# The Greatest Character in Sitcom History **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821 "2009-02-07T18:41:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/141 "2009-02-13T21:17:14Z")
My top ten (after Archie Bunker): Harry Solomon _(3rd Rock From the Sun)_ Rose Nyland _(Golden Girls)_ Felix Unger Edmund Blackadder Nigel Wick _(Drew Carey Show)_ Dr. Sheldon Cooper _(Big Bang Theory)_ Ted Baxter Cpl. Randolph Agarn _(F Troop)_ Mork from Ork Phyllis Lindstrom ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/142 "2009-02-13T21:50:34Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > Nigel Wick _(Drew Carey Show)_ Oh, yes! How could I forget Mr. Wick? šŸ™‚ A few more that occurred to me: Exidor (_Mork and Mindy_) - small part, but made a big impact. A couple of the scenes with him and Mork made me almost hurt myself laughing. Father Dougal McGuire (_Father Ted_) Father Jack Hackett (_Father Ted_) ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/143 "2009-02-13T22:07:45Z")
Mary Hartman Mary Hartman ---
**Author:** ![diablevert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@diablevert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diablevert)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/144 "2009-02-13T23:49:00Z")
Who is Louie DePalma? Seriously, Iā€™d like to know. I suppose I could wiki it, but I guess my real question is, why was he so awesome? Itā€™s the only name on this thread that Iā€™ve completely never heard of. Itā€™s also interesting to me, reading this, how age centric it isā€¦if there was a bell curve of the names mentioned on this thread vis-a-vis when the shows were on, the peak would be about 1977 or soā€¦I wonder if thatā€™s because thereā€™s a peak sit-com-watching time in oneā€™s life, or if because we always like the shows of our youth the best, or if because the 70s really were a golden age of the sitcom while other genres were more dominant in other erasā€¦ Also, I wonder what people would name as the greatest purely American sitcom character? Archie Bunker seems to be the consensus, but as has been pointed out, heā€™s a rip off of a British show. Maybe Honeymooners? I havenā€™t seen it much, as itā€™s not much to my taste, but it does seem to be the ur-show, the prototype. Oh, and shout-out the the Brits ā€” if all these other shows are considered the best of the 70s British sitcoms, why in godā€™s name are yā€™all constantly running re-runs of Only Fools and Horses? Bleck. Although I do have a secret fondness for Are You Being Served. Itā€™s a bit like, say, Birdā€™s Eye custard or Campbellā€™s soup ā€¦the idea has an appeal the actual experience often lacks. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/145 "2009-02-13T23:49:06Z")
My first thought was **Hawkeye,** but I wasnā€™t sure if M_A_S\*H is really a sitcom (laugh track or no laugh track.) But since itā€™s in, **Radar** deserves a nod too. Iā€™m not a fan of the Office in no small part because it already seems dated to me. Part of itā€™s the camera work and part of itā€™s set up, but it feels to me very reflective of a specific type of show and a specific type of situation from a specific period in time - late 90ā€™s office life back when Dilbert was still fresh and stuff shot informally on handheld digital cameras was an exciting new approach. Is Dwight more universal and evergreen than Dilbert? I would doubt it. But as I say, Iā€™m not a fan and I donā€™t watch often. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/146 "2009-02-13T23:56:56Z")
Without looking at any of the other entries, Iā€™m going to vote for **Hank Kingsley** (Jeffrey Tambor) from _The Larry Sanders Show_. The runners-up are so pale in comparison, they are barely worth mentioning (Homer Simpson, Elaine Benes, George Michael Bluthā€¦). Hank is a rat bastard. Hank is a tragic figure. Hank is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/147 "2009-02-14T00:34:39Z")
Balki Bartokomous ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/148 "2009-02-14T02:57:49Z")
> [@diablevert](#): > > Who is Louie DePalma? > > Seriously, Iā€™d like to know. I suppose I could wiki it, but I guess my real question is, why was he so awesome? Itā€™s the only name on this thread that Iā€™ve completely never heard of. > > Itā€™s also interesting to me, reading this, how age centric it isā€¦if there was a bell curve of the names mentioned on this thread vis-a-vis when the shows were on, the peak would be about 1977 or soā€¦I wonder if thatā€™s because thereā€™s a peak sit-com-watching time in oneā€™s life, or if because we always like the shows of our youth the best, or if because the 70s really were a golden age of the sitcom while other genres were more dominant in other erasā€¦ He was Danny DeVito in _Taxi_. I think the 1960s was more of a Golden Age of sitcoms. Gilliganā€™s Island, I Dream of Jeannie, Dick Van Dyke, many others. Although I suppose an argument could be made for the 1950s, too. But whoever THE greatest character in sitcom history is, I suppose it should be one on a program that has stood the test of time and become part of American culture. As much as I like George Burns and Gracie Allen, I have to admit itā€™s only older people who even knew they were ever _in_ a sitcom to begin with. But everyone knows Gilligan or Hawkeye or Jeannie. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/149 "2009-02-14T06:20:28Z")
