Top 10 Best Friends Recurring Characters
#10: Estelle Leonard
Joey lands a lot of lousy gigs, although it’s not necessarily because he’s a bad actor. Estelle clearly isn’t the best talent agent, with her only other client being a guy who eats paper. That being said, Estelle is loyal to Joey and even books him an audition on “Days of our Lives.” Over the course of the show, Estelle can primarily be found chain-smoking behind her desk, speaking in a voice that’s raspier than Joan Rivers’, and wearing enough makeup to make Dolly Parton blush. While her screen time is rarely long, Estelle’s sleazy demeanor and occasional incompetence never failed to get a laugh. After ten years of service, Estelle sadly passed away, but at least she got to bid Joey farewell… sort of.
#9: Amy Green
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When we first meet Rachel Green, she can come off as spoiled, selfish, and insensitive. Of course, Rachel matures into a much more well-rounded person over the years. What if Rachel hadn’t moved to New York and turned her life around, though? Well, you’d probably get someone a lot like her sisters. Where youngest sister Jill carries Rachel’s spoiled tendencies, middle sister Amy takes the selfishness and insensitivity into overdrive. Appearing in two episodes, one of which won actress Christina Applegate an Emmy, Amy is lovable despite basically being an adult mean girl. Even when she’s trying to better herself, Amy’s idea of helping is getting a toddler’s ears pierced. Still, Amy’s irresponsible nature helps her find her true calling: baby stylist!
#8: Eddie Menuek
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After Joey temporarily moves out, Eddie moves in with Chandler. At first, Eddie seems fairly normal. Slowly but surely, though, Chandler realizes that he’s living with a freak of nature. Eddie begins to show his true colors upon telling Chandler about his latest breakup. He proceeds to accuse Chandler of having sex with his ex and axing his fish. Eddie only becomes more unhinged, adopting a Goldfish cracker, watching Chandler sleep, and stealing a mannequin head. When Joey moves back in, Chandler hilariously convinces Eddie that he never lived there in the first place. Eddie’s never seen or heard from again, although we like to think he moved to Vegas, got a job selling dehydrating fruit, and found a girlfriend as crazy as he is.
#7: Frank Buffay Jr.
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Searching for her father, Phoebe instead finds a half-brother, who looks suspiciously like a guy who accidentally dropped a condom in her guitar case earlier that season. You can tell that Frank and Phoebe are cut from the same cloth, as both have strange habits and bizarre stories to tell. Where Phoebe more or less has her life together, though, Frank is a burnout who spends most of his time melting stuff and watching “Davey and Goliath.” In spite of his immature tendencies, Frank has a taste for much older women, falling for his home-economics teacher, Alice. Phoebe eventually comes around to their union and even acts as a surrogate for their triplets: Frank Jr. Jr., Leslie, and Chandler...
#6: Richard Burke
If you grew up in the 80s, you probably know Tom Selleck best as Thomas Magnum. For anyone who grew up in the 90s, however, Selleck is best-recognized as Richard Burke. With a tall stature and signature mustache, Richard becomes Monica’s most serious love interest, excluding Chandler of course. Since Monica was always the group’s maternal figure, it makes sense that she’d fall for a guy who’s understanding, responsible, and mature, but still funny in subtle ways. Although both initially see past the age difference, Richard feels he’s too old to have more children, putting an end to their relationship. Even when Richard returns as the “other guy” in Season 6, he remains a generally likable person who loves Monica enough to let her go.
#5: Mike Hannigan
To think, Phoebe met her future husband just because Joey wandered into Central Perk and shouted the name Mike. In many respects, Mike and Phoebe seem like polar opposites on paper. One’s very down to earth while the other sometimes talks as if she’s from a different planet. They may come from different backgrounds, but Mike’s no stick in the mud. He does have an eccentric side, although sometimes he needs a little push from someone like Phoebe to take risks. Phoebe, meanwhile, could use a partner who’s more grounded. While Mike loves Phoebe’s wonderfully weird ways, he also acts as a voice of reason when she goes too over-the-top. Both balance each other out perfectly, making Mike a welcome addition to the final seasons.
#4: Jack Geller
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At one point or another, we’re introduced to all the living parents of the six friends. Ross and Monica’s parents play the most prominent roles throughout the series, however. Rarely far away from wife Judy, Jack is probably the show’s most affectionate father figure. That’s not to say he’s without fault, as Ross is usually shown more attention than Monica. Nevertheless, Jack knows when he’s made a mistake and giving his daughter a Porsche is a nice apology. Jack and Judy are also among the few couples who have a consistently healthy relationship in every department, as Monica learns firsthand. Out of all the parents, Jack arguably gets the best one-liners, whether he’s helping Monica and Chandler get pregnant or telling off Emily’s father.
#3: Ursula Buffay
When “Friends” hit the airwaves, Lisa Kudrow already had a recurring role on “Mad About You” as waitress Ursula. So it was decided to make them identical twins! Like her sister, Ursula is an oddball who lives in New York, although the similarities end there. Where Phoebe has a strong moral compass, Ursula is beyond cynical, a compulsive liar, and unapologetically self-absorbed, which is why we love her! Even when they’re in the same shot, you can always tell Ursula apart from Phoebe, which is a testament to Kudrow’s acting abilities and how well-defined both characters are. In addition to waitressing, Ursula has also made a name for herself in adult films and will apparently one day be New York’s Governor.
#2: Gunther
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Just as George Martin was often described as the fifth Beatle, Gunther was essentially the seventh Friend. He didn’t get to regularly sit on the couch and make chitchat with the main cast members, but we could usually count on seeing Gunther working in Central Perk’s background. Not much is known about Gunther’s life outside of work, which makes it all the more hysterical when we’re given tidbits of obscure trivia – like the fact that he used to be a soap star and lives with Phoebe’s co-worker Jasmine. Aside from serving coffee, Gunther’s best-remembered for his unrequited crush on Rachel, which doesn’t have the happiest ending for him. Like Charlie Brown, Gunther is a lonely sad sap, but hopefully someday he’ll get a win. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Mr. Heckles Susan Bunch Carol Willick Pete Becker Joshua Burgin
#1: Janice Litman-Goralnik
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Okay, let’s get this out of the way: “Oh… My… God!” Those are three words we grew used to hearing with every passing season of “Friends.” Of course, we never knew exactly when or where we might hear these three words again, making Janice’s surprise appearances one of the best running gags. Chandler’s obnoxious ex-girlfriend had a way of inserting herself back into the equation at the most inopportune times, be it before a wedding, during childbirth, or at a dream house showing. A little of Janice can go a long way. So, it’s probably for the best that she was a recurring character and not a permanent member. Whenever she popped up, however, Janice always left the audience laughing all the way to Yemen.
