“Hey Hon” List #1: Best TV Characters We’ve Never Seen

My darling hubby and I are movie and TV trivia nuts. Our fascination with this absolutely useless information (unless one is a contestant on Jeopardy) often takes the form of challenges to develop the most comprehensive lists of answers within a specific category -- the one who adds the most or contributes the last answer before our brains are picked clean is claims the trivia god/goddess title until the next match plays itself out.

One of our earliest challenges, best TV characters we’ve never seen, was triggered by a rerun of “Cheers” -- Norm’s wife Vera became the first name on the list and we were off and running. Here’s what I remember of the answers we came up with. I’m sure there’s more that I’ve forgotten in the years since we played this category out, so I’m counting on all of the other TV aficionados to help me rebuild the list and make it better than it was before. (Please include both the character name and the name of the show.)

Look for more of our Hey Hon lists to come.

Best Never Seen TV Characters

• Vera Peterson (Norm’s wife) – Cheers
• Carlton the Doorman – Rhoda
• Orson (Mork’s superior) – Mork and Mindy
• Ugly Naked Guy – Friends
• Tino – My So-Called Life
• Maris (Nile’s wife) – Frasier
• Morty Fine (Fran’s father) – The Nanny
• Stanley Walker (Karen’s husband) – Will & Grace
• Al’s mother – Home Improvement
• Charles Townsend – Charlie’s Angels
• Dr. James Wilson’s wife – House**
• Mrs. Columbo – Columbo
• Lars (Phyllis’ husband) – The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis
• Mr. Bell (Drew’s original boss) – The Drew Carey Show
• Bud (Nurse Thor’s husband) – E/R (1984)
• Epstein’s Mother – Welcome Back, Kotter
• Louise Burns (wife of Major Frank Burns) – M*A*S*H
• Laverene (Klinger’s wife) -- M*A*S*H
• Hawkeye’s Father -- M*A*S*H
• Anoria (Charles Emerson Winchester’s sister) -- M*A*S*H
• Killer (Geraldine’s boyfriend) – The Flip Wilson Show
• Any Adults – Peanuts/Charlie Brown specials
• Vern (friend of Ernest P. Worrell) -- Hey Vern, It's Ernest!

**Removed from the list on 5-17-07. Character appeared on the show during the May sweeps.