Newsgroups: soc.motss From: wyatt@ccu.umanitoba.ca (David Anthony Wyatt) Subject: List of GLBO Television Characters Message-ID: Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1993 23:54:19 GMT Lines: 418 [list version=06 January 1993.] For a while now I have been trying to compile a list of television programs that have included gay/lesbian characters as a part of their regular (or semi-regular) casts. Many shows have "dealt" with gays in a single episode or story line, but just how many have included gays on a regular (or recurring) basis? This is the list I have. My intention is to keep the list to network and widely-syndicated entertainment shows in the English language. For the purposes of this list, a character is described as "recurring" if he or she has appeared in at least three episodes. If you can recall any other shows, or can correct errors or omissions in this list, please post a follow-up, or e-mail them to me at: wyatt@ccu.umanitoba.ca The TV networks: ABC (American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.) [U.S.A.] ABCTV (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) [Australia] BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) [U.K.] CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) [Canada] CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) [U.S.A.] C4 (Channel 4) [U.K.] FOX (Fox Broadcasting Company) [U.S.A.] Granada [U.K.] HBO (Home Box Office) [U.S.A.] ITV (Independent Television) [U.K.] LWT (London Weekend Television) [U.K.] MTV (Music Television) [U.S.A.] NBC (National Broadcasting Company) [U.S.A.] PBS (Public Broadcasting System) [U.S.A.] Showtime [U.S.A.] 0-10 (Australian 0-10 Network) [Australia] NUMBER 96 (sitcom) "Australian TV [which network? ch 10-Sydney]" 1972-1976? Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham) Dudley Butterfield ( ) Loosley based on what happened in a block of flats in Sydney. Don and Dudley were residents and lovers. "... NUMBER 96 created a sensation when it went on the air in 1972, dealing graphically with homosexuality, drug and alcohol addictions, ambitious and promiscuous people, insanity, rape, and sex---mostly sex." (Brooks & Marsh, 3rd ed., p. 616). An American version of the show (NBC, 1980-1981) was much tamer and did not include any gay characters. AN AMERICAN FAMILY (cinema-verite documentary) PBS 1973, HBO 1983 Lance Loud The film crew recorded 300 hours in seven months of the life of the Loud family of Santa Barbara, California, and edited the footage into twelve one-hour episodes. In the course of the filming, son Lance came out to his parents. HBO aired a one-hour follow-up show in 1983. [Lance Loud now writes for the Advocate] THE BOB NEWHART SHOW (sitcom) CBS 1972-1978 Craig Plager (Howard Hesseman) Occasional character, a patient of psychiatrist Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) seeking help with his writer's block. Sexual orientation mentioned only once. ARE YOU BEING SERVED (sitcom) BBC 1972-1984 Mr. Humphries (John Inman) The series was sent in the menswear department of the fictitious store "Grace Brothers". Mr. Humphries was a camp assistant whose catch-phrase was "I'm free." In the early episodes there were just hints that he was gay, but latterly it was directly obvious. PORRIDGE (prison sitcom) BBC 1974-1977 "Gay" Gordon ( ) Semi-regular character. He worked in the kitchens but very little use was made of the character. HOT L BALTIMORE (sitcom) ABC 1975 George (Lee Bergere) Gordon (Henry Calvert) Situation comedy set in the dilapidated Hotel Baltimore (where the "E" in the sign was burned out). All the characters were in some way eccentric. George and Gordon's eccentricity was that they were a homosexual couple. BARNEY MILLER (police sitcom) ABC 1975-1982 Marty (Jack DeLeon) Darryl Driscoll (Ray Stewart) Officer Zitelli (Dino Natali) This sitcom was set in New York City's Greenwich Village and included a variety of recurring bit parts for victims and perpetrators. Among these roles were one male couple, Marty and Darryl. Officer Zitelli also came out at one point, late in the series run. IT AIN'T HALF HOT, MUM (sitcom) BBC 1976?