Armchair Commentary

Happy 75th Birthday, Burt Reynolds!

That devilishly handsome ol' son-of-a-gun Burt Reynolds turns 75 on Feb. 11, so let's raise a cold one in his honor (bet he's a PBR man). Over the years, Burt's seen his career fever chart hit peaks (Deliverance) and valleys (Rent-a-Cop). Off the movie set, he bared it all (sorta) on a bearskin rug for a Cosmopolitan magazine centerfold and his nasty divorce battle with Loni Anderson played out in the tabloids for months. But how many actors have enjoyed a career renaissance in their 60s? Burt's one of the few. So let's take a look at some of The Mustachioed One's notable roles:

• Deliverance (1972): A group of businessmen head for the great outdoors on a canoe trip and run into danger in the form of toothless (and possibly inbred) backwoods-types. As Lewis, Burt's the level-headed one in the group (played by the excellent cast of Jon Voight, Ronny Cox and a very brave Ned Beatty). The movie features controversial scenes (and made "squeal like a pig" a much-used punchline), but in the hands of Burt and his sturdy co-stars, Deliverance is a timeless thriller. Strike up the banjos!

 

• The Longest Yard (1974): It wasn't a stretch for Burt to take on the role of Paul Crewe, a former football player turned convict in this sports comedy (which has its dark moments). In real life, Burt received a football scholarship to Florida State University, but an injury put an end to his gridiron dreams. This is mega-buff Burt at his peak and The Longest Yard spawned a few other football comedies (North Dallas Forty, Semi-Tough - which also stars Burt). Unfortunately, the 2005 remake (starring Burt as the coach) fell flat.

• Smokey and the Bandit (1977): The film that made a black Trans-Am the "must" car of every high-school boy in the '70s. Burt's the truck-drivin' Bandit who, along with his cohort Cletus (Jerry Reid), is haulin' a load of beer - and a runaway bride (Sally Field) across Texas. With the volcanic Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) on their tail, there's a lot of fancy stunt driving and gags along the way. Smokey drew box-office bank and also cemented Burt's place as a good ol' boy in comedies such as Cannonball Run, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Stroker Ace.

 

• Boogie Nights (1997): Even though Burt received accolades for his "comeback" role in 1996's Striptease, the film itself wasn't well received by critics. Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson's unflinching look at the porn industry, officialy breathed new life into Burt's career. With a standout cast (Don Cheadle, Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg), an older Burt plays porno filmmaker Jack Horner to perfection. He makes Horner likable (in spite of the guy's chosen profession) and his character provides a stabilizing influence on the rest of the coked-out characters. Burt received an Academy Award nomination for his work in Boogie Nights. Bonus points for the movie soundtrack that captures the essence of the '70s and '80s. -- Francine Ruley

Favorite Boxing Movies That Come Out Slugging

I can't stand watching real-life boxing, but I loooove a good boxing movie. Why is that? Maybe it's because I'm a patsy for a tale of struggle, heartbreak and triumph - in spite of the fake blood. After seeing the trailer for The Fighter (opening Dec. 10) starring Mark Wahlberg (who is still Marky Mark to me - sorry) and Christian Bale, I think we've got another TKO on our gloved hands. As in many great boxing movies, physical sacrifices were involved: Wahlberg trained for two years to play boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and Bale dieted down (again, remember The Machinist?) to play Micky's drug-addicted brother Dickie. Based on a true story, The Fighter looks as though it packs The Big Three: struggle, heartbreak and triumph. And this not-a-boxing-fan is looking forward to seeing it.  Until then, here are a few of my favorite boxing movies - which aren't about boxing.

• Rocky (1976): How enduring is a movie that 30+ years later, people are still quoting lines from Rocky (and I don't mean a mere "Adrian!"). Rocky scored three Oscars and put Sylvester Stallone's name on Hollywood's map. Rocky Balboa touched the contender in all of us. We huffed it up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art with him; we gagged when he chugged raw eggs. And don't forget the great cast: Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith. I might be missing out on something, but I ignored all subsequent Rockys, figuring none could come close to the first.

