33 of the Best TV Dads of All Time

Played by: Bob Saget

With Bob Saget passing away at the age of 65, the world lost a man who brought one of the most endearing father figures to television. As a single dad who loses his wife in an accident and tries to figure out how to raise three young daughters (with the help of some of his loved ones), Danny Tanner taught us that it’s perfectly acceptable to ask your guests to remove their shoes at the door. And although we hate to say it—we can't help but love his corny heart-to-hearts.

Played by: Terry Crews

Introducing one of the most down-to-earth TV dads. His penny-pinching ways will make you think twice about turning on the air conditioner…or not.

Played by: Milo Ventimiglia

Jack Pearson is pretty much your quintessential television dad. Not only is he a selfless provider, but he loves his wife and children unconditionally (literally, his family is his whole world). He’s also one of the only fathers who can reduce us to a pool of tears with his pep talks and witty one-liners.

Played by: James Avery

He may be Uncle Phil to us (and to Will Smith), but to his kids, Hilary, Ashley, Carlton and Nicky, Philip is the best dad. He also plays the role of patriarch for Will, who, up until he moved to Bel-Air, never had a paternal figure in his life. At times Uncle Phil’s temper can get high, but how else are you going to keep a house full of kids and an eccentric nephew in line?

Played by: Nick Offerman

For someone who famously hates kids, Swanson takes fairly quickly to his girlfriend Diane’s two daughters. On one occasion he even stays at the office to babysit the young girls, finding himself way in over his head. However, he eventually gets the hang of things and the couple ends up having their own child together.

Played by: Damon Wayans

Michael Kyle was the ultimate early ’00s dad. From using reverse psychology to playing practical jokes, he handled real-life issues like a total breeze.

Played by: Luke Perry

We’ll try and not get too sentimental on you here. The late actor’s character is pretty much the only parental figure on the show with actual parenting skills and morals. While the others are galavanting around town and hiding secrets from their kids, Fred is the only one who’s actually there for his son and even (literally) takes a bullet for him.

Played by: Ty Burrell

He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he’s accepting, understanding and really, really good at pretending to know magic. This is the kind of goofy dad we all need, not only on our TV screens, but in our everyday lives.

Played by: John Amos

James Evans Sr. goes above and beyond to provide for his family, even if it means working multiple jobs. Let us be clear: He didn’t deserve that fatal season four bombshell.

Played by: Bryan Cranston

It’s not every day that a high school chemistry teacher (diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer) turns to selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family's future. But that’s not why he’s on this list. Yes, Walter White ends up destroying his family and (spoiler alert) ultimately dying a bitter death, but we believe his original intentions were good.

Played by: David Eigenberg

While we see many (emphasis on many) men throughout the series, Steve is one of the few fathers. And boy is he good with Brady. Miranda even knows how wonderful he is with their young son. In the franchise’s first movie, she writes down “Good father” as a “pro” to decide if she should take Steve back.

Played by: Wallace Shawn

Sure, it took Blair a while to come around to her new stepdad, but Cyrus Rose has all the qualities you could ever want in a father figure. He quickly grew on everyone and offered some wholesome joy to the Waldorf clan. And in a world where parents were more concerned with their Prada bags and UES galas, Cyrus was the most attentive parent and gave some seriously great advice.

Played by: John Astin

Look—we’re not saying we want to drop our lives and be a part of the spooky clan (although, it would be cool), but the head of the Addams family is no doubt a loving father. A little unorthodox at times? Sure. But no one can rock a dad-stache quite like he can.

Played by: Peter Krause

We’ll admit that he has his cheesy moments, but Adam Braverman is all about making sure his son Max (who suffers from Asperger syndrome) remained happy and healthy. Even if that means impromptu hiking trips for some bonding time. Overall, Adam wants to support his family and make sure they know that they are loved and cared for at all times.

Played by: Kyle Chandler

Coach Taylor was a father both on and off of the field. Not only was he there for his players, many of which lacked a stable home, but he also was an attentive father to his teenage daughter Julie. And let’s face it, at times she was a handful. The real reason we love coach so much? He taught us our life motto: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”

Played by: Ron Cephas Jones

He might not have raised Randall, but William Hill deserves an honorable mention. In the short time he knew his son, William did what he could to make up for lost time. *Cue the waterworks*

Played by: Ed O’Neill

Yup, way before O’Neill got his gig on Modern Family, the actor portrayed one of the ’80s most lovable dads. While Al faced many struggles throughout his life, he manages to get by and provide for his wife, Peg, and his two kids, Kelly and Bud. He also makes sure to teach his children not to expect handouts from anyone and to put their all into everything they do.

