This weekend, we celebrate Father’s Day by recognizing the men who helped to shape our lives into what they are today. What better time to look back on some of the most memorable father’s in television history.
Now, not all these men would win father of the year – some are downright dangerous – but they all practiced that time-honoured father tradition of offering up some good ole fatherly advice. Some of it is quite good, some of it… not so good. But just like the advice from our own fathers, there’s something to be learned every time. Let’s have a look at some of the best words of wisdom from TV most memorable dads.
THE GOOD
“Not everyone can be a Don Drysdale. Maybe you can, but maybe you can’t. Now in the meantime, you just go in there and you do the best you can” – Mike Brady, The Brady Bunch
“I wanted my children to go as far as their gifts could take them.” – Howard Cunningham, Happy Days
“You know we have a lot of funny notions born inside of us, Half-Pint. The funniest is that we’re supposed to hide the way we feel about people. Let me tell you, everybody wants to know that they are loved, or needed, or cared about. Anybody who doesn’t want to know that has something wrong with them.” – Charles Ingalls, Little House on the Prarie
“Sorry is not the magical word that makes everything right again.” – Andy Griffith, The Andy Griffith Show
“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword” – Ned Stark, Game of Thrones
“Nobody does anything without help, Will. People open doors for we and I worked hard to open doors for you. It doesn’t make you. It doesn’t make you any less of a man to walk through them” – Phillip Banks, Fresh Prince of Bel Air
“Women do all right when they have all the modern conveniences, but as men are better at this rugged type of outdoor cooking. Sort of a throwback to caveman days. Hand me those asbestos gloves, will you Wally?” – Ward Cleaver, Leave it to Beaver
“No one man can tell another man how to live.” – John Walton, The Waltons
THE NOT-SO GOOD
“Kids, you tried your best, and you failed miserably, the lesson is . . . never try.” – Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
“Son, always remember the Bundy Credo. Lie when your wife is waking. Lie when your belly’s aching. Lie when you know she’s faking. Lie, sell shoes and lie.” – Al Bundy, Married With Children
“For a dummy, you make a lot of sense.” – Fred Sanford, Sanford and Son
“Success is 1% inspiration, 98% perspiration and 2% attention to detail” – Phil Dunphy, Modern Family
“Until you pin me, George, Festivus is not over” – Frank Costanza, Seinfeld
“Never give up control” – Walter White, Breaking Bad
“When you work with electricity, it’s a good idea to shut it all off. Now follow me upstairs and I’ll show you how to treat a severe electrical burn” – Tim Taylor, Home Improvement
“Get out of my chair, Meathead!” – Archie Bunker, All in the Family