[Music]
the 1970s saw many unforgettable TV
characters many of whom influenced the
medium for years to come welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 memorable
TV characters of the 1970s for our
series on the top 10 memorable TV
characters per decade we’re looking at
those characters that were critically
and culturally significant and became
synonymous with 70s TV culture this your
first time on The Love Boat
to make the list the shows had to have
started in 1969 or later as the
characters in question would have made
their impact in the 1970s also the
characters must be live-action so you
won’t be seeing any cartoons or puppets
we’re talking to you Kermit the Frog
number ten Basil Fawlty Fawlty Towers
basil the owner of the titular Hotel in
Torquay England is rude pessimistic and
generally not a very nice person but we
love him all the more for it basil often
aspires to be of a higher class than the
one to which he actually belongs which
often results in hilarious interactions
with his guests he’s also constantly
overstepping his bounds making for some
truly cringe-worthy moments
[Applause]
one of England’s most iconic comedy
characters John Cleese’s Basil has
earned that distinction despite the fact
that only twelve episodes of Fawlty
Towers were made proving his value and
importance to the television medium
number nine Captain Benjamin Franklin
Hawkeye Pierce mash what do you think
this star means you’re Tinker Bell one
of the funniest and most tragic figures
on this famous wartime comedy-drama
Hawkeye is hilarious but also deeply
human
there’s nothing here I’m gonna miss
except you as chief surgeon of an army
unit in the Korean War it’s only natural
that the traumatic events affect Hawkeye
a truth that is perhaps best seen in the
show’s highly watched finale when he
suffers a mental breakdown but while
Hawkeye may provide the saddest moments
of the show he also gives us some of its
biggest laughs as he often makes the
best of his situation by pulling pranks
and making wisecracks I’ve eaten so much
fish I’m ready to grow gills I’ve eaten
so much liver I can only make love if
I’m smarter than bacon and onions this
combination makes him one of the most
unique and memorable characters in
television history
number eight Arnold Jackson different
strokes downtown to Manson already with
June Arnold Jackson proved to be the
breakout character on the famous sitcom
Diff’rent Strokes which shot actor Gary
Coleman into superstardom I’ve never
seen a black goldfish before that’s okay
he never saw a rich white man before me
the youngest child and main character of
the series Arnold often acts selfish or
devises schemes to get what he wants by
the end of the episode of course I’m
gonna put my fish Abraham in this whale
and peeing is bold
ah I see you expect me to believe that
which you’d think would get annoying but
nope nope his outrageous plans and
selfish attitude are always
side-splitting
his catchphrase would you John Louis has
even entered into the pop-culture Canon
becoming one of the most famous lines in
any sitcom and cementing Arnold’s place
in TV history
[Music]
number seven Mary Richards The Mary
Tyler Moore Show I’m very sorry I
troubled you you went over the better
part of the entire decade Mary Tyler
Moore made headlines across the country
as Mary Richards a news producer at a
sagging Minneapolis TV station oh just
wonderful so she won three Emmy Awards
during her stint becoming a star and
solidifying her already established name
as one of the greatest actresses working
in television Mary was both charismatic
and flawed creating a fully developed
character during the shows run and one
of TV’s most iconic females and then I
bet they asked you uh what gave you the
idea to write of yeah it named questions
like well that takes care of the first
two questions I was going to ask
she was one of if not the first strong
independent career woman of television
and her place in TV history is stronger
because of it thank you for being my
number six jr ewing dallas are you
putting me in your chair daddy sure
that’s fine just keep it that way but I
got more than one son and nobody says
you’ve got to run things alone
considered one of TV’s most iconic
characters JR was the breakout star of
the popular show Dallas and became not
only a central figure but also a central
bad guy we still own 25% of those leases
we lost two hundred and fifty million
dollars not to mention our royalties on
your share as head of the Ewing clan he
was a wealthy often egocentric and
usually self-serving oil tycoon who’s a
moral choices resulted in some of the
show’s most famous stories one of the
most well known storylines in TV history
dealt with the shooting of jr. by an
unknown assailant a cliffhanger that
became a pop-culture phenomenon despite
his many many flaws he was still one of
televisions most beloved characters
proving that audiences love a good
villain or at least love to hate him
count on it you know I would number five
Jack Tripper
Three’s Company yeah when do we take off
you just did you’re flying played by the
late great John Ritter Jack Tripper was
the third in TVs most memorable
threesome of roommate’s as well as one
of the goofiest characters on television
at the time much of Jack’s humor derived
from his clumsiness as he’s often
