Midge and Bob Pinciotti
Encyclopedia
Midge Pinciotti and Bob Pinciotti are two fictional characters on the popular Fox sitcom That '70s Show
(1998). They are the loving, lovable but dim-witted parents of the red-haired tomboy
Donna Pinciotti
(Laura Prepon
), and Donna's less-frequently seen younger sister, Tina. Midge was portrayed by Tanya Roberts
, and Bob was portrayed by Don Stark.
Because of their impaired thought processes, which lead them to be easily influenced by 1970s fads (particularly Bob, who sports stereotypically bad 1970s permed hair—later revealed to be a hairpiece—and wears gaudy polyester leisure suits), they constantly embarrass their daughter, Donna. Bob and Midge were high school sweethearts, and Bob fondly recalls the first time he saw Midge: "She was the tallest girl in biology class." Midge recalled that "Bob was the shortest boy, but what he lacked in height he made up for in shortness." It is hinted that Bob and Midge got married because Midge became pregnant with Donna while still in high school (which conflicts with the fact that Bob and Midge had an older daughter Valerie, so perhaps it was actually Valerie with whom Midge was pregnant at their marriage). Bob ran a local home appliance store called "Bargain Bob's," which is eventually run out of business by Price Mart, leaving the family broke for a time. Bob later "invents" a device which dispenses facial tissue
s from a car visor making him "rich again", as described by neighbor, Red Forman
.
Bob and Midge moved in next door to cantankerous, overbearing Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith
) and his sweet but troubled wife Kitty
(Debra Jo Rupp
) when Donna was still a small child. Originally Bob and Red enjoyed each other's company, to the point of going on hunting and fishing trips together. At one point the Pinciottis seemed to "change" and become (in the words of Red) "dumb asses".
They both annoy Red greatly, particularly Bob, and Red makes little to no effort to hide his annoyance, but no matter how many times he insults Bob, Bob just smiles and laughs it off because he thinks Red is just kidding. From time to time Red does try to partake of male bonding activities with Bob, but is generally frustrated. Red doesn't seem to mind Donna. He may actually like her better than her parents.
Bob and Midge are somewhat risqué with each other, even going so far as to have sex on the hammock in broad daylight where Donna used to read her Nancy Drew
mystery books, which she saw and was very horrified over for some time. They are both nudists and commonly hosted nudist parties.
Midge was the neighborhood mom Eric Forman
and his male friends fantasized about when coming of age (although Kelso
and Fez
have both admitted to having sexual feelings for Kitty Forman). During one episode when Kelso and Fez thought that Eric had sex with Midge due to Midge's panties being left behind after a Midge-Bob encounter in the Vista Cruiser, they immediately began bowing to Eric and calling him "a God! A God, I say!" She is also dimwitted, which often results in her being the butt of jokes.
Problems arose when Midge started expressing dissatisfaction with just being a housewife
, which Bob, being a somewhat old fashioned kind of guy, had difficulty accepting. They began to fight regularly and in the second season they separated, but continued to live in the same house under the agreement that they could see other people; something Red and Kitty felt was a bad idea and encouraged Bob to "think hard" about. At Red's birthday, Bob and Midge brought along separate dates, but Bob got annoyed with Midge's date. Bob's argument with Midge led to a passionate tryst in their car. Eventually Bob and Midge reconciled and even went so far as to renew their vows.
When it was discovered that Donna had been engaging in sex with Eric, Bob's angry reaction to Donna losing her virginity before marriage was very similar to Kitty's upset feelings over Eric. Midge's reaction was expressing how proud she was of the kids to tell them before asking Donna, "So, how was it?" much to Donna's dismay.
In the early episodes Bob and Midge had a total of three daughters: Donna was the middle daughter, an older daughter named Valerie who was already in college, and a younger sister named Tina who appeared in the episode "Eric's Burger Job." Both the others were quickly phased out and never seen or heard from again, leaving Donna as the Pinciotti's only daughter. This is a similar occurrence to what happened to Chuck Cunningham on "Happy Days
" and to Judy Winslow on "Family Matters."
