Monday, July 6, 2015

Top 10 Favourite Female Characters




Oh Yes! That is Cyd Charisse and I would dream of being like her but I would need her great body and those legs that go on forever. I dare any man to watch this and not want to be in Gene Kelly's shoes.

Here is my 2nd list of my favourite top 10 characters. There are so many I had to part them into 2 lists. The first were the men and now the women. C.D. Gallant King requested  a bunch of bloggers to join him on the fun a little while back and so I have!:) Here are my top 10.

10. 

Phyllis Dietrichson- Yup with that stare and that haircut you know she is one evil bitch. She is one film noir Femme Fatale who lures a hopeless sack, played by Fred MacMurray, into her web of schemes in "Double Indemnity." Barbara Stanwyck plays her  to the limit and was great as a seductress even in that wig. Billy Wilder (the director) once said he would love to come to Barbara's door where she greets him  in high heels, an apron...and nothing else.

9.

Irene Bullock- Oh that madcap heiress who is having fun playing Scavenger Hunt and one of her finds is a bum from skid row. To say that she is plain nutty doesn't do her or the rest of her crack pot family justice. In this classic screwball comedy, "My Man Godfrey", she is the life of the entire film whom you want to hang out with, run away from or spank, not necessarily in that order. She brings light to dark times and the film has depth and does not shy away from the Great Depression.

8.

"Hot Lips" Margaret Houlihan- This was one strong, bodacious woman who loved men and the army even though she was scarred by it. She played the head nurse for the 4077 M.A.S.H. unit and you knew better than to cross her. In the TV show M.A.S.H., Loretta Swit, started the character more one dimensional but quickly made it her own. Based on a great film, this amazing TV Show is one of the best shows ever made. Even though she started out with Frank "Ferret Face" Burns, she didn't stay with him or any man and fought hard to be a major including giving some men her right hook on occasion.

7.

Hildy Johnson- She could match wits with the best of them including and especially her ex, played by Cary Grant in the hilarious "His Girl Friday."  Rapid fire speaking, constant movement and a strong female character, who better to get the story than Hildy. She is a woman in a man's world and she is just fine with that.

6.

Roz Doyle- The producer to Frazier's character on his radio show, she is one fun loving, man loving, sex loving woman about town. She might be sex/man hungry but she is not stupid, cheap or giving in to what a she thinks a man may want. She knows what she wants and she will get it. A true woman of the times and a rare female character. Love her to bits!

5.

Endora- I don't understand anyone who would not love "Bewitched." I still wish I could just snap my fingers and go to Paris or wherever I want to go. I could make myself invisible or I could cast a spell which, at times, would be so much evil fun. Endora loves being a witch and simply does not understand her daughter who not only decides to marry a mortal but obeys (Ughh) and tries to give up witchcraft. I like Samantha as well but she always seemed to cower to her husband especially in the later episodes which would want me to have him change into a jackass, I mean, donkey also. I get where Endora comes from. She loves her daughter and grandchildren but simply does not get why Samantha should give up her powers. I don't either and I think, neither does Samantha or she wouldn't fail at that all the time.

4.

The Vamp - She does not have a name in the film, "Singing In The Rain" but who cares! This dame can dance! She is the perfect vixen for the unassuming Gene Kelly who probably would be saying "Kathy Selden" who? I saw her in this film when I was little and would dream of being a dancer. Unless my legs grew to that length and I had the sex allure only Cyd Charisse can show, it was not in the cards. I am more of the Hee Haw ho-down putting my foot in some cow poop. If you have not watched the clip, you have not started your day.

3.

Norma Desmond- "I AM Big! It's the pictures that got small." This is one scathing tribute to Hollywood's yesteryear-The silent pictures and stars from that time which Norma was the greatest. Now no one knows her and she is slowly, well, more rapid than slow, losing her sanity. She may be nuts but she knows how to captivate an audience and capture one sad sack played by William Holden. Does one feel bad for Holden's character? Not so much but you do feel bad for Norma. This film has so many hidden gems that you have to know a little about the silent film era to get the in-jokes. Cecil B DeMille has a cameo in the film playing himself, naturally. He calls her "Little Fella" which he actually did call Gloria Swanson in real life and made many films with her in the early days of Hollywood. My favourite quote is from the great Mae Murray who, after seeing this film, said "None of us floozies was ever that nuts!"

