by Russ Barkhimer

Created on: April 07, 2009

Needless to say, there are countless characters from the almost limitless number of situation comedies that have graced television screens since the inception of the staple and lists of the top five funniest will be as varied as the individuals compiling them. So, with that stated, here goes mine:

Number Five: Dr. Bob Hartley played by Bob Newhart from "The Bob Newhart Show". For the most part, this character is pretty much Newhart as established in his years as a standup comic. However, the dry, understated, and more than a little sarcastic wit is a perfect fit with the character of a Chicago psychologist and anyone who has ever been in therapy will agree that the interpretation is a fairly good fit with most, if not all actual professionals in this vocation. On a personal note, in years past when I used to watch reruns of this program with my younger brother, we had a standing bet that I would laugh out loud before five minutes had elapsed in each show and invariably I never let my brother down. "A-a-nd, ha-how does that make you feel?"

At Four has to be Dick Solomon from "Third Rock From the Sun". John Lithgow had fairly big comedic shoes to fill when he stepped into the same sort of premise that Robin Williams and Alf had filled portraying the biggest fish out of water scenario: an alien on Earth. Dick Solomon was the High Commander, leader of the expedition to this planet and along with the expected naivet that the role practically demands, Lithgow also infused the part with an egocentric fervor that somehow blended with the innocence that made the character fresh and almost believable.

The Three spot is held by Louie De Palma of "Taxi", aptly played by Danny DeVito and holds the distinction of being one of the characters that, no matter how hard and long you search, you will be hard pressed to find a single redeeming feature within him. He is greedy, chauvinistic, deceitful and cruel . . . and these are his good points. Needless to say, these all serve to make him a delight to watch and since he is portraying a boss (Dispatcher at The Sunshine Taxi Company in New York City) the viewer can not only identify in him traits of their own bosses/supervisors but can root for something bad to happen to Louie and not feel guilty. Of course when these things invariably do occur, Louie usually will only shrug with the aplomb that only a New Yorker can display.

Number Two can only be The Reverend Jim Ignatowski, also from Taxi andportrayed by the inimitable Christopher

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