With Help from TV Dad, Kurtwood Smith from "That '70s Show," TiVo
Launches a National Search for Top Five Real Dads

ALVISO, Calif., June 9 -- Everyone knows being a
dad can be demanding, even on TV. For Father's Day, TiVo commissioned an
independent survey and today, with Kurtwood Smith, "Red Forman" of TV's "That
'70s Show," is announcing the top 25 TV dads of all time to honor the men who
take on the toughest -- and most rewarding -- job of all: fatherhood.

From Raymond Barone's kind but befuddled approach to parenting, to Homer
Simpson's ubiquitous "Doh!" and throttling ways, TV dads are as different as
the audiences who love and adore them. In a recent survey, TiVo asked
Americans to rank the top 25 past and present TV dads. Caring, involved and
nostalgic dads ranked highest, with top honors going to:
-- Cliff Huxtable -- The Cosby Show
-- Sheriff Andy Taylor -- The Andy Griffith Show
-- Pa Ingalls -- Little House on the Prairie
-- Howard Cunningham -- Happy Days
-- Ward Cleaver -- Leave it to Beaver

Still in the top 25, but closer to the end of the list, were TV dads who
are infamous for being lewd, crude and tattooed. The following five dads
rounded out the bottom of the pack:
-- Peter Griffin -- Family Guy
-- Al Bundy -- Married ... With Children
-- Homer Simpson -- The Simpsons
-- Tony Soprano -- The Sopranos
-- Ozzy Osbourne -- The Osbournes

"Dads make for great TV, as season after season of sitcoms and dramas have
shown," said Matt Wisk, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at
TiVo. "This Father's Day we salute TV dads for the gift of entertainment, and
everyday dads for all that they do for their own families and the communities
in which they live."

Looking for Real-Life Dads
While TV dads hold a special place in viewers' hearts, real-life fathers
are often the biggest characters around. To honor real-life dads for Father's
Day, TiVo and Smith are launching today a nationwide "Search for TiVo's Top
Five Dads." This search is designed to find true role models -- dads who lead
busy lives but manage to spend quality time with their families, even if it
means missing their favorite TV sitcom or the big game.

Beginning June 13 through July 31, nominations for the "Search for TiVo's
Top Five Dads" will be accepted at http://www.tivo.com. TiVo real-life dad nominees
can come from any walk of life and entries should illustrate how the nominee:
-- Lives life on a schedule, but always makes time for his family
-- Deserves more time in his life for some fun and relaxation
-- Consistently gives back to the community

The top five real-life dads will win "Ultimate Dad's Day Out" packages
including their choice of a golf outing, fishing trip or tickets to a
professional athletic event, a day of lawn maintenance, a backyard cook-out
for the family, and a TiVo(R) Series2(TM) DVR with a product lifetime service
subscription.
Nominations and essays will be judged by a panel of experts including TV
dad, Kurtwood Smith. Winners will be announced at the end of the summer.
"I'm a TV dad and the real-life father of two children. I can tell you
that it can be hard to balance life with work, family and social activities,"
said Smith. "It's time to give dads what they deserve - some time for
themselves."
For official rules and entry forms, visit http://www.tivo.com or write to: Search
for TiVo's Top Five Dads, 8000 Norman Center Drive, Suite 400, Bloomington, MN
55437.
About the Top TV Dads Index -- TiVo commissioned a study to determine the
top 25 TV Dads in history. The survey, conducted by Synovate, polled a
representative sample of 1,000 adults.




Since the evolution of television, the TV landscape has seen its fair share of fathers. This Father's Day TiVo® decided to find out who Americans view as the greatest TV dads of all time. The results of a recently conducted survey of TV's greatest dads are posted below.

Final Rankings

1. Cliff Huxtable — The Cosby Show
2. Sheriff Andy Taylor — The Andy Griffith Show
3. Pa Ingalls — Little House on the Prairie
4. Howard Cunningham — Happy Days
5. Ward Cleaver — Leave it to Beaver
6. Jim Anderson — Father Knows Best
7. Mike Brady — The Brady Bunch
8. Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor — Home Improvement
9. Reverend Eric Camden — 7th Heaven
10. Danny Tanner — Full House
11. Raymond Barone — Everybody Loves Raymond
12. Philip Drummond — Diff'rent Strokes
13. Jim — According to Jim
14. George Lopez — The George Lopez Show
15. Michael Kyle — My Wife and Kids
16. Bernie "Mac" McCullough — The Bernie Mac Show
17. Reginald "Red" Forman — That '70s Show
18. Archie Bunker — All in the Family
19. Sandy Cohen — The O.C.
20. Frank Costanza — Seinfeld
21. Peter Griffin — Family Guy
22. Al Bundy — Married…With Children
23. Homer Simpson — The Simpsons
24. Tony Soprano — The Sopranos
25. Ozzy Osbourne — The Osbournes

Ahh, I love Red Forman...lol....

Father's Day---The most confusing day of the year in the NBA!


Also a good time to reflect on the great TV dads of the past and present. Since I love to live in the past, my list will look a lot different from the TIVO list, which I disagree with on many counts. Here are my choices:


1. Ward Cleaver---Leave It To Beaver
2. Steve Douglas---My Three Sons
3. Cliff Huxtable---The Cosby Show
4. Howard Cunningham---Happy Days
5. Andy Taylor---The Andy Griffith Show
6. Paul Hennessey---8 Simple Rules
7. Dan Connor---Roseanne
8. Stephen Keaton---Family Ties
9. Mike Brady---The Brady Bunch
10. James Evans Sr.---Good Times

17. Reginald "Red" Forman — That '70s Show


His character's real name is Reginald?! Wow, I never knew that before.

I definitely don't agree with all of that list. I really love Alan Matthews from Boy Meets World. He's always been one of my favorite TV dads- he's not annoying like some of the others.

Another dad that I would put on my list (see above post) would be Tom Corbett, as played by Bill Bixby, on "The Courtship Of Eddie's Father". In the history of sitcoms, I can't remember another TV Dad who was closer to his son that he was. He'd make a fine addition to any list.