From: wyatt@ccu.umanitoba.ca (David Anthony Wyatt)
Subject: Re: Matt/sexuality
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 05:11:49 GMT


There have been many regular/recurring gay characters on television, both
stereotypical and not.  Here's the list I have...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   For a while now I have been trying to compile a list of television programs 
that have included gay/lesbian characters as a part of their regular (or 
semi-regular) casts.  Many shows have "dealt" with gays in a single episode or 
story line, but just how many have included gays 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.
   For the purposes of this list, a character is described as "recurring" if he
or she has appeared in at least three episodes.
   If you can recall any other shows, or can correct errors or omissions in this
list, please post a follow-up, or e-mail them to me at:  wyatt@ccu.umanitoba.ca

The TV networks:
 ABC (American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.) [U.S.A.]
 BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) [U.K.]
 CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) [Canada]
 CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) [U.S.A.]
 C4 (Channel 4) [U.K.]
 FOX (Fox Broadcasting Company) [U.S.A.]
 Granada [U.K.]
 HBO (Home Box Office) [U.S.A.]
 ITV (Independent Television) [U.K.]
 LWT (London Weekend Television) [U.K.]
 MTV (Music Television) [U.S.A.]
 NBC (National Broadcasting Company) [U.S.A.]
 PBS (Public Broadcasting System) [U.S.A.]
 Showtime [U.S.A.]
 0-10 (Australian 0-10 Network) [Australia]

NUMBER 96 (sitcom?) "Australian TV [which network?]" 1972-?
 Joe _________ (Joe Hashim) 
    Loosley based on what happened in a block of flats in Sydney. "... 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).  An American version of the show (NBC, 1980-1981) was much tamer
    and did not include any gay characters.
AN AMERICAN FAMILY (cinema-verite documentary) PBS 1973, HBO 1983
 Lance Loud
    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.
THE BOB NEWHART SHOW (sitcom) CBS 1972-1978
 Craig Plager (Howard Hesseman)
    Occasional character, a patient of psychiatrist Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart)
    seeking help with his writer's block.  Sexual orientation mentioned only
    once.
ARE YOU BEING SERVED (sitcom) BBC 1972-1984
 Mr. Humphries (John Inman)
    The series was sent in the menswear department 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 was directly obvious.
PORRIDGE (prison sitcom) BBC 1974-1977
 "Gay" Gordon ( )
    Semi-regular character.  He worked in the kitchens but very little use was
    made of the character.
HOT L BALTIMORE (sitcom) ABC 1975
 George (Lee Bergere)
 Gordon (Henry Calvert)
    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
 Marty (Jack DeLeon)
 Darryl Driscoll (Ray Stewart)
 Officer Zitelli (Dino Natali)
    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.  Officer Zitelli also came out
    at one point, late in the series run.
IT AIN'T HALF HOT, MUM (sitcom) BBC 1976?-1980?
 "Gloria" (Melvyn Hayes)
    There 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.
SOAP (serial sitcom) ABC 1977-1981
 Jodie Dallas (Billy Crystal)
 Dennis Phillips 1978 (Bob Seagren)
 Alice 1979 (Randee Heller) 
    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.
AGONY (serial sitcom) LWT for ITV 1979-81
 Rob ( )
 Michael ( )
    Rob and Michael were a gay couple who lived next door to the Agony Aunt 
    (Maureen Lipman).  There were a couple of stories dealing with gay issues 
    directly and they were in almost all the episodes.  In the end, one commits
    suicide when he's forced out on a live phone-in by a rather obnoxious radio
    host.
PRISONER: CELLBLOCK H (serial prison drama) 0-10 1979-1981
 Freida "Franky" Doyle (Carol Burns)
 Vera "Vinegar Tits" Bennett (Fiona Spence)
 Erica Davidson (Patsy King)
    Serial drama set in a women's detention centre in Australia.  Among the
    cast of prisoners was a lesbian named Franky.  Erica was (maybe?) Franky's
    lover.  It was also implied that the guard Vera was a closeted lesbian.
