Who is Your Favorite Classic TV Housekeeper/Servant

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I am going to object to I dream of Jeannie being included on this list. I think you need to be a paid hired servant to make the list. Jeannie was basically the love interest of the astronaut. She can’t count! Otherwise, you could include a number of similar doting subservient spouses from those 1950s sit-com’s (Samantha from bewitched; or June cleaver from leave it to beaver, etc.).

 

i object!! 

[Saxum]

18 minutes ago, JR in Pittsburgh said:

haha— great choice! 
 

I love him; I love that movie; and most of all, I love feet. 

 

8 minutes ago, JR in Pittsburgh said:

I am going to object to I dream of Jeannie being included on this list. I think you need to be a paid hired servant to make the list. Jeannie was basically the love interest of the astronaut. She can’t count! Otherwise, you could include a number of similar doting subservient spouses from those 1950s sit-com’s (Samantha from bewitched; or June cleaver from leave it to beaver, etc.).

 

i object!! 

 

You are just eliminating the competition just like Rex would do and he likes feet too.

[RochesterRob]

1 hour ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

A lot of good choices here for the McMansion—but I settled on Niles from The Nanny, because I feel like at the same time that he’s fetching my slippers and evening tea, he’ll always be able to say something just snarky and pithy enough to keep me grounded and from getting too snobbish! 

  While Niles is good help I'd rather have the Nanny fetch things.  I think that I could keep her busy so she could not talk much.  

[Mark Vader]

Alfred.

 

Nothing more needs to be said.

[Nextmanup]

This is a pretty obscure topic, and yet there are quite a few contenders on the list!  The lesson here is that traditional American TV writing is in a bubble, with only a handful of tried and true formulas being hashed out over and over.

 

2 that I personally can't stand are the "drama in a hospital" shows and "courtroom drama" shows.

 

I voted for Mr. French.

 

 

[ChevyVanMiller]

12 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

This is a pretty obscure topic, and yet there are quite a few contenders on the list!  The lesson here is that traditional American TV writing is in a bubble, with only a handful of tried and true formulas being hashed out over and over.

 

2 that I personally can't stand are the "drama in a hospital" shows and "courtroom drama" shows.

 

I voted for Mr. French.

 

 

Yeah, amazing how many shows feature housekeeper when the overwhelming majority of Americans not only haven't ever employed one, but have never even seen one.

 

[rockpile]

On 8/10/2020 at 12:07 PM, SinceThe70s said:

How about Benson?

 

My name is Benson.  

 

He was the best do nothing Butler! 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

9 minutes ago, rockpile said:

 

My name is Benson.  

 

He was the best do nothing Butler! 

"Y'all want me to get that?"

[Taro T]

If going strictly w/ house keeper/ butler types would go with Benson, but Hirsch from WKRP deserv3s mention.  He thwarted Mother Carlson almost as well as Benson put Chester Tate in his place.

 

But, overall, yeah Jeannie probably takes it.

[Wacka]

Berta (2 ½ Men) should be on the list. She ruled the place, drank and did doobies on the deck. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by Wacka

[ExiledInIllinois]

What about Rochester?  This ain't  PC?  But, I voted Jeannie.

[CIrvine]

Manuel from Fawlty Towers.

[Nextmanup]

On 8/14/2020 at 2:27 PM, ChevyVanMiller said:

Yeah, amazing how many shows feature housekeeper when the overwhelming majority of Americans not only haven't ever employed one, but have never even seen one.

 

Perhaps it relates to the idea that every American secretly dreams of becoming rich enough to employ a housekeeper. 

 

That's kind of a standard myth, part of the American Dream and what not, though I don't know that it's true.

 

 

[rockpile]

On 8/14/2020 at 2:27 PM, ChevyVanMiller said:

Yeah, amazing how many shows feature housekeeper when the overwhelming majority of Americans not only haven't ever employed one, but have never even seen one.

 

 

Makes it easier for the writers to have an additional character in residence. 

[Irv]

What?  No Hop Sing?

[shrader]

On 8/14/2020 at 2:27 PM, ChevyVanMiller said:

Yeah, amazing how many shows feature housekeeper when the overwhelming majority of Americans not only haven't ever employed one, but have never even seen one.

 

 

The most recent show in the options ended 16 years ago, unless I missed something.  So either the list is a product of the age of the posters here or it's a role that has been phased out from shows over time.  I'm having a hard time thinking of many from more recent shows, but then again, the sitcom has been dying a slow painful death for a while now.

 

By the way, I vote Geoffrey.

[ChevyVanMiller]

1 minute ago, shrader said:

 

The most recent show in the options ended 16 years ago, unless I missed something.  So either the list is a product of the age of the posters here or it's a role that has been phased out from shows over time.  I'm having a hard time thinking of many from more recent shows, but then again, the sitcom has been dying a slow painful death for a while now.

 

By the way, I vote Geoffrey.

I purposely went with Classic TV shows. Berta on Two and 1/2 Men is the most recent one that comes to mind.

 

[Gugny]

57 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

I purposely went with Classic TV shows. Berta on Two and 1/2 Men is the most recent one that comes to mind.

 

 

Berta was a fantastic character.

[Just Jack]

Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae) started as the housekeeper for the Drummonds on Different Strokes, then went on to be the House Mother on Facts Of Life.