ABC’s “NYPD Blue” was a game-changer for cop shows, but its meteoric rise was briefly threatened by the exit of its leading man, David Caruso, who played Detective John Kelly. Caruso, who won a Golden Globe for the show’s first season, left four episodes into Season 2 and was later replaced by Jimmy Smits as Detective Bobby Simone. Rumors flew about Caruso’s abrupt exit, but it wasn’t until years later that details emerged. In his 2016 memoir “Truth is a Total Defense” (via The Hollywood Reporter), “NYPD Blue” co-creator Steven Bochco called Caruso’s on-set behavior “cancerous.” The TV mega-producer also wrote that his leading man was “emotionally unavailable to everyone, and he was volatile, moody or sullen, depending on the day.” Bochco theorized that Caruso “felt he was too good for television,” and so “his plan was to alienate the writers, producers and his fellow castmates in hopes that we would dump him from the show.”

Caruso reportedly wanted his salary bumped from $40,000 to $100,000 per episode, and that was just the first of many demands his lawyer made during a heated meeting. According to Bochco’s book, after pushing for $100,000 an episode for his client, the lawyer rattled off a list of further demands: “Two, Fridays off. Three, a 38-foot trailer. Four, an office suite on the lot, replete with his own development executive, for whom we had to foot the bill to the tune of $1,000 a week. Five, two hotel suites in New York when the company went there on location, plus a dozen first-class plane tickets. And lastly, Caruso had to have additional security to shield him from his adoring public.” Needless to say, these demands were not met.

David Caruso had something of a movie career before signing onto “NYPD Blue,” appearing in small roles in such films as “An Officer and a Gentleman,” “First Blood,” “Twins,” “King of New York,” and “Hudson Hawk.” So it’s little wonder he would want to return to the big screen after shooting to leading man status on the small one. If nothing else, the pay was certainly appealing: He reportedly pocketed $1 million for his top-billed role in Barbet Schroeder’s noir thriller “Kiss of Death,” co-starring with Nicolas Cage. This was one of two movies that Caruso fronted after leaving “NYPD Blue,” the other being the erotic thriller “Jade,” directed by Oscar-winner William Friedkin (“The French Connection”) and penned by powerhouse screenwriter Joe Eszterhas (“Basic Instinct”).

Despite the talent involved, “Jade” was, simply put, a disaster. Filled with gruesome violence and graphic sex scenes, it stars Caruso as a New York Assistant District Attorney investigating a murder that might involve his ex-lover (Linda Fiorentino). A box office bomb, it was reviled by critics and nominated for two Razzie awards, including worst new star for Caruso (shared with “Kiss of Death,” released the same year). Caruso’s movie career never recovered, and by the time the 2000s rolled around, he was receiving fifth billing in the Meg Ryan/Russell Crowe thriller “Proof of Life.” With little choice, Caruso quietly returned to television. He later admitted that he made a mistake by rocking the boat on “NYPD Blue.” He told The Hollywood Reporter: “Young actors sometimes do very dumb things. I was no exception.”

After failing to make an impact on the big screen, David Caruso returned to television, albeit in fits and starts at first. After starring in the short-lived legal drama “Michael Hayes” and the TV movies “Gold Coast” and “Deadlocked,” Caruso landed the lead role in “CSI: Miami.” A spin-off of the popular CBS procedural “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” it centers on a Miami police investigative team lead by Caruso’s Lieutenant Horatio Caine. He appeared in all 232 episodes of “CSI: Miami” and even popped up on a cross-over episode of “CSI: NY,” fully embracing his role and the world of Horatio Caine. The series went off the air after 10 seasons in 2012, and Caruso decided to quit acting for good.

Like some other cast members, Caruso pursued new interests after “CSI: Miami.” Having filmed for a decade in Miami, he decided to settle there and open his own clothing and home furnishings boutique, “Steam On Sunset,” combining his passion for art with fashion. “Love it here,” he said of Miami after making it his permanent home, adding that he will not miss the “cynical, hardcore energy” of Los Angeles. According to Midland Daily News, he and wife live in a South Beach condominium worth a million dollars. Considering how much money he likely earned during his decade fronting “CSI: Miami” (he’s said to have a net worth of around $25 million), he can easily afford it. Quitting acting for good was a bold move, but Caruso is seemingly very content living the laid-back, beachside life in Florida.