My Favorite TV Dads-Who Are Yours?

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My Favorite TV Dads Depending on the decade you watched you could find some great TV series featuring dads who had an impact on their children. These fathers appeared so smart dispensing their worldly advice to their kids. They always seemed to be there to pick up the pieces when their offspring got into trouble. Which leads me into today's topic of discussion, picking 3 of my favorite TV shows where those dads were as important to the success of the program's popularity as their mischievous children. See if you agree or have a better suggestion to share... 1. Ward Cleaver- Leave it to Beaver -One central theme in each episode of the show was the relationship between Mr. Cleaver and his boys. Whenever Beaver or Wally would wind up with some kind of trouble or problem, Ward would be there for them with a moral lesson or words of wisdom. These tender moments between father and sons made "Leave it to Beaver" more than just a comedy sitcom. Every show not only had some funny moments, but it also instilled values people aspire to have like decency, honesty, responsibility and family. All this makes for a nostalgic, yet in some ways a relevant show today. I'm sure many viewers could relate to their dad being there to help them through a tough situation. I know I did... 2. Andy Taylor- The Andy Griffith Show -This show is about an easy-going popular sheriff in a North Carolina town, where going fishing, playing your guitar on the front porch, and eating some great southern food, (courtesy of Aunt Bee) set such a wholesome scene you wish you could visit awhile. The chemistry between Andy and Barney (Don Knotts), the bumbling Deputy made for some hilarious police work. And then there is Andy's relationship with his son Opie (Ron Howard). I remember many touching episodes where Andy taught Opie valuable lessons on character, and important values when his son found himself in need of direction. When the show left the airwaves on April 1, 1968, on the CBS network it was the #1 show on television. How's that for a sheriff with a heart of gold, accompanied by his off-beat cast of characters like Ernest T. Bass, Floyd the Barber, Gomer Pyle, and Otis the town drunk. 3. Ben Cartwright- Bonanza -Ben (Lorne Greene) must have been a great father, his adult sons, except Adam (Pernell Roberts), never moved out of the house. Seems Hoss and Joe were happy to work on the ranch doing their chores. Or maybe it was Hop sing's cooking that kept them at the Ponderosa. Anyway, along with the long-running series "Gunsmoke," this TV series was one of the most influential Western shows of all time. What I liked about the series was the positive qualities of each character. Ben was an honest man who would fight against injustices to his family and other strangers in need of help. This character trait was instilled in his sons who often took up the cause of anyone in trouble. And the action-packed dramatic episodes didn't hurt either. Some Source Info- IMDb.com Photo-