 

• Raging Bull (1980): Let me preface this by admitting that I burst into happy tears when Martin Scorsese finally nabbed his long-overdue Academy Award for Best Director (albeit for 2006's The Departed). Beautifully shot in B&W, Raging Bull makes boxing look like a brutal, slow-motion ballet. Robert De Niro plays Jake La Motta from his early years in the ring to his later days as a bloated "entertainer" (packing on 60 pounds for the role). Cathy Moriarty is stunning and Joe Pesci's tension will drive you nuts. 

 

• Million Dollar Baby (2004): The brilliant Clint Eastwood directed and starred in this drama about a female boxer whose career high meets a painful finish. Eastwood is Frank Dunn, a bitter and grizzled trainer who reluctantly takes aspiring fighter Maggie (Hilary Swank) under his wing. Million Dollar Baby raked in the Oscars: Eastwood received Best Director, Swank won Best Actress, and Morgan Freeman took home the Best Supporting Actor award. There's so much more to this movie than what goes on inside the ring; it's the family dynamics - or lack thereof - that will get you in the end.

 

• Cinderella Man (2005): Ron Howard directed this good, old-fashioned tearjerker inspired by the story of real-life boxing great James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe). Like millions of Americans, Braddock and his wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) are scraping by during The Great Depression. Braddock's comeback in the ring comes at a time when a nation of broken, desperate people pinned their hopes to a would-be hero and waited anxiously for those dreams to come true. Not just a "boxing movie," it's a little history lesson.  

You don't have to be a boxing fan to love these so-called "boxing movies," and I know there many I left off my list of favorites. What are yours? --Francine Ruley

Cher's Shining Movie Moments

Viva Cher! The 64-year-old actress/singer is enjoying a career renaissance with a new film, Burlesque, opening Nov. 24. Don't call it a comeback because Cher's never been away for long, even though her personal life has been a bumpy road. She's still full of surprises, showing up on the VMAs in September wearing her skimpy If I Could Turn Back Time get-up. Cher can still give the young 'uns a run for their money (her Burlesque co-star Christina Aguilera should take notes right now). Not every singer-turned-actor has reached Cher's level of film success - ask Madonna. So let's take a look at some of the best films from the Oscar-winning actress.

•  Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982): This Robert Altman film launched Cher's mainstream film career (earlier films include 1969's Chastity). Karen Black, Sandy Dennis and Cher are the Disciples of James Dean, who meet at a Texas Woolworths' to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Dean's death. It's an Altman fan-favorite.

•  Silkwood (1983): "That's CHER?!?" That was my reaction when I saw Cher scrubbed of makeup, wearing drab sweats and jeans (paging Bob Mackie) in Mike Nichols' Academy Award-nominated drama. Without a doubt, it's Meryl Streep's movie as she plays a whistle-blower at an Oklahoma nuclear plant. But the film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Cher. Not too shabby!

• Mask (1985): Cher stars as biker mom Rusty Dennis, whose son Rocky (the awesome Eric Stoltz under a ton of makeup) suffers from a disfiguring cranial disorder. Rusty is tough, tender, and still has a lot of growing up to do, which makes Mask one of my favorite tearjerkers. Peter Bogdanovich directed this film based on a true story.

• Witches of Eastwick (1987): How intimidating would it be to star in a film alongside Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer? Cher confidently holds her own in this comedy-fantasy flick about a trio of women living in a small town who are soon intrigued by a mysterious newcomer (Nicholson). Based on the John Updike novel, Witches of Eastwick is full of twists, trysts and some humorous horror. 

• Moonstruck (1987): Cher nails it as a 37-year-old widow who is feeling the pressure to rush into a safe, but sparkless marriage . . . until she meets her fiance's younger brother (Nicolas Cage). Moonstruck is one of the sweetest, romantic movies of all time and it will make you feel about as great as Cher did when she won the Best Actress Oscar.

