There are entire generations of us who’ve felt at least partly raised by a TV Dad, whether it was their fatherly wisdom or stupid, comedic gags that made us laugh. Here is a list of the best TV sitcom dads who have always made us laugh.
Philip Banks, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Iconic, nostalgic, and one of the funniest TV sitcom dads to ever grace our screens. Philip Banks (James Avery) was Will’s (Will Smith) Uncle Phil and father to Carleton (Alfonso Ribeiro) and his other siblings on the legendary 90s show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Tim Taylor, Home Improvement
Tim Taylor, played by the real-life Tim Allen, is one of the funniest TV sitcom dads ever. We only need to hear the words “Tool Time With Tim” to be automatically reminded of how funny this TV dad was.
Dan Conner, Roseanne
Roseanne’s (Roseanne Bar) husband and father of her children, Dan Conner, played by the hilarious John Goodman, kept us all laughing from 1988 to 1997 in this TV sitcom.
Ron Swanson, Parks and Recreation
Playing a stepdad who supposedly hates kids, Ron eventually took to his partner’s children and ended up being a good Dad to them. He always made us laugh, even if it did appear that he was in a bad mood most of the time.
Al Bundy, Married With Children
Played by Ed O’Neill, Al Bundy was one of our favorite TV dads. He always made us laugh with his dry sense of humor and sarcastic jokes.
Herman Munster, The Munsters
Herman Munster, this gentle giant with a tender heart, kept us laughing with his slapstick, wholesome, family-friendly humor.
Howard Cunningham, Happy Days
If you’re old enough to remember the TV sitcom Happy Days, you’ll agree that Howard Cunningham felt like a surrogate father to many of us. With his sound advice and dry wit, he always made us laugh.
Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
Even though he’s a cartoon, Homer still plays one of the most notorious TV dads in the history of American sitcoms. Not only did he sometimes remind us of our own dads, but he also made us laugh out loud in every episode of The Simpsons.
Ray Barone, Everybody Loves Raymond
This TV sitcom Dad kept us laughing for 210 episodes from 1996 to 2005.
Mike Brady, The Brady Bunch
This TV sitcom, Dad, is the O.G. of all TV dads as he shows them all how it’s done. Acting as a moral compass and the foundation of his family, Mike Brady instilled some excellent fatherly advice in us while also making us laugh.
Martin Crane, Frasier
Frasier’s Dad, played by John Mahoney, was almost more famous than the main character, Frasier himself. He was always lurking in the background with a sarcastic joke or hilarious comment.
Ray Campbell, Sister, Sister
Not only did this TV dad make us laugh, but he demonstrated what a kind, loving father figure should look like. Even if he was overprotective, he taught his daughters beautiful life lessons and guided their steps.
Christopher Julius Rock, Everybody Hates Chris
The award for one of the funniest TV sitcoms ever goes to Everybody Hates Chris, and so does the prize for the most easy-going, down-to-earth, hilarious TV Dad.
Louis Huang, Fresh Off the Boat
Louis Huang is the kindest and funniest boss you could ever dream of having. He acts more like a father figure than a boss and is always up for a laugh with his employees.
Michael Kyle, My Wife and Kids
Quick-witted but kind and caring at the same time, Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans) is the sort of TV sitcom Dad that we all love.
Phil Dunphy, Modern Family
Although he might be the goofiest TV sitcom Dad ever, Phil always came through for his kids, making us all laugh simultaneously.
Maxwell Sheffield, The Nanny
Playing a widowed father struggling to balance work and raising his kids without their mother, Maxwell’s character, played by Charles Shaughnessy, had us all in our feels while also making us laugh.
Carl Winslow, Family Matters
Carl was a TV sitcom Dad with flaws, but he always put his family first and still had enough energy left to deal with his annoying next-door neighbor, Steve Urkel.
Steven Keaton, Family Ties
Although this TV sitcom Dad came across as a tad argumentative, he was still super committed to his family and made us all laugh with his hilarious ex-hippie ways.
Red Forman, That Seventies Show
Red Forman, played by Kurtwood Smith, was quite a stern TV Dad, and as an ex-multi-war-veteran, he wasn’t prepared to take much nonsense, but he still made us laugh with his smart quotes and comedic one-liners.
Charles Ingalls, Little House on the Prairie
Michael Landon played Charles Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie and was one of the most wholesome father figures ever to be in a T.V. sitcom. Although this series often dealt with serious themes, there were plenty of humorous episodes.
