Loyal viewers are familiar with those stalwart TV dads like Cliff Huxtable and Ward Cleaver. But in honor of Father’s Day, we thought we’d salute some of the lesser-known, unsung TV patres familias who have been overshadowed by those with better syndication deals.
1. The Single Dad Who Wasn’t Meant to Be
Eight is Enough was based on the writings of newspaper columnist Tom Braden. Dick Van Patten was cast as the patriarch of the Bradford family. The series was supposed to be a typical mom-dad-kids nuclear family comedy/drama, but Diana Hyland, who was cast as wife Joan Bradford, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy after filming just four episodes. She never returned to the show, and her death was written into the show. Scripts were quickly re-written and Van Patten did an admirable job of playing a single dad raising eight children (none of whom looked like they could be remotely related to one another). The Powers That Be eventually decided that the Bradford family needed a mother figure, so Tom married Abby, who’d been written into the series as his son’s tutor.
2. The Dad Who Was Inspired by the Show
The Courtship of Eddie’s Father was based on a 1963 film. In the TV version, Bill Bixby played Mr. Eddie’s Father (as he was always addressed by Mrs. Livingston, his Japanese housekeeper). He was a widower raising a young son (Brandon Cruz), and each episode featured some serious dad-and-son bonding time, when the pair would wander the beach or play in the park and ponder life’s minutiae. It was all very crunchy granola parenting which was never practiced by any dads in my neighborhood…for that matter, none of the fathers on my block regularly sported wind-blown hair, bell bottom slacks and chest-revealing shirts. In real life, Bixby was so impressed with Cruz that he longed to have a family of his own. He eventually married and had a son, Christopher, on whom he doted. Tragically, Christopher was only six years old when he died of cardiac arrest brought on by acute epiglottitis. Bixby and Cruz remained close until Bixby’s passed away in 1993.
3. The Dad Who Kept It Cool
When it comes to TV dads, was there any more tolerant than Steven Keaton? Remember his reaction on an episode of Family Ties upon returning home from a weekend vacation to find that Alex had turned the family home into a hotel for rabid college sports fans during his absence: “Parents are conditioned to put up with a few minor accidents when they leave their children home alone. A broken vase, spilled milk on the rug. There was a kangaroo… in my living room.” (Spoken in the measured, even tones that Michael Gross made Steven’s trademark.) Sure, there were times when he’d occasionally lose his cool (such as during a game of Scrabble, when he insisted that the family not only accept Zoquo – Greek for water sports – as a word, but must also use it in casual conversation), but overall he was the understanding, level-headed dad that we all wished we’d had.
4. The Dad Who Irritated His Sons
Ben Cartwright was nothing if not tenacious. The Bonanza patriarch went through wives like modern men go through tube socks. Luckily, despite Indian attacks and horse riding accidents, each of his wives lasted long enough to provide him with a son. Adam, Hoss and Little Joe Cartwright helped their devoted Pa to manage the half-million acre ranch called The Ponderosa. Behind the scenes, all was not well with the eldest of the Cartwright clan. Pernell Roberts, who played Adam, was tired of wearing his toupee, but since he was only 13 years younger than Lorne Greene, the producers wanted him to look as young as possible. Roberts also bristled at having to refer to Greene as “Pa,” saying that a 34-year-old university-educated son would never address his father thusly. Roberts departed the show after six seasons, but Bonanza carried on for an additional eight without him.
5. The Dad Who Was a Cad Off Set
Charles Ingalls of Little House on the Prairie fame was the ideal dad to a generation of late 70s kids whose fathers were spending more time at work than at home. He was a hardscrabble bootstraps kind of guy who never had two nickels to rub together yet he always had time to spend with his ever-expanding family. It was Landon’s hope that Little House fans would ignore the tabloid reports of his canoodling with on-set makeup artist Cindy Clerico (who would eventually become his third wife) and focus on the solid family values expressed on his show instead.
So who is your favorite TV dad? We left quite a few off our list, from Hank Hill to Doggie Daddy, because we were sort of on the fence about them and wanted our loyal readers to chime in with their votes.