I grew up watching The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and remember having a few Cher solo hits in my box of 45 singles (Half Breed, Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves - awesome stuff!). So with the release of Burlesque, it's nice to see that Cher never goes out of style. -- Francine Ruley

TV's "Mr. C." Tom Bosley dies at 83

Actor Tom Bosley, who played Richie Cunningham's dad on the ABC sitcom Happy Days, died today at the age of 83.

Bosley began his acting career on stage and won a Tony Award in 1960 for his role as legendary New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the Broadway musical Fiorello! He appeared in several films during the '60s including Divorce, American Style, Love With the Proper Stranger, and The World of Henry Orient.

But Bosley's best-known role came in 1974 when he was cast as Howard Cunningham on TV's Happy Days. Alongside "Mrs. C." (Marion Ross), Bosley played the affable father of Richie (Ron Howard) and Joanie (Erin Moran), and for 10 years, he good-naturedly rolled his eyes at the antics of The Fonz (Henry Winkler) and the rest of the faux '50s crew.

Bosley had another successful TV run as a mystery-solving priest with Father Dowling Mysteries, which ran from 1987 to 1991. He appeared in a variety of guest roles during his career ranging from playing Mimi's dad on The Drew Carey Show to Sheriff Amos Tupper on Murder, She Wrote. He lent his distinctive voice to animated characters such as Harry Boyle in Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home and as the narrator in the holiday special The Stingiest Man in Town. --Francine Ruley

Memorable Courtroom Scenes on Film

Summertime and lighthearted comedies seem to go together, but there's something about fall that calls for a movie with a little more meat on it. Film fans are overdue for a good old-fashioned legal drama/thriller. Conviction looks promising (and could have tearjerker potential) with heavyweights Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell in the story of a woman who goes to law school to prove her brother's innocence. Could Conviction deliver one of those triumphant courtroom showdowns? Here are a few of my favorite courtroom scenes:
 
To Kill a Mockingbird: (1962): The granddaddy of 'em all. This brilliant film starring Gregory Peck as lawyer Atticus Finch was set in 1930s Alabama. When Finch defends a black man, Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), accused of raping a white woman, the small town's racism comes to a head and Finch and his family are threatened. Finch powers on in his belief of Robinson's innocence, and in a dramatic courtroom scene, he exposes Robinson's accusers as liars. But the jury convicts Robinson. It's a heartbreaking story, lightened up by the performance of Mary Badham as Finch's daughter Scout. Mockingbird was author Harper Lee's only novel; it's worth another read and a permanent place on any bookshelf.
 
And Justice For All (1979): Al Pacino stars as Arthur Kirkland, an energetic lawyer who is hitting the wall of the legal system. When Kirkland's called upon to defend his nemesis, Judge Henry Fleming (John Forsythe), on rape charges, his morals are put to a test. The highlight of this fast-moving, gripping film is Kirkland's "defense" address to the jury; he completely loses his cool, but you're cheering him on the whole time.
 
The Accused (1988): Jodie Foster won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the hard-partying Sarah Tobias, a woman who is gang-raped on a pool table as onlookers cheered. Kelly McGillis plays the lawyer who prosecutes the men and along the way, finds friendship with hardened Tobias. The courtroom scene where Tobias recounts that night at the bar is hard to watch, heartbreaking, but powerful – and Foster owned that Oscar.
 
A Few Good Men (1992): Tom Cruise is Lt. Kaffee, a Navy lawyer defending two Marines accused of murder at Gitmo. But uncovering the truth means going up against the my-way-or-the-highway Col. Jessup, played to precision by Jack Nicholson. Say what you will about Cruise's last few films, his performance is a good reminder of what a force he used to be. The pivotal showdown scene turns into a shoutdown scene, but it's a well-written, beautifully timed war of words. Quotable, very quotable.

