21 replies to this topic

[Doc]

In honor of Fathers Day.... Growing up in the sit com era... there were a lot of great father figures on TV. My father was a great guy. There is in my opinion no better role model than him. But the TV brought us a lot of great characters and some neat fathers from TV land... So, in your opinion, who were the greatest TV Fathers and who were the worst ??? I heard this on sports talk radio today...

Here is who I think was the best... These were the ones I grew up with...

1. Carl Winslow of Family Matters -- He always reminded me of my own father. Carl wasn't perfect, things did not always go right for him, but he always had his family's interest ahead of his own..

2. Dr. Jason Seaver of Growing Pains

3. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable of the Cosby Show..

These guys were Before my time.... I did not watch these guys that often, but from what reruns I have seen, I give them mentioned as well

Ward Cleaver of Leave it to Beaver

Jim Anderson of Father Knows Best

Ben Cartwright of Bonanza


Worse Fathers.....

Al Bundy -- Married with Children
Tony Sapranio -- Sapranios..
Steve Keaton -- Family Ties... The man stood for nothing...

[Drew-T(Satrianifan)]

Dr.Huxtable is the dad of dads!

Ward Cleaver would have been his predecessor. as a kid I longed to have a father who talked problems out. Hell, I longed to have a father I guess...different story though.

"Now Beaver....."


Who was the dad from 8 is enough (I know....I'm REALLY telling my age now)

Realistic- James Evans from Good Times was a good father, a hothead, but he kept their heads above water...making a way when he could. Temporary layoff..yet he found good times.
There was easy credit-rippofs....yet he found Goodtimes...while shucking and surviving-hangin in a chowlines...but he did give his family some (Good Times)

Happy Father's days to all the James Evans, Dr. Huxtables, and yes even Steve Keaton...the father of Alex Keaton!!!!


Worse father? That damn Mr. Brown from Meet the Browns, if I see another pair of green trousers with purple and orange flowers- I'm going to demand they change his ethnic roots. Mr. Brown...is a true clown, put him in with Al Bundy, the fathers some wish would abandon their families.

[Erik]

Gotta go with AL Bundy. Second maybe Randy Marsh from south park.

[DaveMurphy]

Gotta go with Ward Clever. Btw, does anyone remember what he did for a living? A bit of Trivia.....

[JohnnyGaetano]

Lots of good TV fathers. Ward Cleaver, Jim Anderson (Father Knows Best), the father from the TV show Courtship of Eddies Father, Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith Show),.

[raraavis]

Lots of good TV fathers. Ward Cleaver, Jim Anderson (Father Knows Best), the father from the TV show Courtship of Eddies Father, Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith Show),.

Good mention on Andy Taylor - way back then there was a single Dad doing a good job. Opie had another good Dad on Happy Days - Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosely). Perhaps the best Dad might have been Michael Landon in Little House on the Praire.

Entertainimentwise I liked the dad on Malcom in the Middle as well. Hank and Lois sort of switch the stereotypical television roles. Can't go wrong with the Mike Heck from the Middle either.

Coutship of Eddies Father wasn't that Bill Bixby? (David Banner from Hulk series)

[Doc]

Gotta go with Ward Clever. Btw, does anyone remember what he did for a living? A bit of Trivia.....

I know he was a business man,... but don't remember what business it was for sure.. Was it insurance??

[raraavis]

Who was the dad from 8 is enough (I know....I'm REALLY telling my age now)

Dick Van Patten - he has since showed up in numerous Weird Al videos ...oddly enough so has Florence Henderson (the Brady Bunch mom)

[DaveMurphy]

I know he was a business man,... but don't remember what business it was for sure.. Was it insurance??

They never really told us, he was just a business man and in one episode they told us that he worked for a "Trust Company". It was funny that they covered every other aspect of their lives, but other than his working with Fred Anderson, Lumpy's Dad, we never did get any specifics.

[Londoner]

I agree with Erik on Randy from South Park. He's an iconic father. I also love Peter Griffin (Family Guy) and Homer Simpson.

They might not be the best fathers, but they're the funniest.

[Londoner]

[Drew-T(Satrianifan)]

Ron Howard had two great dads, Andy Taylor and Howard Cunningham.

