We're Number 2! The Greatest Sidekicks: Nos. 50-26 (original) (raw)

50. Joseph ''Blue'' Pulaski

Sidekick to: The guys of Lambda Epsilon Omega
Old School (2003)

The late character actor Pat Cranshaw finally found a breakout role in 2003 as Old School's 89-year-old fratboy ''Blue'' Pulaski. His rheumy eyes and grizzled presence made him an ace foil for his lugnut ''brothers,'' even as he embodied the fake fraternity's schlumpy loser ethos. Sadly, Blue passes away halfway through the movie (while wrestling in a kiddie tub full of KY jelly, no less) — but not before stealing every scene he's in. We feel Frank the Tank's pain when he wails to an uncaring God: ''You're my boy, Blue!'' —Michael Endelman

49. Randy Hickey

Paul Drinkwater

Sidekick to: Earl J. Hickey
My Name Is Earl (2005-09)

My Name Is Earl's title character has made a lot of mistakes, but keeping his brother by his side isn't one of them. With a childlike innocence and almost touching stupidity, Randy follows Earl on his quest for karmic redemption like a really, really dumb bulldog. He'll even give Earl a swirly if that means Earl can cross something off his list. And who can blame Randy if he's sometimes sidelined by a paralyzing fear of chickens? They do seem like nasty birds. —Tim Stack

48. Fred ''Rerun'' Stubbs

What's Happening Now!: Photofest

Sidekick to: Roger ''Raj'' Thomas
What's Happening (1976-79)

He wasn't What's Happening!!'s funniest character. That would have to be Dee, who spoke in that devastatingly hilarious monotone. Come to think of it, both Shirley the waitress and dim-bulb Dwayne (''Nuh-huh'') were funnier too. But Rerun played the essential role of the clown — the one usually on the receiving end of a withering putdown — with a hearty grace and a rubbery physicality (he was show's best dancer). Besides, how can you not trust a friend who has the courage to wear a fire-engine-red beret? —Wook Kim

47. Sallah

Sidekick to: Indiana Jones
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

''Asps. Very dangerous.'' Peering down into a darkened ancient chamber known as the Well of Souls, Sallah turns to a famously snake-phobic archeologist and gravely intones, ''You go first.'' Ask anybody who's seen Raiders of the Lost Ark and they'll tell you that these are not the words of a coward, but rather, of a faithful (and perfectly honest) companion. That said, this Egyptian digger hardly needs to prove himself, having already saved Indy from death (''Bad dates'') and despair (''They're digging in the wrong place!''). Big, burly, and full of life — Steven Spielberg cast John Rhys-Davies in the role specifically for his Falstaff-like features — Sallah has no problem keeping up with this Jones. —Wook Kim

46. Bender

Sidekick to: Fry
Futurama (1999-2013)

Sure, a selfish, larcenous, beer-swilling robot whose catchphrase is ''Bite my shiny metal ass'' might not seem the optimal friend in need. But for Futurama's über-slacker Fry, trapped 1,000 years in the future, Bender provided a timelessly valuable service: indulging all of Fry's dangerously ill-thought-out impulses. But Bender wasn't entirely without an empathty chip: as he touchingly said of his boneheaded buddy, ''Fry, of all the friends I've had...you're the first.'' —Josh Wolk

45. Igor

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Dr. Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein (1974)

It's difficult to imagine how Dr. F. got by before he met Igor (who made his debut in 1939's Son of Frankenstein). Who else fuels the boss' God complex? Who else digs up the fresh corpses? Most importantly, who else flips the giant switch? Marty Feldman's bug-eyed hunchback-in-denial brought new life to the mischievous character in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein. His loyalty and quick one-liners were nothing short of abby-normal...in a good way. —Jeff Labrecque

44. Duckie

Pretty in Pink: Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Andie
Pretty in Pink (1986)

He pesters, he jesters, he lip-syncs to Otis Redding's ''Try a Little Tenderness'' — all in the name of unrequited devotion to social outcast Andie. Never mind that the whiny-but-lovable New Waver receives one of filmdom's cruelest heave-hos — something tells us that when slick Blane eventually dumped Andie (oh, you know it happened), Duckie was right there with an Aqua Net-flecked shoulder to cry on. —Nicholas Fonseca

42. Jeff Green

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Mitch Haddad/Warner Bros.

