TV Dads -- The Good, the Bad, the Indifferent ... D'oh!

PopEater
posted: 45 DAYS 2 HOURS AGO
comments: 1
filed under: TV News
Text SizeAAA
Skip over this content
John Goodman
ABC

Don't you ever wish that your dad could be just like the ones on TV? They always have time to play catch, they don't stay mad when you set the rug on fire, and they're always dispensing timely and sage advice. Right?
Well ... sometimes. The editors at AOL Television counted down the 20 greatest TV dads of all time, and by "greatest," they meant best and worst.
Some of our favorites:
Homer Simpson, 'The Simpsons' - Only Homer would counsel his brood with the mantra "Kids, you tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson is, never try." Well, duh ... or should we say, "D'oh!"
Tony Soprano, 'The Sopranos' - Mobsters are dads, too. Sure, he's got his daddy (and mommy) issues, and Meadow and A.J. are as some of the most insufferable kids we know ... but at least they're not dead (um, maybe).
Dan Connor, 'Roseanne' - Not only does he lovingly lay down the law with Becky, Darlene and D.J., but he also has to put up with Roseanne herself -- and she's practically a fourth kid in her own right.
Sandy Cohen, 'The O.C.' - It's awfully convenient that this Berkeley alum -- who's infinitely understanding toward both troubled foster kid Ryan Atwood and his own son, Seth -- is a public interest lawyer. That way, when his two kids get in trouble (which they often do), they save on legal fees. That makes him a cool dad and a good value.
Find out where these guys landed on the list, plus who was named number one (hint: He's an architect) -- check out AOL TV's top 20 TV dads ever.
Skip over this content

Happy Non-Fathers Day

    Actor George Clooney told People, "I'm so selfish and I get nervous around kids... I've settled into a very comfortable lifestyle and I really don't want to change things. I've learned enough about myself to know that my work is the main thing which drives me and whatever woman comes into my life is going to have deal with that, which isn't easy."

    Paul Morigi, WireImage

    'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno has been married to Mavis Leno since 1980 and are childless by choice.

    Steve Snowden, Getty Images

    Actor Christopher Walken has been married to Georgianne Walken since 1969. They live in rural Connecticut and have no children. Early in their marriage, they agreed to not have kids, so they could focus on their careers.

    Duffy-Marie Arnoult, WireImage

    'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell admits his TV shows mean more to him than kids. "There are some things that you have to sacrifice. You can't have everything. If you're working long hours, sometimes until three or four in the morning, it's difficult to have a child. You can't come home and deal with a screaming baby. My shows, my work, are my babies," Cowell told ContactMusic.com.

    Brian Ach, WireImage

    Although actor Steve Martin has been married twice, he still has no children. He was married to actress Victoria Tennant from November 20, 1986 until 1994 and then married Anne Stringfield on July 28, 2007. "[Children] are very, very sweet. Sometimes they're just, fascinating and cute even though I know there is the dark side," Martain told FilmMonthly's reporter Paul Fischer.

    Sean Gallup, Getty Images

    Singer Robbie Williams told PEOPLE that he doesn't want kids because he doesn't want them to endure life's harsh misery like he has. The singer who has battled alcoholism and depression said, "I don't believe that to be fulfilled you have to have kids. What's the point? I can't guarantee my child won't suffer pain

    Mark Davis, Getty Images

    'Friends' actor David Schwimmer is 42 years old and still playing the dating scene. He's currently linked to British photographer Zoe Buckman but doesn't seem to be interested in having children.

    Joe Corrigan, Getty Images

    Actor Mike Myers married Robin Ruzan in May 2003 but divorced 12 years later. They had no children together.

    Francois Durand, Getty Images

    'The Wrestler' Mickey Rourke admits his dogs are his children. During the 2009 Golden Globes show, he told Barbara Walters that "I sort of self-destructed and everything came out about fourteen years ago or so ... the wife had left, the career was over, the money was not an ounce. The dogs were there when no one else was there... I don't have kids, so the dogs became everything to me," he said.

    Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

    Comedian Bill Maher is blunt about not wanting kids, even though he admits to lying about it in the past. He told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "When I was 28 years old and a girl said to me, 'Do you like children?' I'd go, 'Well, you know, not right now, but I think someday.' That was a complete lie. I never liked children. I never wanted children."

    Jason LaVeris, FilmMagic

2009 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.
2009-06-19 16:54:14