In 1987, behind-the-scenes events on "Valerie" would cause Taylor to leave "Days of our Lives". Valerie Harper was fired by Lorimar-Telepictures, the series' parent studio, during that year's filming hiatus (between seasons two and three) following a contract dispute. Both her dismissal and her character's being written off as having died were controversial at the time, since the show was named after its star and lead character. Sandy Duncan was named as Harper's replacement, and Taylor felt that to ensure the continued success of the show, that he would leave "Days" in order expand his sitcom role. Seeing this as a foothold to a lasting role in primetime, Taylor only thought it appropriate that the Michael Hogan character would be home more often for his family, both in the wake of his wife's death and in order to help his sister (Duncan) settle into the household. The series was retitled "Valerie's Family: The Hogans" in September 1987, later becoming "The Hogan Family" (which all seasons of the show became known as syndication) in June 1988.