Rob Reiner, famously known as “Meathead” from the classic sitcom “All in the Family,” was part of one of the most iconic ensembles in television history. Alongside his co-star Sally Struthers, Reiner made the difficult decision to leave the show after its eighth season. Reflecting on his final scene with his on-screen father-in-law, Carroll O’Connor, Reiner recalls the profound emotions that marked this pivotal moment.
Archie Bunker, played by the inimitable Carroll O’Connor, was a character viewers loved to hate. Despite his loudmouth bigotry, Archie’s depiction as a harried working man from Queens resonated with audiences. In a 2004 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Reiner, now 73, explained what made Archie such a compelling character.
“I think [Archie] was acceptable because he was real,” said Reiner, the acclaimed director of “The Princess Bride.” “He loved his family, and even though he was bigoted and ignorant, he was human. We saw a very vulnerable, loving person towards his family, and that made him acceptable in a certain way.”
Reiner continued, “We didn’t accept his viewpoints, we didn’t accept his bigotry, but we certainly could accept his humanity as a loving father and husband.”
The turbulent relationship between Archie and Mike, played by Reiner, was a central theme of the series. Archie often clashed with his son-in-law, whom he dubbed a “bleeding heart liberal.” Despite their ideological differences, there was a complex bond between the two men.
“I think that [Archie], at the same time that he was angry with Mike, he had a love for him,” Reiner recalled. “He might have resented the fact that he was living in the house and living off of him, certainly in the first few years, but he also, I think, was jealous of Mike in that Mike had the opportunity to go beyond where he had gone.”
Reiner elaborated on the dynamic, saying, “He looked up to Mike in an odd way. He was angry at him, but part of him looked up to Mike because Mike could achieve things that he could not. And he definitely had a love for him. That’s why audiences accepted him. Because as angry as he was, and as rageful as he was, and as bigoted as he was, he still had a capacity to love.”
Reiner’s departure from “All in the Family” was marked by an emotionally charged farewell scene. As the father of four, Reiner noted that actors often spend more time with their TV families than their real ones. The final episode of the eighth season, “The Stivics Go West,” saw Reiner and Struthers’ characters bidding goodbye to Archie and Edith, played by Jean Stapleton.
“That [episode] was a very emotional time for all of us,” Reiner admitted. “We’d been together for eight years… and you spend more time with your TV family than with your real family. And so you get very, very close to them and it’s very emotional.”
Reiner recounted the poignant farewell scene, saying, “The scene where we say goodbye to each other, there was no acting. There was just no acting. You didn’t have to act. I mean, I looked at Carroll… I’ll never forget it because it was one of those times when you don’t act because all of your emotions just come out.”
The legacy of “All in the Family” endures, thanks in no small part to the raw and relatable performances of its cast. Rob Reiner’s reflections on his time on the show underscore the deep connections and genuine emotions that made this series a timeless classic.