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Bill Cosby is one of my favorites.
posted by Cordelya on 6-13-2008 at 9:54 am
I gotta give it to Al Bundy. Most people give him the boot, but he was one you could count on when it really mattered (especially when it came to Kelly).
posted by Brian on 6-13-2008 at 10:04 am
Give it up for Mr. Mike Brady.
posted by Johnny Cat on 6-13-2008 at 11:19 am
You really should have included Hank Hill.
posted by goo on 6-13-2008 at 11:31 am
John Evans from “Good Times”, a show which does not seem to get alotta love from these sitcom walks down memory lane
posted by tsadi on 6-13-2008 at 11:35 am
The dad on “That 70′s Show”…amazing character/not-so-good show.
posted by Dan on 6-13-2008 at 11:40 am
Benjamin Sisko, from DS9. Interesting relationship between him and his son, unusually well-written for a Star Trek series.
posted by Lucsly on 6-13-2008 at 12:06 pm
Howard Cunningham from Happy Days. So tolerant, so full of advice…
posted by Kris on 6-13-2008 at 12:54 pm
The show’s a bit cheesy now, but I thought the dad, uncle and friend trio on Full House did a darn good job.
posted by Tricia on 6-13-2008 at 1:00 pm
Frank Costanza. Frank and Estelle are the best parents in the history of TV, bar none.
posted by Colin on 6-13-2008 at 1:36 pm
Early Cuyler, no contest…
posted by Dave on 6-13-2008 at 1:53 pm
You should have included Hank Hill. It’s funny because he’s so much like my own dad. Both live in central Texas, drive pick-up trucks, have sons named Bobby, grill with propane, take pride in their lawns…the list could go on and on.
posted by Sandy on 6-13-2008 at 3:43 pm
I was always a big fan of Jason Seaver, from “Growing Pains”.
posted by Laura R. on 6-13-2008 at 8:26 pm
Where is the ultimate TV dad: Ward Cleaver?
And my personal favorite The Rifleman, Lucas McCain.
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 6-13-2008 at 9:00 pm
Michael Bluth from “Arrested Development.” He’s not perfect, but his love for his kid is more than evident.
posted by paperdoll82 on 6-15-2008 at 11:18 am
i can’t believe nobody mentioned Hank Hill on Father’s Day (there were other tv dad lists). The man may not say he loves Bobby all the time, but he’s always there for him when he needs him. Furthermore, he’s a great role model…virtuous, reliable, hard-working, and responsible…God, do men like that even EXIST anymore?
posted by gokarm on 6-16-2008 at 9:46 am
KEITH MARS!
posted by jamie on 6-18-2008 at 9:42 am
What about Peter Griffin? Yeah okay, so Meg is sometimes more of a dad than him, but he’s still a fun dad to have around!
posted by dani on 6-25-2008 at 7:07 am
You missed Dan Connor from Roseanne. : )
posted by becky on 7-1-2008 at 3:17 pm
Doggie Daddy, as my son is named Augie.
@gokarm, yes I do. I am raising my girlfriend’s grandson, and have been for the lat four years.
posted by gus on 6-16-2011 at 5:26 am
I’ve always thought that Martin Crane was a great TV dad. Though his children were arrogant, overeducated adults, he still managed to directly teach them lessons and offer solid parenting on a regular basis.
posted by Dave on 6-16-2011 at 6:21 am
President Bartlet, no contest, for both father and grandfather.
“No, no, no. I will bear with the nonsense of the Christian Right and the Hollywood Left and the AFL-CIO and the AARP and the Cannibus Society and Japan, but I will not stand and allow someone to tell me that I love one of my children less than the others.”
“C.J., let me tell you something. Don’t ever, ever underestimate the will of agrandfather. We’re madmen. We don’t give a damn. We got here before you and they’ll be here after. We’ll make enemies, we’ll break laws, we’ll break bones but you will not mess with the grandchildren.”
posted by Carol on 6-16-2011 at 9:09 am
Best Dad on TV is Homer Simpson. The real love and devotion he has for his family is true in is heart.
posted by gpo on 6-16-2011 at 9:55 am
Allen Matthews from Boy Meets World!!
posted by Lindsay on 6-16-2011 at 11:01 am
Jack Arnold from The Wonder Years. A confused disciplinarian in confusing times.
And props to Norma, too. So much like my parents, that couple.
posted by Michael on 6-16-2011 at 11:36 am
what about the patron on of the manson family, good ole charlie manson? he was never at a loss for plans and activities with his family members
posted by loopiecajunboudreaux on 6-16-2011 at 11:49 am
My favorite has to be Red Foreman from “That 70′s Show”. He always had the same type of great ftherly advice that my dad had (e.g. “Listen duma**, if you ever even think about doing that again I will break my foot off in your a**.”)
posted by Andrew on 6-16-2011 at 12:14 pm
Another vote for Red Foreman. Never had to wonder what was on his mind. If Archie Bunker had a Texas accent, that would be my dad.
posted by rick on 6-16-2011 at 12:31 pm
Archie Bunker is the real 70′s dad. Red Foreman is just a “pinkie”.
posted by nt4thbook on 6-17-2011 at 1:05 am
patres familias!!! Correct Latin plural FTW!
posted by Stick on 6-17-2011 at 2:07 am
Red Foreman!!!!!!
posted by cgad on 6-17-2011 at 12:21 pm
Rev. Eric Camden from Seventh Heaven was quite okay.
posted by Frankie on 6-21-2011 at 2:51 am