# Favorite recurring TV character who was never seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2006, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829 "2006-01-27T08:15:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/21 "2006-01-27T16:46:39Z")
Miss Bellum from the Powerpuff Girls. ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/22 "2006-01-27T17:03:02Z")
Two from British TV-- Sheridan from _Keeping Up Appearances_ and Victor’s mother-in-law from _One Foot In The Grave_ . Might as well throw in Sheridan’s roomie, Tarquin, as well. Maris is another favorite. When they ran out of skinny jokes, they gave her an enormous appetite in response to her divorce from Niles and made her the butt of fat jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/23 "2006-01-27T17:08:40Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > We saw all of Wilson EXCEPT the lower half of his face. This was done on purpose. Infact, when the actor would come out for the studio audience at the beginning of the show, he carried a little picket fence to keep his nose and mouth hidden. Yeah, we definitely saw Wilson’s bottom half a time or two. The vast majority of his appearances were over the fence, but he’s shown up at the hardware store and th Taylor’s house, among other places, and the director would have to get pretty creative to hide whatever he could. ---
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/24 "2006-01-27T17:15:32Z")
We never see Summer’s (soon to be ex-) stepmother, Gloria on The O.C. The picture we get is of a completely drugged-out aging gold digger–Summer’s alway making comments about her taking Valium, Vicodin, any number of prescription psychoactives, et cetera., and she’s been married to a very wealthy plastic surgeon. Don’t know if she’s my favorite, but I’ve been dying to see her for ages! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/25 "2006-01-27T17:17:24Z")
The Announcer on _Superfriends_. He did a walk-on in _Family Guy_, though… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/26 "2006-01-27T17:19:15Z")
For years on _All in the Family_, Stretch Cunningham existed only in Archie’s stories about working at the loading dock. Then Norman Lear had to ruin it all by bringing him on screen. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/27 "2006-01-27T17:47:50Z")
The narrator in **Rocky and Bullwinkle**. Peter Brady in **The Invisible Man** ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/28 "2006-01-27T17:49:07Z")
We actually did see “Ugly Naked Guy” on Friends. Any my favorite would be Dave’s Mom on Newsradio. She was hot. Or so we frequently were told. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/29 "2006-01-27T18:02:40Z")
I was always a fan of Robin Masters from _Magnum P.I._. We never saw him…or did we? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Wawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Captain\_Wawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Wawa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/30 "2006-01-27T18:21:54Z")
> [@Necros](#): > > I was always a fan of Robin Masters from _Magnum P.I._. We never saw him…or did we? 😉 Yep, you saw him in virtually every single episode! Higgins is Robin Masters! He is I say! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/31 "2006-01-27T18:45:32Z")
The voice on the tape recorder from **Mission:Impossible**. Interesting trivia about [Bob Johnson](http://www.tv.com/bob-johnson/person/65274/summary.html) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/32 "2006-01-27T18:53:05Z")
> [@Necros](#): > > I was always a fan of Robin Masters from _Magnum P.I._. We never saw him…or did we? 😉 Once. Orson Welles played him. His absence in later seasons may be attributable to Welles’ failing health and death. Wilson on _Home Improvement_ sometimes had the top of his face show, sometimes the bottom. I’ve seen a clip of the cast taking a bow after a taping, and the actor came out with a script covering his mouth. He dropped it to show he’s entirely normal looking, though. The radio announcer on _Gilligan’s Island_ - always the same coconut-juice-powered voice on whatever station the castaways tuned in. Randy Beaman on _Animaniacs_. That was NOT the kid who ran out of the house to tell what Randy Beaman just did. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Wawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Captain\_Wawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Wawa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/33 "2006-01-27T19:24:21Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Once. Orson Welles played him. His absence in later seasons may be attributable to Welles’ failing health and death. In voice only and, in the context of the episode, we are not even sure if it was Robin Masters. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/34 "2006-01-27T19:42:23Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Ah, but Carlton had his own one-shot special, so he, technically, was not unseen. Exceot that one-shot special was animated, so, technically, we only saw a drawing of him. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/35 "2006-01-27T20:14:49Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Exceot that one-shot special was animated, so, technically, we only saw a drawing of him. 😉 Damn you all!!! Not only was I not able to mention Carleton… I wasn’t even able to say that the Carleton show was animated and therefore not _actually_ him. I hate you and your vast fountains of knowledge. \ Has that Carleton show ever been rebroadcast since the '70’s? Is is available at all? \ Back to the OP… does Jan Brady’s imaginary boyfriend, George Glass, count? ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/36 "2006-01-27T20:29:45Z")
Thing on _The Addams Family_ was never seen, except for his hand of course. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/37 "2006-01-27T20:40:22Z")
> [@Captain Wawa](#): > > In voice only and, in the context of the episode, we are not even sure if it was Robin Masters. We saw him once in silouette in a dark room…or perhaps he was an actor hired by the real RM, Higgins, to play him! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/38 "2006-01-27T20:43:46Z")
> [@vl\_mungo](#): > > \ > Has that Carleton show ever been rebroadcast since the '70’s? Is is available at all? > \ I don’t know about being rebroadcast but it’s certainly not on video. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/39 "2006-01-27T21:13:11Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > For years on _All in the Family_, Stretch Cunningham existed only in Archie’s stories about working at the loading dock. Then Norman Lear had to ruin it all by bringing him on screen. Just like Garry Marshall did on _Happy Days_ when he brought on Cathy Silvers as Joanie’s often mentioned, but never seen, friend Jenny Piccolo. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829/40 "2006-01-27T21:41:14Z")
I’ve gotta go with “Juanita up at the diner” from the Andy Griffith Show. Barney Fife’s flirtatious phone conversations with her were comedy gold. The show’s other invisible character, Sarah the telephone operator, wasn’t as interesting, though her apparent eavesdropping was good for some chuckles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-recurring-tv-character-who-was-never-seen/341829.md?page=3)