We'll always remember these beloved actors for their roles on our favorite TV comedies,
but they had to move on with their lives and start families, find new sources of income,
or just leave the public eye. Here are the real reasons you don't hear from these sitcom
stars anymore.
Michael C. Maronna is best known as Big Pete from The Adventures of Pete & Pete, one of
the most acclaimed and surreal kids' shows ever made. The narrator and the closest thing
the show had to a "voice of reason," Big Pete is fondly remembered by a generation of Nick
fans.
"You know the feeling you get after you hear your favorite song for the first time? All
you wanna do is play it again and again. So it stays stuck in your head forever."
Maronna himself went on to star in several Ameritrade commercials as Stuart, ads that
anyone around then will tell you were inescapable.
Maronna has sparsely acted since 2004, and with good reason, he's now behind the camera
and is one of the most prominent on-set electricians in Hollywood. He attended Purchase College
and studied filmmaking. Since then he's worked on shows like Elementary, Jessica Jones, Luke
Cage, Blue Bloods, and The Deuce. If you watched a Marvel show on Netflix, you've probably
seen Maronna's work.
Maronna also co-hosts a podcast called The Adventures of Danny and Mike with Pete & Pete
co-Pete Danny Tamberelli, where they look back on their days and, quote, "wander out
into the world in search of their next great adventure."
Anyone raised on a steady diet of '90s Nickelodeon remembers Kel Mitchell's All That characters
like Good Burger cashier Ed or snakebit Coach Kreeton. Even more remember his turn as the
dimwitted Kel Kimble on Kenan & Kel. But while Kenan Thompson soared to new heights and remains
a television fixture almost three decades later, Kel faded away. The contrast was so
stark that a rumor about him being dead circulated during the MySpace days. What happened? Turns
out he's doing fine.
"Hey, hey. Hey, I'm here, what's up? Where the swimsuit models at?"
Kenan and Kel, as themselves, both tried out for Saturday Night Live at the same time.
Only Kenan got the call. Kel then focused on making smaller movies, still did guest
spots on TV, including various newer Nick shows like Sam & Cat, and started a family.
He's since reunited with Kenan a few times, including doing a Good Burger reunion on the
Tonight Show and as executive producers on the All That reboot. But his main focus has
been his faith.
Kel is a deeply religious man. He worked with his church ministry for years before becoming
a licensed pastor for Spirit Food Christian Center in December 2019. He's also had parts
in several Christian movies, including She Is Not My Sister. He also had a part in a
true rite of passage: a guest spot on Dancing with the Stars, where he finished second.
Kel never gets upset hearing about his past projects, though. They were an integral part
of his life. In his own words:
"Even though Will Smith has done I Am Legend and all these other great films...you still
love him for Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
Hilary Banks is best summed up by the phrase:
"Dad, I need $300."
The fashionable spoiled brat with no common sense, the role of Hilary made actress Karyn
Parsons one of the most recognizable actresses of the '90s. The recognition carried Parsons
until the new millennium, at which point the roles dried up and she disappeared from our
screens. But she never went away, she just changed direction.
With so few roles for African-American women in the '90s, Parsons found herself rejected
or passed over often. Her career faltering and in need of a change of scenery, Parsons
moved to New York. She met filmmaker Alexandre Rockwell and married him in 2003. They had
a daughter that same year and a son in 2007. These events changed her priorities. No longer
having the time to pursue auditions and memorize lines while taking care of kids, she turned
her focus to writing.
In 2005, she founded Sweet Blackberry, an organization dedicated to teaching children
about little known parts of African-American history. It's since produced many animated
short films with A-list voice talent. She also published a book, How High the Moon,
in 2019, based on stories about her mother's experiences in the Jim Crow-era south. Originally
worried about what her daughter would learn in school, she's used her talents to shape
the conversation and make sure children know their history.
Taran Noah Smith played Mark Taylor, the youngest son of Tim and Jill Taylor on Home Improvement.
