“Stargate SG-1” aired between 1997 and 2007 for 10 seasons (followed by two TV movies) and went through several cast changes during its run, including the departure of one of the show’s stars, Richard Dean Anderson. His reason for leaving was understandable: he exited to spend more time with his family. Working on the series in Vancouver, Canada, took Anderson away from his newborn child not long after the series launched in 1997. So after eight years, Anderson decided it was time to hang up his fatigues and take a desk job.

When he joined “Stargate,” Anderson didn’t have any children. But by Season 2, Anderson was the proud father of his daughter, Wylie Quinn Annarose Anderson. He wanted to be present for Wylie (now grown up and an actor and director herself) as much as he could, but continued working on “SG-1” and “Stargate: Atlantis” well into the early 2000s. Finally, Anderson decided it was time to take a step back, so his character, Colonel Jack O’Neill, was promoted in Season 9 to the rank of Brigadier General. That allowed him to remain on the show in a guest star capacity while reducing his need to commute between Los Angeles and Vancouver.

While there are many reasons why actors left the “Stargate” franchise, Anderson’s decision was a long time coming. Another reason why Anderson decided he’d had enough was his age and health. While he wasn’t in poor health, he’d already had back and foot surgeries alongside a wonky knee when he took the “SG-1” job.

Richard Dean Anderson is the kind of actor people always know from one project. For some, it’s “MacGyver,” but for “Stargate: SG-1” fans, it’s his stint as Colonel Jack O’Neill. Anderson wasn’t initially interested in the part, but joined the cast of “Stargate” when he was given an offer he couldn’t refuse. The show’s executive producer, Michael Greenburg, told him he could do whatever he wanted with the character while also giving him a 44-episode commitment, convincing Anderson to sign up for the series. 

In many ways, while there were essentially four main characters in “Stargate: SG-1,” Jack O’Neill was the heart and soul of the show. He was the leader of SG-1 and was front and center on everything that happened throughout the series’ first eight seasons. Even though Kurt Russell originated the character in the 1994 movie that spawned the franchise, “Stargate” fans came to embrace Anderson in the role. Anderson provided a more humorous take on O’Neill than Kurt Russell did in the film, one of the reasons fans continued to watch his adventures for years.