2.

Lucy Ricardo-It would be simply nuts of me not to have this gal near the top. Lucy, as everyone knows, always got into antics and never took "No" for an answer. She was beautiful, witty, intelligent and stubborn. Whether getting drunk trying to sell this cough syrup for a TV ad or trying, many times, to get into her husband's shows, you could not wait to see what was up her sleeve. We all love Lucy!

1.

Mary-Kate Danaher- This beautiful lass from Ireland who captured John Wayne's( Sean Thornton) heart in the beautiful film "The Quiet Man", is my top choice. I love her strength, passion and fire. She can match John Wayne any day and, even though she loves him, she just can't be with him until she gets her dowry. Her brother won't give it and therein lies the fight. When she leaves and Sean Thornton tracks her down to the train station, you know it is coming to a head. He takes her back to her brother in one of the best scenes ever and, believe it or not, makes me swoon even though my behind would be sore if I were in her place, demands the dowry. The music is now going through my head-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dadada-dum-dum dum, dum......Just see the picture!

What are your favourite gals?

71 comments:

  1. Some great names on your list! Double Indemnity and Sunset Boulevard are two of my favourite films. Love all those sassy TV women like Roz Doyle, Lucy, Endora and Hot Lips.

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    1. It was difficult to leave some out like Margo Channing from All About Eve. Those films are great and I think all strong female roles

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  2. fabulous list Birgit....so many memories as I scrolled through.....bewitched....my favourite TV show...but Mary Kate in the quit man is my Sunday favourite...sat with my dad and eating chocolate....lovely memories xxxx

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    1. I love Bewitched and the various ways they would disappear. Loved Uncle Charlie:) The Quiet Man is such a gem and I have fond memories watching films with my dad.

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  3. Endora would be one big pain in the arse of a mother in law haha I'd like to snap my fingers and go where ever too, that be fun. Hot lips was a good one too.

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    1. Oh she is not the nicest mom in law and I lost count at how many things she did to Derwood..I mean Darren

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  4. I had never seen Frasier in the correct order so we are now working our way through a box set of the whole thing. It's taking YEARS! It's one of the few series where I absolutely love all the main characters, so I agree Roz is great but so are the others and the interplay between then is the best. As for Hot Lips - well, maybe Mash needs to be next on my list. And I have happy memories of Lucy and Endora too. Lovely selection.
    Anabel's Travel Blog

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    1. Frasier has just the perfect cast even Lowell who has the hots for Roz. Maris is great even though you never ever see her:)

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  5. Fantastic list here, and while there's only one I don't recognize, I'd agree with all of them. My favorite would certainly be Norma Desmond. Great character, great actress, great film.

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    1. Norma is great eh! So many lines from that film and so much is in that film. Which one did you not recognize?? Curious

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  6. Hi, BB! I already listed a few of my female favorites which included Ashley Judd as Ruby in Ruby in Paradise and roomies Chloƫ Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale in The Last Days of Disco. I will add to that list Sally Field as Norma Rae (Webster) and Meryl Streep in any of her roles including Sophie in Sophie's Choice, Karen Silkwood in Silkwood, Molly Gilmore in Falling in Love and Lindy Chamberlain in A Cry in the Dark. "The dingo's got my baby!"

    I loved Barbara Stanwyck in all of her performances, my favorite being Titanic (1953). His Girl Friday is one of the most remarkable movies ever made. The rapid fire, overlapping dialogue is astonishing! I have an interesting piece of trivia about Peri Gilpin who played Roz Doyle on Frasier. I watched the series for years and never realized that Peri was the daughter of Jim O'Brien, the much loved weatherman and newscaster at my favorite television station, WPVI Channel 6 Action News in Philadelphia. Jim was part of the greatest local TV news team that ever was. I loved Ch. 6 Action News so much that I wanted to become part of it. In 1983 I traveled to Philly and interviewed at WPVI for a producing job. That day I met Jim O'Brien and some of my other idols. Six months later I was crushed when the station reported that Jim was killed in a skydiving accident. It was a terrible blow to me and everyone in the Delaware Valley and an incalculable loss to television news.

