TV Moms Have Become Part of Our Lives

[Zoneboy]

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Given that so many Americans have used television as a baby sitter for so many years, it's a lucky thing that there are so many good mothers for kids to see.

And in each of the six decades since television became a ubiquitous part of American life, there have been some great moms. Loving. Comforting. Supportive.

Some of them have done it all in high heels and pearls. (Think Donna Reed or Margaret Anderson.) Others have been, well, a bit more unorthodox. (Like Roseanne, Marge Simpson and Lorelai Gilmore.)

But what they've all shared is love for the children. And they've been part of our lives for longer than most Americans have been alive.

Here's a chronological list of some of TV's top mothers:

Lucy Ricardo/Lucy Carmichael/Lucy Carter (Lucille Ball), "I Love Lucy" (1951-57), "The Lucy Show" (1962-68), "Here's Lucy" (1968-74): All the Lucys took time out from their wacky schemes to be good mothers — except that Lucy Carmichael's kids were sent off to school and never seen again.

Harriet Nelson (Harriet Nelson), "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" (1952-66): She was the most real mom on TV — her TV husband, sons and, eventually, daughters-in-law were real members of her family. The exterior shots of her house were her real house. The interiors were re-created on a soundstage. And the Nelsons were a part of American life — not only does "Ozzie & Harriet" remain the longest-running live-action sitcom in TV history, but it ran from 1944-54 on radio.

Margaret Anderson (Jane Wyatt), "Father Knows Best" (1954-60): Sure, the show was called "Father Knows Best," but it was Mom who usually had the answers.

June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley), "Leave It to Beaver" (1957-63): It's become fashionable to criticize June for being too perfect — perfect home, perfect attire, perfect hairdo — but she was a comforting presence for a generation. And she did it again as a grandmother in "Still the Beaver" (1984-89).

Donna Stone (Donna Reed), "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-66): Another idealized wife and mother who made mothering look easy, Donna nonetheless was a comforting presence for eight seasons.

Wilma Flintstone (voice of Jean Vander Pyl), "The Flintstones" (1960-66): To all appearances, Pebbles was the happiest little girl in the Stone Age.

Morticia Adams (Carolyn Jones), "The Addams Family" (1964-66): Odd? Certainly. But she was a loving wife and a mother who let her kids be themselves.

Lily Munster (Yvonne De Carlo), "The Munsters" (1964-66): Underneath all that makeup, this daughter of Dracula/bride of Frankenstein was the all-American mom.

Samantha Stevens (Elizabeth Montgomery), "Bewitched" (1964-72): C'mon, who wouldn't want a mom who could magically make your problems disappear?

Carol Brady (Florence Henderson), "The Brady Bunch" (1969-74): The iconic mom for a generation, Carol was also the first divorced-and-remarried mother/stepmother in mainstream TV.

Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones), "The Partridge Family" (1970-74): This widow was not only keeping her large family (three sons, two daughters) together single-handedly, but she managed to keep the band together through four seasons.

Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton), "All in the Family" (1971-79): Overshadowed by her husband, Archie, Edith was an everyday saint who was a great mother and grandmother.

Marion Cunningham (Marion Ross), "Happy Days" (1974-84): Sweet, funny, loving and patient, she not only raised two great kids (Richie and Joanie) but seemingly half of Milwaukee. (Of course, whatever happened to her oldest child, Chuck?)

Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), "Good Times" (1974-79): She didn't exactly make it look easy to raise children in the projects, but she did end up with two great kids. And J.J.


Caroline Ingalls (Karen Grassle), "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-83): Caroline was sort of the 19th-century Donna Reed, only Donna never had to deal with the trials of pioneer life.

Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin), "One Day at a Time" (1975-84): In the mid-'70s, it was groundbreaking television to see a mother who left her husband and was raising two teenage girls on her own. Ann made a lot of mistakes but pulled through.

Elyse Keaton (Meredith Baxter), "Family Ties" (1982-89): Hey, she raised a young Republican, an airhead, a genius and a cute baby, designed buildings and looked great.

Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad), "The Cosby Show" (1984-92): Clair kids weren't perfect — Denise did go astray — and she was one of the first TV moms who actually yelled at her kids. But she proved you could have it all — career as a lawyer; husband who's a doctor; and five kids.

Kate McCardle and Allie Lowell (Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin), "Kate & Allie (1984-89): Two great moms in one show! Best friends/fellow divorcees combine to provide great parenting for their three kids.

Maggie Seaver (Joanna Kerns), "Growing Pains" (1985-92): She was a working mom while husband Jason (Alan Thicke) worked from home, but Maggie was still the comforting figure who held the family together.

Norma Arnold (Alley Mills), "The Wonder Years" (1988-93): Norma was a throwback TV mom of the best kind — a warm, loving, stay-at-home '60s mother in this nostalgic '80s and '90s show.

Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr), "Roseanne" (1988-97): Perhaps TV's most realistic blue-collar mom, Roseanne was loud and obnoxious — but she obviously loved her kids.

Marge Simpson (voice of Julie Kavner), "The Simpsons" (1989- ): She's been (mostly) a stay-at-home mom for 20 years, providing comfort, support and love to her kids. She takes them to church, she's involved in their lives, she tries to do what's best — she's the perfect counterbalance to her husband, Homer.

Jill Taylor (Patricia Richardson), "Home Improvement" (1991-99): Geez, not only did Jill have to deal with three rambunctious boys but her incredibly immature husband, Tim (Tim Allen).


Marie Barone (Doris Roberts), "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996-2005): Sure, Marie took the whole clinging, doting mother routine to new heights. But she really loved Raymond. And, oh yeah, Robert, too.

Annie Camden (Catherine Hicks), "7th Heaven" (1996-2007): A modern-day stay-at-home mom, Annie lived up to all the expectations that come with being a preacher's wife.

Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), "Gilmore Girls" (2000-07): Despite the fact that Lorelai was an unmarried teen when she gave birth, she's one of the great TV mothers ever. Loving, supportive, a little kooky. Her daughter, Rory, certainly turned out to be one of the best TV kids ever.

Martha Kent (Annette O'Toole), "Smallville" (2001-07): Martha raised Clark to be the epitome of truth, justice and the American way. 'Nuff said.

[comedyfreak]

I'd add two more to that list:

Ruth Martin (June Lockhart) Timmy and Lassie '58-64. Maureen Robinson Lost In Space '65-'68. She played two strong Moms who could make you feel guilty with just a look.

Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) '64-'72. Wife Mom and America's favorite Witch. First she had Tabitha and then Adam, she was a cool Mom with powers.

[janet42]

Kate Bradley (Bea Benaderet) "Petticoat Junction" (1963-1968) Kate was a great mom. She was also a widow who had to raise 3 daughters, run a hotel, and deal with Uncle Joe. She was always there for her daughters.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

I'd add two more to that list:

Ruth Martin (June Lockhart) Timmy and Lassie '58-64. Maureen Robinson Lost In Space '65-'68. She played two strong Moms who could make you feel guilty with just a look.

Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) '64-'72. Wife Mom and America's favorite Witch. First she had Tabitha and then Adam, she was a cool Mom with powers.

I agree with Ruth Martin and Samantha was already on the list.

[tv star collector]

A lot of excellent nominees on that list.

[browneyes106]

Originally Posted by janet42

Kate Bradley (Bea Benaderet) "Petticoat Junction" (1963-1968) Kate was a great mom. She was also a widow who had to raise 3 daughters, run a hotel, and deal with Uncle Joe. She was always there for her daughters.

I really liked Kate on that show. She had a great interaction with her daughters.

[catlover79]

Great list - I'd also add Kate Lawrence of Family (played by Sada Thompson).

[MickeyMac]

Where is Patty Duke's TV mom???

[andress_jade]

I need to add a few to this list:

Dr. Michaela Quinn (Jane Seymour)-Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman
She was 35 years old, single, and a doctor. She had never been married and never had children. She came to Colorado Springs and her whole life changed, she inherited three children who grew up to be wonderful people. She eventually got married and raised the three children with her husband Sully and they ended up having a daughter of their own, Katie. As far as we know, she has grown up to be just like her mother. She proved that you can be a successful career woman, raise three kids and survive. That was hard in those days.

Dr. Marlena Evans Black (Deidre Hall)- She proved that you could be a successful psychiatrist and still have somewhat normal children. Yes, her daughter Sami became a nutcase but we will come back to that later. She got married and had a baby but lost the baby to SIDS. She divorced, got remarried and had twins Sami and Eric. They were great kids until they grew up. Marlena "died" and after a few years she came back. Her kids welcomed her back with open arms. The man that she thought was her husband wasn't really her husband. Her husband had supposedly died but was very much alive. He came back and she went back to him. That didn't change her feelings for the man she thought was her husband. They had an affair and had a daughter, Belle. Belle grew up to be a good person and had a daughter of her own. Her daughter Sami was traumatized when she saw her mom and the man whom she thought was her father having sex, that's when she changed and became a horrible, awful person.
She even raised her stepdaughter Carrie and she grew up to be a wonderful person and later she raised her stepson Brady who had a difficult time because his real mother died but ended up loving his stepmother as much as he did his real mother.
Marlena is good mother, because no matter what she has done, or her kids have done she loves them fiercely and would die for them, they would do the same for her. There isn't anything she wouldn't do for them. She has proven that nobody's perfect. Even if you are a good person, you make mistakes and that's okay because your kids will still love you.