bumping into things falling over things
and just generally providing the
physical comedy
he also pretends to be gay when his
landlord is around what are you doing
I’m loosening up my wrists
I didn’t know you guys had a practice
which not only brought the show some of
its most laugh-out-loud moments but also
served as a political statement about
straight people and homosexuals in the
70s I don’t approve of what you stand
but in my book you’re okay ever the
sweet man Jack was always good for a
laugh hey I’d help you out if you needed
me for anything you would of course I
would okay let me tell you what I need
you for number four George Jefferson The
Jeffersons hold it down we are the
Jefferson’s owner of several dry
cleaning stores in the Big Apple George
and his wife Louise lovingly referred to
by her husband as Weezy were originally
characters on all in the family before
they moved on up to their own spin-off
series my way you got to remember I had
to claw and scratch my way up the ladder
there he goes again while George was
amusing as a character himself he also
acted as a vessel for political
statements about African Americans in
1970s America a man whose genuinely
interested in helping the black
community again more racism was at times
one of the show’s main topics with some
earlier episodes even going so far as to
include now taboo racial slurs you know
damn well what it means if you ever
really started going to one another
inside of five minutes he’d be calling
young say it was an ambitious
undertaking but thanks to George’s
affable demeanor he provided television
with a revolutionary and unforgettable
character and helped usher in a decade
of progress for african-americans that
dumb landlord is giving us a bad time
and we’re gonna do something about it
right
[Music]
number three
Fred G Sanford Sanford and Son Fred
Sanford is perhaps one of the grouchiest
men in all of television but he’s all
the more memorable for it
Sir Walter won’t you at least hear me
out if you do you’re talking while
you’re walking back with an attitude
that’s borderline despicable and
definitely sarcastic this cantankerous
widower makes it his life’s work to
crush his son Lamont’s dreams in order
to keep him in the family junkyard biz
even going so far as to fake an illness
to guilt him into staying home he can
also be incredibly racist specifically
towards his Puerto Rican neighbor and
his son’s Asian friend hey Junior you
and L Gandhi
[Music]
that being said his attitude makes him
who he is
and he became one of the most unique and
popular characters on television because
of it
[Applause]
number two Archie Bunker all in the
family originally intended to be a
strongly disliked character by audiences
Archie Bunker husband of Edith’s father
of Gloria and father-in-law to meathead
soon became a breakout TV star and an
American cultural icon
his extreme often intolerant views
including his stances on race and sex
wonderful well let’s see how wonderful
it is what a watermelon rinds come
flying up away were intended to be a
parody of right-wing conservatism but
instead became a hit with American
audiences go figure
his influence spread far beyond the
screen however to real-world politics
with the term Archie Bunker vote being
coined to refer to Caucasian blue-collar
male voters his famed armchair is even
in the National Museum of American
history to call Archie Bunker a cultural
icon is putting it mildly now on three
ok one two three
before we look at our most memorable
character here are a few honorable
mentions you my dear are prettier than
flowers
sweeter than the cake more advertising
than the hors d’oeuvres and more
sparkling than the silhouette Syria our
guests are arriving on time to the
second hey always and your without like
a miracle my dear tattoo when each guest
is paying fifty thousand dollars for a
three-day stay on Fantasy Island he or
she deserves miracle calls me to see a
labor and binkies dresses on those two
people people huh
sit I’ll show you people come on Cheryl
you know lady make up more class in my
little pinky than you have in your whole
thumb you’ll be at Mindy’s place
yes we’re living together catch you
later Jack on the rebound clown
number one Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli
happy days I can fix anything that
starts with a key and goes considered
the coolest cat on television possibly
ever Fonzie was originally written as a
minor character before enthusiastic fan
reception bumped him up to a starring
role as if enough fingers dipped in
paint complete with his leather jacket
smokes sleek hair and womanizing triples
Fonzie quickly became TV’s signature
cool guy and a pop-culture sensation his
trademark catchphrase is still known
today as is his famous Fonzie touch
memorable enough to merit a statue in
his likeness that presides over
Milwaukee Fonzie was not only a popular
TV character but also a significant
cultural icon let me tell you something
America’s favorite pastime
and if you don’t like it you can sit on
it and since you don’t go to much for
talking how about if I put my knuckles
where your mouse is do you agree with
our list
what TV character from the 70s is your
favorite form or ranked top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
[Music]
the 1970s saw many unforgettable TV
