Whether you agree with that type of parenting or not, you've got to admit that these types of fatherly characteristics can make for some unbelievably funny anecdotes, especially in television and movies. That being said, here are three retro TV Dads who remind me a lot of several fathers I knew back in the 70s and 80s.
Jack Arnold - The Wonder Years
This guy is the epitome of most 70s dads I knew. Hardened men that had either been to war, or worked unbelievably hard to squeak out a modest living. These were the kinds of dads that could strike the fear of God into you with a simple glance.
There were no entitlements with these types of working class dads, and it was their way or the highway. I'm not going to say that the boys back in this decade never got into trouble, but with fathers like this, a lot of us never got too far off of the straight and narrow path. Many of us kids didn't push the limits, for fear of what our fathers would do.
There were no entitlements with these types of working class dads, and it was their way or the highway. I'm not going to say that the boys back in this decade never got into trouble, but with fathers like this, a lot of us never got too far off of the straight and narrow path. Many of us kids didn't push the limits, for fear of what our fathers would do.
This forty-six second clip will pretty much give you a feel of what a lot of conversations between father and son were like for me and a lot of my buddies back in the day..
Darren McGavin did an exceptional job portraying this character. Ironically, now that I'm a father, I can see similarities between The Old Man and myself. We both get a wild look in our eye when mom is cooking a turkey, we both time ourselves to see how fast we can change a flat tire, and we both love seeing our kids squirm before bestowing the perfect gift upon them.
While he isn't as cold and guarded as Jack Arnold, he was still a stern father who was set in his ways. While it may have seemed that he lived to complain about the furnace, the Oldsmobile, and fuse box that were constantly on the fritz, he attacked problems full force. He was a resilient man who could tackle any obstacle that came his way. Still, on occasion you'd see him take off the 'Dad Hat' and do a little dance, get a little grabby with his bride, or offer his kid a sip of wine on Christmas Day.
William Shatner played this old school Dad in this funny but incredibly short lived television series. Ed is a retired, cantankerous, 72 year old military physician, who's been divorced three times. He reminds me of many old school dads who shun technology like wireless internet, and still dig in their heels bucking against cable television and compact discs.
He's a throwback Dad with old fashioned views, who often blurts out politically incorrect statements and rants without notice. He shows more outward affection for his garden than to his sons, but makes gestures and does things for them that vaguely display his love for them. The poor guy is the product of an era where men were taught not to show emotion, which can actually be pretty funny in this day and age. I laugh when I watch this show, because I remember many of my friends Dad's and grandfathers "going off" like Ed on a regular basis. They didn't care if we would giggle or argue with them. In fact, they welcomed the banter. They were comfortable in their own skin and were unapologetically themselves 100% of the time.
Some of the snide remarks and observations Ed blurted out on the series, made my wife laugh out loud. She then turn to me and say "That sounds like something you'd say!" What can I say? I'm a retro type of guy who was raised by an old school Baby Boomer.
Most of the working class Dads I was acquainted with, fit the bill of at least one, if not all three of these TV Dads. One thing is for sure, fathers can make for some interesting stories to share with friends, siblings, and family members. Heck, I'm sure my kids will be laughing about some of my retro quirks for many years to come.