Is Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) The Best TV Dad In History?

Is Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) 

The Best TV Dad In History?

Andy Griffith was more than just a kindly sheriff from Mayberry he had a way of reaching through our TVs and into our hearts there was something uniquely inviting about him when that telltale whistling started with the opening theme and we saw Andy and Opie walking down that gravel road to their favorite fishing hole we felt like we were getting exclusive access to a father and sons intimate bonding experience. Opie played by a young Ron Howard got himself into a lot of trouble and he had a lot of questions some of those questions would make most parents feel rather uncomfortable but Andy just always knew the right thing to say he had patience compassion and empathy and that truly shined through in a way that never left us questioning his commitment to his family but how does Andy compared to other iconic TV dads from the era.

Michael Landon is a dad that was known to be a bit of a prankster Michael Landon best known for his parts as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza Charles Ingalls and Little House on the Prairie and Jonathan Smith and highway to heaven Michael Landon's career spans several decades routinely seeing him in family-friendly roles but just because someone plays a family man on TV doesn't necessarily mean they live up to that persona in real life to those that knew Michael however they had nothing but praise when discussing his role as a father in his children's lives as a husband he would sometimes have his own personal failings that's made evident by the three marriages he went through in his tragically short life he was after all human but as a dad he was attentive loving and supportive taking the time to be playful and goofy but also knowing the appropriate time in places to be serious when the situation called for him his daughter Jennifer recalls him as having a great sense of humor she gave an example of this by recalling a time on a family vacation in the mountains of Colorado that Michael covered the snow blanketed backyard of the vacation home they were staying in with strawberry Nesquik powder and sent her and her friend out equipped with spoons to go take care of the matter he was more than just a goofball he was an admirable man who loved his family deeply when asked what his proudest accomplishment was in life he said it was his children speaking of proud accomplishments.

John Astin although he may be best known for the creepy zany cryptic character of Gomez in the Addams family his family recalls him in a much fonder light his daughter Mackenzie described him as being a regular guy full of love and heartfelt commitment to his family they would regularly go on family outings and vacations and John would make sure each of his five children felt loved and supported he loved waking up early on the weekends and making everyone breakfast his favorite thing to cook was waffles mmm waffles John is also a deeply spiritual man he's been practicing Buddhism for many years no doubt his philosophical and religious perspective has helped him find his Center as a father he always strove for peace and serenity in his family relations.

Ralph Waite Mr. Waite played John Waltons senior on the 1970s family drama show The Waltons he was a hard-working industrious man with a strong moral compass an impeccable work ethic he was always willing to set the matter straight when conflict or struggle arose and he was a relentless advocate for his family and children at all costs on the Waltons he could be a bit brash at times and worked himself to the point of exhaustion but he did it all for the greater good of his relations the show took place during the Great Depression at a time in American history when families struggled at the hands of economic distress he wanted something better for the ones he loved and cared for he operated a sawmill on his family's mountainous property and it was self-evident he wouldn't let tough economic conditions get the better of his clan his daughter Judy described him as having a heart of gold he had a lot of love and care to go around and felt things very deeply he put a lot of himself into his on-screen character he tapped into his uncompromising family values to bring to the screen a depiction of a hard-working man that would do just about anything for the benefit of his children a quality he knew all too well raising his own three children.

Robert Young best known for his starring role as Jim Anderson in the CBS 1950s sitcom father knows best he played a lovable Midwestern insurance salesman with a heart of gold originally billed as a radio show Young's character took on a much gruffer persona that ruled over his family with a bit of an iron fist he was Stern and short-tempered and would often be heard calling his children and wife names Robert Young was displeased with this dynamic he wanted to portray the family as having a warm relationship with bonds that intensified with each successful overcoming of obstacles and struggles so when the show took the leap from the airways to the TV screen in 1954 he offered his constructive criticism and artistic direction to the studio they liked what he was working with and allowed for the tweaks and modifications Jung desired the way he figured a show called father knows best ideally should be about familial love he didn't want to normalize a dad who was emotionally distant short-sighted and impatient he wanted to be there to offer sage advice when his kids were struggling he wanted to be a good example as a husband who wanted to provide for his family not only financially but emotionally as well Roberts daughter Carol testifies her father really was that embodiment of love and care he strove to be she expressed Glee that some 60 years later people were still learning what family values mean through the lens of a show her father played such a key role in formulating I'm sure he's smiling down from heaven to see his show making people happy she expressed.

Hugh Beaumont Leave It to Beaver was a portrait of life in suburban America in the 1950s the beaver was always getting himself into some kind of trouble that his father Ward played by Hugh Beaumont wouldn't simply bail him out instead he would sit his child down and have a man-to-man conversation to help beaver see the error of his ways and how to solve his problems with integrity and courage Ward Cleaver was more an iconic sitcom character he was a guru of domestic affairs he never came across as preachy even though he was in fact ordained as a Methodist minister in his life outside of television but he did always know just what to say and how to say it his training as a preacher no doubt instilled him with a sense of moral and ethical direction that he passed on to his family he always had the time to put his newspaper down and to listen to the troubles and concerns that his wife and kids faced well he may not have been the star of the show he was known best for he was a star dad his daughter Kristin recounts that he was always very patient with her she wanted to make his favorite dessert banana cream pie for Father's Day for years but she had little experience baking it took her many attempts with several less-than-stellar practice pies that turned out more like creamy fruit soup and fluffy custard pie he never complained or criticized her rather he would retort that the first thing you had to do when setting out to accomplish a task was tying your shoelaces she went on to explain that this was his way of saying that you had to start with the little things first and then work your way onward from there.

Fred Gwynne the Munsters may have been an unorthodox kind of family but Fred Gwynne wouldn't let that stop him from being the best dad he could be he played the towering 7-foot tall Herman Munster not only was he a fantastic actor but he was also multi-talented playing guitar and telling jokes that would leave folks in stitches in between takes in his personal life he was nothing like the spooky goofy monstrosity he played on screen he was a father of six and very much so a family man he would make sure his kids felt loved by taking them to sporting events and showering them with gifts but it wasn't what he did with his money that showed that he was a dad of honor rather it was his undying loyalty and empathy that shined through and everything he did that highlighted the kind of man he was.

Andy Griffith was the epitome of what it meant to be a stand-up gentleman in a folksy Conaway that oozed southern charm he may have been the sheriff in town but he never used that positioning as a Power Move he remained humble as just another member of the community this rule of law may have led his working life but it was the rule of love that guided his personal life he was a moral compass of sorts to audiences everywhere that would tune into the andy griffith show not just to see what kind of hijinks Barney Fife and Gomer Pyle would get themselves into but also to see what sound words of advice Andy would have for Opie and Aunt Bea Andy was a man that always gave respect where it was due and had a humble enough ego that he would always be willing to hear someone out even if they thought even if he thought they were in the wrong Andy's daughter Dixie affirmed his off-screen excellence by telling fans her dad always had time for his kids he would teach them how to ride motorcycles and shoot guns and all the exciting stuff but would also sit down and patiently teach them how to play the piano or solve math equations for their homework he was an excellent teacher and guide most importantly he wanted his kids to know that in order to do anything worthwhile you had to put in a little bit of hard work and exercise he was a major proponent of developing a strong work ethic if you're gonna do something do it right thanks Andy we'll keep that in mind thanks for sticking around to revisit some of the greatest dads in television.

What do you think about our pick of best dad does Andy Griffith live up to his reputation or did someone else on our list deserve the title let us know what you think in the comment section.