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (drama miniseries) Granada 1981
 Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews)
 Charles Ryder (Jeremy Irons)
 Anthony Blanche (Nicholas Grace)
 and a (German?) lover that Sebastian has later in the book.
    Based on the Evelyn Waugh novel of the same name.
LOVE, SIDNEY (sitcom) NBC 1981-1982
 Sidney Shorr (Tony Randall)
    In the made-for-TV movie, Sidney was definitely gay.  But by the time the 
    series reached the air NBC had forbidden the mention of the character's 
    sexual orientation.
DYNASTY (serial drama) ABC 1981-1989, 1991
 Steven Carrington (Al Corley 1981-2 and 1991, Jack Coleman 1982-6)
 Ted Dinard 1981 (Mark Withers)
 Luke Fuller 1984-5 (William Campbell)
 Bart Falmont 1986?,91 (Kevin _________ 1986?, Cameron Watson 1991)
    Ted was Steven's ex-lover, who followed him back to Denver and was killed 
    by Steven's father Blake.  For one whole season Steven and Luke courted one
    another and became lovers, until Moldavian terrorists killed Luke.  Bart 
    was a closeted son of Blake's political rival, until he was outed by Adam.
    In the 4-hour 1991 reunion show, Steven had followed Bart to D.C. and they
    had become lovers.
FAME (drama/musical) NBC 1982-1983, syndicated 1983-1986
 Montgomery MacNeil 1982 (P.R. Paul)
    The movie FAME had one gay character, Montgomery, and he was quickly written
    out at the start of the television series.
ALL MY CHILDREN (serial daytime drama) ABC
 Dr. Lynne Carlson 1983 (Donna Pescow)
 Devon McFadden 1983 ( )
    After Devon discovered Lynne was a lesbian, she convinced herself that a 
    relationship with a woman was the answer to her problems.  Lynne wisely told
    her that you don't just choose to become a lesbian because your affairs with
    men don't work out.  After about 2 or 3 months, Lynne decided to get on with
    her life and moved away from Pine Valley.
SANTA BARBARA (serial daytime drama) NBC 1984?-present
 Channing Capwell Junior ( ) 1984?
 Lindsay Smith ( ) 1984?
    This soap opera opened its first episode with the release from prison of the
    wrongly convicted murderer of Channing Capwell Jr.  In the course of finding
    the real killer, it was discovered that Channing's past included affairs 
    with his father's mistress and someone named Lindsay Smith.  More 
    investigation turned up that Lindsay was another man.  Some of this story 
    was played out in flashback wherein Channing and Lindsay appeared.
BROTHERS (serial drama) Showtime, 1984-1989
 Donald Maltby (Philip Charles MacKenzie)
 Cliff Waters (Paul Regina)
    Cliff was one of the three Brothers of the title and was much less
    comfortable with his gayness than his best friend Donald.
'ALLO, 'ALLO (sitcom) BBC 1982, 1984-present
 Lt. Gruber (Guy Siner)
    Nazi Lieutenant Gruber has a crush on Rene, the cafe owner and central 
    character in this low comedy about the French Resistance.
THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN (drama miniseries) Granada 1984
 Ronald Merrick (Tim Pigott-Smith)
 "Sophie" Dixon (Warren Clarke)
 Count Dimitri Bronowsky (Eric Porter)
    Merrick is deep in the closet. Dixon is very much out. Bronowsky just hints
    at his preference. Merrick's sexuality is of some relevance to the plot, 
    especially at the end.
IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH (sitcom) BBC 1985
 Winston ( )
    The TIL DEATH US DO PART character Alf Garnet (Archie Bunker in the U.S. 
    version) starred in his own series.  This was originally with the actress 
    who played his wife in the old series.  She died recently, but they wrote 
    this into the series and he got someone from social services assigned to
    him to help.  This was character was black and gay, infuriating Alf.