Bob has a strange obsession with the banjo
. In one episode, he advises Eric to deal with a rival for Donna's affections by hitting him with a banjo, while in another, he advises Red to help Kitty get over her menopause by "getting her a banjo." When a skeptical Red asks "A banjo, Bob?", Bob answers that "I can't hold a banjo and not smile." Red sarcastically replies that "you can't hold a potato chip
and not smile." Bob then immediately proceeds to smile and agrees.
Tanya Roberts ceased to be a regular member of the cast in 2001. This eventually led to Bob and Midge's on-screen divorce and her leaving for California to "pursue a career on Broadway" (again showing her dimwittedness. She guest starred for a few episodes after that).
Bob Pinciotti served in the United States National Guard
. Sometimes Red resents Bob when he gets to bragging about his service (in a fit of anger at Donna, Eric calls her a National Guard kid). Bob is also known for his infamous habit of walking around his house with his robe wide open and no underwear.
That '70s Show
That '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
(1998). They are the loving, lovable but dim-witted parents of the red-haired tomboy
Tomboy
A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
Donna Pinciotti
Donna Pinciotti
Donna Marie Pinciotti is a fictional character and one of the two female leads in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, appearing in all eight seasons...
(Laura Prepon
Laura Prepon
Laura Prepon is an American actress, best known for her role as Donna Pinciotti in the long-running Fox situation comedy That '70s Show, for all eight seasons. She is also known for the role of Hannah Daniels on the ABC drama October Road...
), and Donna's less-frequently seen younger sister, Tina. Midge was portrayed by Tanya Roberts
Tanya Roberts
Tanya Roberts is an American actress best known for her roles in Charlie's Angels, The Beastmaster, A View to a Kill, Sheena and That '70s Show. Roberts was groomed as a Hollywood sex symbol during the early 1980s.- Early life :Blum was born in The Bronx, New York City, of Irish and Jewish descent...
, and Bob was portrayed by Don Stark.
Because of their impaired thought processes, which lead them to be easily influenced by 1970s fads (particularly Bob, who sports stereotypically bad 1970s permed hair—later revealed to be a hairpiece—and wears gaudy polyester leisure suits), they constantly embarrass their daughter, Donna. Bob and Midge were high school sweethearts, and Bob fondly recalls the first time he saw Midge: "She was the tallest girl in biology class." Midge recalled that "Bob was the shortest boy, but what he lacked in height he made up for in shortness." It is hinted that Bob and Midge got married because Midge became pregnant with Donna while still in high school (which conflicts with the fact that Bob and Midge had an older daughter Valerie, so perhaps it was actually Valerie with whom Midge was pregnant at their marriage). Bob ran a local home appliance store called "Bargain Bob's," which is eventually run out of business by Price Mart, leaving the family broke for a time. Bob later "invents" a device which dispenses facial tissue
Facial tissue
Facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that is suitable for use on the face. They are disposable alternatives for cloth handkerchiefs...
s from a car visor making him "rich again", as described by neighbor, Red Forman
Red Forman
Reginald Albert "Red" Forman is a fictional character on the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, portrayed by Kurtwood Smith.-Biography and personality:Red is one of the classic archetypes of the "grumpy man"...
.
Bob and Midge moved in next door to cantankerous, overbearing Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith
Kurtwood Smith
Kurtwood Larson Smith is an American television and film actor. He is best known for playing Clarence Boddicker in RoboCop and stern parental characters , and for his appearances in the genre of science fiction...
) and his sweet but troubled wife Kitty
Kitty Forman
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Forman is a fictional character on the Fox Network's That '70s Show, portrayed by comic actress Debra Jo Rupp. Kitty is a nurse but sometimes takes a break from her career to make peace in the family. She also has a very recognizable laugh and a fondness for square dancing...
(Debra Jo Rupp
Debra Jo Rupp
Debra Jo Rupp is an American film and television actress, perhaps best known for her role as Kitty Forman on the long-running Fox sitcom, That '70s Show...
) when Donna was still a small child. Originally Bob and Red enjoyed each other's company, to the point of going on hunting and fishing trips together. At one point the Pinciottis seemed to "change" and become (in the words of Red) "dumb asses".
