Facial hair is no stranger to the small screen. Plenty of TV series’ character have sported a freshly groomed (or totally ungroomed) beard, either through an entire series’ run or on and off. Some of these actors are young and some are more seasoned.
In some cases, the beard has become a defining characteristic of the person. In others, they have since shed the facial hair. So who has had the best beard in television history? While there have been more iconic and memorable TV beards than we could possibly count, here are 10 that particularly stand out, ranked.
Frank Delfino (How To Get Away With Murder)
Frank’s beard has become such a defining part of his character on this popular series that when the actor who plays him, Charlie Weber, shaved it off during one season, fans’ jaws dropped. He was almost unrecognizable!
Frank is a troubled hitman and investigator for Annalise Keating. So the beard suits him, giving him a rugged, don’t-mess-with-me look that fits the character’s intimidating stance. Weber is far too baby faced to pull off the rough-around-the-edges character without the beard.
Al Borland (Home Improvement)
Tim “The Toolman” Taylor’s sidekick on his TV show Tool Time, Al (Richard Karn) was always sporting a perfectly groomed beard. The beard, his long-ish hair, and plaid flannel shirts became part of what made Al, well, Al.
In fact, his hipster-like beard, which he sported long before being a hipster was a “thing,” was often the butt of Tim’s jokes. Tim, played by Tim Allen, called it everything from “stingy” to “do-do-birdy.” Interestingly, in the first episode of the show, Al didn’t have a beard while Tim did.
Saul Berenson (Homeland)
Playing a mentor to the lead character Carrie, and a protector at the CIA, Saul (Mandy Patinkin) had a defining look. And a big part of that was his salt and pepper beard. Running a few inches beyond his chin, it was almost like magic how the dark brown color of the mustache fed into a light grey/white beard, but it all blended so well together.
A CIA veteran, Saul’s perfectly rounded beard suggested that he had decades of experience under his belt. It simply screamed “I know what I’m talking about, and you should listen to me.”
Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Walter’s beard is so significant because it became an indicator of his descent into the dark side. He started out totally clean-shaven, then only having a small mustache. But as he fell deeper and deeper into the drug underworld, the beard became a more significant part of his look.
Once Walt shaved his head and took on his alter-ego persona Heisenberg, he grew the beard out. Eventually, he had a perfect medium brown goatee that framed every menacing look he gave his enemies.
Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)
Rick’s beard was the subject of much conversation as it showed how the apocalyptic world had really taken a toll on him. He went from totally clean-shaven to sporting a nice 5 o’clock shadow and eventually a full-on rough and tumble beard.
In fast forward clips/dream sequences, we even see a future Rick with a totally white ZZ Top-esque beard. When we last saw Rick before he left the show, he had groomed his beard so it was more manageable but still had a rugged salt and pepper vibe to it.
Ser Sandor “The Hound” Clegane (Game of Thrones)
There were a lot of great beards on Game of Thrones, but Ser Sandor’s had its own area code. That thing seemed to almost grow out of his actual hair, covering much of his lower face such that you couldn’t see where it began or ended.
The style of the beard almost made Sandor seem as though he was not human – a werewolf of sorts whose hair grew around his lower face. We couldn’t imagine the foul-mouthed Sandor being who he was without the beard.
The Entire Cast of Duck Dynasty
Pretty much the entire male cast of this reality TV series about the Robertson family and their successful duck-hunting business is worthy of being on this list. They each had a pretty rad beard that would be the envy of any beard-lover. The show’s theme song was even sung by the fellow bearded men of ZZ Top.
Their beards vary in size and style, from long, triangular-shaped and sandy colored to dark brown and bushy. Whichever your style, they have a beard for everyone.
Commander William Riker (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
If you were a fan of this series, you know that commander Will Riker’s beard was an enigma: it enveloped his mouth like a circle of wonder around his lips. It was almost like his beard was a circular stencil and his mouth was drawn on.
Underneath his bottom lip was a perfectly-placed soul patch of hair. Meanwhile, the beard extended up to his sideburns effortlessly, as though again, some skilled child had drawn them on with a pen and arched stencil. It really was bearded perfection. Actor Jonathan Frakes still sports a beard today though it isn’t nearly as distinct and thick as it once was.
B.A. Baracus (The A-Team)
There’s arguably no other beard as iconic as Mr. T’s, who is best known for appearing in this popular ‘80s adventure series about a fictional United States Army Special Forces unit.
Sure, Mr. T got more attention for his mohawk hairstyle, gold chains, gruff voice, and signature catchphrases (“I pity the fool!”) But that beard was a big part of his persona as well. Mr. T rocked a full-on beard before it was “cool” to do so. Combined with his hair that was shaved bald on either side with a tuft in the middle of his head, the beard became part of an iconic look for the actor and professional wrestler.
Bob Ross (The Joy of Painting)
A gem of a television personality, Ross was a painter, art instructor, and television host. If you ever felt any twinge of stress in your life, you could turn on his show and you’d feel your troubles instantly melt away as his soothing voice walked you through a painting he was making.
Ross has experienced a resurgence in popularity of late, thanks to YouYube and Twitch. And along with his memorable voice and signature afro was an accompanying beard. His likeness has become so popular again that people continue to buy Bob Ross memorabilia and even dress like him for Halloween, beard, afro, and all.
