Curmudgeons Trivia Quiz

Answer: Red Forman

Reginald "Red" Forman was the stern, uncompromising father of Eric, and husband of understanding wife Kitty on "That '70s Show". The comedy was set in Wisconsin in the 1970s, and featured Eric and his friends hanging out in the Forman basement. Red, a factory worker and veteran, was played by Kurtwood Smith with annoyance and impatience, and an inability to show warmth.

The show ran from 1998 to 2006.

Answer: Squidward Tentacles

Squidward Tentacles is the always grumpy octopus on the animated "SpongeBob SquarePants" show created by Stephen Hillenberg. He is the antithesis of the ever cheerful and upbeat SpongeBob, for whom every day is an adventure. Squidward, voiced by Rodger Bumpass, is SpongeBob's neighbor and he is always complaining about everything.

He lives in an Easter Island Head (Moai) and plays the clarinet. "SpongeBob SquarePants" first aired in 1999.

Answer: Sophia Petrillo

"The Golden Girls" was a sitcom about four senior citizens living together in Miami, Florida. Sophia Petrillo, played by Estelle Getty, is the mother of Dorothy Zbornak. Sophia has two main reasons to be grumpy, i.e., she is in her eighties and her daughter left her at Shady Pines, an old age home.

When she comes to stay with Blanche, Dorothy and Rose, she plays the wise mother role and always speaks her mind. The show ran from 1985 to 1992.

Answer: Al Bundy

On "Married...with Children", shoe salesman Al Bundy lives in Chicago, IL with his wife, Peg, his two kids, Bud and Kelly, and their dog, Buck. Al hates his life, his job, his lazy wife and his two dumb kids. One of television's most dysfunctional families, always at each other's throats, somehow this series managed to last from 1987 to 1997. Ed O'Neil plays Al Bundy, but he could also be on the list as Jay Prichett, the grumpy patriarch from "Modern Family".

Answer: Sue Sylvester

The setting for the musical dramedy "Glee" is McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.
The Spanish teacher, Mr. Scheuster, decides to restore the school's failing glee club called New Directions, and go on to try to win the Nationals. Enter Sue Sylvester, the leader of the "Cheerios", i.e., the cheerleaders. Sue had always been the power behind the throne and tries to sabotage the glee club at every opportunity. Jane Lynch is perfect as the villain. "Glee" ran from 2009 to 2015.

Answer: Frank Barone

On "Everybody Loves Raymond", patriarch Frank Barone's favorite expression was "holy crap". Somehow we knew, even though Frank vociferously proclaimed his dissatisfaction with almost everything, that he loved his family. He put down his kids, Ray and Robert, all the time, and fought with his wife daily, but he loved his sons and Marie's cooking (though not necessarily in that order). Frank was played to perfection by Peter Boyle.

The show was on from 1996 to 2005.

Answer: Martin Crane

I guess if you were a policeman who was shot in the hip and had to retire early, you might be a bit cantankerous too. Martin Crane was a self-sustaining widower who was forced by an injury to live with his oldest son, Frasier, on "Frasier". Martin's sons couldn't have been more different from him.

He loved sports, cheeseburgers, his dog and his ratty old chair, while the younger Cranes loved wine, opera and opulence. John Mahoney played Martin from 1993 to 2004.

Answer: Lois Wilkerson

Jane Kaczmarek was chosen to play Lois Wilkerson, the curmudgeonly antagonist on "Malcolm in the Middle". I guess taking care of four boys (originally) and a laid back, inept, irresponsible husband can make a person surly. The fact that Malcolm was declared a genius added even more pressure to Lois' role as mother, housekeeper and warden of this dysfunctional family. Frankie Muniz played the eponymous Malcolm, and the show ran from 2000 to 2006.

Answer: Frank Burns

Larry Linville played one of the most annoying characters, i.e., Frank Burns, on "M.A.S.H." (and that included the North Koreans). "M.A.S.H." was set during the Korean War, and lasted longer than the actual war. Written with humor and pathos, and wonderfully acted, you felt for the characters, except for Frank who was a pompous ass who cared more about rules than human lives, and thought nothing of his constant adultery.

The show lasted from 1972 to 1983.

Answer: Agnes Skinner

"The Simpsons" has been airing since 1989 with a multitude of characters, many of whom would fit into the curmudgeon category, including Mr. Burns, Sideshow Bob, Moe and both Selma and Patty Bouvier. I chose Principal Seymour Skinner's mother Agnes because I've never heard her have anything nice to say about anything.

She demeans and disparages her son at every opportunity. Agnes is voiced by Tress MacNeille, and she's lucky Seymour didn't turn into a serial killer.

Answer: Arthur Spooner

Jerry Stiller is another actor who could be listed in this quiz twice. He is grumpy and annoying as Arthur Spooner, father of Carrie Heffernan on "The King of Queens" (1998-2007). He is negative most the time, which is not what you'd expect considering he lives in the basement of Doug and Carrie's house. Doug is a blue collar worker and his interactions with Arthur provide a lot of the humor. Stiller also gets a grumpy nod as Frank Costanza from "Seinfeld.

Answer: Ralph Kramden

Back when television was young, Jackie Gleason was a pioneer of the situation comedy. Gleason played bus driver Ralph Kramden as a cranky, know-it-all who lived in Brooklyn with his wife Alice and, perhaps, two pieces of furniture in their tiny apartment. On "The Honeymooners", Ralph complained about everything, including sending Alice "to the moon".

Although the show only aired from 1955 to 1956, it became a prototype for sitcoms to come.

Answer: Harriet Oleson

Michael Landon went from being Little Joe on "Bonanza" to helping create shows of his own like "Father Murphy". The western, "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-1983), was based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Charles Ingalls and his family were always good, honest, hardworking people.

However, the same can't be said for Harriet Oleson, the matriarch who ran the General Store and complained and gossiped about the townsfolk. Katherine MacGregor played Harriet.

Answer: Louie De Palma

Talk about a king of the curmudgeons, and the name Louie De Palma might very likely come up. Louie was the dispatcher on the comedy "Taxi", about the taxi drivers for the Sunshine Cab Company, based in New York City. Among the wonderful and odd assortment of characters, Louie's short frame stood out as he disparaged just about everyone who crossed his path.

He was an angry, little man played to perfection by Danny DeVito. The show aired from 1978 to 1983.

Answer: Mel Cooley

Finally, heading back to the land of black and white television, we have producer Mel Cooley, the put-upon brother-in-law of Alan Brady on "The Dick Van Dyke Show". It's no wonder Mel was so grouchy; he was a verbal punching bag for all the nasty comments from both Alan and comedy writer Buddy Sorrell. Richard Deacon played the role of Mel Cooley as a man who left his dignity and his principles at home. The wonderful sitcom ran from 1961 to 1966.