ST. ELSEWHERE (hospital drama) NBC 1982-1986
 Kevin O'Casey 1985-6 (John Scott Clough)
 Brett Johnson 1986? (Kyle Secor)
    ST. ELSEWHERE often featured guest roles that spanned several episodes, 
    or that recurred periodically over longer time frames.  Kevin was the 
    latest generation of a family of hereditary patients at St. Eligius.  His 
    lover Brett had AIDS.  In another, two-episode story arc, Dr. Anne Cavanero
    rebuffed the advances of visiting specialist Dr. Christine Holt (Caroline
    McWilliams).
HOLLYWOOD BEAT (police drama) ABC 1985
 George Grinsky (John Matuszak)
    This show was an attempted Miami Vice clone, and George ran the coffee shop
    where the two principal cops hung out.
SARA (sitcom) NBC 1985
 Dennis Kemper (Bronson Pinchot)
    Dennis was one of four young lawyers in this office situation comedy. The 
    show didn't last long and star Geena Davis went on to bigger and better 
    things (movies).
EASTENDERS (serial) BBC 1985-present Syndicated to some PBS stations
 Colin Russell (Michael Cashman)
 Barry Clark (Gary Hailes)
 Guido Smith (Nicholas Donovan)
 Queenie (John Labanowski)
 Joe ( )
    Colin was a guppie graphics designer who had moved into the gentrifying 
    east end of London.  There he met Barry and the two moved in together.  
    After Barry left to join the merchant marine, Colin met Guido, who 
    eventually moved in with him.  The Queenie character belonged to another 
    plotline.  He was a jail enforcer working with "the Firm" (the mob).
    In a later plot, a straight regular character learned he was HIV+ and 
    became friends with Joe at an HIV counselling centre.
HILL STREET BLUES (police drama) NBC 1981-1987
 __________? (Lindsay Crouse)
    Lesbian police detective. 
THE TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW (sketch comedy) FOX 1987-1990
 David (Dan Castellenata)
 William (Sam McMurray)
    Within the sketch format, there were several recurring characters.  One 
    such 'continuing saga' was that of 14 year old Francesca (Tracy Ullman) who
    lived with her father David and his lover William.  They were depicted as 
    ordinary parents with an unordinary characteristic --- they were gay.
WOMEN IN PRISON (prison sitcom) FOX 1987-1988
 Bonnie Harper (Antoinette Byron)
    Situation comedy set in a women's prison.  Prisoner Bonnie was a gay English
    hooker.
HOOPERMAN (police sitcom/drama) ABC 1987-1989
 Rick Silardi (Joseph Gian)
 Rudy 1988-1989 (Rod Gist)
    Silardi and his female partner DeMont were series regulars.  Sometimes a 
    story would revolve around them, but most often it didn't.  Rudy was one of
    Hooperman's tennants.  Series set in San Francisco.
AS THE WORLD TURNS (daytime serial) CBS
 Hank Elliot 1988-9 (Brian Starcher)
    Hank was a dress designer, who had come to town to find occupation away 
    from his HIV+ lover Charles (never seen). Various characters reacted 
    differently to Hank's coming out to them.
CAGNEY AND LACEY (Police drama) CBS 1982-1988
 ________? ( )
    Later in the run of this series, one of the lead policewomen acquired a gay
    male neighbour, appearing on an occasional basis.
HEARTBEAT (medical drama) ABC 1988
 Marilyn McGrath (Gail Strickland)
 ________? (Gina Hecht)
    This short lived drama included among its cast of characters Marilyn, a
    lesbian nurse-practitioner.  Her lover ________?, a caterer, appeared
    occasionally.
DOCTOR, DOCTOR (medical sitcom) CBS 1989-1991
 Richard "Dick" Stratford (Tony Carreiro)
 Hugh Persons (Brian George)
    Richard was an English professor and the brother of one of the four doctors
    in the show.  Hugh hosted the morning TV show where Dick's brother Mike did
    a medical segment.
