David Read

David L. Read is the father of Arthur, D.W., and Kate, and the son of Thora Read. He is married to Jane Read. He is a chef who runs a catering business from home.

Physical appearance
In short, he looks like an older version of his son Arthur, just without the glasses. His usual outfit is a white top with blue borders with corduroy pants and brown loafers. He was originally bald-headed in the earlier books but was later given clumps of hair that were brown in the books, although it was restricted to black lines in the cartoon in order to simplify animation process. For sleepwear, he has been seen wearing green pajamas. In the summer, for summer clothes, he wears a white t-shirt with an aqua green collar, blue shorts, and brown sandals. In "Cast Away", he is shown wearing an orange checkered shirt and brown shorts

Personality
Although not very strict, David urges Arthur and D.W. to try new foods that he bakes; however, the foods are usually weird and exotic ones that Arthur and D.W. do not like. Mr. Read is equally disgusted at their preferred food, saying it will only give them dental problems. He also says that a year's supply of junk food is no prize. ("Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest".)

As with all father figures, David sometimes tends to come across as hard on Arthur and D.W. a lot of times, but that's only because he only wants them to do their best in life.

But all the same, he has a great relationship with his wife, children, family and other associates.

Past life
When David was a baby, he wore a pink shirt, white cloth diapers with a pin, and brown shoes. During his high school years, when he started dating Jane, as seen in a photo album in "Arthur's Eyes", he had a brown mullet hairstyle and a mustache and goatee and wore white and blue disco clothes that were fashionable between the late 1970s and early 1980s. He grew up in Elwood City with his two sisters, brother and his mother, Thora Read, who possibly raised them all by herself due to the fact that her husband is unknown and has been absent throughout the series and is possibly deceased.

Appearances
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Specials

 * "Arthur's New Friend"
 * "Arthur's Perfect Christmas"
 * "D.W. and the Beastly Birthday"
 * "Arthur and the Haunted Tree House"
 * "The Rhythm and Roots of Arthur"
 * "An Arthur Thanksgiving"
 * "Arthurs First Day"

