NEWS COPY & INFOGRAPHIC
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When it comes to picking our favorite boss from TV, America says cheers to the guy who runs the place where everybody knows your name.
Boston bar owner Sam Malone, played by Ted Danson for 11 seasons on Cheers, was not only named the top boss from a sitcom in a nationwide survey of 1,000 adults conducted by OnePoll for 1-800-Flowers.com in honor of National Boss’s Day, October 16. He also ranked No. 1 among all TV bosses -- whether from a comedy, drama, reality or cartoon show -- as the character that most people would like to work for in real life.
“We always remember bosses who have inspired us throughout our career,” says Chris McCann, president of 1-800-Flowers.com “His show might have ended in 1993, but Sam Malone left a lasting impression on Cheers fans. He was the kind of leader that we like to celebrate and honor on Boss’s Day. Sam always treated his employees with respect and good humor while making sure his patrons were happy.”
Among the other TV honchos that we would most like to have in real life, No. 2 was ad exec Angela Bower (played by Judith Light) on Who’s the Boss?, another long-running sitcom from the ‘80s and early ‘90s.
Landing in third is Capt. James T. Kirk, aka William Shatner, who oversees the crew of the Starship Enterprise on Star Trek. Michael Scott (Steve Carell), the somewhat daft regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. in Scranton, Pa., on “The Office,” was fourth. Coming in fifth is an oldie but a goodie: Lou Grant (Ed Asner), the gruff Minneapolis TV news director and boss of Mary Richards on the ‘70s sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
And who among TV bosses did the respondents least like to work for? Donald Trump of the reality show The Apprentice. Right behind him is the bellicose celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey of the cooking competition series “Hell’s Kitchen.”
Next up is the often-scathing singing judge Simon Cowell of “American Idol “ and “The X Factor.” In fourth place is hotheaded mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) of The Sopranos. And Louie De Palma (Danny DeVito), Taxi’s irascibly sarcastic head dispatcher of the Sunshine Cab. Co. was fifth.
Of course, many memorable bosses often have a way with words – for good and bad. Among funny TV bosses, survey takers most liked Lou Grant’s putdown of Mary Richards during her job interview: “I hate spunk!” Next up was Michael Scott’s supposedly humorous catchphrase from The Office: “That’s what she said.” At No. 3 was belligerent Hollywood agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) on Entourage: “You want to hug it out? Let’s hug it out, bitch!”
Among serious TV bosses, the favorite quote is the one Capt. Kirk is heard saying during the opening minutes of each episode of Star Trek: “Space, the final frontier.”
“You’re fired!” -- Donald Trump’s way of kicking off contestants on The Apprentice – was No. 2. Coming in third was a typical retort from Tony Soprano when dealing with whiners: “Oh, poor baby. What do you want, a Whitman’s Sampler?”
Some respondents shared stories about their own bosses who reminded them of certain TV characters, including several who were among those they least wanted to work for.
Recalled one survey taker, “Back in the mid-1970s, I actually worked at a taxi company that had a boss that was very much like Louie on Taxi. He was little, mean, and when it came to managing the drivers he was a terrible, tiny human being. I was the mechanic and I didn't answer to him and since he had to rely on me to make sure he had cabs available, he kind of had to be nice to me. That drove him crazy, I loved it!”
Another was a chef who has encountered many a Gordon Ramsay type. “I have yelled back at them, I have walked out on them. I’ve had it with a lot of them and they all remind me of Gordon.”
Of course, movies have a fair share of good and bad bosses as well. Ranking high on the list of favorite comedy bosses is the candy man himself, Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder’s version in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was No. 1 while Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the magical maker of sweets in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was No. 3.
Who better to separate these two chocoholics than Meryl Streep as the imperious fashion magazine maven Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, who ranked second. Felonious Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) who supervises his army of Minions in the Despicable Me animated films is No. 4. And, ho, ho, ho, it’s Ed Asner again, this time as Santa Claus in Elf at No. 5.
Among dramatic film bosses, Marlon Brando as Don Corleone in The Godfather is No. 1 with Al Pacino as son Michael Corleone in The Godfather: Part II as -- what else? -- No. 2.
Following them are George Clooney as Danny Ocean, the leader of a gang of casino thieves in Ocean’s 11; Darth Vader, the Jedi gone bad as voiced by James Earl Jones in the first “Star Wars” trilogy; and Tony Stark, the billionaire businessman turned superhero played by Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man.
“Whether mischievous like Willy Wonka or coercive like Don Corleone, the most memorable bosses are often colorful people who leave a lasting impression,” says McCann. “They might not always be so easy to deal with, but they do make life more interesting.”
As for favorite utterances by film comedy bosses, the top choice was spoken by Jordan Belfort, the swindling, hard-partying stockbroker played by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street: “Let me tell you something. There's no nobility in poverty. I've been a poor man, and I've been a rich man. And I choose rich every f---ing time.”
