Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on screen.

[auntiehill]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Columbo's wife was never seen on screen, but they did eventually give her a spin off

No, the character who was claimed to be Mrs. Columbo in the show that started out with that name was completely unlike the character described in the original show. Even the show itself quickly abandoned the conceit that its lead character had any connection with Lt. Columbo, changing the title to Kate Loves a Mystery and turning her into a divorcee who went by her maiden name. And when Columbo returned to the airwaves in the '80s-'90s, he was still married to the genuine Mrs. Columbo. Although I think there was a gag in one installment of the new series where Columbo passed off a photo of Mulgrew (?) as his wife, but it then turned out to be a ruse and it was actually a picture of her cousin Kate. (Or something like that. It's in "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo," if anyone wants to check and see if I've totally misremembered that.)

No, you're correct, but the show did start out being called Mrs. Columbo, and of course, quickly tanked, despite all the changes they tried to make. But it was called Mrs. Columbo, hence the joke.


*note to self. must install sarcasm font*

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

My current favorite Person You Never See is Howard Wolowitz' mother on The Big Bang Theory. The voice actress who plays her is brilliant, so good that no visual representation could ever match it.

Kinda like Biff Tannen's grandmother in Back to the Future, Part II.

Then there's the heard but never seen except for his arm villain Dr. Claw on Inspector Gadget.

I like Bob Sacamano on Seinfeld. I know lots of people who have quirky friends like that who I never see.

Ooh! Bill's girlfriend Linda on NewsRadio, especially in Season 2's "Led Zeppelin" when Dave & Bill are both commiserating over their "irrational" girlfriends.
Dave: "Why can't Lisa admit that I might be right?"
Bill: "I don't know. Why does Linda always confess to the police for crimes she didn't commit? Women, huh?"
Dave: "Bill, I think Linda may be certifiably insane."
Bill: "Yeah. Certifiably insane like a fox!"

And another honorable mention to Mildred Potter, who was "played" by a photo of Harry Morgan's real-life wife and by Barbara Townsend in AfterMASH (which doesn't count ).

For SO many reasons...

 

[Owain Taggart]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

You know, when I first saw the thread title and description, I first thought, "This would make a great avatar contest!" Until it sunk in....

 

[Nowhere Man]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Darth Plageous from ROTS.

 

[Valin]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

For all-time favorites, though, it has to be the families on M*A*S*H:

Hawkeye's father
BJ's wife and daughter
Charles' sister
Burns' wife
Mulcahy's sister (the Sister)
Radar's Uncle Ed (with honorable mention to Radar's mother, played by Gary Burghoff in drag in some home movies)
Klinger's family
And another honorable mention to Mildred Potter, who was "played" by a photo of Harry Morgan's real-life wife and by Barbara Townsend in AfterMASH (which doesn't count ).

Not a family member, but "Captain Tuttle."

 

[Timby]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

I don't think we ever met any of Lenny Briscoe's ex-wives on Law & Order or John Munch's oft-complained-about ex-wives & girlfriends on Homicide: Life on the Street. However, we did finally meet Gwen Munch (John Munch's ex-wife who also, incidentally, slept with Lenny Briscoe) on a later episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Speaking of Homicide ex-wives, I don't think we ever saw the ex-wives of Giardello, Bolander, or Crosetti either.

We saw Billie Lou Munch throughout Season 7 and also in Homicide: The Movie.

 

[the G-man]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

I also vote for Maris.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

1) Charlie Brown’s Teacher, A Charlie Brown Christmas, etc.
2) Peggy’s Mother, Married… with Children
3) Ugly Naked Guy, Friends
4) Charles “Charlie” Townsend, Charlie’s Angels
5) Wilson, Home Improvement

 

[Owain Taggart]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

5) Wilson, Home Improvement

Don't quite think that counts in terms of the concept of the thread, to be honest. He was seen on screen in every episode. You just couldn't see his full face as they'd find clever ways to obscure it.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Definitely Maris from Frasier.

 

[od0_ital]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

3) Ugly Naked Guy, Friends

Seen in the episode when Ross went over to try to get the apartment, at least from behind (his shoulder & back of his head).

 

[spooky spice]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

3) Ugly Naked Guy, Friends

My current favorite Person You Never See is Howard Wolowitz' mother on The Big Bang Theory.

Is she the same woman who was Joey's agent in Friends?

Oh and I go with both of those suggestions!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Korben Dallas' mother from The Fifth Element.

 

[Joy]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

I've always adored the wonderful advice from Artemus Gordon's Great-Aunt Maude.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Definitely Maris.

 

[Maestro]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

My current favorite Person You Never See is Howard Wolowitz' mother on The Big Bang Theory. The voice actress who plays her is brilliant, so good that no visual representation could ever match it.

The voice actress is actually the same actress who plays Howard's on/off girlfriend, Bernadette.

 

[scnj]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

My current favorite Person You Never See is Howard Wolowitz' mother on The Big Bang Theory. The voice actress who plays her is brilliant, so good that no visual representation could ever match it.

The voice actress is actually the same actress who plays Howard's on/off girlfriend, Bernadette.

Bernadette is Melissa Rauch, whereas Mrs Wolowitz is Carol Ann Susi. Rauch did do an excellent impression in one of the episodes though.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

I don't think we ever met any of Lenny Briscoe's ex-wives on Law & Order or John Munch's oft-complained-about ex-wives & girlfriends on Homicide: Life on the Street. However, we did finally meet Gwen Munch (John Munch's ex-wife who also, incidentally, slept with Lenny Briscoe) on a later episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Speaking of Homicide ex-wives, I don't think we ever saw the ex-wives of Giardello, Bolander, or Crosetti either.

We saw Billie Lou Munch throughout Season 7 and also in Homicide: The Movie.

Ah. I haven't gotten that far, actually. I finished Season 4 but and I own Seasons 6 & 7 but I can't find a local used store with a copy of Season 5.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Maris in Frasier

Vera in Cheers

'Er Indoors in Minder

Chef in Enterprise

Incidentally, did anyone else think that Cliff's mum in Cheers should have remained in this category?

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Re: Favorite character in TV/ Movie character never to appear on scree

Xander's parents were like this for a long time on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, we finally saw them at Xander & Anya's wedding in "Hell's Bells." It was a bit of a letdown.