Tommy Chong served up one of the best guest spots on That '70s Show. - but he disappeared for a time only to return after several seasons. The actor and musician portrayed Leo Chingkwake for 39 episodes of the Fox sitcom. Chong was the perfect figure to appear in the series due to his association with the stoner culture of the '70s and his connection to cannabis rights.
The Up In Smoke star made his That '70s Show debut in the season 2 episode "Sleepover". When Hyde was on the search for a job, he happened upon the local photo-developing store, the Foto Hut, which was where he met Leo. The hippie served as the owner of the Foto Hut and after a brief exchange, he hired Hyde on the spot. Leo evolved into a father figure to Hyde despite his easy-going nature and blasé attitude. After a long-term absence from the series, Leo returned to Point Place and Hyde hired him to manage the record store.
Leo appeared throughout That '70s Show season 2 and 3 as a recurring character; he was then bumped up to a series regular for the fourth season. During the season, Kitty hired Leo and his cousin Theo (Richard Karn) to renovate the Formans' basement. Later in the season, he hired Fez to work at the Foto Hut and took his friends on a shopping spree after falling for a dead uncle scam. In addition, Leo fell in love with Kitty after she served as his nurse following an accident. The character then disappeared for two seasons of the series. In a season 5 episode, "The Battle of Evermore", the group went on a mission to find Leo. Hyde later received a letter explaining that Leo was only supposed to be in Point Place for a short time but stayed for eight years. He revealed that it was time to get back to his wife. But in reality, Chong's personal life was more responsible for the character's absence.
Why Tommy Chong Returned To That '70s Show After Season 6
Following his work on That '70s Show season 4, Chong fell into a bit of legal trouble. His company, Nice Dreams Enterprises, turned into a raid on his home where a large amount of marijuana was found. For his actions in selling bongs and marijuana pipes on the internet in 2003, Chong was fined $20,000 and sentenced to nine months in jail. The actor served his time which explained why he couldn't appear on That '70s Show.
After Chong was released from jail, he returned to That '70s Show to reprise his role as Leo. The character appeared in a supporting role in season 7. For the show's eighth and final season, Leo was promoted to a starring character. The reason behind this decision stemmed from Ashton Kutcher's exit from the sitcom. With Kelso no longer in the show, the writers felt that there needed to be a resident idiot in Point Place, so they chose Leo as the replacement. This allowed Chong to get ample screen time before the series concluded in 2006.