    Thank you and have a wonderful day, dear friend Birgit!

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    1. I am not amore over Meryl Streep like so many are because I think is she coughs up a hairball, they would nominate her for an Oscar. I did see A Cry In The Dark and had to giggle at that scene since I had heard so much before about her delivery. Barbara is great in Titanic and heart-breaking when she is in the lifeboat. I had no idea that Peri Gilpin was connected to a newsman and that her dad in such a way. Very sad but you must have been over the moon to have met the man.

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  7. OMG! SO MUCH YES!!!

    Every single pick here, but especially Mary-Kate and LUCY and Norma and Irene and Phyllis!!! Such variety and such depth and such awesomeness!!!

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    1. Oooh-Thank you for such a great rave review:) Hard to do just 10

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  8. Hot Lips wasn't a great character in the beginning, but once separated from Frank Burns she came into her own.

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    1. Yes! I so agree she was very one dimensional at first. You saw a little bit like when she drank with Hawkeye and Trapper but she really came into her own when she started to expand her role away from Frank Burns. I like to believe that, not only the writers, but that Loretta Swit brought Hot Lips to greater depths

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  9. Great list of female characters here! Lucy definitely was such a class act in her acting and her delivery of comedy. Years later watching some of her great moments with it still brings lots of laughter.

    betty

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    1. I laugh so hard every time I see her with William Holden and that is just one episode amongst many that are great

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  10. I loved Houlihan! And Lucy is a classic choice. :)

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  11. BIRGIT ~
    Ha! Two thoughts I had late last night: 1) The Beer Boys haven't shown any beer bottles or cans in their blog bits for awhile, and 2) When is Birgit going to post her Favorite Female Characters list?

    So this morning, I find beer bottle images in 'A Beer For The Shower' and I find YOUR list of Favorite Female Characters... and what a list! Terrific!

    I'm still toying with my lists and will get them posted probably on July 21st or thereabouts.

    I love Mary-Kate (hell, I love Maureen O'Hara!), I will absolutely have Norma Desmond on my list. I've been thinking about Roz and Daphne Moon for my list (apparently you too are a huge 'Frasier' fan, and Daphne drunk - which she was a few times - was absolutely hysterical!) However, there's also Bebe Glazer to think about.

    I'm not a major Cary Grant fan, so the first time I saw 'HIS GIRL FRIDAY' I wasn't sure I'd like it much but... LOVED IT! Loved Hildy Johnson, too. That is some of the wittiest, fast-yakkin' firecracker dialogue ever written! That's also a movie I need to acquire on DVD someday.

    'DOUBLE INDEMNITY' is Top 10 Film Noir for me. Really like 'MY MAN GODFREY', also. Audrey Hepburn from 'ROMAN HOLIDAY' could make my list.

    'Hot Lips'... eh... not so much, for me. Loretta wore too much perfume (for 5 years, I could always smell her coming and smell her long after she'd left). What's funny is that a woman once insulted me using the "Ferret Face" slur. I later started up my 'Ferret-Faced Fascist Friends' blog borrowing her insult, but even then I didn't realize that it was a M*A*S*H reference, because I'd not been a fan of the show. It was a year or two before I "got" the reference.

    This was a great list with a lot of great shows mentioned!

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. Glad you love my list! Daphne is fun as well but she is more sweet, well, in a frisky way. I love the jokes about her cooking and, well the whole cast. Lilith is perfect as I loved her in Cheers (my favourite female from that show). When she looked at the dog and the dog just leaves cracks me up so did the episode where she ends up in bed with Niles. Love that show and I think it is the only one that brings up (by Frazier) the fact that Esperanto is a sad dead language. By the way, I know William Shatner made a film all in that language back in the 60's and one day I will see it. I like Cary Grant but Rosalind Russell is who I remember from that film the most. Audrey almost made it for Roman Holiday. Did you actually meet Loretta Swit or is this just a reference to her acting?? Oh my some woman called you "Ferret face?" She was not a happy camper was she?:) Oh well

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    2. Did I meet Loretta Swit? I worked on M*A*S*H for five years (seasons 7 through 11). I thought you already knew that.