THIRTYSOMETHING (drama) ABC 1987-1991
 Russell Weller 1989-1991 (David Marshall Grant)
 Peter Montefiori 1989-1991 (Peter Frenchette)
    Occasional characters.  Any show about yuppies needs at least one guppie.
    Russell was a painter.  Peter was an art designer working at the advertising
    company central to the main characters, and had a brief affair with Russell.
    By New Years of the last season of the show, it looked like Russell and 
    Peter were getting back together again.
THE KIDS IN THE HALL (sketch comedy) CBC 1989-present
 Buddy Cole (Scott Thompson)
    Among a wide range of comedy sketches on this show is the recurring role of
    Buddy, who pontificates from his bar stool on the differences or the 
    parallels between gay and straight society, or about the ignorance of 
    straights, or the tribulations of gay life.  The rest of the show can be 
    quite campy too, since the all male cast plays both the male and female 
    roles in each sketch.
L.A. LAW (lawyer drama) NBC 1986-present
 Cara Jean "C.J." Lamb (Amanda Donohoe) 1990-1992
 Abby Perkins (Michele Greene)
    Lawyers C.J. Lamb and Abby Perkins shared a kiss in the parking lot that 
    many interpreted as a lesbian advance.  NBC seemed determined to explain 
    that it wasn't.
BRASS (sitcom) C4 19??-? 
    In BRASS there was a character who was based on Sebastian in BRIDESHEAD 
    REVISITED (always carrying around a teddy bear).
YOU RANG, M'LORD? (sitcom) BBC 19??-?
 __________? ( ) Lesbian daughter
    A comedy version of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS. There is a female character who 
    is the architypal stereotype for a lesbian. Dresses up as a male, etc....  
    Non-flattering stereotypes.
BROOKSIDE (serial drama) C4 1983-present
 Gordon Collins 1983-? ( )
    A twice weekly serial "Brookside" in which one of the characters is gay.  
    Key to an early plot line where he was "got at" at school by others who 
    found out.  Character no longer in the series.
BARE ESSENCE (drama) CBS 1982, NBC 1983
 ___________? ( ) friend of central character
 ___________? ( ) pro football player
    The best friend of a perfume company executive (Genie Francis) was a gay man
    who's SO was a pro football player.  They lasted a few weeks before they 
    were written out of the show.  
ROSEANNE (sitcom) ABC 1988-present
 Leon Carp (Martin Mull) 1990-1992
 Jerry (Michael Des Barres) 1991-1992
    Roseanne works in a shopping mall chain restaurant.  Leon is the restaurant
    manager. Jerry was his lover.  After Leon and Jerry broke up, Leon dated 
    another man (Rick Dees) in one episode.
IN LIVING COLOR (sketch comedy) FOX 1990-present
 Blaine Edwards (Damon Wayans)
 Antoine Meriweather (David Alan Grier)
    Recurring "Men on Films" sketch.  Campy stereotypes done for laughs.
COP ROCK (musical/drama) ABC 1990
 Ray Rodbart (Jeffrey Allan Chandler) 
    Ray Rodbart was the personal secretary to the mayor.  He was a minor 
    regular, appearing in virtually every episode.  His homosexuality was only 
    discussed in one episode.
E.N.G. (newsroom drama) CTV 1991-present
 Eric "Mac" MacFarlane (Jonathan Welsh)
    Mac is a regular character in this series, and came out to his co-workers 
    and his brother when he was faced with blackmail by threat of outing.
GRACE AND FAVOUR (sitcom) BBC 1991-present
 Mr. Humphries (John Inman)
    Yes, he's back, and as gay as ever, in spite of the fact that he's been in 
    bed with a woman from episode one on.  This sequel to ARE YOU BEING SERVED?
    airs on some PBS stations under the title ARE YOU BEING SERVED? AGAIN!
NEIGHBOURS (serial drama) BBC? ?-present
 _____________? ( ) a lesbian
 _____________? ( ) another lesbian
 _____________? ( ) a gay youth.
    [Can anyone tell me anything about this show?]
