Dan “OFFICER DAN” Tullis Jr. joins us this Thursday evening for the Bundy Breakdown

Hey Bundy Club family,

Surprise Surprise! This Thursday, August 6th, we are bringing in one of the most consistently funny recurring characters in Married… with Children history.

Dan “Officer Dan” Tullis Jr. is joining us live.

If you know the show, you already know the man. The donut-loving Chicago cop who somehow manages to be both Al’s friend and the guy who keeps arresting him. A full-fledged member of NO MA’AM who still puts the cuffs on the boys when duty (or a free meal) calls. The deep voice. The perfect deadpan. The guy who pulls a donut out of his holster instead of a gun.

Officer Dan is pure comfort-food comedy, and having Dan Tullis Jr. himself on the Zoom is going to be special.

Who Is Dan Tullis Jr.?

Dan Tullis Jr. was born on July 8, 1951, in Oxnard, California. He stands 6’3″ with a powerful presence and that unmistakable deep voice that made him a natural for authority figures. Before he became a familiar face on television, he built a strong foundation in theater and music. He studied vocal performance and theater at Ventura College and California State University, Long Beach. He has performed the role of Joe in Show Boat in more than 18 productions around the world, including runs in Europe and Australia. He also provided the voice of the flesh-eating plant in a California stage production of Little Shop of Horrors.

His early screen work included appearances on The A-Team, Hunter, 227 (created by Married… with Children co-creator Michael Moye), Hill Street Blues, and the 1987 film Extreme Prejudice alongside Nick Nolte, where he played Sergeant 1st Class Luther Fry. He also popped up in Harlem Nights with Eddie Murphy. In 1992 he landed a regular role as Dane Grey on the short-lived sitcom Rachel Gunn, R.N.

On Married… with Children he started in smaller parts in Season 4 (a sheriff, a construction worker named Sonny, even an FBI agent). By the middle of the series he had fully become Officer Dan, the corrupt-but-lovable Chicago cop who felt like he truly belonged in Al’s world. He never overplayed it. He just showed up, delivered the line, and made the whole scene funnier. Fans still quote his best moments decades later.

Outside of acting, Dan has done extensive voice-over work and has been the longtime radio and television spokesman for SelectQuote life insurance. He has two children, Jillian and Dan III, both of whom work as educators.

Watch Party Episodes

We’re going to be reviewing 3 great episodes with Dan in the on our Bundy Breakdown:

Other Dan Tullis Jr. Episodes on Married… with Children

Here’s a solid list of his appearances with brief descriptions so you can rewatch the best ones before Thursday:

Early Appearances

• Season 4, Episode 8 – “976-SHOE” Al starts a disastrous shoe hotline. Dan appears as a sheriff’s deputy in one of his earliest roles on the show.
  
• Season 4, Episode 10 – “At the Zoo” Dan plays Sonny, a construction worker, in this early guest spot.
  
• Season 4, Episode 15 – “Rock and Roll Girl” Another early appearance as a law enforcement type while Kelly becomes a music video star.
  
• Season 5, Episode 18 – “Weenie Tot Lovers & Other Strangers” One of the first times we see him as a Chicago PD officer (not yet officially named Officer Dan).
  
• Season 6, Episode 17 – “The Egg and I” Dan appears as an FBI agent looking for Steve Rhoades.
  

The Official Officer Dan Era

• Season 7, Episode 20 – “Un-Alful Entry” Officer Dan shows up and delivers a classic warning to Al.
• Season 7, Episode 24 – “Old Insurance Dodge” Al’s beloved Dodge is stolen. Dan is the cop who finds it (and ruins Al’s insurance dreams).
• Season 8, Episode 4 – “Luck of the Bundys” Officer Dan and the boys raid Al’s illegal poker game. Perfect timing and perfect delivery.
• Season 8, Episode 9 – “NO MA’AM” The episode that officially launches the group. Marcy calls the police on them… and Officer Dan answers.
• Season 8, Episode 10 – “Dances with Weezie” Dan arrives late to the party (as usual) and still somehow steals moments.
• Season 8, Episode 18 – “Get Outta Dodge” One of his best. Al wants Dan to guard the Dodge. The “load in my pants” exchange is pure gold.
• Season 8, Episode 23 – “The Legend of Ironhead Haynes” Officer Dan joins the boys in searching for the ultimate man’s man. Great group chemistry.
• Season 9, Episode 6 – “Business Still Sucks (2)” Dan reminds everyone he’s still a cop first (most of the time).
• Season 9, Episode 11 – “A Man for No Seasons” NO MA’AM ends up behind bars. Dan is right in the middle of it.
• Season 9, Episodes 12 & 13 – “I Want My Psycho Dad” Parts 1 & 2 Officer Dan actually joins the cause when the boys try to bring back Psycho Dad.
• Season 10, Episode 13 – “I Can’t Believe It’s Butter” Dan and the crew interact with the mysterious Butter.
• Season 10, Episode 15 – “The Hood, the Bud and the Kelly (2)” More group chaos with Dan in the mix.
• Season 10, Episode 17 – “The Agony and the Extra C” Classic Dan moments at the Jiggly Room (“Hey, look at me! I’m a Village Person!”).
• Season 10, Episode 20 – “Turning Japanese” Officer Dan busts the Jiggly Room.
• Season 10, Episode 26 – “The Joke’s on Al” Dan forgets Griff in classic fashion.
• Season 11, Episode 3 – “Kelly’s Gotta Habit” Dan takes Al on a ride-along. One of the funnier later appearances.
• Season 11, Episode 17 – “Live Nude Peg” One of his final appearances on the series.

What to Expect This Thursday

We’ll talk about how the character developed, favorite moments, working with Ed and the rest of the cast, life on set during the NO MA’AM years, his theater background, and whatever wild stories Dan wants to share. Bring your questions. This is the kind of guest who has a ton of great material just waiting to come out.

Zoom details Thursday, August 6th 6:00 PM Pacific Time

Premium members will get the Zoom link closer to the event. Replays will be available afterward for members as usual.

If you’ve been waiting for a guest who feels like pure Married… with Children DNA, this is the one. Officer Dan is the guy who made the later seasons feel like the boys actually had a crew.

See you Thursday night.