Greatest TV Dads from Sitcoms

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When the sitcom dad was first introduced, he was usually the least funny person on the show. The TV dad was the one that was in charge of settling things down whenever they got out of hand. He was always the disciplinarian. Today he has evolved to become the butt of most of the jokes. There was a time we had a happy medium of great dads on sitcoms that were actually funny.

To make this list, the TV dads only had to pass three tests: be actively trying to set a good example for their children, be funny and be human.

Cliff Huxtable - "The Cosby Show"

Cliff (Bill Cosby) is the ultimate sitcom dad. Playing a doctor did not stop this dad from being completely involved with raising his children. Huxtable had a way of teaching his kids, and all of us, a lesson each week while having us all laughing at the same time.

Tim Taylor - "Home Improvement"

Though he appeared to be a bumbling fool on his show within a show, Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor (Tim Allen) showed he would do whatever it took to teach his three boys how to be men. So they would grunt now and then like apes, is that so wrong?

Dan Conner - "Roseanne"

Probably the realest TV dad, Dan Conner (John Goodman) put up with all of the day-to-day madness that happens in a lower middle class home. No matter how short the family was on the electric bill or other utilities, Dan got up every morning and made every attempt to support his family, both financially and emotionally.

Red Forman - "That '70s Show"

There's no doubt that Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith) is the ultimate disciplinarian. If he wasn't threatening to put his foot in someone's behind, it was an off day for him. The ultimate throwback dad, Red suggests what may have happened to Ward Cleaver had he lived during the '70s.

Honorable mention goes to Ray Barone (Ray Romano) from "Everybody Loves Raymond" and Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) from "The Office" for their efforts on TV sitcoms. I also have to mention Randy Marsh, Stan's dad on "South Park," who only failed to make the list due to the "human" criterion I set. I'm sure there are others who are on your list of greatest dads, but I think these were the funniest.