1. Happy Days – Marion Cunningham (Marion Ross)
Oh, happy days. A perfect name for a perfect show, Happy Days showed us what it was like to be in high school in the days of Ford Fairlanes and poodle skirts. And when you have bad boys like “The Fonz” having a negative (but still so wholesome by today’s standards) influence on your boy Ritchie, you’d better hope your motherly skills are top notch. And if you were Marion Cunningham, you had nothing to worry about!
Marion ran a tight ship and a tidy house. The kitchen was always clean, the living room could pass the white glove test, and if anyone stopped by unexpectedly Marion always had here nicest close on. Everyone’s favorite mom, Marion takes us back to simpler times where a good meal and sound advice can solve any crisis in under 30 minutes. Marion is known for her witty comments, raising wholesome kids and even dancing with the FONZ. She is the mom every kids wants to have.
Our Favorite Quotes:
Marion: [the family has found out Joanie smokes and Howard is getting ready to lecture her] “Tell her that smoking is a disgusting and filthy habit.”
Howard: “I’ll get to that Marion…”
Richie: “…and it leads to heart disease and lung cancer…”
Howard: “All right Richard…”
Marion: “…and tell her that kissing someone who smokes is like kissing an ashtray!”
Episode 214)
Howard: Marion, the kids are gone, we can do anything we want, we
can even watch tv naked.
Marion: Oh not that again, Howard.
(Episode 16)
Marion: Are we buying a new house
Howard: What do we need a new house for, what’s wrong with this one?
Marion: Well, we don’t have enough closet space, life would be so
much more pleasant if we just had more closet space
2. That 70’s Show – Kitty Foreman (Debra Jo Rupp)
An unexpected hit, That 70’s Show enlightened it’s viewers with the teenage antics of 6 kids coming-of-age in the suburbs of late 70’s Wisconsin. We all know that when you have a sitcom about the comedic adventures of 16 year olds, you’re going to need a good mother to keep an eye on things. That mother’s name happened to be Kitty Foreman, who, along with husband Red, dealt with the often hilarious happenings their son Eric and his band of misfit friends.
Our favorite retro mom, Kitty Foreman is a working mom with just enough sass to keep Red in check and manages to get dinner and sometimes lunch on the table every night. And who can forget her laugh!
Our Favorite Quotes:
Kitty: “I need someone who can take evil.”
[Laurie walks in]
Kitty: “How’s mama’s girl? I have a job for you.”
Laurie: “Not interested.”
Kitty: “It pays 10 dollars.”
Laurie: “I’ll do anything for ten dollars.”
Kitty: “For once that’s a good thing.”
3. Home Improvement – Jill Taylor (Patricia Richardson)
As wife of Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (played by comedian Tim Allen), Jill Taylor had quite an impression on those who tuned in to watch the very popular ABC sitcom Home Improvement during the 90’s. When she wasn’t keeping her accident-prone husband in check, she had her hands full with their three boys Brad, Randy, and Mark. While she excelled at taking care of the men in the house, she was notorious for lack of skill in the kitchen.
Our Favorite Quotes:
Jill: “The rental house manager has guaranteed me that I have the scariest looking costume that they have ever had.”
Tim: “They’ve got a costume that looks like you at 7 A.M.?”
Tim: I didn’t bug you during childbirth.
Jill: No, but you bugged me during conception.
Jill: Hey, Tim, dinner’s ready.
Tim: I’m not really that hungry.
Jill: I didn’t cook it.
Tim: I am famished.
Jill: [They’ve accidentally driven to Ohio] If we hit Kentucky, I am filing for a divorce.
Tim: Alright, I’ll pull it over.
4. Cosby Show – Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad)
For 8 years, no one taught us as many mother lessons as Clair Huxtable did on NBC’s hit comedy The Cosby Show. As Heacliff “Cliff” Huxtable’s lovely wife, and mother to their children Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. The classy Clair managed to hold a very esteemed career as an attorney, in addition to teaching her children good moral values and education (and putting up with her comical husband in the process).
One of the busiest and classiest women on our list is Clair Huxtable. Successful attorney, mother of five, and wife to Cliff which is a full-time job in itself, Clair managed to bring us humor and good moral values each week. Her assertive no-nonsense nature allowed her children to grow up happy and healthy and even have their own spin-off.
Our Favorite Quotes:
Cliff: “I don’t understand why it is that you get to rant and rave and I’m the one that has to be calm.”
Clair: “Because, Cliff, that is my baby in there!”
Cliff: “Well, that’s my baby, too!”
Clair: “No, Cliff, you did not have that child. I had that child. I was the one who was lying on that table screaming “take it out.” And if it takes the last breath in my body, Sondra IS going to become a lawyer!”
Cliff: “I’m just saying that a woman can have babies longer than a man can play football.”
Clair: “Go to sleep, Cliff…’cause you’re gonna need a helmet if you keep talking.”
5. Married With Children – Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal)
Margaret “Peggy” Bundy is easily one of the most remembered moms of comedy, spending time as the wife of shoe salesman Al Bundy (Ed O’Neill) for 11 Seasons on the hit Fox show Married With Children. Peggy, while not the best role-model of a mom (she refused to cook or clean for the family, even though she didn’t have a job), always provided her love to her husband and their two trouble making teens Kelly & Bud.
Peggy Bundy is one of the most memorable TV moms in history with her name synonymous for high heels, big hair and tight pants. Whether she is feeding her neighbor Marcy a cigarette butt or trying to get Al to have sex with her or not feeding her children, she is always good for a few laughs. Although few would recommend Peggy’s style of mothering, she does love her kids and her husband.
