The Real Reason These '90s TV Characters Were Recast

Growing up in the 1990s meant that TV lovers had the opportunity to watch and experience some of the greatest shows of all time. From critically acclaimed sitcoms like "Frasier" to groundbreaking dramas like "Law & Order," there was no shortage of amazing television to watch. And with those great shows came several iconic characters, some of which were played by multiple people because the actor who originated the part was recast.

As much as we love certain actors and actresses on these shows, there's never a guarantee that they'll stick around for the entire series run. This can be because of behind-the-scenes shenanigans with producers or network executives, the actors getting better opportunities or having previous commitments with other projects, or real life simply getting in the way. Here is a rundown of nine memorable characters from several '90s television shows that were recast with different actors, and the various rumors and reasons as to why they left these shows in the first place.

One of the major plotlines of the first season of "Friends" is Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) struggling with love after his first wife, Carol Willick, comes out of the closet and divorces him. Though he finds hope in the return of his high school crush Rachel Greene (Jennifer Aniston), Ross' world turns upside down yet again when he finds out that Carol is pregnant with his child in the second episode of the series. Despite his initial hesitation over raising a child with his ex-wife, especially considering the tense relationship he has with Carol's new partner Susan (Jessica Hecht), the trio end up putting aside their differences once baby Ben (Cole Sprouse) is born at the end of the season.

Carol, Susan, and Ben all become major fixtures in Ross' life from that point on, with Carol appearing across seven seasons. When Carol first appears on the show, she is played by Anita Barone. However, Barone left the part in order to pursue a career in film and was replaced by Jane Sibbett, who would go on to play Carol for the rest of her character's appearances.

A television character can change a lot between seasons — sometimes because young actors age quickly, but sometimes as the result of a change in casting. This was the case for Morgan Matthews, the younger sister of Cory Matthews from the family sitcom "Boy Meets World." During the show's first two seasons, Morgan is portrayed by Lily Nicksay, a sweet little girl who gets into her own misadventures in the background. But in Season 3, Morgan disappears for several episodes before reappearing as an entirely new person. Now portrayed by Lindsay Ridgeway, Morgan is much more vocal and antagonistic towards her brother.

While never explicitly stated, Nicksay's departure from "Boy Meets World" came as a "mutual agreement" between her parents and the producers, implying that she chose to leave the show at a young age. But despite leaving, Nicksay continued to act after "Boy Meets World." She has appeared in crime dramas like "The Mentalist" and "NCIS," as well as films such as "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle." Ridgeway, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have done much acting since the show ended, although both Morgans appear together in an episode of "Girl Meets World."

"Seinfeld" is filled with several memorable side characters. But one of the greatest is Frank Costanza, the father of George Costanza. Most people know Frank as being portrayed by Jerry Stiller, who was also known for his equally memorable role as Arthur Spooner on "The King of Queens." Stiller played Frank for over 20 episodes of "Seinfeld," but he wasn't the first person to play the character.

When Frank first appeared in the fourth season, he was originally portrayed by John Randolph. Randolph was not the first choice of show creator Larry David, who had previously called on Stiller to play the part. But Stiller declined, and Randolph was chosen instead when the character debuted. It wasn't until much later that Stiller eventually agreed to play the part, and fans were gifted with all the hilarious interactions between George and his father. The most interesting aspect about Stiller's casting as Frank is that Randolph's scenes from Frank's original appearance were reshot when the show went into syndication.

The British comedy series "Keeping Up Appearances" follows Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge) as a middle-class woman who constantly strives to gain the acceptance of the upper class. Her efforts include deliberately mispronouncing her last name to make it sound fancier and hosting elaborate parties to fool her neighbors into thinking she is a member of their world. Her attempts to appear more like an upper-class woman are constantly thwarted by others, including her own husband and family. In addition to having a father who constantly embarrasses her, Hyacinth has two sisters, Daisy and Rose. Daisy, a happy-go-lucky character with a slob for a husband, is portrayed by Judy Cornwell.

The character of Rose, a man-chaser known for wearing provocative outfits, is played by actress Shirley Stelfox in the show's first series. But when the show returned for a second series, Stelfox already had prior commitments to other projects that meant she was not able to continue playing the character of Rose. She was replaced by another actress, Mary Millar, who would portray Rose for the remainder of the show.