-1980? "Gloria" (Melvyn Hayes) There character "Gloria" is considered to be a poof by the other members of the concert party (in WW2 Burma) because he plays all the female parts. SOAP (serial sitcom) ABC 1977-1981 Jodie Dallas (Billy Crystal) Dennis Phillips 1978 (Bob Seagren) Alice 1979 (Randee Heller) Jodie was a regular character throughout the run of this show, although he was eventually involved with women. Dennis was the very closeted pro-football quarterback involved with Jodie the first season. Alice was a lesbian friend of Jodie's later in the show's run. AGONY (serial sitcom) LWT for ITV 1979-81 Rob ( ) Michael ( ) Rob and Michael were a gay couple who lived next door to the Agony Aunt (Maureen Lipman). There were a couple of stories dealing with gay issues directly and they were in almost all the episodes. In the end, one commits suicide when he's forced out on a live phone-in by a rather obnoxious radio host. PRISONER: CELLBLOCK H (serial prison drama) 0-10 1979-1981 Freida "Franky" Doyle (Carol Burns) Vera "Vinegar Tits" Bennett (Fiona Spence) Erica Davidson (Patsy King) Serial drama set in a women's detention centre in Australia. Among the cast of prisoners was a lesbian named Franky. Erica was (maybe?) Franky's lover. It was also implied that the guard Vera was a closeted lesbian. BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (drama miniseries) Granada 1981 Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews) Charles Ryder (Jeremy Irons) Anthony Blanche (Nicholas Grace) and a (German?) lover that Sebastian has later in the book. Based on the Evelyn Waugh novel of the same name. LOVE, SIDNEY (sitcom) NBC 1981-1982 Sidney Shorr (Tony Randall) In the made-for-TV movie, Sidney was definitely gay. But by the time the series reached the air NBC had forbidden the mention of the character's sexual orientation. DYNASTY (serial drama) ABC 1981-1989, 1991 Steven Carrington (Al Corley 1981-2 and 1991, Jack Coleman 1982-6) Ted Dinard 1981 (Mark Withers) __________ 1983? (Grant Goodeve) Luke Fuller 1984-5 (William Campbell) Bart Falmont 1986?,91 (Kevin _________ 1986?, Cameron Watson 1991) Ted was Steven's ex-lover, who followed him back to Denver and was killed by Steven's father Blake. For a few episodes Steven roomed platonically with his gay custody lawyer ________. For one whole season Steven and Luke courted one another and became lovers, until Moldavian terrorists killed Luke. Bart was a closeted son of Blake's political rival, until he was outed by Adam. In the 4-hour 1991 reunion show, Steven had followed Bart to D.C. and they had become lovers. FAME (drama/musical) NBC 1982-1983, syndicated 1983-1986 Montgomery MacNeil 1982 (P.R. Paul) The movie FAME had one gay character, Montgomery, and he was quickly written out at the start of the television series. ALL MY CHILDREN (serial daytime drama) ABC Dr. Lynne Carlson 1983 (Donna Pescow) Devon McFadden 1983 ( ) After Devon discovered Lynne was a lesbian, she convinced herself that a relationship with a woman was the answer to her problems. Lynne wisely told her that you don't just choose to become a lesbian because your affairs with men don't work out. After about 2 or 3 months, Lynne decided to get on with her life and moved away from Pine Valley. SANTA BARBARA (serial daytime drama) NBC 1984-1993 Channing Capwell Junior ( ) 1984? Lindsay Smith ( ) 1984? This soap opera opened its first episode with the release from prison of the wrongly convicted murderer of Channing Capwell Jr. In the course of finding the real killer, it was discovered that Channing's past included affairs with his father's mistress and someone named Lindsay Smith. More investigation turned up that Lindsay was another man. Some of this story was played out in flashback wherein Channing and Lindsay appeared. BROTHERS (serial drama) Showtime, 1984-1989 Donald Maltby (Philip Charles MacKenzie) Cliff Waters (Paul Regina) Cliff was one of the three Brothers of the title and was much less comfortable with his gayness than his best friend Donald. 'ALLO, 'ALLO (sitcom) BBC 1982, 1984-present Lt. Gruber (Guy Siner) Nazi Lieutenant Gruber has a crush on Rene, the cafe owner and central character in this low comedy about the French Resistance. THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN (drama miniseries) Granada 1984 Ronald Merrick (Tim Pigott-Smith) "Sophie" Dixon (Warren Clarke) Count Dimitri Bronowsky (Eric Porter) Merrick is deep in the closet. Dixon is very much out. Bronowsky just hints at his preference. Merrick's sexuality is of some relevance to the plot, especially at the end. IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH (sitcom) BBC 1985 Winston ( ) The TIL DEATH US DO PART character