      >>... The old man given the last rights ... is John Ford's father!

      Dang! I didn't know. Or if I did, I'd long forgotten it. You are the queen of movie trivia!

      ~ D-FensDogG

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    3. Holy moly-Nope did not know that and now I am laughing real hard at the perfume shit. I had a grade 7 teacher that we could smell a mile away. M.A.S.H. is like one of my all time favourite shows. Now what did you do on the set?? I don't know, you are right! Yes that is John Ford's dad and I was surprised also. I love watching the extras on DVD's

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    4. BIRGIT ~
      I don't yak about it a whole lot, but occasionally, when it's relevant to the conversation, I'll mention my time on M*A*S*H. And you've been following my blogs for awhile now, so I just naturally assumed you'd run across this bit o' my history before.

      Anyway, below is a link to a blog bit about my years on the show, which I wrote some time ago on my defunct 'STUFFS' blog. Warning: It's a pretty damned long post:

      (Link:->) 'M*A*S*H S*T*U*F*F*S' (Or, 'YES, WE PLAY REQUESTS')

      ~ D-FensDogG

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    5. Oh wow I read the whole thing! I love M.A.S.H. I actually love the earlier more comedic episodes better than the later ones when they felt all important but still there are some great gems. One of my favourites is Dreams and the one where the guy is dead and only Klinger sees him. You are in a big part of TV history

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  12. I was just re-reading your list...

    >>... Sean Thornton ... takes her back to her brother in one of the best scenes ever...

    I always laugh out loud when some woman comes up and says, "Here's a stick to beat the lovely lady with".

    >>... The music is now going through my head -dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dadada-dum-dum dum, dum......Just see the picture!

    RIGHT! That music, as it all builds up to the big showdown. But let's not get carried away with the fight to the point that we fail to take a break to share a pint at the pub. Ha! What a gem of a movie!

    A fistfight... "Shouldn't we break it up?"
    "Aye, we should. We should."

    ~ D-FensDogG

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    1. Yes I laugh at the stick sentence also. I love it that John Wayne was told by John Ford to not stop no matter what so poor Maureen O'Hara did have a few bruises and didn't smell so well since she went through a few cow paddies. The music is perfect and one of my favourite characters who never talks is the man who just sits in the pub reading and is the only one not interested in the fight. By the way, The old man given the last rights only to wake up from near death to see the fight? That is John Ford's father!

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  13. I basically agree with your list although I didn't know all of them. I had forgotten Roz Doyle, she was so good. I too love that scene with Cyd Charisse. I never much like Barbara Stanwyck, not sure why. The last thing I remember her in was The Thornbirds.

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    1. Oh Cyd was such a great dancer, not a great actress but who cares. Barbara Stanwyck was so good lusting after the priest in The Thorn Birds.

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  14. I love My Man Godfrey. Carole Lombard was brilliant. And taken too soon.

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    1. You are so right. To this day I wish she was one who would have made so many more great films

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  15. I had forgotten about Roz - loved her! What a fun list. And I love Singing In the Rain. I never tire of watching Gene Kelly dance. I'd give anything to dance like Cyd Charisse just for one minute LOL.
    Your comment about Barbara Stanwyck's wig cracked me up. :D

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    1. Roz is just brilliant. I too, would love to dance like her just once.

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    1. She was great especially when she shot up her storage trunk

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  17. I love that you have Roz on your list. Without her, I wouldn't have cared to watch Frazier, the pompous fool.

    The Quiet Man is my favorite John Wayne movie. I liked how Maureen O'Hara's character drove him wild.

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    1. Roz is great and I always wanted her to be with Frazier. The Quiet Man is one of my favs!

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  18. I love Roz. And I love Endora, especially when she greeted Darren with "Hello, Dar-wood" or something silly like that.

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    1. That's right! "Derwood" "Derwin" the list was endless

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  19. Women of character and substance, definitely.

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  20. I love this list, especially since my dear Lucille Ball is near the top of it. What fun and beautiful photographs you unearthed. Wonderful!

