The One Feud On The Set Of ‘All In The Family’ That Nearly Killed Off A Character

Norman Lear’s All In The Family is arguably one of the oldest sitcoms that paved the way to many more, such as Good Times, Maude, The Jeffersons, Archie Bunker’s Place, and Gloria. The show challenged societal perception as it depicted a typical American family dealing with their social, political, and personal differences.

Although the family members, played by Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, Rob Reiner, Carol O’Connor, and others, would often disagree and get into intellectual arguments only to come to a consensus at the end. Like on the show, feuds also took place behind the scenes and during filming.

The memorable ‘All In The Family’ fallout behind the scenes

Archie Bunker was the British bigot played by O’Connor, whose character was associated with several arguments and face-offs on family issues. He became a fan favorite, which caused a stir when he was absent from many scenes for up to a month due to a fallout behind the scenes. O’Connor even went as far as suing the production company in a bid to demand better benefits.

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Lear initially planned James Cromwell as Stretch Cunningham to play O’Connor’s replacement as he intended to kill off Bunker in an accident. O’Connor quickly returned upon learning about Lear’s verdict, with James’ character getting kicked out two seasons later. James saw his predecessor’s return as a blessing in disguise for his career because he stood the risk of being known by only one role.

Why did Carroll O’Connor threaten to leave ‘All in the Family’?

O’Connor was displeased by the working conditions and went on a personal strike in July 1974, noting that many things were wrong. He engaged in a legal battle with the series’ production company, Tandem Productions, demanding about $64,000 plus 12 weeks of annual vacation time within the working structure.

Lear wasted no time in reworking the plot to adapt to his absence, starting with season five’s “Where’s Archie?” episode. The ensuing episode “Archie Is Missing” continues the plot about him getting lost while on a trip with Edith, Gloria, and Michael. Episode ten explained that Archie was safe and sound but abandoned his partners while having fun on the holiday.