characters many of whom influenced the
medium for years to come welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 memorable
TV characters of the 1970s for our
series on the top 10 memorable TV
characters per decade we’re looking at
those characters that were critically
and culturally significant and became
synonymous with 70s TV culture this your
first time on The Love Boat
to make the list the shows had to have
started in 1969 or later as the
characters in question would have made
their impact in the 1970s also the
characters must be live-action so you
won’t be seeing any cartoons or puppets
we’re talking to you Kermit the Frog
number ten Basil Fawlty Fawlty Towers
basil the owner of the titular Hotel in
Torquay England is rude pessimistic and
generally not a very nice person but we
love him all the more for it basil often
aspires to be of a higher class than the
one to which he actually belongs which
often results in hilarious interactions
with his guests he’s also constantly
overstepping his bounds making for some
truly cringe-worthy moments
[Applause]
one of England’s most iconic comedy
characters John Cleese’s Basil has
earned that distinction despite the fact
that only twelve episodes of Fawlty
Towers were made proving his value and
importance to the television medium
number nine Captain Benjamin Franklin
Hawkeye Pierce mash what do you think
this star means you’re Tinker Bell one
of the funniest and most tragic figures
on this famous wartime comedy-drama
Hawkeye is hilarious but also deeply
human
there’s nothing here I’m gonna miss
except you as chief surgeon of an army
unit in the Korean War it’s only natural
that the traumatic events affect Hawkeye
a truth that is perhaps best seen in the
show’s highly watched finale when he
suffers a mental breakdown but while
Hawkeye may provide the saddest moments
of the show he also gives us some of its
biggest laughs as he often makes the
best of his situation by pulling pranks
and making wisecracks I’ve eaten so much
fish I’m ready to grow gills I’ve eaten
so much liver I can only make love if
I’m smarter than bacon and onions this
combination makes him one of the most
unique and memorable characters in
television history
number eight Arnold Jackson different
strokes downtown to Manson already with
June Arnold Jackson proved to be the
breakout character on the famous sitcom
Diff’rent Strokes which shot actor Gary
Coleman into superstardom I’ve never
seen a black goldfish before that’s okay
he never saw a rich white man before me
the youngest child and main character of
the series Arnold often acts selfish or
devises schemes to get what he wants by
the end of the episode of course I’m
gonna put my fish Abraham in this whale
and peeing is bold
ah I see you expect me to believe that
which you’d think would get annoying but
nope nope his outrageous plans and
selfish attitude are always
side-splitting
his catchphrase would you John Louis has
even entered into the pop-culture Canon
becoming one of the most famous lines in
any sitcom and cementing Arnold’s place
in TV history
[Music]
number seven Mary Richards The Mary
Tyler Moore Show I’m very sorry I
troubled you you went over the better
part of the entire decade Mary Tyler
Moore made headlines across the country
as Mary Richards a news producer at a
sagging Minneapolis TV station oh just
wonderful so she won three Emmy Awards
during her stint becoming a star and
solidifying her already established name
as one of the greatest actresses working
in television Mary was both charismatic
and flawed creating a fully developed
character during the shows run and one
of TV’s most iconic females and then I
bet they asked you uh what gave you the
idea to write of yeah it named questions
like well that takes care of the first
two questions I was going to ask
she was one of if not the first strong
independent career woman of television
and her place in TV history is stronger
because of it thank you for being my
number six jr ewing dallas are you
putting me in your chair daddy sure
that’s fine just keep it that way but I
got more than one son and nobody says
you’ve got to run things alone
considered one of TV’s most iconic
characters JR was the breakout star of
the popular show Dallas and became not
only a central figure but also a central
bad guy we still own 25% of those leases
we lost two hundred and fifty million
dollars not to mention our royalties on
your share as head of the Ewing clan he
was a wealthy often egocentric and
usually self-serving oil tycoon who’s a
moral choices resulted in some of the
show’s most famous stories one of the
most well known storylines in TV history
dealt with the shooting of jr. by an
unknown assailant a cliffhanger that
became a pop-culture phenomenon despite
his many many flaws he was still one of
televisions most beloved characters
proving that audiences love a good
villain or at least love to hate him
count on it you know I would number five
Jack Tripper
Three’s Company yeah when do we take off
you just did you’re flying played by the
late great John Ritter Jack Tripper was
the third in TVs most memorable
threesome of roommate’s as well as one
of the goofiest characters on television
at the time much of Jack’s humor derived
from his clumsiness as he’s often