The sensitive boy turned proto-goth turned sensitive boy again was a stark contrast to
his more rambunctious brothers, and the role made Smith stand out as an actor.
But while Smith's life after child stardom isn't exactly dark and depressing, it is...unusual.
Smith quit acting after Home Improvement ended, no longer interested in performing after it
consumed his entire childhood. He then briefly became tabloid fodder, partly because he married
a woman 16 years his senior while he was 17, and partly because he was suing his parents
after claiming they mishandled his trust fund. Years later, he chalked this up to a misunderstanding
and reconciled with his parents.
These days, Smith has an eclectic assortment of jobs and hobbies. He's an installation
artist around the country at festivals and museums, which includes a floating art gallery
he built himself. He did disaster relief work in the Philippines for half a year in 2014.
In December 2017, he temporarily moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, and helped with recovery
from Hurricane Harvey. Most recently, he's been teaching people how to pilot submarines.
He's a member of the Community Submersibles Project, an organization based out of Berkley,
California, that gives members of the public hands-on training in submarines.
Amanda Bearse is best known for her turn as Marcy Rhodes D'Arcy on Married...with Children.
The radical feminist neighbor of the Bundy clan, the best friend of Peg, and the nemesis
of Al, Marcy was a mainstay of a popular show.
"You're so lucky. Even though yours is about as desirable as shredded wheat without the
milk, at least he's cheap to keep."
Bearse herself made headlines in 1993 when she came out as gay in an era where that was
a rarity for high profile celebrities. Since Married...with Children ended, though, Bearse
was seldom seen in front of a camera. Why? Because she stepped behind the camera.
Realizing that Marcy would always be a secondary character, Bearse decided to broaden her horizons
by trying her hand at directing. She turned out to have a talent for it and directed upwards
of 30 episodes of Married. When the show ended, so did her acting career, so she could focus
on directing.
She went on to direct episodes of Dharma & Greg, Reba, and MADtv. She also directed The Big
Gay Sketch Show on Logo, which was the launchpad for Kate McKinnon's career. Bearse took a
break from the industry to raise her daughter; after returning, directed the web series Skirtchasers
and made her New York theater debut in the off-Broadway play Party Face in 2018.
Angus T. Jones first came to public attention as Jake Harper, the "half" of the titular
Two and a Half Men. His later time on the show was marked by off-set controversy, most
notably involvement in a controversial religious movement and calling the show he worked on,
quote, "filth."
"Two and a Half Men, if you watch Two and a Half Men, please stop watching Two and a
Half Men. I'm on Two and a Half Men, I don't want to be on it. Please stop watching it."
He later apologized, left the show, and came back for the finale. After all that, he's
mostly vanished. What's he been doing since then? Trying his best to live a normal life.
Jones went to college at the University of Colorado at Boulder and enjoyed his time away
from the spotlight. He distanced himself from organized religion, noting that he got, quote,
"pretty doomsday with my thinking" and was happy moving away from that. He slowly made
his way back to acting on his own terms, including starring in Louis C.K.'s internet-based sitcom
Horace and Pete.
In 2016, Jones joined forces with Justin Combs, son of Sean Combs, to create Tonite, an entertainment
and event company, which has a minimal web presence and seems to have gone out of business.
More than anything, though, he seems to enjoy living life on his own terms. He spends time
with his younger brother Otto, doing his own projects at his own pace. He's yet to rule
out a return to the screen, but it's fully understandable that after spending his entire
childhood on a set he'd need some time to himself.
Saved by the Bell: The New Class never had the cache or fanbase of the original show,
even though it ran longer. Lindsey McKeon was one of the stars of the show as swimmer
and goody-two-shoes Katie Peterson, who transferred to Bayside in season 4 and stayed until the
end. She later went on to star on Guiding Light as Marah Lewis and appeared in eight
episodes of One Tree Hill.
