Biggest Behind-the-Scenes TV Scandals

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

Before YouTube, camera phones and celebreality-TV, the best Hollywood catfights, feuds and fracases happened behind the scenes. Some of the most salacious scandals were never caught on camera, but their fallout is the stuff of legend. We dig deep -- from before the advent of the Internet and since -- to name our picks for TV's top 20 off-screen scandals of all time. <i>-- By Marilyn Beck, Stacy Jenel Smith, Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster</i>

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

20. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/shannen-doherty/19482/main' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Shannen Doherty's</font></a> Fired, Then Quits

The <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/beverly-hills-90210/62628/main" target="_blank">'Beverly Hills, 90210'</a> cast and crew were ready to move to a new ZIP code before Doherty's co-star conflicts and perpetual lateness reportedly prompted her firing in 1994. Four years later, she played a witch both on screen and off in <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/charmed/246544/main" target="_blank">'Charmed,'</a> eventually quitting the show due to an alleged feud with co-star <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/alyssa-milano/49075" target="_blank">Alyssa Milano</a>.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

19. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/bob-barker/3941' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Bob Barker</font></a> Faces Harassment Charges

When Barker's Beauty Dian Parkinson filed an $8 million sexual harassment suit against the <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/the-price-is-right/62979/main' target='_blank'>'Price Is Right'</a> host in 1993, it turned a family-friendly game show into a steamy behind-the-scenes soap. Although she ultimately dropped her lawsuit, others followed as various employees alleged a variety of grievances. Barker went on to host the popular show till his '07 retirement.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

18. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/delta-burke/9604' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Delta Burke</font></a> vs. <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/designing-women/228022/main' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>'Designing Women'</font></a>

The backstage feud between 'Designing Women' star Burke and the show's producers went public after the actress vented to <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/barbara-walters/74502' target='_blank'>Barbara Walters</a> on camera, claiming that producer Harry Thomason "screamed and yelled" and "threw things." Burke was voted off the show in '91 via an on-the-set poll of castmates and crew.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

17. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/jessica-biel/222949' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Jessica Biel's</font></a> Racy Photo Spread

Fans of <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/7th-heaven/103469/main" target="_blank">'7th Heaven'</a> prayed for her soul -- and for the show to continue -- after 17-year-old Biel posed for racy photos in Gear magazine in the hope of getting out of her contract. Although she achieved her goal in 2000, she soon expressed regret and returned to the flock for the WB show's next season.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

16. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/brett-butler/301236' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Brett Butler</font></a> Mistreats Cast and Crew

Butler's tyranny included verbal abuse and sexual harassment, according to creator-producer <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/chuck-lorre/362236" target="_blank">Chuck Lorre's</a> suit over the sitcom's profits. The <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/grace-under-fire/228846/main" target="_blank">'Grace Under Fire'</a> star's legendary nastiness led staff to dub the series "the gulag." Butler eventually admitted to a painkiller addiction and tried rehab, but the network put the 'Fire' out in 1998 anyway.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

15. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/miley-cyrus/474330' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Miley Cyrus'</font></a> Inappropriate Photos x 2

Teen celeb Cyrus was not smiley when racy web pics surfaced in 2007. No sooner had the Disney star smoothed over that little indiscretion when new trouble brewed via a provocative '08 Annie Leibowitz Vanity Fair photo shoot featuring Cyrus bare-backed in bed. She apologized AGAIN and pleaded youthful naivet&#233;, and the fans forgave her AGAIN.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

14. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/cybill-shepherd/65168' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Cybill Shepherd</font></a> and <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/bruce-willis/76618' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Bruce Willis'</font></a> Backstage Squabbles

The only "did they or didn't they?" behind the scenes of <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/moonlighting/10131216/main" target="_blank">'Moonlighting'</a> (1985-'89) would've been: Did Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis come to blows? They didn't, but he's on record saying there were days he didn't want to speak to her, and she says she went into therapy because of the show. But their on-screen sizzle was awesome, wasn't it?

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

13. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/burt-reynolds/108069' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Burt Reynolds</font></a> Melts Down

1994 was a bad year for Burt: As the details of his acrimonious divorce from <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/loni-anderson/1571" target="_blank">Loni Anderson</a> were rehashed in the press, stress took its toll on the set of his hit sitcom <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/evening-shade/241259/main' target='_blank'>'Evening Shade,'</a> with Reynolds reportedly throwing megaton tantrums. Worse, the tabloid tales turned viewers off, and the series was canceled that same year.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

12. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/paris-hilton/358949' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Paris Hilton's</font></a> Sex Tape and Jail

Hilton "treated" everyone with an Internet connection to 'One Night in Paris,' a sex tape of her and ex <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/rick-salomon/421791" target="_blank">Rick Salomon</a> that surfaced in 2003. Four years later, the celebutante cemented her place in the Hall of Lame with a 45-day jail sentence following DUI and multiple traffic violations.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

11. <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/desperate-housewives/379235/main' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>'Desperate Housewives'</font></a> Stars in Power Struggle

