In an exclusive interview, Sally Struthers, a star of one of the most audacious comedies in television history, "All in the Family," shared her experiences of culture shock while working on the show.
The groundbreaking sitcom, which aired from 1971 to 1979, was renowned for its daring approach to controversial issues, often using humor to address societal taboos. The show's most contentious lines were typically delivered by Archie Bunker, a working-class character known for his prejudiced remarks about various groups, including his Black neighbors, feminist cousin-in-law, and Jewish coworkers. His wife, Edith, was also a frequent target of his jibes.
The show's main cast included Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton as Archie and Edith, with Struthers playing their daughter Gloria and Rob Reiner as their son-in-law, whom Archie affectionately referred to as "Meathead." According to Fox News, Struthers was taken aback by the content of the show during her early rehearsals, given her sheltered upbringing.
"I was very young when I started on that show," Struthers revealed in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "I grew up in Portland, Oregon, living with a Lutheran Norwegian family, who had absolutely no bigotry coming out of their mouths or in their hearts."
Struthers recalled the initial years of rehearsals at CBS in Los Angeles, where the cast would read the script aloud for the writers, producers, and network executives. She said, "And so they would bargain with Norman Lear about how many words he had to take out."
"Something would come out of somebody's mouth in the show, usually Archie's, and I would turn to whoever was sitting next to me and say, What does that mean?" she added. "I didn't hear racial slurs growing up. I didn't hear negative epithets. I really didn't know that all this ugliness was out there. So it was a big learning curve for me."
Despite Archie's gruff on-screen persona, Struthers shared in a 2021 interview with Closer Weekly that O'Connor was like a second father to her. "In 1968, my own father passed away," she shared. "I was still feeling bad and fatherless when I got this show. Carroll and his wife, Nancy, turned out to be as parental with me as he was in the show. Carroll gave me advice, he laughed at my antics, he hugged me all the time and he introduced me to my husband, [William Rader]! So I gained a father again by doing that show."
Struthers also pondered whether the humor of "All in the Family" would be accepted in today's society. "I think, you know, everything that leaves comes back maybe with a new sparkle on it or a new twist, but there's really very little in life that's completely new again unless it's a piece of technology that no one could have thought was coming," she told Fox Digital. "And I don't know, maybe educate a few people," she continued. "I've had so many people approach me over all my years to say, and they, quite often, a lot of them start out with a sentence, 'My dad is just like Archie. My grandfather is Archie Bunker, my uncle. And I always just say, 'My condolences.'"
Struthers, who is also recognized by younger audiences for her role as Babette on "Gilmore Girls," is now starring in the new Christmas movie "All is Merry & Bright" from SCDG Edify Productions, in collaboration with The Greenhouse Arts. The film, directed by Cory Edwards, also features John O'Hurley, Emily Rose, and Eric Close.
The movie tells the story of a mother who seeks forgiveness from her sister following a tragic accident in their teenage years that left her physically disabled. Struthers expressed that her favorite part of the holiday season is giving gifts. "I think that brings me the most satisfaction," she said. "I would much rather give a gift than receive one. I just, I love to see people's faces light up and see that I've actually found something, chosen something that gives them delight."
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