Gracie Allen, it has to be. Every time I think I know where she is going, she takes a different tack. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/150 "2009-02-14T06:26:40Z")
I just realized, Gracie is the other side of Mrs. Cake. Watch the show, especially any in which she has dealings with public officials. Also they do classic sit com plots, but intertwined with them is the absolute madness of Gracie. ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/151 "2009-02-14T06:31:14Z")
Iā€™m not even sure why, but seeing other people who appreciate Gracieā€™s humor just warms my heart. She deserves to be remembered and celebrated forever! ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/152 "2009-02-14T15:54:34Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Nobody has mentioned Frank and Marie Barone, two characters whom people love to hate, and hate to love. I think Marie is amazing. Doris Roberts makes her believable, loathsome, sympathetic, and hilarious. Sheā€™s my favorite part of that show, by far. But I donā€™t know if sheā€™s the greatest character in sitcom history. I have to define ā€œsitcom historyā€ as ā€œthe shows I happen to have seen.ā€ Iā€™m 24 and didnā€™t grow up with a lot of the shows people have been talking about in this thread. I have a very cursory knowledge of shows like Taxi, but Iā€™ve never heard of half the characters in this thread. Itā€™s sad, really. Maybe Iā€™ll enlist Netflix to fight my ignorance. I think ā€œgreatestā€ has to be more than just a personal favorite (for me, thatā€™s Larry David, followed by Jerri Blank). The greatest character has to be embodied by a gifted comedian and should be an iconic representative from a truly great, influential sitcom. With those conditions, my pick is Kramer. Bill McNeal is my runner-up. ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/153 "2009-02-14T15:57:44Z")
> [@Chum](#): > > I have to define ā€œsitcom historyā€ as ā€œthe shows I happen to have seen.ā€ Iā€™m 24 and didnā€™t grow up with a lot of the shows people have been talking about in this thread. I have a very cursory knowledge of shows like Taxi, but Iā€™ve never heard of half the characters in this thread. Itā€™s sad, really. Maybe Iā€™ll enlist Netflix to fight my ignorance. Hey, kidā€¦ a lot of us are talking about shows that were on before we were alive tooā€¦ I think Gracie Allen died when I was still in diapersā€¦ Now, get off my lawn! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/154 "2009-02-15T05:34:52Z")
> [@diablevert](#): > > Who is Louie DePalma? > > Seriously, Iā€™d like to know. I suppose I could wiki it, but I guess my real question is, why was he so awesome? Itā€™s the only name on this thread that Iā€™ve completely never heard of. > > Itā€™s also interesting to me, reading this, how age centric it isā€¦if there was a bell curve of the names mentioned on this thread vis-a-vis when the shows were on, the peak would be about 1977 or soā€¦I wonder if thatā€™s because thereā€™s a peak sit-com-watching time in oneā€™s life, or if because we always like the shows of our youth the best, or if because the 70s really were a golden age of the sitcom while other genres were more dominant in other erasā€¦ > > Also, I wonder what people would name as the greatest purely American sitcom character? Archie Bunker seems to be the consensus, but as has been pointed out, heā€™s a rip off of a British show. Maybe Honeymooners? I havenā€™t seen it much, as itā€™s not much to my taste, but it does seem to be the ur-show, the prototype. > > Oh, and shout-out the the Brits ā€” if all these other shows are considered the best of the 70s British sitcoms, why in godā€™s name are yā€™all constantly running re-runs of Only Fools and Horses? Bleck. Although I do have a secret fondness for Are You Being Served. Itā€™s a bit like, say, Birdā€™s Eye custard or Campbellā€™s soup ā€¦the idea has an appeal the actual experience often lacks. Although not the funniest by any stretch, my vote for a typical middle America character would have to be Chester A. Riley. Pounded rivets all day, carried a lunchbox and had a white picket fence. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/155 "2009-02-15T08:35:50Z")
I donā€™t know if I missed itā€¦ but I canā€™t believe nobody has mentioned Dan Fielding (John Laroquette) from Night Court Not only was he funny, but Laroquette was spot on. He asked to have his name removed from consideration because he won Best Actor Emmy 4 straight years. ([cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Larroquette)) Also- I see somebody mentioned Liz Lemon- but I would put Jack Donaghey as the truely great character in that sitcom. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/156 "2009-02-15T09:13:51Z")
Sir Humphrey Applebee (Yes Minister). ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/157 "2009-02-15T20:56:16Z")
[Bernard Black](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Black) of [Black Books.](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackBooks) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821/158 "2009-02-17T14:55:16Z")
> [@The\_Tof](#): > > I Dan Fielding (John Laroquette) from Night Court But I think his role in the _John Larroquette Show_ was better (the writing was better, too), where he played a recovered alcoholic, night manager of a St. Louis bus terminal. The episode where the ghost/Jesus/Willie Nelson appears on the wall is a classic every skeptic should watch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-character-in-sitcom-history/484821.md?page=7)