thomas, Cheers
Jay Thomas played hockey star Eddie Lebec on legendary sitcom Cheers from 1982 to 1993. Eddie was an actor but also worked as a morning DJ for KPWR-Power 106 in Los Angeles. One day he was questioned about his role on Cheers while on the air and he replied with a complaint about having to kiss fellow cast member Rhea Perlman, who played his wife Carla Tortelli.
Allegedly, Perlman heard what he said on the radio and Eddie Lebec never entered the Cheers bar again. Turns out that he died on the ice in some kind of freak Zamboni accident. Guess that’s what happens when you disrespect your wife.
Patrick Dempsey, Grey’s Anatomy
Derek Sheperd, also known as “McDreamy”, was one of the most beloved characters in the many seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. The character, played by Patrick Dempsey, was killed off in a shocking car accident in the eleventh season, leaving many fans heartbroken. Although the show is known for twists and tragedy, Sheperd’s death may not have been part of the storyline.
There have been rumors that Dempsey’s departure from the show may have been caused by his affair with a younger staff member. An insider said, “It got very messy and emotional on set and became a huge liability.” The rumor was not confirmed, but this is the widely accepted reason for the character’s death.
Michael Pitt, Boardwalk Empire
The second season finale of Boardwalk Empire featured Jimmy Darmody, played by Michael Pitt, being shot in the face and killed. This dramatic moment may have been an important part of the plot, but it was also a good way to get rid of Pitt. The actor was known for not having a great work ethic or a good attitude and would often forget his lines.
He also famously went off-script, all of which added up to wasting the production’s time and money and eventually getting Pitt canned from the show. Things must have been pretty bad because Pitt’s own agent told Deadline that UTA dropped him as a client because he’s really difficult on set.