[Drew-T(Satrianifan)]

Dick Van Patten - he has since showed up in numerous Weird Al videos ...oddly enough so has Florence Henderson (the Brady Bunch mom)

Dick V.P that's him!!
Funny how Florence didn't seem to age much...by the time I turned 20...I would have called her a MILF had the word existed then. Mrs Huxtable was the ultimate cougar/milf..well at least for the first 5 seasons.

[uppercutter]

Bill Kirchenbauer as Coach Graham Lubbock
Tim Allen as Tim Taylor
Bill Cosby as Doctor Heathcliff Huxtable
Alan Thicke as Dr. Jason Seaver
John Goodman as Dan Connor
Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy
Craig T. Nelson as Coach Hayden Fox
Carroll O'Conor as Archie Bunker
Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford
Sherman Hemsley as George Jefferson

[Drew-T(Satrianifan)]

OMG, UC!!! LOL!
Fred G. Sanford? How many times did he say to his son "You Big Dummy?" LOL! Archie Bunker? haha
3 men and a baby would have been great with Al Bundy, Archie Bunker and George Jefferson...that child would have had some serious issues!!!!

[Doc]

OMG, UC!!! LOL!
Fred G. Sanford? How many times did he say to his son "You Big Dummy?" LOL! Archie Bunker? haha
3 men and a baby would have been great with Al Bundy, Archie Bunker and George Jefferson...that child would have had some serious issues!!!!

Yea,, I don't think that Fred Sanford, Al Bundy, and Randy Marsh are good fathers.. They were funny, but jacked up... Stan Marsh will probably make a sick individual when he grows up..

Just saying...

Now Homer Simpson... One would think that he should be on the Bad Father's list, but he will actually do anything for his kids. He makes a lot of blundering mistakes.. but when it boils down to it, he always is there for his kids..

[DaveMurphy]

Yea,, I don't think that Fred Sanford, Al Bundy, and Randy Marsh are good fathers.. They were funny, but jacked up... Stan Marsh will probably make a sick individual when he grows up..

Just saying...

Now Homer Simpson... One would think that he should be on the Bad Father's list, but he will actually do anything for his kids. He makes a lot of blundering mistakes.. but when it boils down to it, he always is there for his kids..

It's funny you should mention that because when the show made it's debut as part of the Tracy Ullman Show (it was a spin-off, most people don't remember that) they had a MUCH DIFFERENT Homer in that he was quite abusive with Bart, often flat-out chocking him.

Obviously they couldn't have that with it's being it's own show instead of just a three min segment (it's a wonder that child abuse concerns even allowed it on the Ullman show, but then few people watched) and they came out with the softer, goofier Homer.

[Drew-T(Satrianifan)]

It's funny you should mention that because when the show made it's debut as part of the Tracy Ullman Show (it was a spin-off, most people don't remember that) they had a MUCH DIFFERENT Homer in that he was quite abusive with Bart, often flat-out chocking him.

Obviously they couldn't have that with it's being it's own show instead of just a three min segment (it's a wonder that child abuse concerns even allowed it on the Ullman show, but then few people watched) and they came out with the softer, goofier Homer.

LOL! Sounds like a "cashcab" question. Totally...TOTALLY forgot that. Good catch Dave. I kinda remember some neck choking episodes!

[DaveMurphy]

LOL! Sounds like a "cashcab" question. Totally...TOTALLY forgot that. Good catch Dave. I kinda remember some neck choking episodes!

Thanks. Speaking of which, I love Cashcab when it's the New York one hosted by Ben Bentley, but while I was at Gary's place, we watched a few episodes of a Chicago version of C.C. and it was hosted by some woman who couldn't have been more annoying and unfunny.

[Drew-T(Satrianifan)]

Thanks. Speaking of which, I love Cashcab when it's the New York one hosted by Ben Bentley, but while I was at Gary's place, we watched a few episodes of a Chicago version of C.C. and it was hosted by some woman who couldn't have been more annoying and unfunny.

The baldheaded dude is the only one I've seen...And I would be ticked if he asked me that question... The Simpsons were a spinoff to which show.......I would have done a "Doh! " Moment!