Bad Dads -- The Worst Movie Fathers Ever

Dads Dumb, Devious & Just Plain Deranged

Think your dad has some shortcomings? We bet your father never came after you with an ax, bedded your best friend, or ruled over an evil intergalactic empire (we apologize if he has indeed done any of the above).

We polled users to find out who they think is the worst movie dad of them all. Click through to see the results.

AP / FOX / Lucasfilm / Paramount Vantage

15. Wayne Szalinksi, 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' (1989)

Played by: Rick Moranis

Why He's a Bad Dad: Um, let's see ... he shrunk his kids! For those who insist Wayne isn't a bad father and claim this was just one unfortunate mishap, we refer to that time three years later when he 'Blew Up the Kid.' Negligence is a form of child abuse too.

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Buena Vista Pictures / Everett Collection

14. Royal Tenenbaum, 'The Royal Tenenbaums' (2001)

Played by: Gene Hackman

Why He's a Bad Dad: Royal's transgressions include stealing money, forgetting middle names and blaming them for his divorce. But he tops all those when he tells his kids, now adult and dysfunctional (shocker!), that he's dying ... just so he can move back home.

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Buena Vista

13. Fletcher Reede, 'Liar, Liar' (1997)

Played by: Jim Carrey

Why He's a Bad Dad: Sure, this devious lawyer ultimately redeems himself after a very Capraesque turn of events, but what if his young son hadn't been granted a magical birthday wish forcing his father to be honest for a whole 24 hours? Ever stop and think about that?

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Everett Collection

12. Jake Shuttleworth, 'He Got Game' (1998)

Played by: Denzel Washington

Why He's a Bad Dad: He had already wronged his son Jesus (Ray Allen) by leaving him parentless (killing his mother and going to prison for it), then he turns up just in time to try to influence the star basketball player's choice of college for a shorter sentence. He got nerve.

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Touchstone / Everett Collection

11. Big Daddy, 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1958)

Played by: Burl Ives

Why He's a Bad Dad: The old man is dying, and still he can't appreciate his family. It's not enough that his son (Paul Newman) is a depressed, drunk shell of a man -- Big Daddy's only pleasure is rubbing salt in his boy's wounds.

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Everett Collection

10. Don Vito Corleone, 'The Godfather' (1972)

Played by: Marlon Brando

Why He's a Bad Dad: He's big on Family values, but unfortunately that's family with a capital "F." He raised his sons to know that nothing is more important than the job -- even one's own brother. (Hey, "F" is for "Fredo," too.)

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AP

9. 'Bull' Meechum, 'The Great Santini' (1979)

Played by: Robert Duvall

Why He's a Bad Dad: The career marine treated his children like they were unruly boot camp trainees -- always pushing them to work harder, bossing them around, never showing any love or kindness. (Spoiler alert!) So there's no love lost from his son Ben (Michael O'Keefe) when his father's plane goes down.

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AP

8. Norman Osborn, 'Spider-Man' Trilogy

Played by: Willem Dafoe

Why He's a Bad Dad: Unknown to his son Harry (James Franco), Daddy was flying baddie Green Goblin -- but considering the verbal abuse and scorn Norman heaped onto his heir, Harry probably wasn't too shocked to learn the truth.

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Columbia Pictures

7. Darryl Cooper, 'Poison Ivy' (1992)

Played by: Tom Skerritt

Why He's a Bad Dad: It's one thing for your dad to be a perv, but to get it on with your new BFF (Drew Barrymore, in her skankiest role)? Ugh. Now that's just gross.

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New Line / Everett Collection