McKeon still acts, most notably in the recurring role of Tessa on Supernatural, but also spends
a lot of her time on other ventures. Specifically, she's spent the last few years off and on
as a lifestyle blogger. Her now-defunct website, EVOLVE by Lindsey, presented itself as:
"Somewhere to gather advice about health & wellness, diet, lifestyle, and relationships."
She's also good friends with Chris Evans, with whom she starred on the short-lived teen
show Opposite Sex. He gave a testimonial for her on her website and was interviewed by
her on her YouTube channel.
Jon Lajoie carved out a career as a comedy musician before landing on The League as Taco
MacArthur. The perpetually stoned, scheming, and songwriting Taco was arguably the most
popular character on the show. From the Birthday Song to the Mall Krampus to the EBDB, Lajoie
as Taco was responsible for some of the most memorable moments on the show.
So why hasn't he been on our screens since The League wrapped? Because he's gone back
to making music.
Lajoie still released his own music while on The League, and after the show ended in
2015 he made it his full-time gig. He started performing serious folk rock music in 2016
under the name Wolfie's Just Fine, named after a line from Terminator 2.
"Wolfie's fine, honey. Wolfie's just fine. Where are you?"
He released two albums under this new moniker by 2018.
Lajoie isn't just making, in his own words, quote, "terribly unfunny music." He also wrote
several of the songs on the soundtrack for The Lego Movie 2. This includes the acclaimed
tune "Catchy Song," which was the end result of listening to a lot of Katy Perry, K-pop,
and songs produced by Max Martin.
Mimi Bobeck was arguably the most iconic character on The Drew Carey Show. Drew's big, bossy,
brash work nemesis was one of the most recognizable characters of the '90s and early 2000s. Kathy
Kinney, the actress who played her, received much attention for the role, enhanced by her
occasional appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway? in the rotating chair.
Since The Drew Carey Show ended, though, Kinney has become scarce. Worry not, though, she's
still using her powers for good.
She now plays the character of Mrs. P on the website of the same name. The character, in
contrast to her most famous role, is friendly and helpful. She reads classic children's
literature to kids watching online. Kinney is proud of the role and her part in promoting
literacy, noting:
"I think that everything I am, I owe to reading."
Kinney has also written three books, including Queen of Your Own Life: The Grown-Up Woman's
Guide to Claiming Happiness and Getting the Life You Deserve.
Though she's mostly moved on from the role of Mimi, she donned the makeup again for a
few appearances on The Price Is Right. Mimi showed up as the new producer of the show,
tormenting host Drew Carey, the real Drew Carey at that.
Lori Beth Denberg is best remembered for her time dispensing vital information on All That,
but she also had a recurring role on The Steve Harvey Show from 1998 to 2002. She played
Lydia, the socially inept overachiever and the foil to main characters Romeo and Bullethead.
Outside of a brief appearance in Dodgeball, though, she hasn't done much acting since.
That's because, in addition to touring the nostalgia circuit, she's picked up a few new
sources of income.
"I wanna get into the other side of the business."
These days, Denberg spends much of her time officiating weddings. What started as a joke
between her and a friend turned into a lucrative business. Denberg says on her site:
"I do personalized, quirky weddings, vow renewals, and commitment ceremonies for couples looking
for something a little different, a little less sterile, and a little more fun."
Between 2012 and 2018 alone she officiated 20 weddings.
She's also on tour with the All That edition of Nostalgia Personified, a show that looks
back on '90s Nick shows from the perspective of Denberg, Danny Tamerilli, and Michael C.
Maronna. The show began touring in the fall of 2019, and it's a good way to catch more
than a few people you might not have seen on TV in a while.
Andrea Elson was on one-season-wonder Whiz Kids before landing her most iconic role as
Lynn Tanner on ALF. One of the titular Alf's best friends and the only daughter of the
Tanner clan, Lynn was a popular character on a popular series. Then Elson disappeared
from the entertainment business. Where did she go? Melmac? Nope, much closer, you can
find her teaching in a California yoga studio.
