Before I knew her as Archie Bunker’s little girl Gloria on “All in the Family,” I knew Sally Struthers as Rebecca Cunningham on “TaleSpin.” Rebecca, affectionately known as “Becky” or “Beckers” by her carefree employee Baloo, was a loving single mom and ambitious businesswoman whose outspoken personality belied her petite build. This character was just one of many reasons to love the “Jungle Book”-inspired animated pulp adventure series and Disney Afternoon staple. After years of mediating between her stubbornly conservative dad and her liberal, holier-than-thou husband Michael as Gloria in “All in the Family,” Struthers had mastered the art of sounding flustered, a talent that served her well on “TaleSpin.”
Struthers’ distinct, gently raspy voice helped her carve out a successful career as a voice actor. She lent her talents to various animated series such as “Fred Flintstone and Friends,” “Tiny Toon Adventures,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” and “American Dad,” in addition to her work on “TaleSpin” and voicing Charlene Sinclair on Jim Henson Productions’ live-action sitcom “Dinosaurs.” This was alongside her on-screen roles, including the short-lived “All in the Family” spinoff “Gloria,” the TV adaptation of the ’80s film “9 to 5,” and her role as the charmingly odd neighbor Babette Dell on “Gilmore Girls.” Whether animated or live-action, Struthers’ unique intonations were unmistakable.
Interestingly, Struthers’ voice may have been the key to her casting on “All in the Family”—though perhaps not for the reasons one might assume.
Living Life as Archie Bunker’s Daughter
Even before a single episode of “All in the Family” aired, Struthers found herself raising her voice in exasperation at her on-screen family’s antics. Speaking to the New York Post in honor of the groundbreaking sitcom’s 50th anniversary in 2021, she recalled the less-than-ideal circumstances under which she landed her role on the show and how they worked in her favor:
“I was very young and certainly had no crystal ball—I had just been let go from ‘The Tim Conway Comedy Hour’ […] when I went to read for [the role of Gloria] for this man named Norman Lear. I had laryngitis, and they handed me a yelling scene to do. I’m sure that’s why he remembered me […] It was just another job. There was no way to know what it was to become.”
Nor did Struthers foresee growing so close to her on-screen parents, Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton, in real life. “I was so in love with Carroll and Jean. My own father died two years before I got ‘All in the Family,’ and Carroll became my dad, off-screen as well as on-screen,” Struthers told the outlet. She added, “I loved Jean with all my being. She was such an angel.” This deep affection shone through in Gloria’s interactions with Archie (O’Connor) and Edith (Stapleton) on the show, lending authenticity to their squabbles and familial dysfunction. This proved Norman Lear’s instincts were right on the money—viewers were ready and willing to watch a sitcom that took an honest look at working-class American life.