Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Television Characters

by David A. Wyatt
Copyright ©2000 David Wyatt

[version=25 June 2001]

For several years now I have been trying to compile a list of television programs that have included gay/lesbian/bisexual characters as a part of their regular (or semi-regular) casts. Many shows have `dealt' with sexual orientation in a single episode or story line, but just how many have included gay, lesbian or bisexual characters 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.

To be listed a character should have appeared in at least three episodes and be explicitly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. Effeminate (but not gay) male characters, manish (but not lesbian) female characters, and gender shifting science fiction characters are generally not listed. For the purposes of this list, a character is described as `recurring' if he or she has appeared in at least three (3) episodes.

If you can recall any other shows, or can correct errors or omissions in this list, please e-mail to:

dawwpg@shaw.ca

The latest version of this list is always available on the World Wide Web at the URL: http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wyatt/tv-characters.html

2.0 The Shows and Characters

2.1 1961 - 1970

2.2 1971 - 1980

Number 96 (serial drama) TEN 1972-1977 Life in and around a block of flats in Sydney, NSW. 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). Through the long run of the show, Don had affairs or relationships with Dudley, Simon, Grant, Rob, Joshua, Paul, and Bruce. Don was also the the object of the affections of Brad, Dr. Pascal, and Phillip. Dudley, Simon, Grant, and Bruce were bisexuals, Karen was a lesbian (and a witch), and Robyn turned out to be a transsexual, much to her boyfriend's surprise.

An American version of the show (NBC, 1980-1981 and more of a sitcom) was much tamer and did not include any gay characters.

The Corner Bar (sitcom) ABC 1972-1973

Set in a New York City neighborhood bar called Grant's Tomb. The regular customers included Peter, a gay set designer. The show was reworked for the 1973 season in several elements, including dropping him, but the show was cancelled again anyway.

Are You Being Served? (sitcom) BBC 1972-1984

The series was set in the mens- and womenswear departments 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 seemed directly obvious. It was never actually stated, though (and has been denied by both the writers and Inman). See sequel Grace and Favour. An American version was developed under the title Beane's of Boston with Alan Sues in the role of George Humphreys. The pilot was aired on CBS in 1979 but the show was not picked up as a series.

An American Family (cinema-verite documentary) PBS 1973, HBO 1983

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.

It Ain't Half Hot, Mum (sitcom) BBC 1974-1982

The 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.

Porridge (prison sitcom) BBC 1974-1978

Gay Gordon was a semi-regular character. He worked in the kitchens but very little use was made of the character.

Hot l Baltimore (sitcom) ABC 1975

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

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. Internal Affairs' Lt. Scanlon targets Officer Zatelli after he learns Zatelli is gay.

All In The Family (sitcom) CBS 1971-1979

Archie Bunker performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a woman passed out in the back of his cab. Beverly turned out to be a man, and made two other visits to the Bunker household. (Episodes "113. Archie the Hero", "140. Beverly Rides Again", and "168. Edith's Crisis of Faith".)

The Bob Newhart Show (sitcom) CBS 1972-1978

Occasional character, a patient of psychiatrist Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) seeking help with his writer's block. Sexual orientation mentioned only once, in episode "Some of My Best Friends Are...".

The Box (serial drama) TEN 1974-1977

Series set amongst the behind the scenes bedhopping and general goings on at a TV station. It was another program of the Number 96 genre. Lee was a TV station employee and quite stereotypically gay. He dated closeted newsreader John. Both Viki and Felicity were bisexual.

Ball Four (sitcom) CBS 1976

Baseball sitcom. [Further information requested. Credits include "Bill Westlake, the rookie" played by David-James Carroll]

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (sitcom) Syndication 1976-1977

Soap opera parody included a bisexual occasional character. Minor characters Ed and Howard were not just roommates.

The Nancy Walker Show (situation comedy) ABC 1976

Nancy Walker played talent agent Nancy Kitterage, operating out of the home she shared with her navy husband and a unemployed gay actor paying his room and board by working as Nancy's secretary.

Snips (sitcom) Syndicated "late 1970s"

Comedy centred around a divorced hairdresser and his ex-wife. Their friend Michael was a series regular. This sitcom was developed for NBC for the fall 1976 season but cancelled before it aired. Episodes reportedly appeared in syndication in Australia in the late 1970s. (Capsuto pp. 127-128)

Soap (serial sitcom) ABC 1977-1981

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.

All That Glitters (sitcom) Syndicated 1977

Sitcom set in the world of high fashion modelling. Linda was a model, and a male-to-female transsexual. (Capsuto p. 303).

Angels (hospital drama[?]) BBC 1976-1982

Series about nurses. Ken campaigned to save the N[ational] H[ealth] S[ervice] from Margaret Thatcher, and the hospital from closing. Paul was Ken's lover in a couple of episodes.

Agony (serial sitcom) LWT for ITV 1979-1981

Rob and Michael were a gay couple who lived next door to Jane Lucas (Maureen Lipman), an Agony Aunt (advice columnist). There were a couple of stories dealing with gay issues directly and they were in almost all the episodes. Michael eventually commits suicide, after his being outed on a live phone-in radio show, sacked (fired) from his job, and failing to find other work. See also the sequel Agony Again.

Prisoner: Cellblock H (serial prison drama) TEN 1979-1986

Serial drama set in a women's detention centre in Australia. Among the cast of prisoners was a lesbian named Franky. As the series developed, various characters came and went, including Judy, who committed a crime so she could be jailed with Sharon, and bisexual prisoner Doreen.

Penmarric (serial drama) BBC 1979

Multi-generational serial drama set in British mining. Phillip, about to be married, falls in love with mining engineer Alun. Alun is killed in a mining accident and Phillip eventually commits suicide.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (espionage miniseries) BBC 1979

George Smiley discovers a mole - his own wife's lover - who is unmasked and eventually killed by a male lover, Jim Prideaux (Ian Bannen), whom he betrayed during a mission to Prague. (Howes, p. 847)

Together (serial drama) Southern Television for ITV 1980-1981

Daytime serial about residents of Rutherford Court.

2.3 1981 - 1990

2.4 1991 - 2000

2.5 2001 - present

3.0 Some Also Rans

4.0 Some That Don't Belong

5.0 References

Component Last Change: 1961-1970: , 1971-1980: , 1981-1990: , 1991-2000: , 2001-present: , Networks: , Show Index: .