As for courtroom comedy scenes, Freeway (Reese Witherspoon and Kiefer Sutherland) and Miracle on 34th Street (the original with Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood) make my list. So let's hear what your favorite disorder-in-the-court scenes are. -- Francine Ruley

"Bonnie and Clyde" Director Arthur Penn dies at 88

Award-winning director Arthur Penn died Tuesday - just one day after his 88th birthday. Penn directed several landmark films during his career such as 1967's Bonnie and Clyde, starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty.

Born September 27, 1922, Penn began his directing career in TV's early years and received an Emmy nomination for 1957's Playhouse 90 production of The Miracle Worker.  He brought the dramatic tale of Helen Keller to Broadway and won a Tony award. He received his first Academy Award nomination in 1962 for his film version, which starred Patty Duke as Keller and Anne Bancroft reprising her Broadway role as Annie Sullivan.

Bonnie and Clyde, the violent saga of Depression-era gangsters, earned Penn his second Oscar nomination and cemented his reputation for directing edgy films. In 1969, Penn received another Academy Award nomination for the quirky Alice's Restaurant, based on the Arlo Guthrie song.

Other notable Penn films include 1966's The Chase starring Marlon Brando and Robert Redford,  and 1970's Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman. Penn explained his penchant for characters on the fringe of society in a 2008 interview with the Boston Globe:  "The outsider appeals to me because I believe there are so many odd characteristics of human behavior that don't get into films."

Off-screen, Penn advised presidential hopeful John F. Kennedy on how to work camera angles for his 1960 televised debate with Richard M. Nixon. These "Great Debates" marked TV's entry into the world of politics and brought presidential candidates into the living rooms of millions of voters. Kennedy won the election that year and many say his Penn-coached "Great Debate" poise played a huge role in that victory.

Penn was the brother of legendary photographer Irving Penn. --Francine Ruley

 

 

A Walk Down The Original "Wall Street"

Memo to Gordon Gekko: How'd that "Greed is good" thing work out for you?

In the trailer for Oliver Stone's Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Gekko (Michael Douglas reprising his 1987 role as the Trumpish tycoon) is being released from prison. As his personal belongings are being checked out to him, the prison guard hands over Gekko's cellphone: the one that's the size of a brick. That chunky cellphone was considered cutting-edge technology when director Oliver Stone's ode to greed first hit the theaters. The original Wall Street follows the story of struggling yuppie-wannabe Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) in 1985 as he lands The Big Deal (namely Gekko) and Gets The Girl (Daryl Hannah).

My friend Mike and I recently gave the original Wall Street another look and made note of the changes from Wall Street Then to Wall Street Now. We'll leave the public's perception of Wall Street '10 out of the picture (as well as any references to Douglas' and Hannah's plastic surgery). So let's jump into the Way Back Machine:

• Not 20 seconds into the DVD, the camera pans the New York City skyline. "The Twin Towers!" said Mike, pointing at the screen. Alas, the World Trade Center buildings, which dominated New York City's beautiful skyline are long gone.

• Bud's a busy broker and works in an office where the telephones are attached to curlicuing, spiral cords – nothing is cordless. The computers are beige, boxy, and have green, monochrome monitors. Yow, looking at that kind of a screen eight-plus hours a day? Ouch.

• Bud dashes all over New York City, keeping in touch with Gekko via public pay phones. Clearly this was years before hand sanitizer.

• It was the era of the Yuppie Explosion: Bud makes his mark at a business lunch with Gekko by ordering an Evian. Hannah's Darien character gushingly proclaims, "I want to do for furniture what Laura Ashley did for interior fabric." Bud corrects his blue-collar father (real-life dad Martin Sheen) when he complains about "spaghetti" with an eye-rolling "It's called 'pasta' now, dad."

• Wacky chick Sylvia Miles (Midnight Cowboy) plays Bud's real-estate agent who name-checks "Sean and Madonna" when showing Bud his soon-to-be loft. Wow, that was a long time ago.

