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All in the Family

Produced by Norman Lear, and based on a British television series Till Death Us Do Part, the show broke ground in its depiction of issues previously unsuitable for network television comedy, such as racism, homosexuality, women's liberation, rape, breast cancer and impotence.

The show was wildly popular, and ranked #1 in the yearly Nielsen ratings from 1971 to 1976. Only one other program, The Cosby Show, has tied All In The Family in terms of years at the top of the ratings.

Jean Stapleton as Edith and Carroll O'Connor as Archie


Rob Reiner as Michael and Sally Struthers as Gloria

Table of contents

1 Overview 2 Production 3 Sample episode: "Sammy's Visit" 4 Spin-off series 5 All in the Family on DVD 6 Reference

Overview

• Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker, a bigoted blue-collar worker whose ignorant stubbornness tends to cause his arguements to self destruct.
• Jean Stapleton as Edith "Dingbat" Bunker, Archie's traditional but at times outspoken wife.
• Sally Struthers as Gloria Stivic, their college-age daughter.
• Rob Reiner as Michael "Meathead" Stivic, Gloria's college-student husband, an archetypical, if occasionally self righteous, 1960's liberal who constantly sparred with Archie on political and social issues.
• Earlier seasons also featured Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford as George and Louise Jefferson, Archie's African American neighbors.

Production

Former child actor Mickey Rooney was the show's choice to play Archie but Rooney declined the offer due to its strong potential for controversy and poor, in Rooney's opinion, chances for success. Actor Carroll O'Connor enthusiastically sought the part even though he agreed with Rooney's assessment of the show's chances. After seeing the show's pilot, the production company, ABC, also fed into this doubt and canceled the project.

Rival network CBS then bought the rights from ABC and re-titled the show All in the Family. In an effort to warn viewers about the controversial nature of the show, CBS ran a disclaimer before airing the first episode (which disappeared from the screen with the sound of a toilet flush).

Sample episode: "Sammy's Visit"

In spite of his bigoted opinions of both Jews and African Americans, Archie can barely contain his excitement as he tells Edith about his encounter and the fact the Davis, himself, would be stopping by later to retrieve his briefcase. (Archie's friend Munson was going to deliver the briefcase to the Bunker residence). He then sternly warns Edith (whom Archie often called "Dingbat") not to mention Davis's glass eye but later slips and asks coffee-sipping Davis "...Do you take cream and sugar in your eye?" while staring into Davis' glass eye.

In a later exchange between the two Archie says; "I think that if God had meant for us to be together, he'd have put us together. But look what he done. He put you over in Africa, and put the rest of us in all the white countries," to which Davis responded, "Well, he must've told you where we were because somebody came and got us."

Finally Munson arrives with the briefcase and, also star struck, asks if he could photograph Davis. Davis agreed on one condition; that Archie be in the photo with him. Then right as Munson snapped the photo Davis placed a kiss on Archie's cheek. A look of confusion mixed with horror replaces the grin on the bigot Archie's face and the studio audience erupted into unconstrained laughter.

"Sammy's Visit" would later win the episode's director, John Rich, an Emmy Award for Best Directing. It first aired on February 19, 1972.

Spin-off series

• Maude
• Good Times
• The Jeffersons
• Archie Bunker's Place
• Checking In
• Gloria
• 704 Hauser

All in the Family on DVD

The first two seasons of All in the Family are available on Region 1 DVD from Sony Pictures Television. The third season will be released in August 2004.

Reference