One of the funniest characters on "Melissa & Joey" was, without a doubt, Mel's dad, Russell Burke, played by Christopher Rich. Before "Melissa & Joey," Rich appeared in a ton of television shows and movies, including "Reba," "The George Carlin Show," and many more. But Rich suffered a stroke sometime after "Melissa & Joey" ended, which obviously forced him to slow down in his career and focus on his health. Additionally, Rich confirmed in an interview that he had a new career in green energy sales, though he has also continued acting. Rich also explained that returning to acting afterward was hard. "Getting confidence back was tough," he said, but he managed to pull it off.

Still, Rich has continued to act occasionally despite his health complications. Since "Melissa & Joey," he's been in several movies, including "Cassidy Way," "The Christmas Trap," and "Spiked." Acting is clearly something that Rich enjoys — and something he excels in — so it's pretty inspiring to see him rise above his health complications and continue to do what he loves.