I was reading my Foxtrot collection the other day I noticed how Roger Fox evolved from a competent if old-fashioned father to a man who can crash his family's computer with one click.
Of course the epitome of this Bumbling Dad trope is Homer Simpson (seriously how is he even alive?). We also see more comical than serious fathers in Disney movies like Aladdin, Tarzan, The Sleeping Beauty, etc.
This relates to FBoFW because I think John sort of de-evolved into this trope as well over time, becoming little more than a money-earner in the mornings and the train-man-child when he came home.
What I'm trying to pinpoint is when exactly this trope got started. Everyone knows the Simpsons, but do the Flintstones and the Jetsons (which are way older) count?
Then there is this video that Disney made in 1941 about the 1890's. I'm having a hard time deciding if that's more an example of a deadbeat dad than anything else.
I'm also interested to know if this is because Western society has a lower view of men in general today compared to the 50's.