The 20 most iconic fathers in animation history

While Master Splinter may not be the biological father of Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael, he nevertheless takes the Turtles under his care and makes sure they know how to defend themselves. This aspect of his character remains fairly consistent across his various iterations, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Splinter can sometimes be a bit overprotective when it comes to his shelled children, but given the many scrapes they manage to get into — to say nothing of their dangerous feud with the Shredder — this is understandable. 

Even though Riley might be the main human character of Pixar’s beloved movie Inside Out, her parents play a small but important role in her life. It would have been easy for him to lose patience with Riley as she goes through the tempest of young adulthood. Instead, he always reaches out to her with a welcoming hand of empathy and understanding. He might be a bit overprotective, but he also proves willing and able to give Riley the space she needs to grow into herself as an independent person.

Even though Fievel is the main character of Don Bluth’s An American Tail, it has to be said that his father, Papa Mousekewitz, is an important character. In addition to his jovial appearance and his devotion to his family, it’s clear that he has a very special bond with Fievel. For this reason, his reunion with his son remains one of the most heartwarming moments in the history of animation, and their bond is similarly deep in the sequel, Fievel Goes West. 

The 1980s series The Smurfs retains a special place in the hearts of many Gen Xers and Millennials. The show might be a bit treacly at times, but there’s no doubt that Papa Smurf is one of the best characters in the show. Unlike so many of the others, he always manages to keep a good, wise head on his shoulders. No matter how much trouble the rest of the Smurfs get into, they know they can always count on Papa to give them advice and guide them in the right direction.

When The Little Mermaid begins, Ariel’s father can be a bit domineering and controlling, particularly when it comes to his daughter’s trips to the surface. As the film goes on, it’s clear that his protectiveness comes from love rather than simply a desire to have power over her fate. Triton makes two notable and brave sacrifices, first by offering himself to Ursula in exchange for Ariel’s freedom and then by giving his daughter the human body she needs to build a future with Prince Eric. In doing so, he proves to be one of Disney’s best fathers.

It takes a pretty special kind of dad to take in three chipmunks, but that’s exactly what Dave Seville does in the animated series Alvin and the Chipmunks. Dave deserves special credit for being willing to put up with Alvin’s various antics, which are usually enough to try the patience of even the most doting and adoring father. Obviously, Dave sometimes loses his temper — hence his famous yelling, “Alvin!” — but there’s also no doubt that he loves his three boys with all of their foibles and frustrations. 

Homer Simpson might be an absolute doofus, and he might have a particularly antagonistic relationship with his son, Bart, but beneath all of that, it’s clear that he really does love his kids. Like many other notable sitcom fathers, Homer does manage to hold down a good job, even if he’s not always very good or attentive. Moreover, he seems particularly fond of Lisa, and it’s always heartwarming when the two of them share their unique moments. And, despite his feuds with Bart, the two of them often find a way to come together despite their differences.

While the Sultan of Disney’s Aladdin may not always be the sharpest knife in the drawer, there’s no question that he loves his daughter Jasmine and wants to secure a future for him after he’s gone. It might take him the entire movie, but he finally realizes she doesn’t need to marry a prince to be happy. His love, affection, and devotion to Jasmine are made equally clear in the subsequent movies and animated series, and he truly does want what’s best for his daughter.

One of the recurring motifs of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is that Belle feels misunderstood by those around her. While her father, Maurice, is also a bit oblivious, he’s very accepting of his daughter and that she loves reading more than anything else. However, given his undeniable eccentricity, his generous attitude isn’t all that surprising. Maurice also goes the extra mile when it comes to trying to rescue Belle from what he thinks is her imprisonment by the Beast, putting himself at risk of death to do so.

Even though Sylvester might be most famous for his various attempts to catch and eat Tweety, there are also a number of classic Looney Tunes shorts that feature his relationship with his son, Sylvester Jr. While the latter commonly finds fault with his father’s perceived inadequacies, Sylvester does everything he can to try to prove himself worthy of his son and his respect. Often, this leads to his physical detriment, but he at least deserves credit for going the extra mile for a son who isn’t always as grateful as he should be.