Sidekick to: Larry David
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present)

Would Curb Your Enthusiasm's Larry be able to make a complete mess of any awkward situation without his rotund (or, according to Jeff's own potty-mouthed wife, ''fat f---'') manager/best buddy? Whether helping his nebbish-y client swipe a doll's head from his own daughter or pilfering a 5-wood from a casket, Jeff doesn't just indulge David's paranoid delusions and crazy scams — he enables Larry's entire misanthropic worldview. That is, when he's not allowing Larry's wife Cheryl to ''pop in'' on his fantasies. —Charles Curtis

41. Piglet

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie the Pooh franchise (1926-present)

Piglet is timid, skittish, and self-conscious; Pooh's oblivious, adventurous, and rumbly-in-my-tumbly goofy. They were made for each other! The final piece of Pooh's inner trinity (along with Christopher Robin), the little porker is not afraid to pooh-pooh Winnie for being a Silly Old Bear. Still, at the end of the day it's Pooh that Piglet looks to for support:
''Pooh!'' he whispered.
''Yes, Piglet?''
''Nothing,'' said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. ''I just wanted to be sure of you.'' —Allyssa Lee

40. Larry Dallas

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Jack Tripper
Three's Company (1977-84)

Three's Company's Jack Tripper had to sublimate his heterosexual urges to keep Mr. Roper happy, but his good buddy Larry boasted enough libido for the both of them. Though the tall, dark, and hairy used-car salesman had trouble finding a woman who couldn't resist his copious chest pelt — which was usually aglint with some kind of gaudy gold — Larry never failed to smooth over Jack's myriad misunderstandings with his oily lothario charm. This Regal Beagle horndog was truly man's best friend. —Kristen Baldwin

39. Silent Bob

Dogma: Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Jay
Kevin Smith films (1994-present)

Is it the weed or divine patience that keeps this portly, man-(of-few-words)-servant mellow enough to stand by the lanky, foul-mouthed, and frequently offensive Jay? With heroic dedication and resolve, Bob endures Jay's verbal abuse (nicknames like ''fatty,'' ''lunchbox,'' and ''tons of fun''), selflessly (and wordlessly) dispenses advice with a meaningful nod. And — whether dispatching demons or explaining an esoteric film title — Bob can be counted on to save the day. —Erin Richter

38. Lane Kim

Patrick Ecclesine

Sidekick to: Rory Gilmore
Gilmore Girls (2000-07)

Lane rocks the sidekick role in a distinctly Gilmore Girls fashion: She brings the wit and pop culture references as fast and sure as the Girls themselves, but never outshines Rory's true No. 1, Mama Lorelai. Lane's own mother — the fearsome antiques maven Mrs. Kim — is a whole different story, which makes her rock & roll rebellion the perfect counterbalance to Rory's bookish tendencies. And while she's got her own thing going on (the drumming career, the intraband marriage), she'd never try to steal the spotlight, like Rory's rival-turned-roomie, Paris. —Tim Gunatilaka

37. Paul Shaffer

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: David Letterman
Late Night With David Letterman, Late Show With David Letterman (1982-present)

For more than three decades, this Canadian has been Letterman's trusted music man, but the perpetually shaded Shaffer remains somewhat of a mystery. How else can you describe the guy who co-wrote ''It's Raining Men'' and is enshrined at the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame? Paul may be an enigma outside of the Late Show, but his even-keeled demeanor and easy, plentiful laughter neatly complement Dave's cantankerous wit. —Tim Stack

36. Ford Prefect

Laurie Sparham

Sidekick to: Arthur Dent
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979)

As practical as a towel and as dependable as the automobile he accidentally named himself after, Ford Prefect — Arthur Dent's boozing, Betelgeusian buddy from Douglas Adams' kooky, universe-spanning epic The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy — is perhaps the best traveling companion any ape-descendant could have. He saved Arthur from certain destruction countless times while chaperoning him to unknown worlds, and such was the strength of Ford's character that he was able to survive the tale's many iterations — from radio to novels to TV to film — without ever losing his cosmic cool. —Neil Drumming

35. Flo

Alice: Foto Fantasies

Sidekick to: Alice
Alice (1976-85)

Without Flo, Alice's whole heart-and-soul-of-Mel's Diner routine would be one big yawn. Polly Holiday's sexy (not beautiful, and all the hotter for it) Southern belle was the much-needed spice in that Arizona greasy spoon known for its chili. Alice's chemistry never recovered when Flo left for her own ill-fated spin-off, despite the subsequent drawling bombshells who tried to take her place. Replace Flo? Her catchphrase (the mark of the most elite class of sidekick) says it all: Kiss my grits! —Jennifer Armstrong

34. Barney Rubble

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Fred Flintstone
Flinstones franchise (1960-69)

The Flintstones was conceived as the prehistoric Honeymooners, which makes Barney the Norton (see No. 8) to Fred Flintstone's Ralph — an easygoing goofball, willing to go along with whatever half-baked scheme Fred dreamed up. Barney (voiced by the great Mel Blanc, the genius behind Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck) was squat and had enormous feet, and you know what they say about big feet: It must be why he attracted such a cave-babe as his curvy wife, Betty. —Ken Tucker

33. Leonard ''Lenny'' Kosnowski and Andrew ''Squiggy'' Squiggman

Everett Collection

Sidekicks to: Laverne de Fazio and Shirley Feeney
Laverne & Shirley (1976-83)