• Fashion: Rolled-up sleeves on the unconstructed jackets for men (think Miami Vice). Ginormous, turbo-hair held in place with Final Net for the women. Most of Bud's male coworkers sported suspenders and owlish Sally Jesse Raphael glasses, while his female coworkers wear "power suits" with large shoulder pads and the requisite floppy bow-tie blouse.

• Whiz-bang gadgets of the day (in addition to the bulky cellphone) included a 2'' black-and-white handheld television and a Gekko's wife (Sean Young) hoisting a shoulder-crunching VHS camera. Remember, the tapes went inside the camera.

• Did EVERYONE smoke cigarettes in public back then? We've got 'em in offices, in restaurants – and in hospitals, as Bud lights up at the bedside of his ailing father. Nice.

• Bud's coworkers refer to  "The Recession of '71" as the last hard time – and they act like it won't happen again. Sigh.

• Bud picks up a newspaper and sees a headline confirming that Bluestar airlines has been exonerated in a lawsuit. Note that he didn't look up this news tidbit online. He read it in a newspaper.

We've all been through a lot of changes since the original Wall Street came out. This trip down memory lane made us want to watch a few other '80s movies to see what relics of the past (Rubik's cube? a Furby?) we could spot in some of our old favorites. Valley Girl and Fast Times at Ridgemont High are next up on my list. I seem to recall someone wearing a pager in one of those films. Do they still make Vuarnets and Zubaz? What's on your retro list? -- Francine Ruley

Movie Monsters We Love

Seems like only yesterday, but it was 35 years ago this summer that moviegoers were bitten by Jaws. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the great white menace tore up the box office to the tune of $470 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, and spawned sequels (Jaws 2, Jaws 3). As Piranha 3D strikes some summertime mayhem, we thought it would be nice to give a nod to movie monsters of yore (hello Godzilla, King Kong), notably in the Nature-Run-Amok department. Because we all know that couldn't happen in real life. Right?

• Mothra (1961): Not content to just chomp holes in sweaters, this giant winged monster terrorizes the citizens of Tokyo. Comic actor Frankie Sakai and Hiroshi Koizumi, veteran of several Godzilla flicks, star in this must-see movie for vintage monster fans.

• Willard (1971): Rat becomes man's best friend in this creep show starring Bruce Davison as the Pied Piper of Rodents. The 1972 sequel, Ben, featured more rat-boy mayhem and an awesome title song by Michael Jackson. Crispin Glover was perfectly cast in the 2003 remake of Willard.

• Night of the Lepus (1972): Awww, who doesn't love a little bunny rabbit? When an experimental hormone tested on one of these little cuties turns it into a supersized man-eater, a new breed of badass bunny is born. Stuart Whitman, DeForest Kelley, Janet Leigh and Rory Calhoun star in this drive-in camp classic.

• Frogs (1972): Good, corny fun meshed with a little suspense in a film that will have you wondering how a little frog could wreak havoc on humanity. Well, part of the answer is there's strength in numbers. Starring Ray Milland, Sam Elliott and Joan Van Ark. Watch the trailer here.

• Cujo (1983):  A good-natured Saint Bernard goes berserk after being bit by a rabid bat and turns on his loving owners (Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro). Although the special effects aren't  slick by today's standards, there's solid suspense in the final minutes of this film based on a Stephen King novel.

• Arachnophobia (1990): A deadly tarantula spawns a new breed of killer spider in this thriller that will have you putting your feet up on the furniture – just in case. Jeff Daniels and John Goodman star.

• Anaconda (1993): A documentary film crew (Eric Stolz, Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez) has their Amazon River trip hijacked by a nutty hunter (Jon Voight) and a battle with an enormous snake ensues. The CGI is A+ in this film.

