Leo McGarry appears in The West Wing‘s pilot episode and plays a prominent role as President Bartlet’s Chief of Staff until his season 7 death. While Leo’s death comes as a shock to the characters on the show, the plot point takes inspiration from a real-life tragedy that befell actor John Spencer. That said, the loss was as deeply felt by the cast as it is by the characters in the series. After all, Leo McGarry is not only Bartlet’s Chief of Staff, but also the president’s best friend.

The West Wing was created by Aaron Sorkin and follows the presidency of Josiah “Jed” Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and chronicles his White House staffers’ trials and tribulations. As a seasoned Washington, D.C. vet, Leo serves as a father figure to all the main characters on Bartlet’s senior staff, though Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) is his most devoted mentee. Leo McGarry is one of Spencer’s best-remembered roles, and his final West Wing episodes also mark the actor’s last performances.

Leo’s Death In The West Wing Season 7 Explained

The Real-Life Passing Of Actor John Spencer Forced The Decision

During the final season of The West Wing, Leo McGarry’s passing needed to be written into the show given the sudden loss of Emmy Award-winner John Spencer. Whether he’s serving as senior counselor to the president or as a vice presidential running mate, Leo remains steadfast in his convictions and exceedingly thoughtful. Off-screen, the character’s impact is still felt in discussions surrounding on-screen portrayals of substance-use disorder (SUD). Undoubtedly, Leo’s experiences with alcohol use still help to unravel the stigma surrounding the challenging disease (via The Arka Tech).

On December 16, 2005, Spencer passed away after having a heart attack. The mid-season finale of The West Wing season 7 had just aired, and the cast was filming the remainder of the final season. Of the five episodes that had been shot, Leo appeared in two of them, “Running Mates” and “The Cold.” While those episodes aired in memory of Spencer, Leo’s death was written into the show in response to the actor’s passing.

Leo dies of a heart attack in The West Wing season 7, episode 17, “Election Day, Part II,” and is discovered offscreen in his hotel room amid the election results chaos.

How A West Wing Storyline Eerily Foreshadowed Leo’s Exit

A Near-Fatal Heart Attack In Season 6 Ended Up Laying The Groundwork

The West Wing season 7, episode 18, “Requiem,” serves as a heartfelt send-off to both Leo McGarry and John Spencer. Although the showrunners didn’t know they’d have to kill off Leo McGarry before the series finale, a plot point in The West Wing season 6 sets up the character’s passing.

Of course, the show imitates life: like Spencer, Leo dies as a result of a heart attack. However, this choice also fits into the show’s canon; in season 6, episode 3, “Third-Day Story,” Leo suffers a near-fatal heart attack. In hindsight, the storyline eerily foreshadowed Leo’s eventual (and unplanned) death in The West Wing season 7.