Arthur
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 * Season 1
 * "Arthur's Eyes" 10101
 * "Arthur's Spelling Trubble" 10202
 * "D.W. All Wet" 10301
 * "D.W.'s Imaginary Friend" 10401
 * "Arthur's Pet Business" 10402
 * "Arthur's Lost Library Book" 10501
 * "D.W. the Copycat" 10502
 * "Locked in the Library!" 10601
 * "Arthur Goes to Camp" 10701
 * "Arthur's New Puppy" 10801
 * "Arthur Bounces Back" 10802
 * "Arthur Babysits" 10901
 * "Arthur's Cousin Catastrophe" 10902
 * "Arthur's Birthday" 11001
 * "Arthur's Baby" 11101
 * "D.W.'s Baby" 11102
 * "Arthur Writes a Story" 11201
 * "Arthur's Lost Dog" 11202
 * "So Long, Spanky" 11301
 * "Arthur the Wrecker" 11401
 * "Arthur's Family Vacation" 11501
 * "Grandpa Dave's Old Country Farm" 11502
 * "Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest" 11601
 * "D.W. Flips" 11602
 * "Arthur's Chicken Pox" 11801
 * "Sick as a Dog" 11802
 * "D.W. Rides Again" 11901
 * "Arthur Makes the Team" 11902
 * "Arthur's Almost Boring Day" 12001
 * "The Half-Baked Sale" 12002
 * "The Perfect Brother" 12102
 * "D.W.'s Snow Mystery" 12201
 * "Arthur's Tooth" 12401
 * "D.W. Gets Lost" 12402
 * "D.W. Thinks Big" 12501
 * "Arthur Cleans Up" 12502
 * "D.W.'s Blankie" 12701
 * "Arthur's Substitute Teacher Trouble" 12702
 * "The Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club" 12802
 * "Arthur's First Sleepover" 13001
 * "Arthur's New Year's Eve" 13002
 * Season 2
 * "Arthur Meets Mister Rogers" 20101
 * "Arthur's Lucky Pencil" 20202
 * "D.W., the Picky Eater" 20301
 * "Arthur Makes a Movie" 20401
 * "Go to Your Room, D.W." 20402
 * "Buster Baxter, Cat Saver" 20601
 * "Play it Again, D.W." 20602
 * "Arthur's TV-Free Week" 20701
 * "Night Fright" 20702
 * "Arthur vs. the Piano" 20801
 * "Lost!" 20901
 * "The Short, Quick Summer" 20902
 * "D.W. Goes to Washington" 21001
 * "D.W.'s Deer Friend" 21101
 * "Arthur's Faraway Friend" 21201
 * "Arthur and the Square Dance" 21202
 * "Water and the Brain" 21301
 * "Arthur the Unfunny" 21302
 * "Sue Ellen's Lost Diary" 21401
 * "Grandma Thora Appreciation Day" 21501
 * "D.W. Blows the Whistle" 21602
 * "Francine Redecorates" 21701
 * "Arthur the Loser" 21702
 * "D.W.'s Very Bad Mood" 21802
 * "D.W.'s Name Game" 21901
 * "Finders Key-pers" 21902
 * "How the Cookie Crumbles" 22001
 * "Sue Ellen's Little Sister" 22002
 * Season 3
 * "Buster's Back" 30101
 * "D.W. All Fired Up" 30201
 * "I'd Rather Read It Myself" 30202
 * "The Chips are Down" 30501
 * "Revenge of the Chip" 30502
 * "Meet Binky" 30602
 * "Dad's Dessert Dilemma" 30702
 * "Buster's Growing Grudge" 30802
 * "Arthur's Treasure Hunt" 30901
 * "Attack of the Turbo Tibbles" ) 31001
 * "D.W. Tricks the Tooth Fairy" 31002
 * "Double Tibble Trouble" 31101
 * "Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival" 31102
 * "Clarissa is Cracked" 31202
 * "Arthur's Dummy Disaster" 31301
 * "Francine and the Feline" 31302
 * "Mom and Dad Have a Great Big Fight" 31401
 * "D.W.'s Perfect Wish" 31402
 * "Arthur and D.W. Clean Up" 31501
 * Season 4
 * "D.W.'s Library Card" 40101
 * "Arthur's Big Hit" 40102
 * "Hide and Snake" 40201
 * "Buster's Breathless" 40301
 * "Prove It" 40402
 * "The Blizzard" 40501
 * "The Rat Who Came to Dinner" 40502
 * "1001 Dads" 40801
 * "Prunella's Prediction" 40802
 * "What is that Thing?" 40901
 * "Buster's Best Behavior" 40902
 * Season 5
 * "Arthur and the Big Riddle" 50101
 * "Double Dare" 50102
 * "Kids are from Earth, Parents are from Pluto" 50201
 * "Nerves of Steal" 50202
 * "The Shore Thing" 50302
 * "The World Record" 50401
 * "The Cave" 50402
 * "The Lousy Week" 50501
 * "You Are Arthur" 50502
 * "Pet Peeved" 50702
 * "The Last of Mary Moo Cow" 50801
 * "Just Desserts" 50901
 * "Arthur's Family Feud" 51001
 * Season 6
 * "Arthur Plays the Blues" 60201
 * "Buster's Sweet Success" 60202
 * "The Secret Life of Dogs and Babies" 60302
 * "Muffy's Soccer Shocker" 60401
 * "Arthur and Los Vecinos" 60502
 * "More!" 60702
 * "For Whom the Bell Tolls" 60802
 * "Crushed" 60902
 * Season 7
 * "Cast Away" 70101
 * "Ants in Arthur's Pants" 70301
 * "Elwood City Turns 100!" 70501
 * "Pick a Car, Any Car" 70601
 * "D.W.'s Time Trouble" 70701
 * "Buster's Amish Mismatch" 70702
 * "Is There a Doctor in the House?" 70801
 * "Return of the Snowball" 70902
 * "April 9th" 71001
 * Season 8
 * "Dear Adil" 80101
 * "Arthur's Snow Biz" 80301
 * "D.W., Dancing Queen" 80402
 * "Postcards from Buster" 80601
 * "Tales from the Crib" 80802
 * "Flea to Be You and Me" 80901
 * "Kiss and Tell" 80902
 * "Bleep" 81002
 * Season 9
 * "Castles in the Sky" 90101
 * "Francine's Big Top Trouble" 90201
 * "Arthur Weighs In" 90301
 * "My Fair Tommy" 90402
 * "Lights, Camera... Opera!" 90501
 * "All Worked Up" 90502
 * "It Came From Beyond" 90602
 * "D.W. Beats All" 90901
 * Season 10
 * "Happy Anniversary" 10010
 * "The Squirrels" 100201
 * "Feeling Flush" 100401
 * "Family Fortune" 100402
 * "D.W. Aims High" 100501
 * "Flaw and Order" 100502
 * "Arthur Changes Gears" 100602
 * "Unfinished" 100701
 * "D.W., Bossy Boots" 100702
 * "Binky vs. Binky" 100801
 * "Operation: D.W.!" 100802
 * "What's Cooking?" 101001
 * Season 11
 * "Swept Away" 110101
 * "Baby Kate and the Imaginary Mystery" 110501
 * "The Making of Arthur" 110601
 * "Dancing Fools" 110602
 * "Hic or Treat" 110701
 * "Buster Gets Real" 110802
 * "Big Brother Binky" 11100
 * Season 12
 * "Never, Never, Never" 120101
 * "Bats in the Belfry" 120302
 * "The Blackout" 120801
 * "Do You Believe in Magic?" 120902
 * "D.W.'s Furry Freak-out" 121002
 * Season 13
 * "Kung Fool" 130202
 * "Arthur's Number Nightmare" 130301
 * "No Acting, Please" 130501
 * "When Carl Met George" 130601
 * "D.W. Swims with the Fishes" 130602
 * "Paradise Lost" 130901
 * "The Secret Origin of Supernova" 131002
 * Season 14
 * "D.W. Unties the Knot" 140202
 * "Falafelosophy" 140401
 * "The Great Lint Rush" 140402
 * "Pet Projects" 140502
 * "Buster Baxter & the Letter from the Sea" 140602
 * "Around the World in 11 Minutes" 140701
 * Season 15
 * "Fifteen" 150100
 * "Cents-less" 150401
 * "S.W.E.A.T." 150502
 * "Grandpa Dave's Memory Album" 150601
 * "Buster's Carpool Catastrophe" 150602
 * "Best Enemies" 150802
 * "Buster's Garden of Grief" 150901
 * "Through the Looking Glasses" 150902
 * "The Butler Did... What?" 151001
 * "The Trouble with Trophies" 151002
 * Season 16
 * "Read and Flumberghast" 160502
 * "Brain's Chess Mess" 160602
 * "The Best Day Ever" 161002
 * Season 17
 * "Adventures in Budylon" 170201
 * "Molina's Mulligan" 170301
 * "Just the Ticket" 170402
 * "All Thumbs" 170501
 * "Kidonia" 170502
 * "Pets and Pests" 170701
 * Season 18
 * "The Tattletale Frog" 180101
 * "D.W. & Bud's Higher Purpose" 180102
 * "The Substitute Arthur" 180302
 * "Whip. Mix. Blend." 180601
 * "Staycation" 180602
 * "Two Minutes" 180701
 * "Arthur Read: Super Saver" 180801
 * "Tibbles to the Rescue" 180802
 * "The Pageant Pickle" 180901
 * "Some Assembly Required" 180902
 * "Shelter from the Storm" 181000
 * Season 19
 * "One Ornery Critter" 190501
 * "Maria Speaks" 190601
 * "Carl's Concerto" 190701
 * Season 20
 * "Arthur and the Whole Truth" 200102
 * "He Said, He Said" 200301
 * "Bunny Trouble" 200302
 * "Mutiny on the Pitch" 200602
 * Season 21
 * "Francine & the Soccer Spy" 210301
 * "Invasion of the Soccer Fans" 210701
 * "Pal and the Big Itch" 210702
 * Season 22
 * "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone"
 * "The Feud"
 * "The Longest Eleven Minutes"
 * "Binky Can't Always Get What He Wants"
 * "Muffy's Car Campaign"
 * Season 23
 * "When Duty Calls"
 * "D.W. and Dr. Whosit"

