Who plays Penny's dad on The Big Bang Theory?

Keith Carradine played the role of Penny’s father on the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory.

The Big Bang Theory is a popular American sitcom made by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. It ran for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2009 on CBS. The show is about the lives of a group of four nerdy and socially awkward friends - Leonard Hofstadter, Sheldon Cooper, Howard Wolowitz, and Rajesh Koothrapalli. They all work at Caltech. Their lives take a dramatic turn when Penny, an aspiring actress and waitress moves in right across their apartment. The star cast of the sitcom includes Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Kaley Cuoco, Mayim Bialik, and Melissa Rauch.

Wyatt is Penny’s father and is one of the memorable characters of The Big Bang Theory. Although he had a minor role and appeared in a few episodes, his character highlights Penny’s relationship with her father and her family dynamics. He is portrayed as a supportive and caring father who always wants the best for Penny. He wants his daughter to make the right decisions in life.

Who plays Penny's father on The Big Bang Theory?

Keith Carradine played the role of Penny’s father on the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. He is an American actor, born on August 8, 1949. He comes from a family of actors, which started with his father, John Carradine. He started acting in 1971 with the film, McCabe & Mrs. Miller. He is known for his acting in films like Nashville (1975), Pretty Baby (1978), and Choose Me (1984). He appeared on several television projects like Deadwood (2004), Dexter (2007-2009), Fargo (2014-2015), and The Big Bang Theory (2009-2019).

Carradine had a successful singing career in the 1970s. He won ‘Best Original Song’ at Golden Globes and Oscars in 1975 for "I'm Easy", a song he wrote and performed for the film Nashville. He has performed in many stage productions like The Will Rogers Follies (1991), for which he was nominated for a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, and Foxfire, for which he won an Outer Critics Circle Award. After his two divorces, he married Hayley DuMond in 2006. He has four children - 2 boys and 2 daughters.

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Penny’s Dad’s appearances on The Big Bang Theory

Penny’s father, Wyatt, made appearances in 5 episodes of the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. He is mentioned several times in the show and his appearances highlight Penny’s relationship with her father, who is friendly and caring. Here is the list of appearances of Penny’s father in The Big Bang Theory:

Season 4, Episode 9, titled “The Boyfriend Complexity”

This is the first appearance of Penny’s father in The Big Bang Theory. In this episode, Wyatt comes to visit her, and Penny asks Leonard to pretend that they are still dating, as she lied to her father since he liked Leonard more than any of her boyfriends. Leonard pretends to be her boyfriend and they all go out for dinner. Her father liked him but Penny eventually confesses that she was lying. He is hurt at first, but then he requests Leonard, in the absence of Penny, to get back with her, as Leonard is the best choice for her, according to him.

Season 9, Episode 3, titled “The Bachelor Party Corrosion”

In this episode, Wyatt makes a short appearance when Penny calls him to tell him that she got married to Leonard one week ago. Penny was worried that his father would get upset that she didn’t invite him to the wedding. He was unexpectedly supportive and understanding in the situation because she was happy, and also, he had accidentally run over her pet pig, Moondance, with a tractor almost a year ago.

Season 10, Episode 1, titled “The Conjugal Conjecture”

This is the episode where Leonard and Penny get married again in front of his friends and family. Penny’s father, along with her mother Susan, and brother Randall, come to California to attend the wedding. Susan was worried about her family’s image in front of Leonard’s parents. On the other hand, Wyatt was relaxed and drinking alcohol with Penny. Later in the episode, he walks Penny down the aisle and enjoys the rest of the wedding.

Season 12, Episode 3, titled “The Procreation Calculation”

In this episode, Wyatt appears in a brief scene. This episode revolves around Leonard and Penny discussing family planning. Leonard is upset that Penny doesn’t want kids and calls her dad to persuade her. Wyatt calls Penny and asks her why she doesn't want to give him grandchildren. Penny cuts the call and gets annoyed with Leonard.

Season 12, Episode 15, titled “The Donation Oscillation”

This was the last appearance of Wyatt on The Big Bang Theory. Penny’s father visits her and Leonard and comes to know that Leonard is considering donating his sperm to Penny’s ex-boyfriend, Zack. Penny does not support this decision. Later in the episode, Wyatt has a conversation with his daughter and tells her that he will support her no matter what she decides. Leonard comes in the middle of the conversion and tells Wyatt to not force Penny about having children. He gets embarrassed when he finds out that they already discussed this. Wyatt is happy that Leonard cares for his daughter.