From Carol Brady to Clair Huxtable, a look at some of the small-screen matriarchs who’ve left their impression on viewers over the decades.
From left: Florence Henderson on “The Brady Bunch,”, Phylicia Rashad on “The Cosby Show,” Estelle Getty on “The Golden Girls” and Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner) on “The Simpsons”
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Carol Brady. Clair Huxtable. Sophia Petrillo. Marge Simpson.
These are just a few of the most memorable TV moms from the past several decades.
With Mother’s Day approaching on May 12, The Hollywood Reporter takes a look at 10 of the most memorable matriarchs to grace the small screen.
While this is by no means comprehensive — the list could go on and on — it does feature some of the ones with the biggest personalities (and some of the biggest hearts).
Jean Stapleton as Edith Bunker, ‘All in the Family’
This woman is a saint. Despite being married to a bigot who called her a “dingbat” and frequently told her to “stifle,” Edith remained a kind and loving wife to Archie (Carroll O’Connor) and mother to Gloria (Sally Struthers), until her (off-camera) death after the show’s ninth season. (Stapleton had wanted to exit the show, and the continuation of the series was renamed Archie Bunker’s Place.)
Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow Johnson, ‘Black-ish’
Like Clair Huxtable, Rainbow is a working mom with five kids. The anesthesiologist often finds fault with her husband (played by Anthony Anderson) and his more out-there ideas, but she is a fierce supporter of her children. In fact, her character wrote her own book on parenting advice, which you can buy. Among the words of wisdom she shared over eight seasons: “You can’t make decisions just to prove someone’s idea about you is wrong. You have to follow your heart, and when you do, you’ll be a part of something you love for all the right reasons.”
Florence Henderson as Carol Brady, ‘The Brady Bunch’
This “lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls” blended her family with “a man named Brady who was busy with three boys of his own.” No matter which child needed it, she was there to dispense wisdom and show her support, always with positivity. She’s like a never-ending spill of ’60s-’70s sunshine from a bottomless bottle.
Phylicia Rashad as Clair Huxtable, ‘The Cosby Show’
Clair not only worked a full-time job as a lawyer, but she also raised five well-adjusted kids — and there was never a nanny in sight. She’s been called a “feminist hero,” and the character has been credited with changing the ways in which Black women and working mothers were portrayed on TV. She suffered no fools but cared deeply about her family.
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, ‘Friday Night Lights’
Married to the local high school coach (played by Kyle Chandler), Tami also works as a guidance counselor and later moves into administration. Mom to two daughters, she also serves as a big supporter and confidante to many of the women who live in Dillon, Texas — a testament to her compassion and kind-hearted nature. Tami and Eric Taylor are the epitome of marriage on television
Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo, ‘The Golden Girls’
Due to a stroke that affected her ability to filter her comments, Sophia was always quick with a barb, particularly against her daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). But it was clear she loved her offspring, as shown in moments including the switched-at-birth storyline where Dorothy and Sophia take a blood test after being told that Dorothy might not actually be Sophia’s daughter. But Sophia rips up the results before reading them, saying she doesn’t need a paper to tell who her daughter is and reaffirming her love for Dorothy.
Esther Rolle as Florida Evans, ‘Good Times’
The Evans family didn’t have a lot of money, living in a housing project in a poor Chicago neighborhood, but matriarch Florida never lost her optimism or her faith, remaining an inspiration to her three kids. After husband James (John Amos) died in season four, Florida remains strong during the reception at her home, but shows her vulnerability after everyone leaves, breaking down in tears as her children surround her. At the end of the series, her kids move on to success, buoyed by her support over the years.
Katey Sagal as Peg Bundy, ‘Married With Children’
OK, she wasn’t the typical mom, or wife. But she definitely was memorable. Sagal portrayed a matriarch the likes of which hadn’t been seen on TV before. She’s lazy, she refuses to do housework, she doesn’t cook for the kids, she spends money on frivolous items, and she and her husband bicker pretty much constantly (well, maybe that last one is not so unusual!). Yet she does pass down wisdom to her daughter, Kelly (Christina Applegate), including some from her own mom: “My mother taught me two things: Never feed a man when you can feed yourself twice, and if you’re going to rot on the couch in hell, the least your husband can do is to burn right beside you.”
Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, ‘The Simpsons’
Another mom who puts up with a less-than-ideal husband, Marge (voiced by Julie Kavner) is the rock in the Simpson family, patiently tolerating husband Homer (Dan Castellaneta), his drinking habits, his laziness, his inappropriate comments — the list could go on and ok. But she has been a huge supporter of her three kids throughout 35 seasons of the show — and counting.
Mandy Moore as Rebecca Pearson, ‘This Is Us’
Rebecca experienced more than her fair share of heartbreak, from one of her triplets being stillborn to her husband’s (Milo Ventimiglia) untimely demise after a housefire to being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s later in life. But she showed unwavering support for her three kids, their spouses and partners, and her grandchildren, never losing the power to inspire.
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