The Greatest "side characters" of TV series.

[iamwhatiseem]

I would think there is no comparison to Don Knotts as Barney Fife.
Not many shows go off the air because a side character left. But that is exactly what happened to the Any Griffith Show.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Then comes good ol' Edith - All in the Family

 

[rightwinger]

Many shows were taken over by side characters

Fonzie in Happy Days
Alex Keaton in Family Ties
Urkle in Family Matters

 

[Bob Blaylock]

I would think there is no comparison to Don Knotts as Barney Fife.
Not many shows go off the air because a side character left. But that is exactly what happened to the Any Griffith Show.

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Your post makes me think of Tattoo, from Fantasy Island—the original 1977-1984 series. Audiences love the character, and he certainly helped to make that series what is was. Alas, the actor who played the character, Hervé Villechaize, had a reputation for being very difficult to work with, badly behaved, and generally an asshole. Due to health problems, he only appeared in every other episode during the penultimate season, and by the final season, he had been fired for being an asshole.

I think that the loss of Hervé Villechaize as Tattoo was what doomed the series to failure from that point. It just wasn't the same without him.

During the penultimate season, a new character, Mr. Roarke's goddaughter Julie, played by Wendy Schaal, covered some of Tattoo's function in his frequent absences.

In the last season, Julie was gone, Tattoo was gone, and a new character, Lawrence, played by Christopher Hewitt was brought in as Tattoo's permanent replacement. He was a dull, butler-type character nowhere near suitable as a replacement for Tattoo. I think they would have done better to keep Julie on, instead. She was no Tattoo, but at least she was a much better character than Lawrence.


And no, I simply do not buy the character presented as Tattoo in the 2020 movie based on the series, as any kind of legitimate incarnation of the Tattoo character from the original series.

 

[task0778]

For those old enough to remember, Art Carney set the standard IMHO as Ed Norton on the Honeymooners show back in the 50s.

 

[rightwinger]

For those old enough to remember, Art Carney set the standard IMHO as Ed Norton on the Honeymooners show back in the 50s.

Never heard of him

 

[toobfreak]

For those old enough to remember, Art Carney set the standard IMHO as Ed Norton on the Honeymooners show back in the 50s.

Hello, Ball!

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Kramer

 

[toobfreak]

What about Mary Tyler Moore on the Dick Van Dyke Show?

 

[toobfreak]

SPOCK

 

[toobfreak]

Dr. Smith

 

[toobfreak]

Jim Ignatowski

 

[Auld Phart]

Richard MOll

 

[BlackSand]

.

Not always a show killer when a side character becomes more popular than the main character.

.​

 

[toobfreak]

Sheldon Cooper

 

[Auld Phart]

Artemis Gordon

 

[Auld Phart]

fester

 

[toobfreak]

Artemis Gordon

I have to disagree respectfully. Artie was but a minor part of the show. Jim West was a one man show all to himself.

Perhaps a better choice for best sidekick of the show might have been Dr. Loveless?!

 

[Concerned American]

Agent 99

Barbara Feldon from Get Smart

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Not always a show killer when a side character becomes more popular than the main character.

Happy Days, comes to mind. Arthur Fonzarelli, AKA Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler, was originally intended to be a very minor character, but very quickly became much more popular than any of the other characters.