In the 1979-1980 season, Mackenzie Phillips was dealing with drug addiction. When she entered rehab in 1980, her character, Julie, married Max and moved to Houston. In the seventh season (1981-1982), Phillips returned as a guest for a two-part episode in which Julie and Max deal with marital problems. In the ninth and final season (1983-1984), Phillips collapsed on-set. Producer Patricia Fass Palmer asked Phillips for a urine test. Phillips told Palmer not to bother. Phillips was quietly fired, and Julie was permanently written out of the show.