Norman Lear has profoundly shaped American television sitcoms. With his finger on the pulse of society, Lear aspired to create a sitcom about a working-class family in the 1960s. However, his breakthrough didn’t arrive until 1971, when CBS picked up “All in the Family.”
Running until 1979, “All in the Family” followed the Bunker family in Queens, New York. Despite its immense popularity and spawning seven spinoffs, the series faced behind-the-scenes turmoil.
One significant point of contention was the departure of Jean Stapleton, who played Edith Bunker.
Why Was ‘All in the Family’ So Popular?
Debuting at the dawn of the 1970s—a transformative decade for America—”All in the Family” spotlighted the generational divide. Patriarch Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) was a narrow-minded, bigoted man struggling with the sweeping changes of the era.
The show also featured matriarch Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton), a kind and gentle woman often overcome by anxiety. Central to the story were their feminist daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) and her husband, Michael Stivic (Rob Reiner), whose progressive views clashed with Archie’s traditionalism.
Initially, the show struggled with poor ratings in its first season. However, it gained a massive following during summer reruns. Its bold approach to sensitive topics—racism, infidelity, homosexuality, rape, religion, miscarriages, abortion, breast cancer, and the Vietnam War—resonated with younger audiences.
Carroll O’Connor’s On-Set Challenges
Despite the show’s success, Carroll O’Connor proved difficult to work with. In 1999, the late actor admitted to rewriting the pilot episode because he found it lacking.
“I rewrote the script all in pencil,” O’Connor recalled to the Television Academy Foundation. “Without a typist, I recorded the entire script, playing all the parts. I gave the tape to Norman Lear, who had it transcribed, and that became the script we used.”
O’Connor frequently made edits, changes, and criticisms, challenging Lear and the writers. “As difficult and often abusive as Carroll could be, his portrayal of Archie made up for it. I could kiss his feet after every performance,” Lear admitted.
Edith Bunker’s Departure
In the final season of “All in the Family,” Edith appeared less frequently. Jean Stapleton, fearing typecasting in submissive roles, opted for guest appearances rather than being a series regular.
Appearing in only four episodes of the final season, Stapleton’s concerns led Lear to agree to write Edith off the show. “To me, she isn’t fictional,” Lear said before ultimately deciding to let the character go.
Stapleton continued to have a successful career, with roles in “You’ve Got Mail” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” until her death in 2013.