Sidekicks and Second Bananas

Last night I watched Kevin Eubanks' last time (after 18 years) of playing sidekick to Jay Leno on the Tonight Show. It reminded me of all of the great folks that have had supporting roles in television. Here is my short list of memorable second bananas:

• Ed Norton played flawlessly by Art Carney on "The Honeymooners". Who can forget that sewer worker buddy to Ralph Cramden's bus driver?
• Ethel Mertz performed by Vivien Vance on "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show". That scene of Ethel and Lucy on the candy assembly line is so iconic.
• Barney Fife played so well by Don Knotts on "The Andy Griffith Show". I still remember that deputy who was allowed only one bullet for his gun by Sheriff Andy Taylor.
• Ed McMahon costarring on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. I think Ed invented the sidekick role for talk shows. Who can forget the antics of Ed and Johnny?
• Niles Crane played so fussily by David Hyde Pierce on Frasier. The banter between he and his brother was some of the best in television.
• George Costanza, Cosmo Kramer and Elaine Benes of Seinfeld. These characters played hilariously by Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss took second bananas to a different stratosphere.

I left the list short so that you can add some of your favorite second bananas.

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