I was reading an online article last week about The Big Bang Theory. 10 questions that it had yet to answer or something like that. It mentioned that Penny (the character played by Kaley Cuoco) in all this time (10 seasons) had yet to get a last name. I didn't think that sounded right, but then I thought about and yes it's true they've never mentioned Penny's last name. And yet all of the other main characters have a last name. Of course the show's run isn't over yet so she still might get a last name at some point.

So I thought it would interesting to do a thread about other sitcom characters who never had a last name during the run of their show. They can be regulars seen in every episode or recurring ones that we see only from time to time. I know there's probably not that many but there must be at least some because of the amount of sitcoms that have been on TV since the 1950s LOL. But, I can't think of any right off the top of my head. So maybe someone else can think of one or two to start things off.

Ed.

To my knowledge, the family on According to Jim never mentioned their last name.

Charles of "Charles In Charge"
Beth of "NewsRadio"

Hmmm. Good question? One that comes to mind with me is Gus the fireman in Leave it to Beaver!

Niles on the Nanny.
"What's your last name, Niles?"
"Oh, it's just Niles, sir, kinda like Cher".

Did Sam on the Brady Bunch have a last name? Was it Thebutcher?

Did Sam on the Brady Bunch have a last name? Was it Thebutcher?

I'm seeing it listed online as Sam Franklin. though I don't ever recall them saying it on the show.

Gilligan
Jeannie
Samantha, Endora, and everyone on their side of the family (Bewitched)
Lurch (Addams Family)

Well of course my favorite show Gilmore Girls there is a few:
Miss Patty
Gypsy
Drella
Lulu
T.J.

Gonzo
Bert
Ernie

Gilligan
Jeannie
Samantha, Endora, and everyone on their side of the family (Bewitched)
Lurch (Addams Family)

"Gilligan" was his last name. "Willie" was his first name.

Mork from Mork and Mindy

Arnold the news boy from The Flintstones. I don't think his last name was ever mentioned!

I've thought of one but somebody can correct me if I'm wrong.

I believe Carlton the doorman ("Hello this is Carlton the doorman") on Rhoda was never given a last name. And he was never seen either, we only ever heard his voice.

Ed.

"Gilligan" was his last name. "Willie" was his first name.


That was never mentioned on the show. He was just called Gilligan and nobody even asked him if that was his first or last name. That was not revealed until Bob Denver himself brought it up many years later. That's where the name Willie came from. So, technically, during the time the series was on, Gilligan only went by one name.

I've thought of one but somebody can correct me if I'm wrong.

I believe Carlton the doorman ("Hello this is Carlton the doorman") on Rhoda was never given a last name. And he was never seen either, we only ever heard his voice.

Ed.


I'm 99.9 percent sure you are right! ;) :D They never showed him and I'm almost certain they never said his last name! Maybe Carlton WAS his last name? :confused: ;)

On the sitcom Holliston, the four leads- Adam, Joe, Corri, and Laura only go by their first names.

On Cheers there was the bar regular Paul. If you remember or watch reruns, he's overweight like Norm but wears glasses and is balding. But not until the later seasons, I believe he wasn't in the earlier seasons. He became a semi-regular but the actor's name was never in the opening credits always the closing ones (I think the actor's first name is also Paul). I don't remember him having a last name either.

Ed.

I saw an early one where the actor was on, but he played a different character. I think his name was Glen.

On Cheers there was the bar regular Paul. If you remember or watch reruns, he's overweight like Norm but wears glasses and is balding. But not until the later seasons, I believe he wasn't in the earlier seasons. He became a semi-regular but the actor's name was never in the opening credits always the closing ones (I think the actor's first name is also Paul). I don't remember him having a last name either.

Ed.

According to IMDb Paul's last name was Krapence. He was played by Paul Wilson. He appeared in two 1983 episodes. In one of those episodes he was Glen and in the other one he was Tom. He was Paul for the rest of the episodes that he was in.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932750/

Louie's helper, Jeff, on Taxi, never had a last name that I am aware of.

Louie's helper, Jeff, on Taxi, never had a last name that I am aware of.

His last name on the show was Bennett.

Well of course my favorite show Gilmore Girls there is a few:
Miss Patty
Gypsy
Drella
Lulu
T.J.

Nordy, I got two of the last names. Miss Patty last name is LaCosta. Watch Rory's two birthday parties episode and she introduces herself to Emily and Richard.

Lulu's last name is Schooster. I have to check the spelling. I think her last name was mentioned during the episode when Kirk was doing Fiddler on the Roof and Luke and Lorelai were broken up.


Btw, on Charles in Charge, they kind of joked about it in the series finale. Something to the effect of "how come you never had a last name?" I think Charles was sleeping.

You can't forget Barney's favorite girl. Thelma Lou was never given a last name on The Andy Griffith Show.
Also, Lurch on The Addams Family never had a last name.
I may be wrong, but I don't believe we ever heard a last name for Murray the cop on Odd Couple.

Well he was a horse, but Mr. Ed !! Ed was his first name actually, and he didn't have an official last name!!!!!

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i215/toonpro/obitpics/1979/edmr.jpg

What about Enos or Cooter on The Dukes Of Hazzard? I don't remember them being given last names. Maybe Enos, but I've forgotten.

Ed.

I'm seeing it listed online as Sam Franklin. though I don't ever recall them saying it on the show.
They didn't on the actual show, but they did in "A Very Brady Christmas."

How about 99 on Get Smart? We never knew her real last name or first name.

What about Enos or Cooter on The Dukes Of Hazzard? I don't remember them being given last names. Maybe Enos, but I've forgotten.

Ed.

Enos Strate and Cooter Davenport

They didn't on the actual show, but they did in "A Very Brady Christmas."

How about 99 on Get Smart? We never knew her real last name or first name.

Maybe her last name was cents.:crazy:

I did thanks I had to go back into my GG Video vault and watch the episodes . Thanks for catching that. I never knew it and even tried looking it up on Gilmore girls wiki. :)

Bruh-Man from Martin

You can't forget Barney's favorite girl. Thelma Lou was never given a last name on The Andy Griffith Show.
Also, Lurch on The Addams Family never had a last name.
I may be wrong, but I don't believe we ever heard a last name for Murray the cop on Odd Couple.

Murray's last name was Greshler.

Niles on the Nanny.

Niles 'da Butler.

New Frasier has a character named Eve who seems to be a pretty extensive ripoff of Penny, including that she has no last name through the first season.

Not Going Out, the second longest-running UK sitcom, has completed 13 series while mostly omitting surnames.

Endora, Maurice, Arthur, Clara, Serena, Emeralda, Hagatha, Enchantra, Hepsibah, Bertha, Mary et al.

Doctor Bombay seems to be an exception unless Bombay is his only name

Carlton, Rhoda's doorman

TV Tropes has a whole page (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/NoFullNameGiven/LiveActionTV) on this subject (https://screenrant.com/best-tv-characters-no-last-name/).

Aunt Dena and Ruby on "Liv and Maddie." In fact, nobody on Karen Rooney's side of the family has a last name.

Niles on the Nanny.
"What's your last name, Niles?"
"Oh, it's just Niles, sir, kinda like Cher".
There was even one episode when CC had to come up with a last name for him.
It ended up being "DeButler" as in "the butler". :lol:

You can't forget Barney's favorite girl. Thelma Lou was never given a last name on The Andy Griffith Show.
Also, Lurch on The Addams Family never had a last name.
I may be wrong, but I don't believe we ever heard a last name for Murray the cop on Odd Couple.

I thought Murray's name was something like Gresner. Ooops- I see someone earlier said the same thing.