Cliff Huxtable Is America’s Favorite TV Dad — Survey of the Day

Bill Cosby’s sweater-wearing, tough love-offering Cliff Huxtable character from ‘The Cosby Show’ is the TV dad most Americans would have wanted as their own father growing up.

According to a Harris Poll of 2,184 adults, Ward Cleaver from ‘Leave It to Beaver’ is the nation’s second favorite TV dad, followed by Jim Anderson from ‘Father Knows Best,’ ‘Happy Days’ father Howard Cunningham, and Andy Taylor from ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’

As for more modern TV dads, Tim Taylor from ‘Home Improvement’ placed ninth, and Peter Griffin from ‘Family Guy’ snagged the 12th spot overall. Just taking into account respondents between 18 and 34, ‘Full House’s’ Danny Tanner came in second, following Bill Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable.

[Harris Interactive]