An episode of Laverne & Shirley usually went something like this: Sitting in their Milwaukee apartment, Laverne and Shirley find themselves in a sticky situation that can only be resolved through a harebrained plan. Sometimes involving cross-dressing. ''But where are we gonna find two idiots to help us?'' one of them wonders. Cut to the front door swinging open, followed by a moronic, nasal ''Hell-ohh!'' They were the original dumb and dumber — greasier than a garage floor. But while best pals Lenny and Squiggy may have lacked social and hygienic skills, they did genuinely care for the girls. Which is why, in many a episode, they found themselves stuck in the middle of a harebrained plan. Sometimes involving cross-dressing. —Wook Kim

32. John Oates

Peter Mazel/Retna

Sidekick to: Daryl Hall
Hall & Oates

John Oates brought far more to white-soul hit machine Hall & Oates than just Tom Selleck's spare mustache and an uncanny ability to make Daryl Hall look tall. ''A lot of the hits have been generated initially by me, even though they've been collaborative efforts,'' he told an interviewer in 2003. The guitarist has fared less well on his own (The Onion dubbed his 2002 solo release Phunk Shui the year's ''least essential'' album), but could Hall have scored eight No. 1 hits without his guitar-playing partner in rhyme? No can do! —Clark Collis

31. Garth Algar

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Wayne Campbell
Saturday Night Live, Wayne's World movies (1989-present)

He is the geeky naïf-jester in the cable-access court of his best friend (and Illinois' prince of rock) Wayne Campbell. His serious fear of girls relegates him to second-air-guitar status, but underneath that meek exterior beats the heart of a loyal wingman (impersonating a cop to spy on Wayne's latest crush), a crafty partner in crime (expertly repositioning broadcast satellites to a record exec's limo), and a brave confidant (admitting an attraction to Bugs Bunny in drag). May you party on, most noble Garth! —Erin Richter

30. Keith Richards

Barry Schultz/Retna

Sidekick to: Mick Jagger
The Rolling Stones

The Stones needed Sir Keith of the Blackened Teeth. Admit it: Mick's autocratic airs would be wholly unbearable without Keef's shambolic bluster to offset them. Besides, the grizzled ax-slinger has always grasped that backing up a flamboyant frontman has three prerequisites: an never-ending dedication to finding the next killer riff; the ability to play brilliantly when medicated; and the willingness to tell your lead singer that his latest idea is a load of bollocks. —Tom Sinclair

29. Walter Sobchak

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Jeffrey ''The Dude'' Lebowski
The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Big Lebowski character may be a little unstable and have questionable taste in fashion, but if you're a Dude in need of a beefy bowling partner or someone to help kick some Nihilist ass, then look no further than Mr. Sobchak. He's definitely the guy you want in your corner when involved in a case of mistaken identity — after all, Walter didn't watch his buddies die facedown in the muck to see his best friend menaced by a guy named Wu. Plus, he's capable of delivering one hell of a heartwarming eulogy (''Donny was a good bowler...and a good man''). —Tim Stack

28. Falstaff

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Prince Hal (1 Henry IV and 2 Henry IV)
Originally in William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, and throughout film, music, and literature (1597-present)

There's no shortage of fools, clowns, and jesters in Shakespeare's canon, but none is more renowned than Falstaff, who held an honored place in Prince Hal's ragtag entourage despite his less-than-royal looks. (He's been called, among other things, a ''fat-kidneyed rascal'' and ''huge hill of flesh''). Even Queen Elizabeth I was a Falstaff fan — so much so that in The Merry Wives of Windsor, the Bard elevated the sack-loving rogue from sidekick to star. —Melissa Rose Bernardo

27. Hank Kingsley

Everett Collection

Sidekick to: Larry Sanders
The Larry Sanders Show (1992-98)

On The Larry Sanders Show, he was never more than a couch's length away, with his catchphrase ''Hey now!'' always cocked and ready to let fly, usually at an inappropriate moment. Clueless about comedy, wildly misinformed about his own showbiz importance, Kingsley was an Ed McMahon without the charm or self-awareness. But all these debits for the the boobish, boorish Kingsley added up to one irreplaceable credit to Larry Sanders, giving the insecure host exactly what he needed — an on-air scapegoat. —Josh Wolk

26. The Supremes

The Supremes: David Farrell/Redferns/Retna

Sidekicks to: Diana Ross
Diana Ross & the Supremes

Peanut butter and jelly. Ham and cheese. Spaghetti and meatballs. All of these things can be enjoyed separately, but are better taken together — much like Diana Ross and her Supremes. There was something indeed magical in the pairing of a young diva-in-the-making with two other comely chanteuses, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard (the latter was replaced by Cindy Birdsong in 1967 — remember?). After La Diana left to pursue solo stardom in 1970, both she and her backup singers would score further hits. Still, it was never the same, was it? —Tom Sinclair