Alf Garnet (Archie Bunker in the U.S. version) starred in his own series. This was originally with the actress who played his wife in the old series. She died recently, but they wrote this into the series and he got someone from social services assigned to him to help. This was character was black and gay, infuriating Alf. ST. ELSEWHERE (hospital drama) NBC 1982-1986 Kevin O'Casey 1985-6 (John Scott Clough) Brett Johnson 1986? (Kyle Secor) ST. ELSEWHERE often featured guest roles that spanned several episodes, or that recurred periodically over longer time frames. Kevin was the latest generation of a family of hereditary patients at St. Eligius. His lover Brett had AIDS. In another, two-episode story arc, Dr. Anne Cavanero rebuffed the advances of visiting specialist Dr. Christine Holt (Caroline McWilliams). HOLLYWOOD BEAT (police drama) ABC 1985 George Grinsky (John Matuszak) This show was an attempted MIAMI VICE clone, and George ran the coffee shop where the two principal cops hung out. SARA (sitcom) NBC 1985 Dennis Kemper (Bronson Pinchot) Dennis was one of four young lawyers in this office situation comedy. The show didn't last long and star Geena Davis went on to bigger and better things (movies). EASTENDERS (serial) BBC 1985-present Syndicated to some PBS stations Colin Russell (Michael Cashman) Barry Clark (Gary Hailes) Guido Smith (Nicholas Donovan) Queenie (John Labanowski) Joe ( ) Colin was a guppie graphics designer who had moved into the gentrifying east end of London. There he met Barry and the two moved in together. After Barry left to join the merchant marine, Colin met Guido, who eventually moved in with him. The Queenie character belonged to another plotline. He was a jail enforcer working with "the Firm" (the mob). In a later plot, a straight regular character learned he was HIV+ and became friends with Joe at an HIV counselling centre. HILL STREET BLUES (police drama) NBC 1981-1987 __________? (Lindsay Crouse) Lesbian police detective. THE TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW (sketch comedy) FOX 1987-1990 David (Dan Castellenata) William (Sam McMurray) Within the sketch format, there were several recurring characters. One such 'continuing saga' was that of 14 year old Francesca (Tracy Ullman) who lived with her father David and his lover William. They were depicted as ordinary parents with an unordinary characteristic --- they were gay. WOMEN IN PRISON (prison sitcom) FOX 1987-1988 Bonnie Harper (Antoinette Byron) Situation comedy set in a women's prison. Prisoner Bonnie was a gay English hooker. HOOPERMAN (police sitcom/drama) ABC 1987-1989 Rick Silardi (Joseph Gian) Rudy 1988-1989 (Rod Gist) Silardi and his female partner DeMont were series regulars. Sometimes a story would revolve around them, but most often it didn't. Rudy was one of Hooperman's tennants. Series set in San Francisco. AS THE WORLD TURNS (daytime serial) CBS Hank Elliot 1988-9 (Brian Starcher) Hank was a dress designer, who had come to town to find occupation away from his HIV+ lover Charles (never seen). Various characters reacted differently to Hank's coming out to them. CAGNEY AND LACEY (Police drama) CBS 1982-1988 ________? ( ) Later in the run of this series, one of the lead policewomen acquired a gay male neighbour, appearing on an occasional basis. HEARTBEAT (medical drama) ABC 1988 Marilyn McGrath (Gail Strickland) ________? (Gina Hecht) This short lived drama included among its cast of characters Marilyn, a lesbian nurse-practitioner. Her lover ________?, a caterer, appeared occasionally. DOCTOR, DOCTOR (medical sitcom) CBS 1989-1991 Richard "Dick" Stratford (Tony Carreiro) Hugh Persons (Brian George) Richard was an English professor and the brother of one of the four doctors in the show. Hugh hosted the morning TV show where Dick's brother Mike did a medical segment. THIRTYSOMETHING (drama) ABC 1987-1991 Russell Weller 1989-1991 (David Marshall Grant) Peter Montefiori 1989-1991 (Peter Frenchette) Occasional characters. Any show about yuppies needs a guppie or two. Russell was a painter. Peter was an art designer working at the advertising company central to the main characters, and had a brief affair with Russell. By New Years of the last season of the show, it looked like Russell and Peter were getting back together again. THE KIDS IN THE HALL (sketch comedy) CBC 1989-present Buddy Cole (Scott Thompson) Among a wide range of comedy sketches