Voiced by: H. Jon Benjamin

Bob Belcher is not only tolerant, supportive, loving, principled and grounded, but the father of three is also impressively hard-working when it comes to the family restaurant. Honestly, the Belcher family does a great job of depicting the real-life dynamics of the modern American family.

Played by: Peter Gallagher

Not only does Sandy have a wonderful relationship with his biological son Seth, but he also didn’t miss a beat taking in—as one of his own—a juvenile teen from (gasp!) Chino, who everyone else abandoned. Not to mention, his sandwiching-making skills are top notch.

Played by: James Gandolfini

We know what you’re thinking, “How could a dangerous Jersey mob boss possibly make it on this list?” Well, as it turns out, Tony will do absolutely anything for his children (yes, even physically harm someone if he has to). From the outset of the series, Soprano makes sure his kids are taken care of and although we question some (OK, a lot) of his life choices, we still think he earns some major dad points.

Played by: Jerry Stiller

Let’s face it—George was definitely a mama’s boy. However, at times he was also a papa’s boy (if that’s even a thing). And while Frank, also known as Mr. Costanza, tends to be on the angrier side, he definitely cares about his son and made for some pretty memorable moments in the hit sitcom. Might we remind you of the time he fought Elaine at the police station for saying George wasn’t “clever?”

Voiced by: Dan Castellaneta

Don’t scroll—hear us out. If you can get beyond the fact that he’s a fictional cartoon character, you’ll realize that Homer is a totally a hands-on dad. While he may not be able to give his three kids everything they want (take Bart and his video games for example), he does give them something more important: time and attention.

Played by: Sean Bean

Sure, his head was ceremonially chopped off (RIP) in season one, but he still managed to raise six badass children. Before he died, he was able to teach them to be loyal, kind and to never give up. Even if that means (spoiler!) killing your own Aunt to save the seven kingdoms.

Played by: John Goodman

Perhaps more than anyone on this list, Dan Conner embodies the typical dad. Like the majority of off-screen patriarchs, he isn’t perfect, but he always tries his best when it came to his kids. Not to mention, he’s the only one this list that actually came back from the dead (ahem, The Conners spinoff).

Played by: Alan Thicke

First of all, Dr. Seaver makes sure to have a home office so he could always be around his family (now that’s dedication). Second, he serves as a great moderator for the bickerings between his three children, and third, the man has a killer head of hair. Of course he deserves to make this list!

Played by: John Marshall Jones

The widowed single father was an expert at balancing discipline with love when it came to his three kids. Not only that, but he kept his kids in line while also managing his own roofing company. Talk about impressive.

Played by: Reginald VelJohnson

The hard-working patriarch was flawed, but he’s still one of the most loving and caring fathers to ever grace the small screen. Plus, aside from raising his own children, Carl also had to deal with Steve Urkel’s antics, which required a whole lot of patience. And for that alone, he deserves a spot on this list.

Played by: Tim Reid

Sure, Ray could be a bit overprotective, but we always knew his heart was in the right place. The successful businessman was not only kind enough to take in his adoptive daughter’s sister and her mom, but over time, he grew to become a wonderful father to both girls, teaching them valuable lessons along the way.

Played by: Anthony Anderson

He won’t hesitate to give his kids an impromptu lecture on Black history or what it means to be Black in America, but while encouraging them to take pride in their roots, he also sets a good example through his career and inspiring work ethic.

Played by: Randall Park

So being practical isn’t exactly his strong suit, but we love Louis for his easy-going nature and contagious optimism. Not only does he support and care for his family, but he also manages to stay positive while dealing with a very controlling partner.

Played by: Flex Alexander

It’s not every day that you see a father agree to become a single dad, even if it means having to sacrifice his bachelor lifestyle. Flex always looked out for his daughter Breanna (Kyla Pratt), and more importantly, he acknowledged his flaws and made a genuine effort to be a better father. (Remember when he joined Breanna for therapy sessions to avoid making the same mistakes his father made?)

Played by: Robert Reed

It’s no wonder Mike Brady was named “Father of the Year” after Marcia nominated him on the show. The fact that he managed to support a wife, six kids and a maid was already quite remarkable, but we especially admired his wisdom, calm demeanor and strong moral compass. Where would the family be without him?

Played by: Mike O'Malley

While Glee was characterized by many outrageous characters, Burt was one of the more subdued ones, and also one of the best. A single dad who works as a mechanic and loves football, Burt is always, above everything else, a loving and protective father, especially after his son, Kurt, comes out to him as gay. And their father-son dynamic is still one of the best in TV history.