Like Fred Flintstone, George Jetson is a typical sitcom dad, even if he is a cartoon and lives in the future. Also, like Fred, George works hard to support his family, even if he also has to put up with blustering boss Mr. Spacely. George clearly loves his wife and children, and he seems to have a particularly strong bond with his son, Elroy, who looks up to his dad as a role model. While George could be very grating in the original ‘60s iteration of the show, his harder edges were softened for its 1980s reboot.

Disney has created some great fathers over the years, but few come close to attaining the majesty and wisdom of Mufasa, Simba’s father in The Lion King. Part of his appeal stems from his voice, which was provided, of course, by the great James Earl Jones, but it also stems from his willingness to be firm and loving to his son, Simba. Moreover, it takes a very dedicated father to reach out from beyond the grave to encourage one’s child to take up the burden of being a king.

Pinocchio is one of Disney’s most important movies, coming as it did shortly after the release of Snow White. While the main character is obviously the little wooden boy of the title, it also features his remarkable father, Geppetto, who more than earns his place as a great cartoon dad. Not only is it his fervent wish that brings Pinocchio to life, but he also sets off in search of him once he goes missing, getting swallowed by a whale in the process. Nothing, however, will keep him from his son, which is precisely what makes him so endearing. 

It’s easy to see why Pongo would deserve to be included on any list of great animated fathers. After all, he not only goes to great lengths to save his own puppies from the clutches of the Cruella de Vil, who, as everyone knows, what’s to make them into fur coats, but even takes dozens of other puppies right into his family without a second thought. This is the kind of canine dad who will always go the extra mile for his family, no matter the risks to himself.

Hank Hill is, of course, the hero and main character of the animated series King of the Hill. More than that, he is the father to young Bobby, who, it must be said, is something of an enigma to his dad. Even though Hank often struggles to understand Bobby and his oddities — which seem to go against everything the older man expects of his son — he still loves him unconditionally. It’s easy to see why he would be this way, considering how awful his own father, Cotton, has always been.

Scrooge might not be his nephews’ actual father, but it has to be said that in both the 1980s cartoon DuckTales and its modern reboot, he’s their father in all the ways that matter. He takes them under his wing and does everything he can to keep them safe on their various adventures. There’s no question that Scrooge loves his money more than almost anything else in the world, but he also maintains a steadfast loyalty to both his nephews and his niece Webby (particularly in the 1980s series).  

Goofy is, of course, one of the most beloved Disney characters, and while he has good friendships with Mickey and Donald, his bond with his son Max is the most important in his life. Max has appeared in many iterations, but he is particularly prominent in both the show Goof Troop and the two Goofy Movies. Even though Max is always trying to push him away, Goofy shows time and again that he will always be there and love his son, no matter their differences. 

Pixar’s Finding Nemo has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the studio’s finest films, and much of its appeal stems from its depiction of the father/son bond between Marlin and his son, Nemo. Marlin can be very overprotective where his son is concerned, but there’s no doubt that he loves him and will do anything for him, as his journey to rescue him from humans demonstrates. What really makes him a great animated father, however, is his willingness to change and finally give Nemo the freedom he needs to be his own person.

Few animated fathers have quite a family as bonkers as Bob Belcher of Bob’s Burgers. None of his three children — Tina, Louise, and Gene — are exactly normal, and in fact, they sometimes are downright strange. Fortunately for them, Bob is a remarkably tolerant father, even if he is sometimes exasperated by their various antics and idiosyncratic behaviors (and, considering how strange his children are, this is no small thing). And, even though he’s not the best or most successful businessman, the truth is that he always does his very best to provide for his family.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that fatherhood agrees with Fred Flintstone of The Flintstones. The birth of his daughter Pebbles seems to bring out a softer side of him than was apparent in some of the series' earlier episodes (though it has to be said that he is also steadfast to his wife, Wilma). Watching Fred’s bluster melt under his daughter’s influence is always entertaining. It’s clear that in addition to being willing to do anything to protect her, he’s also the kind of dad who will always work to support his family.