Why So Many Stars Quit Law And Order

For two decades, Law & Order ruled over procedural dramas. The series, which centered on “two separate, yet equally important groups” — the police and the district attorneys of New York City, has had a long-lasting influence over American primetime television. Over the course of its 20-year run, Law & Order has been responsible for launching seven spin-off series and a TV movie. It’s also launched the careers of dozens of stars.

With nearly every episode focusing on a new crime, the number of actors who appeared on the show was astounding. Even series regulars would generally only have a season or two before their characters were replaced. But why’d they really quit? Here’s the reason behind some of the biggest Law & Order stars’ departures.

#LawAndOrder #TVShow #Actors

Chris Noth couldn't get paid | 0:00
Benjamin Bratt wanted family time | 1:16
Fred Thompson ran for president | 1:59
Michael Moriarty fought censorship | 3:14
Jesse Martin went to Broadway | 4:19
George Dzundza didn't like commuting | 5:14
Jerry Orbach jumped shows | 5:58
Dann Florek and Richard Brooks | 7:00
Not enough for Jill Hennessy | 8:08
Elizabeth Rohm planned dramatic exit | 8:57
Paul Sorvino left to sing | 9:56
Angie Harmon left for movies | 10:51

[NickiSwift]

Who is your favorite actor from Law & Order?

[carseye]

The greatest thing about "Law & Order" is that it wasn't character driven. It was story, or case driven. It survived because each case was new and developed throughout the hour. It wasn't treated as a nighttime soap opera where each character is dissected from A to Z until there's no audience appetite for any more. McCoy personal life was a mystery in 1994 and we still didn't really know him fully in 2010. There was no "let's have this character marry that character so we can squeeze another year or two out of the show". And it never played down to the audience. And it showed that the law, like a lot of real life, is not always binary, heroes/villains, winners/losers. There are many nuances, ambiguities, shades of gray. If you wanted a neat, packaged "good guys win" legal drama, watch reruns of "Matlock". I'll take "L&W" every time.

[bwktlcn]

I was working as a nurse on a cardiac ICU step down during they heyday of the original L&O. You wouldn’t believe how many people wanted their night meds before or after the show...and I have fond memories of walking down the hall and hearing “doink-doink”seeming to come out of all of the rooms at once. RIP, Jerry, you helped a lot of people not think about sad, horrible things for an hour....

[iluvlafs]

Jerry Orbach was the best cast member, and Lennie Brisco was the best character.

[teresawhitaker]

I can watch the Adam Schiff era all day long! He had the most memorable lines! "So you want to indict Gordon Bryce. If that doesn't work out, there's always the nun in Calcutta."

[hardrock]

My favorite was Jerry Orbach. He was great in whatever he did. He played a reoccurring role on "Murder She Wrote." I really miss his fast, old school wit.

[ADNAL]

This show is amazing in syndication EVEN TO THIS DAY! I can sit and watch it over and over, all day!

[carlhicksjr]

Jerry Orbach was, for me, the heart and soul of the franchise [well, the first 30 minutes of each episode anyway]. He was a 'show up early-work late' kind of actor, always had time for an interview, and multiple people on the sets [from backstagers to just visiting family members] constantly talked about his courtesy, niceness, and willingness to sign autorgraphs. And for nearly a decade every L&O teaser had the 'Lenny-ism of the Week'... some sarcastic, snarky comment about the crime by the grand master of the shoe leather cop role. And L&O paid Orbach back in spades. Jerry Orbach's last public role as he was dying of cancer was Det. 1st Grade Lenny Briscoe saying 'Got 'im!'.
Sam Waterston carried the second half of the show with all of Jack McCoy's righteous indignation. He also, if you've never seen it, did a Hell of a job as 'Young Mister Lincoln' back in the day.

[jenniferfaulhaber]

When Jerry Orbach died, I felt like a member of my family had died.

[extremeconcepts]

Lenny (Jerry) was Law and Order - he is the most "associated" character from the series and well loved..jack mccoy was pretty much there also

[myamyack]

Sam waterston is great as Jack Mc Coy, my favorite caracter and very convincing interpretation, his french voicer is very talented too.

[cherylmaclean]

I went to high school with Jill Hennessy near Toronto. She has an identical sister name Jacqueline. She will always be my favourite as a result. Gotta support her.

[sherrydrake]

Jack McCoy and Lenny Brisco are the best charactors.

[redcarpeteater]

We watched law and order so much, my kids thought it had it's own channel.

[jkk]

Jerry Orbach was great. Dennis Farina was a close second. Also lots of love for Steven Hill.

[charflynn]

I have read that they let go of Chris Noth/Mike Logan because they thought the characters of Briscoe and Logan were too similar. They wanted a character who contrasted more with Briscoe, which is why they wrote Curtis the way they did (Latino, family man, serious, good with computers).

[GeneralTsaosKitty]

I love VanBuren. She is such a presence in this show.

[WilliamHBaird-eqhp]

THE BEST: Lennie Briscoe (Actor Jerry Orbach)

[gaminawulfsdottir]

My favorite line in the entire franchise was in Criminal Intent when Katherine Erbe deadpanned the Sherlock Holmes reference to Vincent D'Onofrio, "I didn't know you had an even geekier older brother."

[geoffreybrockmeier]

Law & Order and Star Trek: The Next Generation are two shows where nearly every episode I find myself saying, "Hey, it's that guy!"