Proud Papas: Eddie Murphy and Black dads On-Screen

As
Murphy’s on-screen persona has become distinctly patriarchal, some
other notable screen performers have placed their own unique stamp on
fatherhood. Here’s a quick comparison of black dads on the big and
small screens:

Cedric the Entertainer as Nate Johnson in
Johnson Family Vacation

Road
trips can be tough, especially when they’re as poorly planned as this.
Insecure and often frustrated, Nate Johnson is nonetheless a loving
father, and his ill-fated trip is merely the result of him trying to
rekindle the fires of his marriage and reconnect with his teenage
children. What dad can’t relate to that?

Ice Cube as Nick Persons in Are We Done Yet?

Of
the father characters on our list, Nick Persons is the only one who is
technically a stepfather; but that makes his devotion to his new wife’s
children all the more significant. It’s all the more commendable
because the children have gone to great lengths to torment Nick, as
stepchildren can sometimes do. Today, families come together in a
myriad of ways, but fathers still have a responsibility to be loving
and committed to the children in their household.

Will Smith as Chris Gardner in
The Pursuit of Happyness

Proof
that being on the bottom doesn’t have to mean staying on the bottom,
Chris Gardner worked his way up from homelessness to owning a stock
brokerage firm. With his young son in tow, Gardner fought his way —
tooth-and-nail — out of poverty, and became a shining example for
African American fathers struggling through tough economic times.

Bill Cosby as Heathcliff Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”

One
of the most beloved dads in TV history, Cliff Huxtable was and still is
the patron saint of black fatherhood on-screen. He was a professional —
a pediatrician — and he was a loving, funny dad who seemed to always
know the right thing to say. Loosely based on Cosby’s own experiences
raising children, Cliff was relatable to all American fathers. He
remains the gold standard.

John Amos as James Evans on “Good Times”

Sure,
he was gruff, but James Evans had to be. He was raising three children
in a tough South Side Chicago project, but James in his own way, was
nonetheless a loving father. He was also a hardworking man and he
wouldn’t hesitate to be tough on his eldest son, J.J. — steering him
straight in his schoolwork and keeping him clear of the streets.

Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford on “Sanford & Son”

Fred
Sanford and his 30-year-old son, Lamont, had a unique relationship.
Fred was often the mischievous troublemaker — getting involved in
innumerable misadventures, while Lamont often had to be the levelheaded
and mature foil. The duo owned a salvage company.

Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle on “My Wife and Kids”

Michael
Kyle brought a distinct style to parenting on his hit show. Like
Sanford, Kyle was an entrepreneur, but unlike Sanford — Kyle’s children
were still minors. More sarcastic than Huxtable, but just as realistic
as Evans, Kyle was the quintessential black father of the new
millennium — hip, smart, yet responsible and realistic.

Bernie Mac as Bernie McCullough on
“The Bernie Mac Show”

Unlike
our other dads, stand-up comedian Bernie wasn’t technically a “dad” on
this show. But, titles are superficial — Bernie was a more than capable
father figure to his sister’s three young children, Jordan, Bryana and
Vanessa. He was gruff (à la James Evans), but also showed strong
parenting skills despite not having any experience raising children
prior to this  trio of tykes moving in with him. Unlike Cliff Huxtable,
Bernie made mistakes, but he generally admitted them in ways that
helped him and the kids grow.

LaVan Davis as Curtis Payne on
“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”

Curtis
Payne, the newest black father on television, appears to loathe the
“extra” family members in his household — namely his nephew’s wife and
children. But, on occasion, the firefighter’s affection for his entire
family shines through and, albeit grudgingly, he acknowledges how much
his family means to him.