# TV & Movie Characters Who HAD to Have Been Gay, but Weren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436 "2003-12-17T01:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/61 "2003-12-17T22:30:28Z")
Someone mentioned the Cowardly Lion, but I would also have to say The Tin Man. Super Secret TV Formula, on VH1, did this very topic called “Gay But Not Gay Characters”. I don’t remember who they picked as number one, though. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/62 "2003-12-17T23:11:17Z")
Well, it _was_ Bert Lahr and Jack Haley. We’re not exactly talking about the Hollywood He-Man’s Club there… ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/63 "2003-12-18T00:04:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*What was gay about Barney Fife? \*\* I agree, I see nothing gay about Barney. But now Mr. Furley… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/64 "2003-12-18T00:04:48Z")
Don’t forget Mr. Chicken… ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/65 "2003-12-18T00:24:25Z")
Cousin Oliver… Mister Rogers… Kazoo (the meddlesome space alien from the Flintstones)… Tramp (the dog from my three sons)… And Mister Wilson was a closet pederast. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/66 "2003-12-18T00:25:57Z")
Arnold Ziffel ---
**Author:** ![Dizzy\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dizzy\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dizzy_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/67 "2003-12-18T01:11:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bughunter \* > \*\*Kazoo (the meddlesome space alien from the Flintstones)… > \*\* That’s “Gazoo.” ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/68 "2003-12-18T01:18:06Z")
Vanity Smurf. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/69 "2003-12-18T01:45:03Z")
People people, how could we forget Huckleberry Hound? “I was so gay! And I couldn’t tell anybody.” Next time on Behind the Laughter… ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/70 "2003-12-18T01:47:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bughunter \* > \*\*Arnold Ziffel \*\* [I even found evidence](http://www.maggiore.net/greenacres/museum/museum.asp?pagenumber=113). ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/71 "2003-12-18T03:30:39Z")
C’mon, Fred was gay. Ever wonder why Shaggy walked bowlegged and had a crackly voice? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/72 "2003-12-18T03:55:49Z")
The Mighty Hercules and Newton the centaur. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/73 "2003-12-18T03:57:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > \*\*IIRC, they had several references to him being gay in the show. . . . \*\* Yep. I remember one scene that involved a prostitute trying to proposition Sydney. He asks, “Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat?” She, puzzled, says, “No. . . .” He then responds, “Well you’ll need to do something like that first before you make any money on anyone in this house.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/74 "2003-12-18T06:30:03Z")
Alfalfa. Gomer Pyle. The Doctor on _Star Trek Voyager_ The British guy on _The Jeffersons_ Sally and Richie on _The Dick Van Dyke Show_ ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/75 "2003-12-18T12:24:47Z")
Spock was bi… I mean, when the Pon-farr hits the Pon-farr hits. Both father and son on Silver Spoons Ned Flanders (but his religion won’t allow him to admit it) **Koalabear wrote** > [@](#): > > Electrawoman and Dynagirl. I think you may have just described my dream porno ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/76 "2003-12-18T13:22:16Z")
Katherine Janeway and Seven and Nine. And maybe the Borg Queen ---
**Author:** ![BIH\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@BIH\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BIH_Boy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/77 "2003-12-18T13:31:46Z")
The Fonz - he hung out in the mens toilet and the amount of women he saw seemed to suggest someone hiding a secret. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/78 "2003-12-18T13:45:02Z")
**Skippy** from Family Ties. **The Dad** from Family Ties. **Jennifer** from Family Ties. “don’t mind me” \<- right on with **Richard**. I couldn’t believe it when they hooked up. I think he told the screenwriters, “make me have a go with Caroline so the guys at the plant stop teasing my father.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/79 "2003-12-18T14:51:14Z")
Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble got together privately after bowling. The theme song even said so: “We’ll have a gay old time!” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436/80 "2003-12-18T15:09:27Z")
Corporal Agarn and Sergeant O’Rourke and Roaring Chicken . Spin Evans and Marty Markham. Pepperment Patty and Marcia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-movie-characters-who-had-to-have-been-gay-but-werent/219436.md?page=5)