Who is TV’s Favorite Dad? And Who Came in Last?

TVs Best Dads
Getty; Everett Collection

The results of our ReMIND Favorite TV Dad poll are in: This year, for Father’s Day, we created a poll of 20 top classic TV dads, including those from Father Knows Best, My Three Sons, The Brady Bunch, Bonanza, The Andy Griffith Show and many more. 5,621 readers ended up voting to pick their favorite!

Who won the honor of most beloved patriarch on TV? And who surprised us by coming in last? Read on to find out!

1Andy Taylor

ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Ron Howard, Andy Griffith, 1960-1968

Everett Collection

You picked none other than the calm and loving Andy Taylor from The Andy Griffith Show as your top pick, with 1338 votes.

Andy Taylor, played by Andy Griffith , was the wise and warmhearted sheriff of the quiet town of Mayberry. He kept the peace with a calm demeanor, a gentle sense of humor and an unwavering devotion to his son, Opie.

2Charles Ingalls

©NBC / courtesy Everett Collection

Charles Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie was our runner-up, with 873 votes.

Charles Ingalls, the hardworking and compassionate patriarch of the Ingalls family played by Michael Landon, faced the trials of frontier life with steady resolve, deep faith and an unshakable love for his wife and daughters.

3Ward Cleaver

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, Jerry Mathers, Hugh Beaumont, 1957-1963, 1958 episode

Everett Collection

The second runner-up was Ward Cleaver, the steady and soft-spoken father on Leave It to Beaver, who served as a moral compass for his family. The character, played by Hugh Beaumont, offered thoughtful guidance and gentle discipline as he navigated the ups and downs of raising two young boys in 1950s suburbia.

Last Place: Darrin Stevens

BEWITCHED, Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent, Erin Murphy, David Lawrence, 1964-1972.

Everett Collection

Now, let’s find out who you put at the very bottom of our list. Darrin Stephens from Bewitched came in last, with only 11 votes (!). Perhaps it was because he was always flustered and tried to keep magic out of his normal suburban life instead of embracing his wife and their daughter’s special gifts. It could also be because the role was played by two different actors over the course of the series, causing a bit of confusion.

Check out the full results below and let us know if you agree or disagree!

Poll Results

Charles Ingalls – Little House on the Prairie
873 votes
John Walton – The Waltons
544 votes
Jim Anderson – Father Knows Best
386 votes
Steve Douglas – My Three Sons
383 votes
Howard Cunningham – Happy Days
288 votes
Mike Brady – The Brady Bunch
181 votes
Herman Munster – The Munsters
97 votes
James Evans – Good Times
86 votes
Danny Tanner – Full House
77 votes
Archie Bunker – All in the Family
57 votes
Tom Corbett – The Courtship of Eddie’s Father
49 votes
Danny Thomas – The Danny Thomas Show
32 votes
TV's Best Dads
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TV's Best Dads

June 2020

Celebrating TV's best dads from the 1950's-1990s

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