Sidekicks

After Barny Fife- who was my favorite sidekick ever and still is and always will be (I'm loyal)- these are my other favorites in descending order:
Festus (Gunsmoke) -
Norton (Honeymooners)
(a) Elliot- I think she's funnier even though (b) Turk is the "real" sidekick (Scrubs)
(a) George, (b) Elaine, (c) Kramer (Seinfeld)

One of the most famous pair of sidekicks: Fred and Ethel Mertz

Hello, Roberta

I have a number of Oz examples, but hey, most people wouldn't know who on earth I was talking about.

What the heck!: The "supporting cast" of the ABC series, Mother & Son were brilliant! But then, so were the "main" players!

I don't think many such shows can make it without a good supporting cast. Archie Bunker without the Meathead was not as entertaining. Hard to imagine Jack Benny without the likes of Dennis Day and Phil Harriss. Our Miss Brooks and Walter Denton (Richard Crenna). My Name is Earl has to have Earl's brother and his ex wife and her latest hubby.

Once the answers started coming in, I had to stop and ask myself, "What is a sidekick?" Why? Because I had sense of what I thought a sidekick was and a sense of what it wasn't. I agreed with some choices and disagreed with others. Couldn't quite articulate why. Not sure I can now. So I'm gonna say, great choices, everyone! Thanks. Happy to be reminded of Festus and the Mertzes and the Seinfeld cast. Smiled when remembering the characters from the Jack Benny show--what about Rochester? Walter Denton was a name from the past. Made me smile.

If I haven't commented on someone, it's because I haven't seen the show. Sorry. No surprise for you, msolga. Maybe someone from Oz will show up and have a remark or two.

Does anyone remember Gillis, the next door neighbor from The Life of Riley? Or Huggy Bear from Starsky and Hutch? Coach and Norm from Cheers? (Especially Coach. Loved that guy.)

Actually, on Gunsmoke, I liked Chester so much, it took me a few years to accept Festus. But, Festus practically was the show after a while.

Particularly in westerns, the sidekick is often essential, for some reason.
Wild Bill Hickock and Jingles.
Cisco Kid and Pancho.
Lone Ranger and Tonto.
Lawman had Peter Brown's character.
Rifleman had Mark.
Instead of a sidekick, Maverick was two brothers, alternately supporting one another.
Wagon Train, Ward Bond had Robert Horton.
Rawhide had Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) supporting Gil Favor.

You're right Edgar. Sidekicks were essential to westerns. Was Gabby Hayes Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick? (I preferred Chester too.)

Hoppy had more than one old guy for a sidekick. Gabby was with Hopalong Cassidy for a time, and so was Andy Clyde.

How funny would Frasier have been without Niles?

I believe Gabby was equally well known for being Roy Rogers' sidekick.

I thought Roy Rogers' sidekick was Pat Butrum. I guess some cowboys had more than one sidekick. But they were definitely the champs in the sidekick department.

In "Entourage" Vince has three sidekicks. Eric, Turtle and Drama.

Roy was in a few with Pat Butram, several with Smiley Burnet, but numero uno was Gabby Hayes.

What about Dale Evans? And Trigger?

I guess Gabby gets demoted to number three.

My favorite sidekick is one most people probably don't remember -- Shultzy on "Love That Bob".

<If Bob had just realized how ultracool Shultzy was instead of always having his head turned by those beautiful models....>

I learned a lot about being a girl from Shultzy.

Gosh. I remember that name Shultzy and vaguely remember the show and the actor who played her. Wasn't it the same actor who played the maid on The Brady Bunch?

Yes! Shultzy was the same person who played Alice on The Brady Bunch.

Love that Bob was about a professional photographer, Bob, who was a real playboy and Shultzy was his faithful, plain jane, brainy, studio assistant.

While she always quietly pined for Bob she went on about her life instead of becoming some lovesick doormat.

I recall Shultzy very well.

I believe Gabby Hayes was with Roy Rogers in some movies. Pat Butram was on TV.