Before "Charlie's Angels" and "Dynasty", John Forsythe played Bentley Gregg. Gregg was a single attorney who became father to his teenage niece after her parents died. The show mixed teenage angst with new fatherhood, incorporating career and romantic challenges for the "Bachelor Father" (1957-1962).
2. "The Courtship of Eddie's Father"
Answer: Bill Bixby
On "The Courtship of Eddie's Father", Bill Bixby (pre-"Hulk") plays magazine publisher and widower Tom Corbett who is forced to raise his son alone (along with housekeeper Mrs. Livingstone). His son Eddie is constantly trying to find a new wife for his dad. The show aired from 1969 to 1972, with a memorable theme song, i.e., "People let me tell you 'bout my best friend."
3. "The Donna Reed Show"
Answer: Carl Betz
Kindly pediatrician Dr. Alex Stone, played by Carl Betz ("Judd for the Defense"), was husband of Donna and father to Mary and Jeff on "The Donna Reed Show". Typical of the time, the family lived in the upscale neighborhood of Hilldale, where dad dispensed advice and homemaker mom kept a perfect house with perfect neighbors and perfect problems. The show ran from 1958 to 1966.
4. "Gidget"
Answer: Don Porter
Southern California is the setting for "Gidget" about a teenager living with her widowed college professor father, Russell Lawrence, played by Don Porter. Gidget is played by Sally Field (before she flew off to become a nun), as she suns and surfs and learns life's lessons. The show only ran from 1965 to 1966.
5. "Rhoda"
Answer: Harold Gould
"Rhoda" (1974-1978) was a spin-off of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" when Rhoda decides to move back to New York and get married. There she is reacquainted with her patient, loving father, Martin Morgenstern, played by Harold Gould, her mother Ida and her sister Brenda (Julie Kavner before she became Marge Simpson).
Her relationships and her growing self-confidence made the show one to watch.
6. "That Girl"
Answer: Lew Parker
On "That Girl", Ann Marie showed us that it was okay to be a single girl with a career in New York City. While trying to find acting and modeling jobs, Ann Marie turned to her father Lew Marie, played by Lew Parker, for advice. And for romance, Ann turned to her boyfriend, Don Hollinger (always around to keep her from being lonely). The sitcom aired from 1966 to 1971.
7. "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis"
Answer: Frank Faylen
1940s character actor Frank Faylen took on the role of grocery store owner, Herbert T. Gillis, constantly exasperated by his son Dobie (but, then again, who would name their son Dobie?) on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis". All the while, hormonal teenager Dobie pondered about life and love, while the show featured stars-to-be Warren Beatty and Tuesday Weld.
The sitcom was on from 1959 to 1963.
8. "Dennis the Menace"
Answer: Herbert Anderson
Herbert Anderson as Henry Mitchell was the perfect foil and father to that pre-teen prankster Dennis Mitchell, i.e., "Dennis the Menace" (1959-1963). The show was based on Hank Ketcham's comic strip about the well-meaning Dennis, in his overalls and with his sling shot, who always managed to get into trouble, especially with neighbor Mr. Wilson.
9. "The Jeffersons"
Answer: Franklin Cover
On "The Jeffersons" (1975-1985), Franklin Cover played Tom Willis who was the father of Jenny; Jenny was the girlfriend and later wife of George Jefferson's son, Lionel. Aside from the arrogant upscale George, a lot of the humor on the show was based on the fact that Tom was white, while his wife Helen was black.
The comedy was, arguably, the most successful spin-off of "All in the Family".
10. "Family Affair"
Answer: Brian Keith
Another show featuring a single father was "Family Affair" (1966-1971). Here we find successful New York engineer Bill Davis, played by Brian Keith. His life is turned upside down when he finds he must take care of his twin niece and nephew, Buffy and Jody, along with their older sister, Cissy. With the help of Mr. French (his valet), he discovers the ups and downs of being a surrogate parent.
11. "Mayberry R.F.D"
Answer: Ken Berry
An extension of "The Andy Griffith Show", "Mayberry R.F.D" features Ken Berry (after "F Troop" and before "Mama's Family") as widowed farmer Sam Jones. Sam hires Aunt Bee to help raise his young son Mike after Andy marries Helen and moves away. Some of the characters from "The Andy Griffith Show" remain, e.g., Goober Pyle and Howard Sprague. The show aired from 1968 to 1971.
12. "My Three Sons"
Answer: Fred MacMurray
Yet another widowed dad, aeronautical engineer Steve Douglas is forced to raise his three sons with the help of his father-in-law and, later, his uncle. Leading actor Fred MacMurray takes on the role of the single father. The show lasted so long, i.e., from 1960 to 1972, we saw Douglas raise another generation and, finally, remarry.
13. "ALF"
Answer: Max Wright
Max Wright plays the patient, put-upon Willie Tanner, husband of Kate and father to Lynn and Brian. They were a typical American family until an Alien Life Form, ALF, crashes into their garage. We learn that ALF is really Gordon Shumway from Melmac, and that this furry, sarcastic alien is here to stay and wreak havoc on the Tanner's lives. "ALF" ran from 1986 to 1990.
14. "Leave it to Beaver"
Answer: Hugh Beaumont
Just a few years after "Father Knows Best", "Leave it to Beaver" arrived on the small screen. Hugh Beaumont was Ward Cleaver, the wise patriarch of the Cleaver family. While he occasionally patronized his well-coiffed wife June with a pat on the head, he always had the right answers to how to raise his two sons, Wally and the "Beav". The comedy aired from 1957 to 1963.
15. "Diff'rent Strokes"
Answer: Conrad Bain
When widowed millionaire Philip Drummond's African-American housekeeper dies, Drummond, played by Conrad Bain, agrees to adopt her two young sons, Willis and Arnold. He raises them along with his teenage daughter, Kimberly, as we learn it "takes diff'rent strokes to move the world". As a side note, the real kids on "Diff'rent Strokes" (1978-1986) did not fare very well in real life.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Gamemaster1967 before going online.
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