Tales of 'Desperate Housewives' tiffs include salary squabbles, <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/eva-longoria/392381" target="_blank">Eva Longoria's</a> Emmy envy, <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/teri-hatcher/30976" target="_blank">Teri Hatcher</a> hatred, and reports of <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/marcia-cross/15919" target="_blank">Marcia Cross</a> storming off the set because she didn't get first choice of wardrobe for the cast's Vanity Fair cover and Hatcher demanding up-front placement at that same shoot. These gals aren't desperate; they're divas.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

10. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/roseanne/2378' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Roseanne Barr</font></a> Mangles National Anthem

America wanted Barr thrown out of the ballgame in 1990 after her ear-piercing rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' which culminated in her spitting and grabbing her crotch. Unapologetic to the end, the outrageous sitcom star satirized the incident on both <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/roseanne/62749/main" target="_blank">her show</a> and <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/saturday-night-live/62573/main" target="_blank">'Saturday Night Live.'</a>

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

9. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/valerie-harper/30533' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Valerie Harper</font></a> Loses Sitcom Amidst Legal Battle

Harper, beloved to TV fans as Rhoda Morganstern, was apparently not so lovable on her eponymous 1986 sitcom, <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/valerie/428086/main" target="_blank">'Valerie.'</a> She and producers engaged in legal battle, alleging "hysteria," "combativeness," "paranoia," "conspiracy" -- among other things. End result: Her character was killed off, and the show continued as 'The Hogan Family.'

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

8. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/pat-obrien/363077/' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Pat O'Brien's</font></a> Lewd Voicemail Leaked

"I just want to make you @#!* crazy ... let's just @#!* have sex and fun and drugs and go crazy!" Not dialogue in a soft-core video, but actual voicemail left by <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/access-hollywood/51181/main" target="_blank">'Access Hollywood'</a> and <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/the-insider/379012/main" target="_blank">'The Insider'</a> anchor O'Brien in '05. The sound bites became fuel for late-night comics and Howard Stern, and prompted O'Brien to go into rehab.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

7. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/paula-abdul/78920' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Paula Abdul</font></a> in Alleged 'Idol' Affair

Abdul insisted season 2 contestant <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/corey-clark/556454" target="_blank">Corey Clark</a> wasn't being 'Straight Up' when he alleged in 2005 she had not only coached him, but had an affair with him. The <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/american-idol/65307/main" target="_blank">'American Idol'</a> judge denied everything and insufficient evidence was found to support his claims that she was Fox's hound.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

6. '21': The Fix Is In

Immortalized in <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/robert-redford/107758" target="_blank">Robert Redford's</a> 1994 Oscar-nominated pic <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/movie/quiz-show/1094/main" target="_blank">'Quiz Show,'</a> the 1958 rigging of the immensely popular series '21' scandalized the nation (which was a lot less cynical back in the '50s) and resulted in a federal law prohibiting the fixing of TV game shows.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

5. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/suzanne-somers/66854' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Suzanne Somers</font></a> Storms Off <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/threes-company/233701/main' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>'Three's Company'</font></a>

Behind-the-scenes tales from the 'Three's Company' (1977-'84) set were so dishy a TV-movie was made about them. Somers walked out over outrageous salary demands in '81, subsequently "phoning in" her lines (literally). Chrissie Snow, demanding and difficult -- who knew?

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

4. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/vanessa-hudgens/355254/main' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Vanessa Hudgens'</font></a> Naked Pics Online

Hudgens' image went from sweet to scandalous when nude photos of her popped up on the Internet in 2007. The <a href="http://television.aol.com/show/high-school-musical/61888/main" target="_blank">'High School Musical'</a> cutie apologized for the pics, which had been "taken in private and were never meant for public view," and Disney backed its star -- her 'High School' career continued.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

3. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/sonny-bono/82419' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Sonny</font></a> and <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/cher/12664' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Cher</font></a> Split

Sonny and Cher's 1970s <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/the-sonny-and-cher-comedy-hour/761741/main' target='_blank'>variety show</a> stopped taping midseason due to their rancorous marital split. When they tried a comeback show later as a divorced couple, their sniping cracks were a little too real for viewers -- especially with Cher pregnant by estranged rebound husband <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/gregg-allman/79396' target='_blank'>Gregg Allman</a>.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

2. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/pamela-anderson/1595' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Pam</font></a> and <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/tommy-lee/268814' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Tommy Lee</font></a> Get Intimate for Millions

A stolen video of a honeymooning Anderson and Lee surfaced on the Internet, leaving nothing to the imagination as the pair indulged in various sexual acrobatics. Although the video hadn't been meant for public consumption, the couple did profit by winning $1.5 mil from the company that distributed it. And so began the digital age of celeb sex tapes.

Which Off-Screen Shocker Reigns Supreme?

1. <a href='http://television.aol.com/celebrity/isaiah-washington/198280' target='_blank'><FONT COLOR='#2864B4'>Isaiah Washington</font></a>: Gay Slur Redux

A scuffle between <a href='http://television.aol.com/show/greys-anatomy/426427/main' target='_blank'>'Grey's Anatomy'</a> cast members <a href="http://television.aol.com/celebrity/patrick-dempsey/18549" target="_blank">Patrick Dempsey</a> and Washington after the latter used a homophobic word was nothing compared to the massive public outcry that followed. Washington apologized -- then fanned the flames by repeating the slur at the Golden Globes. The next "f" word Washington heard? Fired.