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Categorically, these were memorable TV fathers
To find TV's 25 greatest dads, TiVo asked Synovate Research to conduct a survey last month. Dads are listed by character and show |
 By Sharon Eberson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Family values
Moments of redemption and love don't necessarily make up for the examples set by the likes of characters Al Bundy ("Married With Children"), Archie Bunker ("All in the Family"), Homer Simpson ("The Simpsons") and Tony Soprano ("The Sopranos"). The in-your-face inappropriateness of these characters -- and their memorable portrayals by Ed O'Neill, Carroll O'Connor, Dan Castellaneta and James Gandolfini -- were certainly good for belly laughs and social commentary. But, on our list, that doesn't qualify them as top-dad material.
The grand gesture
Some TV dads achieve monumental moments in their parenting that can make up for a many a misguided deed or decision. Among recent examples:
Angel (David Boreanaz), the show's namesake, do-good vampire with a soul, makes a deal with the devil (this would be an evil law firm) to ensure his desperately unhappy son, Connor, a chance at a "normal" life. One minute Connor is contemplating the mass murder of a store full of shoppers, the next, he's at dinner with a loving, happy family and accepting his new "parents' " congratulations on a scholarship to Stanford.
"Alias" spy daddy Jack Bristow (Victor Garber) no doubt adores his daughter, super spy Sydney, but he has a hard time showing it. He is, however, a man of action when she faces peril from enemies, including her sometimes evil mother. Just this past season, Jack exposed himself to what should have been a fatal dose of radiation to rescue his girl, and was saved himself by an old friend's cure -- with little time to spare, of course.
Redemption for Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) came in many forms on "NYPD Blue," but none with more sweet moments than his relationship with second son Theo. Watching the lowlife, bigoted and often brutal Andy evolve into a loving father was grand, indeed.
Pop goes the poll
To find TV's 25 greatest dads, TiVo asked Synovate Research to conduct a survey last month. Dads are listed by character and show:
1. Cliff Huxtable ("The Cosby Show"); 2. Sheriff Andy Taylor ("The Andy Griffith Show"); 3. Charles Ingalls ("Little House on the Prairie"); 4. Howard Cunningham ("Happy Days"); 5. Ward Cleaver ("Leave It to Beaver"); 6. Jim Anderson ("Father Knows Best"); 7. Mike Brady ("The Brady Bunch"); 8. Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor ("Home Improvement"); 9. The Rev. Eric Camden ("7th Heaven"); 10. Danny Tanner ("Full House");
11. Raymond Barone ("Everybody Loves Raymond"); 12. Philip Drummond ("Diff'rent Strokes"); 13. Jim ("According to Jim"); 14. George Lopez ("The George Lopez Show"); 15. Michael Kyle ("My Wife and Kids"); 16. Bernie McCullough ("The Bernie Mac Show"); 17. Reginald "Red" Forman ("That '70s Show"); 18. Archie Bunker ("All in the Family"); 19. Sandy Cohen ("The O.C."); 20. Frank Costanza ("Seinfeld");
21. Peter Griffin ("Family Guy"); 22. Al Bundy ("Married ... With Children); 23. Homer Simpson ("The Simpsons"); 24. Tony Soprano ("The Sopranos"); 25. Ozzy Osbourne ("The Osbournes").
Twenty-two years after the show went off air, people still have a soft spot for "Little House on the Prairie" and its iconic dad, Charles Ingalls, says a new AARP The Magazine Father's Day survey of 1,000 baby boomers. The survey placed Michael Landon's Ingalls atop a list of top TV dads with 30 percent of the vote. Next on the list: Cliff Huxtable, Ward Cleaver and Ozzie Nelson. Full results are available at www.aarpmagazine .org/family.
Desperate dads
Two new ABC series have introduced fathers in dire situations: On "Lost," Michael (Harold Perrineau) finally bonds with his son, Walt (Malcolm David), only to have Walt kidnapped by creepy strangers in the season finale. On "Desperate Housewives," Paul Young (Mark Moses) has murdered and committed lesser crimes, all in the name of protecting his son.
Bachelor dads
There have been many, including suave dads such as suddenly-a-father Brian Keith, Uncle Bill to three siblings on "Family Affair," and the future Charlie of "Charlie's Angels," John Forsythe, often seen in a white dinner jacket on "Bachelor Father." Conrad Bain (as Philip Drummond), already raising a daughter, welcomed two young sons on "Diff'rent Strokes." Widower Steve Douglas (Fred MacMurray) enlisted Uncle Charley (William Demarest) to help raise "My Three Sons," and Bob Saget asked his brother-in-law (John Stamos) and a buddy (Dave Coulier) to help parent his three girls on "Full House."
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