on this show is the recurring role of Buddy, who pontificates from his bar stool on the differences or the parallels between gay and straight society, or about the ignorance of straights, or the tribulations of gay life. The rest of the show can be quite campy too, since the all male cast plays both the male and female roles in each sketch. L.A. LAW (lawyer drama) NBC 1986-present Cara Jean "C.J." Lamb (Amanda Donohoe) 1990-1992 Abby Perkins (Michele Greene) Lawyers C.J. Lamb and Abby Perkins shared a kiss in the parking lot that many interpreted as a lesbian advance. NBC seemed determined to explain that it wasn't. Later C.J. represented her ex-lover in a child custody case. BRASS (sitcom) C4 19??-? In BRASS there was a character who was based on Sebastian in BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (always carrying around a teddy bear). YOU RANG, M'LORD? (sitcom) BBC 19??-1990? __________? ( ) Lesbian daughter A comedy version of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS. There is a female character who is the architypal stereotype for a lesbian. Dresses up as a male, etc.... Non-flattering stereotypes. BROOKSIDE (serial drama) C4 1983-present Gordon Collins 1983-? ( ) A twice weekly serial "Brookside" in which one of the characters is gay. Key to an early plot line where he was "got at" at school by others who found out. Character no longer in the series. BARE ESSENCE (drama) CBS 1982, NBC 1983 ___________? ( ) friend of central character ___________? ( ) pro football player The best friend of a perfume company executive (Genie Francis) was a gay man who's SO was a pro football player. They lasted a few weeks before they were written out of the show. ROSEANNE (sitcom) ABC 1988-present Leon Carp (Martin Mull) 1990-1992 Jerry (Michael Des Barres) 1991-1992 Nancy Thomas (Sandra Bernhardt) 1992-present Marla (Morgan Fairchild) 1992-present When Roseanne worked in a shopping mall chain restaurant, Leon was her manager. Jerry was his lover. After Leon and Jerry broke up, Leon dated another man (Rick Dees) in one episode. Nancy is a friend of Roseanne's and left her boorish husband to begin a relationship with cosmetologist Marla, explaining that this suited her better anyway. IN LIVING COLOR (sketch comedy) FOX 1990-present Blaine Edwards (Damon Wayans) 1990-1992 Antoine Meriweather (David Alan Grier) Recurring "Men on Films" sketch. Campy stereotypes done for laughs. COP ROCK (musical/drama) ABC 1990 Ray Rodbart (Jeffrey Allan Chandler) Ray Rodbart was the personal secretary to the mayor. He was a minor regular, appearing in virtually every episode. His homosexuality was only discussed in one episode. E.N.G. (newsroom drama) CTV 1991-present Eric "Mac" MacFarlane (Jonathan Welsh) Mac is a regular character in this series, and came out to his co-workers and his brother when he was faced with blackmail by threat of outing. GRACE AND FAVOUR (sitcom) BBC 1991-present Mr. Humphries (John Inman) Yes, he's back, and as gay as ever, in spite of the fact that he's been in bed with a woman from episode one on. This sequel to ARE YOU BEING SERVED? airs on some PBS stations under the title ARE YOU BEING SERVED? AGAIN! NORTHERN EXPOSURE (ensemble comedy/drama) CBS 1990-present Ron (Doug Ballard) 1991-present Erick (Don McManus) 1991-present Occasional characters, Ron and Erick operate a bed-and-breakfast serving primarily Japanese tourists. The show has another interesting gay angle. The fictitious town of Cicely was founded by lesbian lovers Roslyn and Cicely, when their car broke down in the Alaska wilderness. The final episode of 1992 told the story of Roslyn (Jo Anderson) and Cicely (Yvonne Suhor). NEIGHBOURS (serial drama) BBC? ?-present _____________? ( ) a lesbian _____________? ( ) another lesbian _____________? ( ) a gay youth. [Can anyone tell me anything about this show?] ONE LIFE TO LIVE (serial daytime drama) ABC Billy Douglas 1992-present (Ryan Phillipe) Jonathan Michaelson 1992 (Bruce McCarty) Rick Mitchell 1992-present ( ) Billy Douglas moved into Llanview in the Summer of 1992, a 17 year old highschool senior. Billy's struggle to come out to himself and his homophobic parents, in the midst of a town bitterly divided over a rumour that the local minister might be gay, occupied a substantial share of OLTL air time over the summer of 1992. Jonathan, lover of the minister's late brother, showed up to ask for help making a quilt panel. Billy met Rick Mitchell carolling on Christmas eve 1992. THE REAL WORLD (cinema-verite documentary) MTV 1992 Norman Korpi MTV gathered together seven young people to live in an apartment, under the watchful eye of the television camera. One of the roommates, Norman, is bisexual. AFTER HENRY (sitcom) ITV 1987?