Here is our list of interesting facts about All in the Family
1). All in the Family is an American Sitcom which ran from 1971 to 1979.
The creator Norman Lear had been watching a British show called “Till Death Due Us Part” and realized it bared a striking similarity to the relationship he had with his own father.
This idea was developed into what would eventually be called “All in the Family”
Please leave your comments in the “Leave a Reply” section at the bottom of this page
The Spinoffs
2. An All in the Family spin-off show called Archie Bunker’s Place ran from 1979 to 1983. It also starred Carrol O’Connor.
Hey, did you know that All in the Family had some spin-offs?
One of the first ones was Maude, which starred Bea Arthur and kicked off in 1972.
It ended up sparking another cool show called Good Times, with Jimmy JJ Walker bringing the laughs. Good Times hit the air in 1974 and kept going strong until 1980!
Most notably, the spin-off show “The Jeffersons” premiered in 1975 and ran for an incredible 11 years!
It starred Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford (Sanford’s Emmy Award win in 1981 made her the first African-American actress to win for Best Actress in a Comedy Series)
Other spin-offs include the lackluster show “Gloria”, which ran for only one season.
Another was “704 Hauser Street”, which featured a different family living in the Bunker’s former residence. What a bomb!
3. All in the Family depicts the life of a working-class stiff and his family.
The show broke ground (and infuriated censors) in its outward use of issues previously thought unsuitable for a Network sitcom.
These challenges encompass racism, antisemitism, infidelity, homosexuality, women’s liberation, miscarriage, impotence, rape, abortion, menopause, the Vietnam War, breast cancer, and religion.
4. The first season of All in the Family was not as popular as many people think.
Viewers didn’t exactly know what to make of it’s content and it was touch and go as far as the show’s future was concerned.
The producers plowed ahead and the rest is television history
A Record 5 Years on Top
5. All in the Family was the first show to top the Nielson ratings for an incredible 5 consecutive years!
6. The episode “Sammy’s Visit”, guest-starring the late great Sammy Davis Jr. was voted #13 on TV Guide’s Top 100 TV Episodes of all time!
7. The original theme song “Those Were The Days” was sung live before every show by stars Caroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton
Here are the lyrics:
Boy the way Glenn Miller played
Songs that made the hit parade
Guys like us we had it made
Those were the days
And you knew who you were then
Girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man
Like Herbert Hoover again
Didn’t need no welfare state
Everybody pulled his weight
Gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
8. Carrol O’Connor co-wrote the closing theme song “Remembering You”
9. Former child star Mickey Rooney was Norman Lear’s first choice for Archie Bunker but Rooney turned down the role.
He felt the show’s content was weak and predicted that All in the Family would be a flop. Sorry Mick but you were wrong!
Another actor up for the role of Archie Bunker was Vic Tayback (Mel from the TV hit show Alice).
Although Tayback did not get the part, he subsequently appeared on All in the Family as a former friend of Archie’s looking for help finding a job.
He did get a job and it turned out to be the loading dock foreman…Archie’s boss!
After the Show
10. The cancellation of Archie Bunker’s Place did not stop Carol O’Connor from pursuing acting.
He landed the role of Chief Gillespie in the acclaimed cop show “In the Heat of the Night”, which ran from 1988 to 1994.
O’Connor won an Emmy award in 1989 for his performance
All in the Family Cast
- Carroll O’Connor – Archie Bunker
- Jean Stapleton – Edith Bunker
- Sally Struthers – Gloria Stivic
- Rob Reiner – Michael “Meathead” Stivic
- Danielle Brisebois – Stephanie Mills
- Sherman Hemsley – George Jefferson
- Isabel Sanford – Louise Jefferson
- Mike Evans – Lionel Jefferson
- Mel Stewart – Henry Jefferson
- Bea Arthur – Maude
- Betty Garrett and Vincent Gardenia – Irene and Frank Lorenzo
- Allan Melvin – Barney Hefner
- James Cromwell – Jerome “Stretch” Cunningham
- Liz Torres – Theresa Betancourt
- Billy Halop – Munson
- Bob Hastings – Tommy Kelsey
- Jason Wingreen – Harry Snowden
- Gloria LeRoy – Mildred “Boom-Boom” Turner
- Barnard Hughes – Father John Majeskie
- Estelle Parsons – Blanche Hefner
- Bill Quinn – Mr. Edgar van Ranseleer
All in the Family is still considered one of the most groundbreaking sitcoms in TV history, thanks to its honest portrayal of the social and political issues of the time.
Archie Bunker, the iconic character from the classic TV show All in the Family, was known for his blunt, often politically incorrect remarks. Here are 10 memorable quotes that capture his unique, sometimes humorously flawed worldview:
- “You are a meathead. Dead from the neck up.”
- Archie frequently referred to his son-in-law, Michael, as a “meathead,” highlighting their constant clashes over politics and values.
- “I ain’t racist. I love all colors of the rainbow – as long as they stay in their own neighborhood.”
- Archie was often written to satirize prejudiced attitudes, especially through statements like this.
- “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but you are one dumb Polack.”
- Archie’s relationship with Michael was filled with jabs like this, where Archie expressed his outdated ethnic stereotypes.
- “Faith is something you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe.”
- Archie’s take on faith reflects his skeptical, old-school outlook, often mixed with a humorous twist on common expressions.
- “The only thing that holds a family together is the father. The breadwinner, the boss.”
- Archie often expressed traditional (and sometimes overly patriarchal) views on family dynamics, seeing himself as the head of his household.
- “If God had meant for us to go metric, we’d have been born with ten fingers and ten toes!”
- Archie’s humorous take on resisting the metric system was one of many instances where he resisted change, preferring what was familiar.
- “All I’m saying is let’s go back to the good old days, when we had all the answers!”
- Archie often looked back nostalgically on the past, equating the old days with a simpler, better time.
- “I’m not against change, Edith, as long as it don’t change me!”
- In his own way, Archie summed up his resistance to new ideas and attitudes.
- “This is my castle, Edith! I am the king!”
- Archie would often proclaim his “kingly” status in his household, using it to justify his traditional role and decision-making power.
- “It ain’t supposed to make sense; it’s faith. Faith is something that you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe.”
- Archie’s skewed philosophy shows his simplistic, often humorous way of processing life, especially when it comes to big concepts.
Archie’s comments were usually meant to expose the absurdity in narrow-minded views, and they reflect a mix of humorous ignorance and reluctant wisdom. His character opened conversations about prejudices and generational divides, which was groundbreaking in its time.
The show paved the way for many other shows that tackled controversial issues and challenged the status quo.
The Jeffersons – Movin’ On Up!
The Jeffersons: A Timeless Classic That Redefined Television” The world of television has witnessed numerous iconic shows that have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Among these gems, “The Jeffersons” stands tall as a groundbreaking sitcom that not only entertained audiences but also challenged societal norms. In this article, we will delve into the…
Keep reading
Interesting Facts About Carroll O’Connor
John Carroll O’Connor Carroll O’Connor was born on August 2, 1924, in New York City. His father, Edward Joseph, was a lawyer, and his mother a teacher. Growing up in Elmhurst and Forest Hills, Queens, New York he spent his early years with family. Carroll had two brothers, Hugh and Robert. Hugh sadly died in…
Keep reading
Leave a Reply