Elson was introduced to yoga in 1993 by her future sister-in-law and fell in love with
it. She started taking training courses and soon left Hollywood behind to focus entirely
on family and yoga instruction. She spent years training and opened Grass Valley Yoga
in Grass Valley, California. She told SLO TV that she sold it circa 2014 when she moved
to Pismo Beach and opened what is now called Yoga Village at Arroyo Grande. Currently doing
business under the name Annie Hopper, she's clearly put Lynn behind her, beach yoga is
probably a better gig than acting anyway.
DeLane Matthews played Beth, the wife of the titular character on Dave's World. Based on
the writing of Miami Herald humor columnist Dave Barry, Dave's World was a minor ratings
success, floating around the top 20 early on and lasting for four seasons. The show
went off the air in 1997 and is mostly forgotten today, with most of the cast staying out of
show business afterwards. Not Matthews, though, who soldiered on Hollywood for years to come
despite health issues.
"Will you stop trying to top me? You're not sicker than I am!"
Matthews dealt with a series of TV show cancellations, one right after the other, before landing
Dave's World. After Dave's World went off the air, she had regular guest spots on various
TV shows, ranging from The Shield to Saving Grace. She also had a recurring role on General
Hospital from 2002 to 2003.
Matthews' career ended in 2015. She was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 13 and dealt with
it throughout her career. She had over eight surgeries to the point where her spine is
encased in titanium. She also deals with Hashimoto Thyroid disease and Post Traumatic Stress.
All things considered, though, she seems to be doing okay. In her own words:
"I loved being an actress and thought my career was my identity. It wasn't. It isn't. I've
been disabled since July 1, 2015. That isn't who I am, either."
Zachary Ty Bryan played Brad Taylor, the oldest and most rambunctious son on Home Improvement.
Though Brad frequently got in trouble, once famously caught smoking weed, Bryan himself
lived a normal life and did pretty well for himself. Years after the series ended and
he left the public eye, though, he's still making a name for himself as a filmmaker and
as an investor.
Bryan also continued to act, including an appearance in The Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift,
before changing his focus in 2009. He founded his own production company, and moved from
in front of the camera to behind it. He started by producing several horror movies, including
Rogue River and Prowl. He recently retooled his focus and released more popular and acclaimed
movies, like 2018's The Kindergarten Teacher starring Maggie Gyllenhall, which competed
at Sundance and was sold to Netflix.
Bryan is also a cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiast. He produced a movie about it called
BIT X BIT: In Bitcoin We Trust. He's a core investor in Decentric Media, a digital news
network dedicated entirely to decentralized content. Additionally, he's the co-founder
of Producer's Market, a company attempting to streamline food distribution between producers
and buyers using blockchain technology.
Ian Lithghow had a recurring role on 3rd Rock From The Sun as Leon, one of the oblivious
students in Dick Solomon's physics class.
"No, I'm sorry Leon. You're wrong."
No, his last name is not a coincidence, he's the son of Dick Solomon himself, John Lithgow.
Ian appeared in 48 episodes of the sitcom but was seldom seen on TV again. He's still
acting, but away from screens and cameras, and balances another important job with it.
Ian graduated from Harvard like his father and acted for several years, including his
turn on 3rd Rock. During this time, he acted in playhouses across the country, from Manhattan
to Chicago to Pasadena. In 2005 he got his masters degree in clinical psychology from
Antioch University Los Angeles, and then worked as a therapist in New York City.
He moved to Philadelphia in 2011 after his wife Rachel, a notable name in Jewish scholarship
and nonprofit management, got a job as the executive director of the Philadelphia Holocaust
Remembrance Foundation. As he told ContentDelaware, he's used this time to take a break from his
time as a therapist and resume stage acting. One such production was a performance of The
Outgoing Tide with Peter Strauss and Michael Learned.
He has since relocated back to New York and resumed his therapy practice. So if you're
in the big city and want to see a big play and then talk about your feelings after, there's
at least a 50/50 chance you'll see him one way or the other!
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