bumping into things falling over things
and just generally providing the
physical comedy
he also pretends to be gay when his
landlord is around what are you doing
I’m loosening up my wrists
I didn’t know you guys had a practice
which not only brought the show some of
its most laugh-out-loud moments but also
served as a political statement about
straight people and homosexuals in the
70s I don’t approve of what you stand
but in my book you’re okay ever the
sweet man Jack was always good for a
laugh hey I’d help you out if you needed
me for anything you would of course I
would okay let me tell you what I need
you for number four George Jefferson The
Jeffersons hold it down we are the
Jefferson’s owner of several dry
cleaning stores in the Big Apple George
and his wife Louise lovingly referred to
by her husband as Weezy were originally
characters on all in the family before
they moved on up to their own spin-off
series my way you got to remember I had
to claw and scratch my way up the ladder
there he goes again while George was
amusing as a character himself he also
acted as a vessel for political
statements about African Americans in
1970s America a man whose genuinely
interested in helping the black
community again more racism was at times
one of the show’s main topics with some
earlier episodes even going so far as to
include now taboo racial slurs you know
damn well what it means if you ever
really started going to one another
inside of five minutes he’d be calling
young say it was an ambitious
undertaking but thanks to George’s
affable demeanor he provided television
with a revolutionary and unforgettable
character and helped usher in a decade
of progress for african-americans that
dumb landlord is giving us a bad time
and we’re gonna do something about it
right
[Music]
number three
Fred G Sanford Sanford and Son Fred
Sanford is perhaps one of the grouchiest
men in all of television but he’s all
the more memorable for it
Sir Walter won’t you at least hear me
out if you do you’re talking while
you’re walking back with an attitude
that’s borderline despicable and
definitely sarcastic this cantankerous
widower makes it his life’s work to
crush his son Lamont’s dreams in order
to keep him in the family junkyard biz
even going so far as to fake an illness
to guilt him into staying home he can
also be incredibly racist specifically
towards his Puerto Rican neighbor and
his son’s Asian friend hey Junior you
and L Gandhi
[Music]
that being said his attitude makes him
who he is
and he became one of the most unique and
popular characters on television because
of it
[Applause]
number two Archie Bunker all in the
family originally intended to be a
strongly disliked character by audiences
Archie Bunker husband of Edith’s father
of Gloria and father-in-law to meathead
soon became a breakout TV star and an
American cultural icon
his extreme often intolerant views
including his stances on race and sex
wonderful well let’s see how wonderful
it is what a watermelon rinds come
flying up away were intended to be a
parody of right-wing conservatism but
instead became a hit with American
audiences go figure
his influence spread far beyond the
screen however to real-world politics
with the term Archie Bunker vote being
coined to refer to Caucasian blue-collar
male voters his famed armchair is even
in the National Museum of American
history to call Archie Bunker a cultural
icon is putting it mildly now on three
ok one two three
before we look at our most memorable
character here are a few honorable
mentions you my dear are prettier than
flowers
sweeter than the cake more advertising
than the hors d’oeuvres and more
sparkling than the silhouette Syria our
guests are arriving on time to the
second hey always and your without like
a miracle my dear tattoo when each guest
is paying fifty thousand dollars for a
three-day stay on Fantasy Island he or
she deserves miracle calls me to see a
labor and binkies dresses on those two
people people huh
sit I’ll show you people come on Cheryl
you know lady make up more class in my
little pinky than you have in your whole
thumb you’ll be at Mindy’s place
yes we’re living together catch you
later Jack on the rebound clown
number one Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli
happy days I can fix anything that
starts with a key and goes considered
the coolest cat on television possibly
ever Fonzie was originally written as a
minor character before enthusiastic fan
reception bumped him up to a starring
role as if enough fingers dipped in
paint complete with his leather jacket
smokes sleek hair and womanizing triples
Fonzie quickly became TV’s signature
cool guy and a pop-culture sensation his
trademark catchphrase is still known
today as is his famous Fonzie touch
memorable enough to merit a statue in
his likeness that presides over
Milwaukee Fonzie was not only a popular
TV character but also a significant
cultural icon let me tell you something
America’s favorite pastime
and if you don’t like it you can sit on
it and since you don’t go to much for
talking how about if I put my knuckles
where your mouse is do you agree with
our list
what TV character from the 70s is your
favorite form or ranked top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
[Music]
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