Hollywood knows we all have our phobias and whether yours flies, swims, slithers or just walks on four legs, Piranha 3D reminds us to stay out of the deep end. Watch the trailer here. --Francine

Savoring Movies About Summer

Did you get a whiff of that? Summer is in the air. And it always carries the scent of great expectations. Maybe that's because when we're kids, summer means freedom (as in no school) and the hint of good times to come. Summer is traditionally a time when movie studios like to trot out their tent-pole, big-budget films. But there are also a number of sweet films that perfectly capture summer's essence of expectation and the possibility of big changes to come.

• The Summer of '42 (1971): Three teen pals, Hermie, Oscy and Benjie (Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser and Oliver Conant), goof around on sunny Nantucket Island, telling bawdy jokes, ogling girls and figuring out how to lose their virginity. While The Summer of '42 has its snickering, wink-wink-nudge-nudge moments, this beautifully crafted film never goes the way of Porky's. Hermie strikes up a friendship with a gorgeous "older woman" (Jennifer O'Neill) who is also summering on Nantucket. He quickly develops a crush on the recently wed Dorothy, doing odd chores for her while her soldier husband is away fighting in World War II. The ending will have you in tears and the Oscar-winning theme music will haunt you for years.

• Lifeguard (1975): I begged my parents to take my friend Debbie and me to see this movie. Correction: I begged them to drop us off at the mall – and quickly speed away, never acknowledging us or letting on that we were remotely associated with the 38-year-olds who dropped us off in a station wagon. Sam Elliot is a hunky 30-ish lifeguard who goes to his 15-year high-school reunion and faces big questions about his present and future. Parker Stevenson plays his lifeguard protegee (almost in the same way Patrick Swayze's Dalton is to Elliot's Wade Garrett in Road House). It's a beautifully, lazily shot, '70s time capsule. No deep life lessons here; just good Noxzema-scented fun.

• Little Darlings (1980): Ah, summer camp. Birch-bark canoes, lanyard necklaces, food fights, losing-your-virginity contests. Yikes. Despite the underlying story, Kristy McNichol (tough-girl Angel) and Tatum O'Neal (posh-girl Ferris) do a fine job of portraying teens from different sides of the track who learn that heartbreak knows no socio-economic status. It's actually a delightful movie and the soundtrack will bring back memories. Here's a challenge: Find the future Sex and the City star who happens to be among the campers. Matt Dillon and Armand Assante play the girls' conquests. P.S. to nervous parents: Don't worry, it turns out just fine!

• Stand By Me (1986): Rob Reiner directed this film based on a short story by Stephen King. It features Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton and the late River Phoenix, as a group of awkward boys who struggle with their dorkiness and of course, bullies (Kiefer Sutherland leads the bully-pack). Over the long, boring Labor Day weekend, the boys learn of a dead body hidden in the woods and set off to find it. Stand By Me is not your typical King story. There are lighthearted moments - OK, the leeches scene was gross, but funny in that "glad it's not me" way. But the film's standout moments are when the boys reveal tales of painful home lives, their disconnect with their families and failure to meet parental expectations. It's a sweet movie; even though there's a dead body involved (not a phrase I'd ever find myself typing).

• Ghost World (2001): No beach balls, no sand. Terry Zwigoff's film follows non-cookie-cutter girls Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) the summer after their high-school graduation. I'd been a huge fan of Dan Clowes' Eightball comics and loved the Ghost World serial, so I was dubious about the big-screen translation and execution of this comic. Zwigoff and Clowes deliver. This movie is poignant, yet hysterically funny. If you've ever home-dyed your hair green while dancing to the Buzzcocks, you'll understand why sometimes you have to leave your best friend (or friends) behind in order to be yourself.

