Ancillary Characters

The passing of George Wendt forced me to think about the top 5 ancillary characters in my favorite television shows.

The character wasn’t the lead in the show, but often stole the episode when he/she appeared.

It’s a tough list to compile as there are so many great non-lead characters in some truly great shows.

Here we go:

5). Arthur Spooner - ‘King of Queens’ - I could’ve also picked Frank Costanza from ‘Seinfeld’ as Jerry Stiller was always funny.

One episode stands out. He’s in a restaurant on a date when a woman goes into a coughing fit. In total deadpan his first question to his blind date is:

“How long have you had pneumonia?”

Made me spit my drink the first time I saw it.

4). Saul Goodman in ‘Breaking Bad’ - he stole a lot of episodes because he was slimy and funny. Bob Odenkirk is a fine actor too, and they did the right thing and did a whole show around Saul.

Classic.

3). Woody Harrelson in ‘Cheers’ - with great respect to Norm, Woody was the clueless bartender who made me laugh the hardest each week. I also watch any movie Woody Harrelson is in - he’s great.

2). Phil Dunphy in ‘Modern Family’. This is our go-to-show when we have a half hour to kill, and Phil is hilarious. He’s such a nerd, but the kind of Dad that we all strive to be. The best is when he screws up his thoughts and turns it into a disaster.

“I like many other men in this town, enjoy making love to my wife.”

1). Uncle Junior of ‘The Sopranos’ was the best secondary character in the greatest show ever made. When my son, Jake, started watching the series he called my attention to Uncle June.

“He makes me cry laughing every time he’s on screen,” Jake said.

I agree.

“Anthony never had the makings of a varsity athlete,” is one of the best bits ever done because Uncle Junior and Tony were so amazingly good at showing what a true family argument sounds like.

There are so many more:

Joey Tribianni

Frank Burnes

Max Klinger

Jake on ‘Two and a Half Men’.