ONE LIFE TO LIVE (serial daytime drama) ABC
 Billy Douglas 1992 (Ryan Phillipe) 
    Billy is a senior in h.s., gay, class president, star basketball player.. 
    top student..!  
THE REAL WORLD (cinema-verite documentary) MTV 1992?-present
 Norman
    MTV gathered together seven young people to live in an apartment, under the
    watchful eye of the television camera.  One of the roommates, Norman, is
    bisexual.
AFTER HENRY (sitcom) ITV 1987?-present
 Russell (Jonathan Newth)
    Russell is a friend of one of the principals, and operates a bookstore.
ELDORADO (serial drama) BBC 1992-present
 __________? ( ) retired gay nurse
 __________? ( ) local in the Spanish town
    [No further information yet available.  Any assistance welcomed.]
A VERY PECULIAR PRACTICE (sitcom) "[seen where on what network?]" 19??-?
 Dr. Rose Marie (Barbara Flyn)
    Sitcom set in a University health service.
MELROSE PLACE (ensemble drama) FOX 1992-present 
 Matt Fielding (Doug Savant)
    Matt is a social worker who runs a shelter for runaways.

Some also rans:
GOLDEN GIRLS (sitcom) NBC 1985-1992 --- Blanche's gay brother Clayton Farnsworth
 (Monte Markham) has appeared twice.  The pilot for GOLDEN GIRLS included a gay
 chef/cook as a regular cast member, but the character was eliminated when
 series production began.
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (science fiction) Syndicated 1987-present --- Dr.
 Crusher's orderly in season one, Ensign Freeman ( ), was supposed to be gay 
 (according to the script writer).  A 1991 promise by series creator Gene 
 Roddenberry to introduce minor regular gay characters during the 1991/92 season
 was reneged on by Paramount after Roddenberry's death.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE (ensemble comedy/drama) CBS 1990-present --- While no gay 
 characters have become regulars on Northern Exposure, the show has an 
 interesting gay angle.  The fictitious town of Cicely was founded by lesbian 
 lovers Roslyn and Cicely, when their car broke down in the Alaska wilderness.
 The final episode of 1992 told the story of Roslyn (Jo Anderson) and Cicely 
 (Yvonne Suhor).  In the last episode of the 1990/91 season, a local house was 
 sold to Ron and Erick (Doug Ballard, Don McManus), a male couple from San 
 Francisco.  They appeared in another episode in 1992.  
BEVERLY HILLS 90210 (highschool drama) FOX 1991-present --- The apparently gay 
 (but not yet declared or decided) high school athlete Kyle Conner (David 
 Lascher) has appeared twice.

And one that doesn't belong on the list:
BATMAN (comic-book drama) ABC 1966-1968
    This was the story of a bachelor millionaire named Bruce who kept house with
    a teenaged man named Dick.  Bruce and his young ward Dick went everywhere 
    together and dressed in capes and tights to combat the villains of Gotham 
    City.  As Batman, Bruce was completely tongue-tied whenever villain 
    Cat-Woman ever suggested anything remotely sexual. [There were, of course, 
    no gay characters in BATMAN]

References:

Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh, _The_Complete_Directory_to_Prime_Time_Network_TV_
   Shows:_1946-Present_, Third edition, New York: Ballantine Books, 1985; Fifth
   edition, New York: Ballantine Books, 1992.
Castleman, Harry, and Walter J. Podrazik, _Harry_and_Wally's_Favorite_TV_Shows:_
   A_Fact-Filled_Opinionated_Guide_to_the_Best_and_Worst_on_TV_, New York:
   Prentice Hall Press, 1989.

The contributions and assistance of many helpful USEnet and GayNet readers is
gratefully acknowledged.
-- 
---David Wyatt          
Internet:  wyatt@ccu.UManitoba.CA                  Continuing Education Division
Bitnet:    WYATT@UOFMCC                          University of Manitoba DOWNTOWN
Newsgroups: alt.tv.melrose-place,alt.tv.bh90210