Wow, I made it through this post without using the phrase "coming of age." So, let's hear it: What are your favorite summer-of-change movies? – Francine Ruley

Television's Rad Dads

Television has offered up a flurry of father-centric shows over the years: Father Knows Best, Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home, Bachelor Father, The Family Guy, The Courtship of Eddie's Father. With Father's Day just around the corner, here's a look at some of our favorite TV dads (we did the same for mom):

• Ben Cartwright from Bonanza (1959-1973): Lorne Greene played Ben, one of TV's original single dads, who rode herd on Hoss (Dan Blocker), Little Joe (Michael Landon) and Adam (Pernell Roberts). Set in the 1800s, this long-running NBC hit didn't follow the ol' shoot-em-up Western trail. Bonanza focused on the Cartwright family dynamics that could often grow tense and end up with Hoss dukin' it out with Little Joe. Ben used a mixture of horse sense and gentle strength to keep the hotheaded brothers in line and peace on the Ponderosa.

• John Robinson from Lost in Space (1965-1968): You may think that you dad never took you on any cool family vacations. Well, you're absolutely right this time. Guy Williams played Professor John Robinson who whisks his family away on the Jupiter 2 in search of a new planet - this is 1997, after all. Judy (Marta Kristen), Penny (Angela Cartwright) and Will (Billy Mumy) were the luckiest kids in the universe with a dad like that and we'll wager there was much fighting over who got to wear the jet-pack. 

• Charles Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983): Michael Landon played the family patriarch on this NBC prime-time series based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling book series. Hardscrabble life on a Minnesota farm meant Paw had to do everything from building a cabin to scaring away bears. Yet the Ingalls clan always had those heartwarming conversations by candlelight around the dinner table. Charles would draw on his pipe; listen to Half-Pint's (Melissa Gilbert) woes over that mean Nellie Oleson and spout a bit of tender wisdom. And then he'd go chase off a wolf. Team Paw!

• Cliff Huxtable from The Cosby Show (1984-1992): The wildly popular NBC sitcom that put wildly patterned sweaters on our "Fashion Don't" list. Bill Cosby played everyone's favorite TV dad alongside Phylicia Rashad, TV mom extraordinaire Clair. What do we like about Cliff? He combined sputter-laugh snark with discipline. Gee, my dad wasn't that funny when he was grounding us. Cliff's calm, cool demeanor was perfect for managing the lively crew of Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and Sondra (Sabrina Le Beauf). Cosby even wrote a best-selling book, Fatherhood, which I gave to my dad for Father's Day, but it didn't make him any funnier.

• Dan Conner from Roseanne (1988-1997): Who couldn't relate to his blue-collar comedy? John Goodman played the lovable Dan, beer belly and all, on this ABC sitcom starring Roseanne Barr. The Conners lived in nuttin' fancy digs complete with a multicolored crocheted afghan thrown over a  well-worn couch. D.J. (Michael Fishman), Darlene (Sarah Gilbert) and Becky (Alicia Goranson and Sarah Chalke) gave Dan many reasons to pull out his hair, but he handled them with wit and aplomb – although Dan wouldn't be caught dead saying "wit and aplomb."

• Julius Rock from Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009): Comedian Chris Rock created and narrated this TV series based on his youth growing up in the Bed-Stuy district of Brooklyn. Tyler James Williams does a brilliant job of portraying the adorably awkward young Chris. But it's Chris' father Julius, played by ex-NFL linebacker Terry Crews, who gets the most laughs from me. Julius is the perfect combination of stern-dad-wannabe and a complete pushover. Alongside wife Rochelle (Tichina Arnold), Julius shows us why Chris Rock turned out to be a success – even if the series itself was killed by a bad time-slot.

• Walter White from Breaking Bad (2008-present): Don't wince; just bear with me a minute please. This AMC hit follows a teacher desperate to save his family from financial ruin. Walter (Bryan Cranston, who also played wacky dad Hal on Malcolm in the Middle) learns he has cancer and turns to a life of crime – making and selling crystal meth – in order to support his pregnant wife and disabled son. The show is dark, biting and it rakes in the Emmys. And no, that doesn't necessarily make Walter a "good dad" in the mold of Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver), but he certainly is one helluva interesting dad.

A shout-out goes to Homer Simpson from The Simpsons (1989-present): Homer has tea parties with daughter Lisa. That about covers it. – Francine Ruley