They both annoy Red greatly, particularly Bob, and Red makes little to no effort to hide his annoyance, but no matter how many times he insults Bob, Bob just smiles and laughs it off because he thinks Red is just kidding. From time to time Red does try to partake of male bonding activities with Bob, but is generally frustrated. Red doesn't seem to mind Donna. He may actually like her better than her parents.
Bob and Midge are somewhat risqué with each other, even going so far as to have sex on the hammock in broad daylight where Donna used to read her Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew is a fictional young amateur detective in various mystery series for all ages. She was created by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate book packaging firm. The character first appeared in 1930. The books have been ghostwritten by a number of authors and are published...
mystery books, which she saw and was very horrified over for some time. They are both nudists and commonly hosted nudist parties.
Midge was the neighborhood mom Eric Forman
Eric Forman
Eric Albert Forman is a fictional character and the male lead on the Fox Network's That '70s Show between seasons one through seven. Portrayed by Topher Grace, Eric is based on the adolescence of show creator Mark Brazill. Most of the show takes place at the Formans' home, particularly in the...
and his male friends fantasized about when coming of age (although Kelso
Michael Kelso
Michael Christopher Kelso usually referred to simply as Kelso by his friends is one of the five male leads on Fox Network's That '70s Show, portrayed by Ashton Kutcher. Tall, lanky and long-haired , he is the dim-witted pretty-boy of the group, coasting through life on his good looks...
and Fez
Fez (That '70s Show)
Fez is a fictional character and one of the four male leads on the Fox Network's That '70s Show, portrayed by Wilmer Valderrama. He was the foreign exchange student in a group of six local teenagers.-Origins:...
have both admitted to having sexual feelings for Kitty Forman). During one episode when Kelso and Fez thought that Eric had sex with Midge due to Midge's panties being left behind after a Midge-Bob encounter in the Vista Cruiser, they immediately began bowing to Eric and calling him "a God! A God, I say!" She is also dimwitted, which often results in her being the butt of jokes.
Problems arose when Midge started expressing dissatisfaction with just being a housewife
Housewife
Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
, which Bob, being a somewhat old fashioned kind of guy, had difficulty accepting. They began to fight regularly and in the second season they separated, but continued to live in the same house under the agreement that they could see other people; something Red and Kitty felt was a bad idea and encouraged Bob to "think hard" about. At Red's birthday, Bob and Midge brought along separate dates, but Bob got annoyed with Midge's date. Bob's argument with Midge led to a passionate tryst in their car. Eventually Bob and Midge reconciled and even went so far as to renew their vows.
When it was discovered that Donna had been engaging in sex with Eric, Bob's angry reaction to Donna losing her virginity before marriage was very similar to Kitty's upset feelings over Eric. Midge's reaction was expressing how proud she was of the kids to tell them before asking Donna, "So, how was it?" much to Donna's dismay.
In the early episodes Bob and Midge had a total of three daughters: Donna was the middle daughter, an older daughter named Valerie who was already in college, and a younger sister named Tina who appeared in the episode "Eric's Burger Job." Both the others were quickly phased out and never seen or heard from again, leaving Donna as the Pinciotti's only daughter. This is a similar occurrence to what happened to Chuck Cunningham on "Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
" and to Judy Winslow on "Family Matters."
Bob has a strange obsession with the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
. In one episode, he advises Eric to deal with a rival for Donna's affections by hitting him with a banjo, while in another, he advises Red to help Kitty get over her menopause by "getting her a banjo." When a skeptical Red asks "A banjo, Bob?", Bob answers that "I can't hold a banjo and not smile." Red sarcastically replies that "you can't hold a potato chip
Potato chip
Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
and not smile." Bob then immediately proceeds to smile and agrees.
Tanya Roberts ceased to be a regular member of the cast in 2001. This eventually led to Bob and Midge's on-screen divorce and her leaving for California to "pursue a career on Broadway" (again showing her dimwittedness. She guest starred for a few episodes after that).
Bob Pinciotti served in the United States National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
. Sometimes Red resents Bob when he gets to bragging about his service (in a fit of anger at Donna, Eric calls her a National Guard kid). Bob is also known for his infamous habit of walking around his house with his robe wide open and no underwear.