Top 10 Unforgettable Sitcom Characters From The 70s

There can’t be a list of unforgettable 1970s sitcom characters without Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli from Happy Days.

Played by Henry Winkler, The Fonz was originally written as a minor character that would appear in one episode. However, he was such a hit from the start that they brought him on as an official cast member, and he quickly took over the show!

Fonzie was not only a beloved sitcom character. He also became a symbol of America during Happy Days’ run from 1974-1984. The Fonz’s popularity was so great that he was the most merchandised character of the era. He remains a mainstay in pop culture to this day!

The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which ran from 1970 until 1977, was one of the most watched sitcoms of the decade. Much of this was because of Mary Tyler Moore’s character of Mary Richards, who became a symbol of the ’70s career woman.

Millions of American women and girls saw themselves in Mary. The character was a driven feminist who was trying to make it at her local news station. Mary’s determination was coupled with a hilarious sense of humor that made this show just so fun to watch.

In the end, Mary was a strong and independent woman who wasn’t afraid to put a man in his place if he stepped out of line. At this time, this type of female character was a rarity in television, so viewers found her to be deliciously refreshing!

George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) and his wife Louise (Isabel Sanford) made their debut on the sitcom All In The Family. They quickly became so popular, however, that they were given their own spinoff The Jeffersons, which ran from 1975-1985.

In the sitcom, George was an ambitious entrepreneur who owned several dry cleaning businesses in New York City. George frequently used comedy to tackle many serious issues of the time, making this sitcom both funny and thought-provoking.

At the time, The Jeffersons was the longest-running sitcom with a primarily African American cast. It was also one of the first shows on television to depict affluent African Americans. Decades later, the sitcom still holds up!

Three’s Company was one of the most beloved shows on television during its run from 1977 until 1984. One of the most popular characters on the show was Chrissy Snow, who was masterfully played by Suzanne Somers.

Chrissy was a naive character who was meant to be an exaggeration of the “dumb blonde” stereotype. She hilariously was both quick to laugh and quick to cry, endearing her to fans everywhere.

Sadly, Somers was controversially fired from Three’s Company in 1981, leaving much of this character in the 1970s. However, Chrissy has lived on for decades thanks to the popularity of Three’s Company reruns. She’s still making audiences laugh to this day!

Forget just the 1970s. Archie Bunker, who was played by Carroll O’Connor, is arguably one of the most unforgettable sitcom characters of all time.

All In The Family captivated the country during its run from 1971 until 1983. Much of its popularity could be attributed to Archie, a World War II veteran and blue collar worker who loved this country with all his heart. Archie was devoted to his family, but he was also set in his ways and was frustrated by many of the changes that he saw happening in America during the ’70s.

While Archie certainly had his flaws, many of his words of wisdom still ring true to this day. Indeed, there are many men of a certain age who are just as frustrated with the changes happening in modern society as Archie was way back then. In the end, Archie simply can’t be forgotten!

Laverne Marie DeFazi0 ( Penny Marshall) and Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams) were first introduced to viewers as guest stars on Happy Days. They were so memorable on that sitcom that they were given their own spinoff, and it was immediately a huge hit!

Laverne & Shirley ran from 1976 until 1983, and by its third season, it was the most-watched show on television. It told the story of best friends and roommates who worked as bottle-cappers in a factory.

While both Laverne and Shirley were needed to make this show work, Marshall’s Laverne was a standout. The character was a tough, no-nonsense tomboy, making her relatable to millions of women who often didn’t see themselves portrayed on television at this time.

Yet another Happy Days spinoff was Mork & Mindy, which ran from 1978 until 1982. Needless to say, the highlight of this hilarious sitcom was Robin Williams’ character of Mork, an alien who comes to Earth to observe humans.

Williams would frequently improvise his dialogue, and he quickly won over fans with his talent for physical comedy. The show was an instant hit, and Williams even got to appear on the cover of Time Magazine after the very first season.

If you even watch one episode of this iconic show, it’s easy to see why it made William a household name overnight. They really don’t make sitcoms like this one anymore!

Maude, who was beautifully played by Bea Arthur, got her start on All In The Family in 1971. The show’s creator Norman Leer wanted to bring in a character who could hold her own against Archie Bunker verbally, so they brought in Maude!

The character of Maude immediately became so popular that she scored her own spinoff. The sitcom Maude ran from 1972 until 1978.

Maude was an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman who was living in the suburbs of New York City. An open feminist, Maude’s overbearing and domineering personality got her into trouble in ways that proved to be hilarious for viewers on both sides of the political aisle.

Whether you like her or not, Maude is a sitcom character who simply cannot be forgotten!

The junk dealer Fred Sanford, played by the comedian Redd Foxx, was a huge hit with audiences in the 1970s. Fred may have had his character flaws, but these faults were usually balanced by his son Lamont Sanford. 

Fred was the grouchy, bitter patriarch of the Sanford family. On the sitcom, he was often preoccupied with “get-rich-quick” schemes that played out in hilarious ways.

The way that Fred’s harsh humor was handled helped to redefine African American sitcoms. In some episodes, Fred’s showed acts of kindness that gave him a little more depth. This helped him to win over fans. The sitcom was ultimately so successful that it helped carry the entire NBC Friday night lineup from 1972-1977.

Finally, who could forget Alice from The Brady Bunch?!

Played by the veteran actress Ann B. Davis during the show’s run from 1969-1974, Alice was the glue of the Brady family. Though she was technically their maid, she was the person who held everything together.

Alice could truly juggle it all. She did the household chores, cared for the six children, and acted as peacemaker between Mr. and Mrs. Brady, all with a huge smile on her face. Her sarcastic commentary about the Brady family hijinks was a highlight of the show. She’s still cracking fans up half a century later!