Other Media
In the Living Books computer games, he had a light brown complexion in Arthur's Teacher Trouble, and it was changed to pale in Arthur's Birthday. In these two games, he was voiced by Tony Fardella before the cartoon show replaced him with Bruce Dinsmore.

In the later games during the 32-bit era of computers and software, such as Arthur's Thinking Games, his appearance was the same as he looks in the cartoon show.

Career
Mr. Read is a catering chef. He has been shown to do all his work in part of a very large detached garage filled with expensive cooking and restaurant equipment. He has his own commercial vehicle with a mascot resembling Hamburger Helper & Pillsbury Dough Boy painted on the body of the van. He delivers the food to his customers in the van. It is based on Harry Boyle's catering delivery company from the American adult animated sitcom Wait Till Your Father Gets Home. David's biggest customer is Ed Crosswire, of which he and Jane are very dependent on. If Ed were to cancel, David's business would be in jeopardy. David's biggest fan is Mr. Ratburn, who creates situations to meet David and follows Ed to the catering events. ("Dad's Dessert Dilemma", "The Secret Life of Dogs and Babies".)

Family
The Read's family consist of 6 members of the household: David Read, Jane, Arthur, D.W., Kate and the family dog, Pal. His son Arthur always refers to him as "Dad", but D.W. usually refers to him as "Daddy", because D.W. is younger than Arthur. David has a mother also living in Elwood City, Thora Read. He has an older sister named Loretta whose only plot-relevant appearance is in the episode "Arthur's Cousin Catastrophe", with all of her other appearances being cameos. His father was never seen, and it is likely that his father may be deceased. He also had three uncles, who are shown in the episode "Clarissa is Cracked" and some or all of them may be deceased.

Friends

 * Ed Crosswire - A friend and usual customer of both the Reads' businesses.
 * Ramón Molina - They quickly become friends when they meet each other the first time. They both have a passion for cooking exotic foods.
 * Tatsuya Matsumoto - Tatsuya used to be David's pen pal when the two were children. Given his nostalgic moment when he rediscovered one of Tatsuya's letters, it can be assumed that the two were good friends when they still wrote to each other.
 * Nigel Ratburn - They went to college together, he likes David's cooking, and was invited to stay with The Reads.
 * Bailey - They went to college together.

Trivia

 * In "D.W. Aims High," David said he was Arthur's age when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, meaning he was born around 1960 or 1961.