Television has gotten a lot of mileage out of the loveable drunk archetype. Today, it’s viewed as a comedy gray area as sensitivity to alcoholism has pushed shows to at least attempt to be somewhat more responsible in their portrayals. The past, however, has some doozies. Naming them all would be a mighty task. So for this list, we’re going to stick to the most iconic prime time drinkers.
In compiling the list, I stuck to sitcoms (with a couple exceptions), as a character’s drinking on dramas tends to be more complicated. Sure, Jimmy McNulty and Rust Cohle liked to throw them back, but to be glib about their apparent alcoholism undermines both the characters and their respective series. This is, after all, a listicle; so let’s keep it light.
Otis Campbell
The Andy Griffith Show
Otis (Hal Smith) was the town drunk of Mayberry whose weekend binges landed him in the drunk tank on a regular basis. Apparently, the character was so over the top that sponsors eventually protested. Subsequently, Otis was absent from the show’s final seasons. But there’s a happy ending. The 1986, TV movie Return to Mayberry revealed that Otis had finally sobered up and was gainfully employed as the town’s ice cream man.
Dean Martin
Here’s a little showbiz secret: Dean Martin was not a big drinker. Despite the boozy persona he cultivated on the dais Friar’s Club Roasts and his eponymous variety show, the swingin’ Rat Pack member was usually drinking apple juice on camera.
Foster Brooks
Foster Brooks’ “Lovable Lush” character was a staple of 1970s TV with numerous appearances on The Dean Martin Show as well as other talk shows, sitcoms, celebrity roasts and films. Like Dean Martin, it was all an act. Even so, it’s hard to imagine Brooks’ shtick being as warmly received by TV audiences today.
Ed McMahon
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson
Stories of Ed McMahon’s drinking on the set of The Tonight Show are nothing new. But unlike Dean Martin and Foster Brooks, there’s a good chance they’re true. We may never know whether or McMahon and Carson were just giving in to silliness or if he was actually sauced, but some pretty compelling video evidence does exist.
Hawkeye Pierce
M*A*S*H*
War is hell. So it only made sense that the 4077th often chose to unwind with a drink from time to time. With his makeshift still and ubiquitous martinis, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) was the smart aleck face of those wartime happy hours.
Norm Peterson
Cheers
Every bar has a Norm. Beloved by all and greeted with a hearty “Norm!” every time he entered, Norm (George Wendt) was a fixture of the Cheers crew. For a show that took place in a bar, its writers showed restraint. Few laughs came at the expense of its cast of barflies. Maybe it was the result of Reagan-era moralizing, or maybe the writers preferred not to go for obvious jokes.
Barney Gumble
The Simpsons
For 25 years, Barney Gumble (Dan Castellaneta) has been the Otis Campbell of Springfield. But as we’ve seen, there’s more to him than meets the bloodshot eye. He’s got a beautiful (and Grammy-winning) singing voice, and the gentle heart of an artist. He even gave a guest lecture at Villanova — or maybe it was a street corner. While Barney managed to sober up for a few seasons, it didn’t stick, and he soon reclaimed his old barstool at Moe’s.
Homer Simpson
The Simpsons
Barney may be Springfield’s token lush, but Homer (Dan Castellaneta) is no slouch either. His love of Duff Beer is as great as the lengths he’ll go get a buzz. It was such desperation that led Homer to invent the Flaming Moe cocktail. And when Springfield reinstated Prohibition, it was Homer’s ingenuity as the Beer Baron that kept the suds flowing. Plus, Homer gave us possibly one of most important quotes in the history of human civilization: “To alcohol: the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems.”
Patsy & Edina
Absolutely Fabulous
Patsy and Eddie (Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) are the party girls who never left the party. As they stumbled into middle age, the duo kept a foot on the gas, living it up while shirking responsibility and tenaciously clinging to the last shreds of their youth. But didn’t they look fabulous doing it, darling?