He was followed by Streep’s Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, as she tells an underling: “By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.” And in third is Sigourney Weaver as Katherine Parker, Melanie Griffith’s conniving boss, in Working Girl: “Never burn bridges. Today's junior prick, tomorrow's senior partner.”
Film drama bosses say the darnedest things, too. Harry F. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), the banker who bedeviled George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, delivered the top saying: “I am an old man and most people hate me. But I don't like them either, so that makes it all even.” No. 2 comes courtesy of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) in “Wall Street”: “The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”
In third place is this gem from Irish crime boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) in The Departed: “The only one that can do what I do is me. Lot of people had to die for me to be me. You wanna be me?"
When asked which film bosses they would most like to have in real life, Wilder’s Willy Wonka again was the favorite, with Asner’s Santa Claus in second and Downey’s Tony Stark in third.
Rounding out the top five are book publishing exec Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) in The Proposal and that naughty Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston) in Horrible Bosses.
Says one fan of Wilder’s eccentric yet cagey Wonka: “I have always loved the movie and just connect to him because he seems so wonderful, kind and nice and is trying to do the right thing.” That is, unless you are gum addict Violet Beauregarde.
Top funny TV bosses
1. Sam Malone (Ted Danson), Cheers
2. Lou Grant (Ed Asner), The Mary Tyler Moore Show
3. Angela Bower (Judith Light), Who’s the Boss
4. Philip Banks (James Avery), The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
5. Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Friends
6. Michael Scott (Steve Carell), The Office
7. Larry Tate (David White), Bewitched
8. Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill), Modern Family
9. J. Peterman (John O’Hurley), Seinfeld
10. Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), 30 Rock
Top dramatic TV bosses
1. Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Star Trek
2. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), The Sopranos
3. Gil Grissom (William Petersen), CSI
4. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterson), Law &Order
5. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), House M.D.
6. Horatio Crane (David Caruso), CSI: Miami
7. Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise), CSI: NYC
8. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), Grey’s Anatomy
9. Cookie Lyon (Taraji P. Henson), Empire
10. Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), Scandal
Top TV bosses we would most like to work for
1. Sam Malone (Ted Danson), Cheers
2. Angela Bower (Judith Light), Who’s the Boss?
3. Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner)
4. Michael Scott (Steve Carell), The Office
5. Lou Grant (Ed Asner), The Mary Tyler Moore Show
6. Philip Banks (James Avery), The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
7. Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Friends
8. Larry Tate (David White), Bewitched
9. Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), The Gilmore Girls
10. Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), 30 Rock
Scariest TV bosses
1. Gordon Ramsay, Hell’s Kitchen
2. Donald Trump, The Apprentice
3. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), The Sopranos
4. Montgomery Burns (Harry Shearer), The Simpsons
5. Don Draper (Jon Hamm), Mad Men
6. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston), Law & Order
7. Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), Entourage
8. Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), 30 Rock
9. William Adama (Andre Braugher), Battlestar Galactica
10. Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Star Trek
Top funny movie bosses
1. Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
2. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), The Devil Wears Prada
3. Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4. Felonious Gru (Steve Carell), Despicable Me
5. Santa Claus (Ed Asner), Elf
6. Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), The Proposal
7. Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston), Horrible Bosses
8. Dr. Evil (Mike Myers), Austin Powers
9. Franklin Hart Jr. (Dabney Coleman), 9 to 5
10. Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close), 101 Dalmatians
Top dramatic movie bosses
1. Don Corleone (Marlon Brando), The Godfather
2. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), The Godfather: Part II
3. Danny Ocean (George Clooney), Ocean’s 11
4. Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), Star Wars
5. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Iron Man
6. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), Schindler’s List
7. John Milton (Al Pacino), The Devil’s Advocate
8. Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), Wall Street
9. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), X-Men
10. Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), American Gangster
Top movie bosses we would most like to work for
1. Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
2. Santa Claus (Ed Asner), Elf
3. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Iron Man
4. Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), The Proposal
5. Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston), Horrible Bosses
6. Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
7. Danny Ocean (George Clooney), Ocean’s 11
8. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), The Devil Wears Prada
9. Walter Burns (Cary Grant), His Girl Friday
10. Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), The Wolf of Wall Street
Scariest movie bosses
1. Don Corleone (Marlon Brando), The Godfather
2. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), The Godfather: Part II
3. Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), Star Wars
4. Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close), 101 Dalmatians
5. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), The Devil Wears Prada
6. John Milton (Al Pacino), The Devil’s Advocate
7. Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) in A Christmas Carol
8. Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), Wall Street
9. David Harken (Kevin Spacey), Horrible Bosses
10. Dr. Evil (Mike Myers), Austin Powers
ENDS