-present Russell (Jonathan Newth) Russell is a friend of one of the principals, and operates a bookstore. ELDORADO (serial drama) BBC 1992-present __________? ( ) retired gay nurse __________? ( ) local in the Spanish town [No further information yet available. Any assistance welcomed.] A VERY PECULIAR PRACTICE (sitcom) "[seen where on what network?]" 19??-? Dr. Rose Marie (Barbara Flyn) Sitcom set in a University health service. MELROSE PLACE (ensemble drama) FOX 1992-present Matt Fielding (Doug Savant) Matt is a social worker who runs a shelter for runaways. Some also rans: GOLDEN GIRLS (sitcom) NBC 1985-1992 --- Blanche's gay brother Clayton Farnsworth (Monte Markham) appeared twice. The pilot for GOLDEN GIRLS included a gay chef/cook as a regular cast member, but the character was eliminated when series production began. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (science fiction) Syndicated 1987-present --- Dr. Crusher's orderly in season one, Ensign Freeman ( ), was supposed to be gay (according to the script writer). A 1991 promise by series creator Gene Roddenberry to introduce minor regular gay characters during the 1991/92 season was reneged on by Paramount after Roddenberry's death. BEVERLY HILLS 90210 (highschool drama) FOX 1991-present --- The apparently gay (but not yet declared or decided) high school athlete Kyle Conner (David Lascher) has appeared twice. THE SIMPSONS (animated situation comedy) FOX 1989-present --- On several occasions nuclear power plant mogul Monty Burns' faithful assistant Smithers (Harry Shearer [voice]) has acted in ways that strongly hint of a romantic or sexual interest in Burns. This has included a profession of love (under threat of death by meltdown) and a few interesting allusions to Smither's physical fantasies. GP (medical drama) ABCTV 1990?-present --- Title short for "General Practitioner." No regular or semi-regular GLBO character but is worthy of mention because it has occasionally presented gays in a very positive manner, including a three-episode story (MATES, PAYBACK and LOVERS) dealing in part with the diagnosis, illness and death of a person with AIDS, and the effect on his lover and those around him. Another was SO MAKES THE MAN about a 17 year old youth coming out. In 1992 a gay doctor joined the practice, but was graphically shown being gay-bashed (twice) and murdered on the second attempt. IN THE LIFE (talk/variety) PBS 1992-present --- Monthly show focusing on gay and lesbian life in the US. Many PBS stations elected not to broadcast it. No roles (therefore no gay characters). And two that don't belong on the list: BATMAN (comic-book drama) ABC 1966-1968 This was the story of a bachelor millionaire named Bruce who kept house with a teenaged man named Dick. Bruce and his young ward Dick went everywhere together and dressed in capes and tights to combat the villains of Gotham City. As Batman, Bruce was completely tongue-tied whenever villain Cat-Woman ever suggested anything remotely sexual. [There were, of course, no gay characters in BATMAN] SESAME STREET (children's education) PBS and worldwide syndication 197?-present Just who are Ernie and Bert? Those two guys living together for all these years, sharing a bedroom... And why is it Bert is always so interested in Ernie's baths? [No children's show would depict a male couple among its menagerie of characters. Would it?] References: Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, _The_Complete_Directory_to_Prime_Time_Network_TV_ Shows:_1946-Present_, Third edition, New York: Ballantine Books, 1985; Fifth edition, New York: Ballantine Books, 1992. Castleman, Harry, and Walter J. Podrazik, _Harry_and_Wally's_Favorite_TV_Shows:_ A_Fact-Filled_Opinionated_Guide_to_the_Best_and_Worst_on_TV_, New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1989. The contributions and assistance of many helpful USEnet and GayNet readers is gratefully acknowledged. -- ---David Wyatt Internet: David_Wyatt@UManitoba.CA Continuing Education Division Bitnet: WYATT@UOFMCC University of Manitoba DOWNTOWN Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2