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    1. Lucy is great and deserves near the top always

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  21. That hat on foot scene in Singing In The Rain is classic. I love dancing. Its got to be one of the world's greatest joys.

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    1. Oh I actually tried to recreate that scene and started laughing since I looked more like Lucille Ball in a clown moment. I love dancing also

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  22. Great list, even though sad to say, I haven't seen many of these films and shows. But I do remember I Love Lucy. She was one of a kind.

    Another favourite who was cut from the same cloth? Carol Burnett.

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    1. Oh I almost put Carol Burnett on my list but she is a real person even though her variety show is such a classic. Have you ever seen her version "Went With The Wind?" I laughed so hard!!

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  23. Great list, Birgit. I know and love them alI! Always liked Cyd Charisse better than Ginger Rogers and thought she had more class. Endora was deliciously wicked. ☺

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    1. Cyd was classy and sultry. Ginger was brass and matter of fact. Endora was wicked and fun

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  24. Lucy was a happy loaf of bread, she owned Desilu Studios which kick started Star Trek!

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    1. Yes you got that right! Desilu Productions. They bought the old RKO studio

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  25. Now you have me thinking about Barbara Stanwyck in nothing but an apron and heels. She was a tremendous actress who just got more beautiful as she got older.

    Were you, as I was, shipping for Frasier and Roz?

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    1. Hahahaaa-Yes Barbara was a favourite on the set-always wonderful to the whole production and preferred the grips, cameramen etc... Yes I was always wishing Roz and Frazier would get together

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  26. This was quite a line up of strong female characters. They were unique and memorable.

    Back from my break and trying to visit people I've missed. Hope you had a great June.

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    1. I think these women are all strong. Glad you are back!

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  27. Great list! One of my favorites is Liz Embry, Ruth Hussey's character in The Philadelphia Story. So snarky - just the sort of woman I'd have ended up dating in my younger days.

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    1. Oh she IS a great character! I also loved her snark and she knew what to do

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  28. Maureen O'Hara is one of my all time favorites. She brings such life and warmth to any role she plays.

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    1. Yes she is on my top list of best women of all time in movies-great actress and beauty

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  29. What a fantastic list. I LOVE Cyd Charisse, and those scenes in Singin in the Rain make my top list, too. But then, that's one of my favorite movies of all time!

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    1. It is so great and not far off the mark with the issues the studios faced at that time...actually pretty much right on the money

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  30. Sheesh! All these women! What a great list. I started with the first and kept saying to myself I really loved her and then kept going! Great post!

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  31. Sheesh! All these women! What a great list. I started with the first and kept saying to myself I really loved her and then kept going! Great post!

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  32. I'm with Endora. What was Samantha thinking? :)

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    1. I know! If I ever got caught I would just cast a spell to make my hubby forget. That would work like a dream:)

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  33. Oh my! What a fabulous list, Birgit. Took me down memory lane and back. So glad you added Roz Doyle... she's my of my all time fave TV characters. Great post, my friend!
    hugs, Asha

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    1. Thank you Asha! Roz is great and love that actress

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  34. You have some great female choices there. Who doesn't love Lucy? I recall watching this show all the time with my mother and sisters when I lived at home, oh so many years ago. One of my faovurite parts of the film Rat Race is when Cuba Gooding Jr. steals the bus filled with the I Love Lucy fan club.
    Never liked the Houlihan character till she finally ditched the dweeb. I loved the story they developed from that when he left the series. I agree, that show was golden.

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  35. Awesome list! I never understood why Samantha was willing to not use her powers- but I loved that she still used them all the time. I used to try to twitch my nose to make things happen all the time. :) LOVE Endora! I am a bit obsessed with MASH- so I was thrilled to see Margaret on your list. :) Another favorite female character of mine is Xena the Warrior Princess.
    ~Jess

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  36. Jumping in late again...ah, gee, it's summer.
    Your list is fabulous. I'm glad you included 'Roz'. I doubt she gets mentioned much, but she was a delightful sidekick next to Frazier. Also my all time favorite Mary-Kate. What I would give to have more of her feistiness. She really knew how to stand her ground. Also...sorry you are in such pain (mentioned in latest post). Hope it's all better soon :)

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