Our Favorite Quotes:
Peggy: “Did you miss me?”
Al: “With every bullet, so far.”
Peggy: [writing] Saturday, eleven p.m.: make love. 11:05: Al goes to sleep. 11:06: Finish making love.
Bud: Mom, I’ve had a lousy day, I could really use some Motherly advice.
Peggy: Shut up Bud! Oprah’s doing a show about Mothers who don’t pay attention to their sons.
6. Leave It To Beaver – June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley)
If they’re were to be a “quintessential” mother on this list, the award would have to be bestowed upon June Cleaver. Perhaps the same can be said about the entire cast of Leave It To Beaver, the famous comedy that became popular in the 1950’s. While the series’ star “Beaver” Clever discovers the wonders of the world he grows up in, June is there to make sure he’s staying out of trouble and has his lunch packed properly for school. June definitely set the standard in her day of being the sweetest mother on the block.
Our Favorite Quotes:
June Cleaver: “Wally, where are you going?”
Wally Cleaver: “I’m going over to slug Eddie.”
June Cleaver: “That’s no way to talk, this is Sunday.”
Wally Cleaver: “You’re right, I’ll wait ’til tomorrow and slug him in the cafeteria.”
7. Simpsons – Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner)
No mother has had to endure more than Marge Simpson. The fictional wife of uber-dufus Homer has been dealing with the constant ridiculousness of her husband’s antics week after week for almost 20 years. Add her trouble-making son Bart, over-achieving daughter Lisa and toddler Maggie to the mix and you have a mother that manages to keep her cool (most of the time) and still provide a warm hug at the end of the day.
Definitely the mom with the best hair, Marge Simpson is a happy housewife, proud mother of three, and one of three tight nit sisters. Constantly dealing with her donut eating husbands shenanigans, Bart’s trouble making and Lisa just being Lisa, Marge has her work cut out for her, but she manages to add humor and a sense of pride into every episode.
Our Favorite Quotes:
“The way I see it, if you can raise three kids who can knock out and hogtie a perfect stranger, you must be doing something right.”
Marge: it was pretty exciting. But celery’s pretty exciting too.
Marge: History’s like an amusement park. Except instead of rides you have dates to memorize.
Marge: You know, when I was a girl, I always dreamed of being in a Broadway audience.
Marge: Now if you’ll excuse me I have some dust that needs busting.
8. Family Guy – Lois Griffin (Alex Borstein)
Speaking on animated moms, Lois Griffin could give Marge a run for her money. If The Simpson’s are known for the crazy antics of the male leads (Homer and Bart), then the Family Guy is known for the even-zanier antics of Lois’s husband Peter and their three kids Meg, Chris, and the ever diabolical Stewie. Without their mother, these the family would probably never get out of their constantly (albeit hilarious) awkward situations.
Lois Griffin has one of the most difficult TV jobs as the wife of Peter, someone who traded a boat for a mystery box and mother of Meg, Chris and Stewie, baby genius planning to take over the world. To top it off, she has a talking dog who is probably the only sane one of the bunch. I doubt any mother would want to be Lois, but she sure is fun to watch
Our Favorite Quotes:
Lois: “I’m gonna go get some oranges Stewie. Here, hold the rest of these bags for mommy.”
Stewie: “Oh, what brilliant parenting Lois. Leave a tiny infant with a plastic bag. You know I might asphyxiate myself just to teach you a lesson. Here I go. Just like that boy from INXS.” (Stewie tries to put bag over top of his head.)
Stewie: “I’m going to do it!”(Tries to put bag over left side of his head then climbs into it and tries pulling it over his head.)
Stewie: “BLAST! Good Lord Lois, either I was a c-section, or you’re Wonder Woman!”
Lois: I care about the size of your penis as much as you care about the size of my breasts.
Peter: Oh my God! (runs off crying)
Lois: I’ve seen that crappy Julia Roberts movie forty-seven times. Have you seen the lips on that woman? Like a baboon’s ass on her face.
9. I Love Lucy – Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball)
Lucy Ricardo is probably our funniest mom on the list. She is both naïve and ambitious, always trying to trick her husband Ricky into letting her perform in the show. From stomping grapes, to packing chocolates to selling vitamins Lucy has had several strange side jobs. She had also managed to raise a musical genius for a son, little Ricky, and be great friends with her neighbors Fred and Ethel. Lucy is creative, entertaining and a favorite mom
10. Mama’s Family – Thelma Crowley Harper (Vicki Lawrence)
A TV mother’s list just wouldn’t be complete with out a mention of Mama’s Family. Thelma Harper, the blue haired outspoken widow (the “mama”), was in charge of keeping her son Vinton and his two children Sonja and Buxx, along with her sister Fran rounding out the household. While originally cancelled after one season, the show would continue to evolve through syndication and be a constant throughout the 1980’s.
Thelma Mae Haper was raised a small town farm girl with a healthy dose of attitude. She reminds us of everyone’s favorite grumpy aunt or grandmother. Despite her propensity to start arguements, give attitude, and be a all-around general pain in the rear, Mama loved her family and looked out for him with her sharp tongued smart mouth. She was crude, wisecracking, and wasn’t afraid to slap her children silly. Mama wasn’t always the greatest mom, but she always made us laugh with her over the top antics.
Our Favorite Quotes:
“I tell ya, a guy selling brains could clean up in this family”
Thelma ‘Mama’ Harper: Good lord, Vinton, what in the hell do you think you’re doing?
Vinton Harper: Well Mama… I’m trying to guess your weight…
Thelma ‘Mama’ Harper: I’ve got a better idea Vinton… how about you guess which hand I’m gonna smack you upside the head with.
