It's Father's Day this Sunday. And though we already brought you some super-nostalgic snapshots of our friends and staff's super-fathers in some super-awesome get-ups, we also got to thinking about the on-screen dads we adore. So we sifted through our collective visual silver-screen memory, full of all the images of Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt or Jude Law playing daddies (some of them good, some of them bad, some of them terribly unfaithful) to bring you our 7 picks for most iconic father figures. Did we miss some? Throw in your picks in the comments section!
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Royal Tennenbaum in The Royal Tennenbaums: I think everyone can agree that Royal, the patriarch of the warped and quirky Tennenbaum clan, may be the most fun riff on the stereotypical deadbeat dad in recent memory. Well, at least his children inherited his idiosyncratic twist on dress. While leading this surly crew through their various trials and tribulations, Royal always looks, well, royal, with a hint of aging lothario.
Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show: After having a Cosby-inspired moment earlier this year, suffice it to say that Cliff is definitely at the top of our list of ultimate pop stars. He knew how to be a good dad without losing his stand-up sense of humor, and he definitely had an acquired sense of fashion—like, has anyone worn a kooky sweater better since?
Gomez Adams in The Addams Family: Oh come on, this guys had a definite look: Sharp dark suit, mustache, and sick side-part. He may be a bit bizarre, but he must have been doing something right, since he and Morticia could barely keep their hands off each other long enough to raise those creepy kids. Let's just say that good-looking Gomez knew the golden rule of marriage: happy wife, happy life.
Sam in Benny and Joon: Johnny Depp is out to prove that dads can have it all: Long and well-respected career, private home life, great looks, and sloppy-chic style that works. Over the years, we've seen him blossom from teen-idol to a balls-out movie star, all the while doing it with extreme class. It doesn't hurt that this doting dad is like a fine wine that gets better with age.
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Don Vito Corelone in The Godfather: Nobody can talk about patriarchs without mentioning the father to top all others. Vito's uniform of choice while keeping that sprawling family in check was a classic black tux accented with a red rose on the lapel. Although Brando looked his best when he was young and trim, he proved a classy outfit works even with some extra padding.
Henry Jones, Sr. in Indiana Jones: Indiana Jones had a frontiersman style that perfectly matched his adventurous spirit. It was a surprise, then, to meet his stuffy professor dad, adorned in a wool three-piece suits, glasses, bucket hat, and a white beard. Conservative, yes. But totally mysterious and old-guy hot? Definitely.
H.I. McDunnough in Raising Arizona: Played by a young and hot Nicholas Cage, ex-con and lovable schlep H.I. never quite nailed down the part of dear old dad. He tried the whole suit and tie thing, but with his messy hair, signature 'stache, and aviators, was clearly at his best (and sexiest) when going blue collar.