‘Roseanne’ Pays Tribute to Deceased Former Cast Member Glenn Quinn
As the weeks go by and more Roseanne episodes air, the whereabouts of some characters continue to be revealed. In Mark Healy’s case, he’s been dead since the pilot, but that’s only because Glenn Quinn, the actor who portrayed him in the original series, passed away in 2002.
Quinn’s character Mark was Becky’s (Lecy Goranson) boyfriend and later husband on the series. In this week’s episode, “Eggs Over, Not Easy,” the show acknowledges his absence more directly, and Becky voices her sorrow over his loss after a life-altering discovery.
As fans know, the second Becky (Sarah Chalke) was introduced in the reboot as Andrea, who is seeking a surrogate—Becky’s the one who volunteers. Yet during some tests in this week’s episode, she learns that she’s unable to have children herself. The unanticipated news forces Becky to open up to her sister Darlene (Sara Gilbert).
“My life wasn’t supposed to turn out like this,” Becky confides to her sister. “Mark and I were gonna have kids,” she reveals.
“What?” Darlene exclaims.
“Yeah,” Becky answers.
Glenn Quinn’s photo can be seen to the right on the table behind Lecy Goranson and Sara Gilbert.
As the conversation progresses, and Darlene shares that she thought her sister didn’t want kids, Becky drops a devastating truth bomb, “No, I just never met anyone after who I wanted to have them with.”
“You never meet anybody, or you never try to meet anybody?” Darlene asks.
“No, I just never met anybody as good,” she replies.
This revelation makes Becky’s news all the more sorrowful, but when Roseanne (Barr) intervenes, she gives Becky some hope, pointing out that she had a baby in her forties. Despite the serious tone, it’s clear how much Quinn meant to the cast, as his photo is included on the table behind Roseanne‘s infamous couch.
Lecy Goranson and Roseanne Barr in “Eggs Over, Not Easy.”
At the end of the episode, a tribute to Quinn was displayed.
A tribute to Glenn Quinn at the end of tonight’s episode of #Roseanne.#RIP @therealroseanne pic.twitter.com/5eau2b1e7U
— William Davis (@davis1988will) April 11, 2018
Actor Michael Fishman, who plays D.J., extended the tribute on social media, sharing a photo of Quinn’s headstone. The actor revealed that the photo of Quinn’s grave is on-set behind the scenes.
Glenn and family are frequently on my mind. We put his picture in the hallway we pass each day.
After my #Roseanne press tour today drove down and visited him.
As long as @RoseanneOnABC is on Glenn Quinn is part of it.
I’ll always honor him and the Quinn family in my work pic.twitter.com/0JgsB2L1Fe
— Michael Fishman (@ReelMFishman) April 11, 2018
A touching tribute, Quinn’s character lives on through Darlene and David’s (Johnny Galecki) son, who is named Mark in his honor—David was Mark’s brother on the show.
Quinn passed away five years after the original finale due to an accidental drug overdose.
Roseanne, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC
