The Most Cursed Shows In TV history

Most series on TV portray characters with scripted problems, however sometimes those lines can blur into reality. 

In the 75-year history of television, many stars have been involved in dramas out in public, and sometimes it involved more than one cast member from a show.

This leads the show to gaining a "Cursed" label for its run of bad luck, while airing or in the years following.

Here are some TV shows from different eras that are considered “cursed."

Glee (2009 - 2015)

The musical by Ryan Murphy experienced its fair share of tragedies including the deaths of three stars; Cory Monteith, Mark Salling, and Naya Rivera.

There has also been some controversial onset behaviour by Lea Michele.

Cory played Finn Hudson for four seasons, and admitted himself into a treatment facility for substance abuse in March 2013.

On July 13th, 2013, he passed away in a hotel room in Vancouver at the age of 31. His cause of death was ruled an accidental overdose of heroin and alcohol.

Mark played Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, and was accused of sexual battery in 2011 by an ex-girlfriend. He counter-sued for defamation.

He settled out of court, agreeing to pay $2.7 million. Fast forward to December 2015, he was arrest on suspicion of possessing child pornography. 

He was charged in May 2016, pleading guilt in September 2017. That following January, he died by suicide after hanging himself near his home.

Naya, played Santana Lopez, and dated Mark from 2008 to 2010.

She was 33 years old on July 8th, 2020 when she accidentally drowned in Lake Piru in California.

He 4 year old son Josey was found alone, and asleep in their rented boat, telling autorities his mother wasn't wearing a life jacket. 

Her body was found five days later, and there was no evidence of intoxication.

Lea played Rachel Berry on the show, and was dating Cory at the time of his death.

In June 2020, Samantha Marie Ware (a Glee costar) accused her of bullying on the set during season 6. 

These claims were later backed up by costars Heather Morris, Alex Newell, Amber Riley, and Lindsay Pearce. 

Lea apologised and said her actions were "insensitive or inappropriate” and she was “unnecessarily difficult” to the people she worked with. 

In 2022, she took over from Beanie Feldstein to star on Broadway in 'Funny Girl' and played the lead role until the show closed in early September.

Diff’rent Strokes (1978 - 1986)

The sitcom is about two kids from Harlem taken in by a wealthy businessman and his daughter. Following its cancellation after eight seasons, it saw its share of tragedy,

Todd Bridges, who played Willis Jackson, began smoking pot while starring in the series.

In his 20s, he descended into crack cocaine and meth addictions.

In 1989, he was arrested and charged with the attempted murder of an LA drug dealer, and was later acquitted after it was proven he wasn't at the scene. 

In 1992, he was arrested in California, after authorities discovered methamphetamines and a loaded gun in his car. 

He was released on bail and stopped using drugs the next year. In 2008, he wrote a tell-all memoir.

Dana Plato was fired from 'Diff’rent Strokes' in 1984 after giving birth to a son at the age of 20.

She also battled personal issues and was eventually welcomed back in a recurring role.

She had trouble finding work following her stint on the show, and in 1989, posed for Playboy, and appeared in a string of B-movies.

In 1991 she robbed a video store, and the next year, forged a prescription for diazepam. 

In May 1999, she passed away in Oklahoma after she took hydrocodone and a muscle relaxant. She was parked outside her fiancé’s mother’s house. She was 34.

Her death was ruled a suicide due to her history of drug abuse, however some disagreed.

Gary Coleman played Arnold Jackson and suffered from kidney disease which stunted his growth.

In 1998, he was charged with assaulting a fan at a mall. He filed for bankruptcy in 1999.

In 2009, he underwent heart surgery, and in 2010, he fell down a flight of stairs and hit his head, suffering a brain hemorrhage. 

He was taken to hospital, and appeared to be recovering when his condition worsened and he was put on life support, He passed away on May 27th, 2010 at the age of 42.

Family Affair (1966 - 1971)

This sitcom followed bachelor Bill Davis, who was tasked with caring for his bother's children who were orphaned. 

In his New York apartment, with the help of Mr. French, he looked after Cissy, Buffy and Jody for five seasons.

In 1976, Anissa Jones was found dead at age 18 after a party in California. 

Her death was ruled as an accidental overdose from cocaine, PCP, Quaaludes and Seconal. 

She was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

Brian Keith died by suicide in 1997 at the age of 75, two months after the suicide of his daughter, Daisy.

Adventures of Superman (1952 - 1958)

George Reeves, a successful Hollywood actor, starred in the titular role, proving popular, becoming one of TVs early syndicated hits.

However, it was cancelled in 1958, and didn't make Reeves a rich man. 

To this day, his death is shrouded with mystery, after dying from a gunshot wound to the head, at the age of 45, between the hours of 1:30 and 2:30AM, at his home, while a party happened downstairs.

Details were murky, and his death was ruled a suicide. However, for many years, this has been disputed by many, with some suspecting his fiancée, Leonore Lemmon. 

His life and death inspired the 2006 movie 'Hollywoodland' which stars Ben Affleck.

Our Gang ('The Little Rascals,' 1922 - 1944)

This series wasn't produced for TV but it is loved by generations.

It was a series of shorts, filmed over 22 years, featuring a large cast of child actors, including Carl Switzer as Alfalfa, George McFarland as Spanky, Matthew Beard as Stymie, Norman Chaney as Chubby, Darla Hood as Darla, and Billie Thomas as Buckwheat.

Mickey Gubitosi was also a cast member, and was acquitted of murdering his wife in 2001.

Carl Switzer bounced around Hollywood in the intervening years, appearing in small roles in movies and television. 

He married and divorced, and in 1958, was shot in the arm while getting into his car outside a bar.

Later that year, he was arrested for illegally cutting down 15 pine trees and was sentenced to one year’s probation.

In 1959 he was hired by friend Bud Stiltz to train his Treeing Walker Coonhound, who eventually went missing. 

The dog was located, but it caused friction between the two over money. 

When Switzer drove to Stiltz’s house for a confrontation, he was shot in the groin and died on the way to a hospital. He was 31 years old. The shooting was determined to be self-defense.

Norman Chaney moved back to Baltimore after leaving, continued to gain weight and eventually reached 300 pounds despite a normal diet and regular exercise. 

It was discovered he had a glandular condition and he underwent treatment, dropping down to less than 140 pounds. 

The rapid weight loss put stress on his body and he died from a heart ailment in 1936 at the age of 21.

Matthew Beard left 'The Little Rascals' at the age of 10 and retired from acting when he entered high school. 

He descended into drug use, became addicted to heroin, lived on the streets for a while and was in and out of jail. 

He entered a drug rehab program in Los Angeles in the early 1960s and kicked his drug habit.

He then appeared in small TV roles including 'Sanford and Son,' 'Maude' and 'The Jeffersons.'

He suffered a stroke and fell down a flight of stairs just before his 56th birthday and died of pneumonia in January 1981.

Robert Hutchins, who played Weezer, was in the Army Air Corps in 1945 and died trying to land his plane during a training exercise. He was 19 years old.

William Laughlin (Froggy) was rear-ended and killed by a truck while delivering newspapers on his motor scooter. He was 16 years old.

Scott Becket (Scotty) descended into alcohol and drug abuse, had two failed marriages, a history of violence and many run-ins with the law. 

In 1968, he checked into a Hollywood nursing home after getting beaten up and died two days later at the age of 38. 

A suicide note and a bottle of pills were found by his bedside, however his cause of death was never officially confirmed.