Those were the days! With its powerful cast and sharp writing, All in the Family was centered around a working-class opinionated man and his family, and to say it was groundbreaking is just the tip of the iceberg. In a nation barreling through the chaos of war, civil rights unrest, and the rise of feminism, how could it be possible that a sitcom could broach these sensitive topics, and not in a subtle way either? From the get-go we had Archie Bunker, an electrifying bigot spouting his wildly crude thoughts about other races, religions, and political movements — actually, pretty much any sensitive topic.
But The Bunker household also sported Gloria and Meathead who had polar opposite viewpoints, so the living room arguments became essentially a microcosm of ’70s American society. And as the insults flew, and progressive comments were met with even more regressive counterpoints, we the audience actually learned a lot. And laughed our butts off along the way. The show became, quite possibly, the most influential series of all time, and was ranked #1 on the yearly Nielsen ratings from 1971 until 1976. Today we’re heading back to Queens, New York to revisit the Bunker cast. Alright, let’s go make sure Meathead isn’t sitting in Archie’s Chair.
Carroll O’Connor (Archie Bunker)
Oh, Archie Bunker, the most lovable, vocally ignorant man on air. This assertively prejudiced patriot was a WWII veteran struggling to adapt to the ever-changing world. And this was universally important and relatable. But so much credit for the development of Archie goes to O’Connor himself, who pressed creator Norman Lear to not have Archie remains unphased by millions of Meathead arguments, or back and forths with Lionel Jefferson. Carroll pushed for Archie to evolve with the audience in a real life manner as he feared that many people weren’t getting the nuance of Archie’s progression, as his personal views on political and social issues were actually very liberal, and so the polar opposite of Archie. It was a cognitive approach that catapulted the Archie character into the record books.
O’Connor’s career began in 1960, with two episodes of Sunday Showcase. He continued with guest spots throughout the 60s until his breakout role of Archie Bunker, for which he won four Emmys. But Carrol was also obtaining smaller roles in films, like 1963’s epic Cleopatra, the John Wayne-led Pearl Harbor sequel film, In Harm’s Way; and a co-starring role in the Lee Marvin 1967 thriller Point Blank. After All in The Family, Archie’s tale continued through Archie Bunker’s Place on which aired that terribly sad episode where Edith died.
He later led yet another widely popular series, starring in the police drama In The Heat of the Night, for which he was also executive producer and a writer. Sadly, O’Connor’s later life was plagued by tragedy, as his son Hugh O’Connor, who also appeared on In The Heat of the Night, committed suicide in 1995 after a battle with drug addiction. Carroll used this tragedy to spark change, devoting the remainder of his life to advocate for drug and addiction awareness in PSAs. He also went on to successfully lobby California to pass the Drug Dealer Liability Act in 1997.
Carroll’s final acting appearance was in 2000’s romantic comedy Return to Me, as he sadly died the following year at the age of 76. One thing’s for sure, Carroll O’Connor is among the television greats in more ways than one.
Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker)
You can’t not smile when you hear Edith Bunker’s cheery, aloof, and happy-go-lucky demeanor. A bit ditzy, sure, but kindhearted, Edith proves to be somewhat of a force, too, as she sometimes takes a stand against Archie and his insults, but their unique marriage was strong and, above everything, they loved each other deeply.
Stapleton started on Broadway at 18 and rode stage gigs to the Silver Screen, recreating her musical part in Damn Yankees for the Tab Hunter film in 1958. In 1967, she co-starred in the film, Up the Down Staircase, and then she turned downMrs. Teevee from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory to become Edith Bunker. Certainly a tough choice, but one that rewarded her with three Emmys, and two Golden Globes victories.
Jean did well after Edith withdrew Archie Bunker’s Place. In fact, she and Whoopi Goldberg co-starred in the 1990 series Bagdad Cafe, based on the 1987 film. Then, in one of her final gigs, Stapleton played Birdie Conrad in the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan rom-com You’ve Got Mail. Birdie encourages Meg Ryan to lead the life she wants, even if that’s wandering into the unknown.
A lesson she seemed to live by herself. Jean sadly died in 2013 at the age of 90, but from creating that iconic Edith Bunker voice, to her bit parts in loads of TV shows and films, Jean Stapleton truly did it all.
