While much of the comedy in All in the Family relies on verbal wit, the series also boasts numerous moments of stellar physical comedy. From doors slamming in Archie’s face to Mike and Archie comically shoving to fit through the doorway simultaneously, the show never shied away from using physical humor to elicit laughs. Sally Struthers, who played Gloria, was particularly adept at physical comedy, although her antics occasionally led to mishaps.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Struthers shared that she once broke her arm on set after a tumble down the Bunker’s staircase. She recounted, “I’ve hurt myself a couple of times just doing All in the Family. I fell down the stairs one week and broke my arm.”
The accident occurred just before filming was set to begin. Demonstrating her professionalism, Struthers refused to go to the hospital immediately and insisted on performing. “I went on with the two shows despite the cracked elbow, and then, after the second show, I was rushed to the hospital, and they put a cast on,” she explained.
Oddly enough, the show’s producers decided that Gloria couldn’t be seen wearing a cast in the next filming session. The solution was straightforward in theory but challenging in practice. “The next week they took the cast off right before the show and put it back on again afterward,” Struthers explained. “They were worried if they explained my broken arm on the show, the audience would be so concerned about it they would lose some of the spontaneity. I just sort of had to carry my arm around and hope nobody noticed.”
Despite the occasional physical mishap, Struthers’ commitment to her role and her ability to blend physical comedy with her character’s charm added an extra layer of humor and authenticity to All in the Family.
