Rob Reiner remembers Jean Stapleton at the Emmys

My memories of Jean Stapleton

 

Jean Stapleton was one celebrity I had the pleasure of 'meeting' via Twitter in 2011. I've always been a fan of hers and of her Edith Bunker character on All in the Family (1971-79), one of my all-time favourite TV shows.

I was surprised when I discovered she had a Twitter account. She was 88 years old at the time, and had been retired for the past decade. Not being absolutely sure it was her official account or whether it was an imposter, I sent a message expressing my admiration for her. 

Six months later, I got a reply, and it made my day!

I wrote to her a couple more times after that. I told her how sad I felt when I watched the Archie Bunker's Place episode that dealt with Edith's death. She replied that by 1980, she felt the need to move on to other roles. I told her she did well, post-Edith, and liked her in the musical Something's Afoot (it was one of the first projects she took on after retiring the character). When she wrote about the time she met singer Etta James just before her death in 2012, I said I also liked her, and saw her perform once in Toronto. 

Shortly after we exchanged those messages, she closed her Twitter account. Stapleton died of natural causes on May 31, 2013, after living 90 wonderful years. I remembered her in a tweet the next day as "a sweet, classy lady." Rest in peace Jean, and Dingbat, xoxox.

Celebrating 40 years of All in the Family

It was 40 years ago this past January that All in the Family, one of my favourite TV shows of all time, celebrated its 40^th anniversary. The iconic sitcom aired from 1971 to 1979, centering on a suburban New York family led by working class bigot Archie Bunker. The main stars of All in the Family were Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers.

Developed by Norman Lear from the British series Till Death Us Do Part, All in the Family was never afraid to take on the important political and social issues of the day, as expressed by Archie and his more liberal son-in-law Mike “Meathead” Stivic. They were presented through satire, by sending up societal prejudices, as well as life’s frailties and foibles. Archie’s wife Edith was the peacemaker of the family, and their daughter Gloria often found herself caught in the middle of the arguments between her father and husband.

I’ve spent much of this year re-watching every episode of All in the Family, and its continuation series, Archie Bunker’s Place (1979-1983). My admiration for All in the Family dates back 20 years, when reruns began airing on local TV. I was hooked by the richness of the characters and the subject matter exposed in many of the episodes.

Here’s my list of the 10 best episodes of All in the Family:

10 & 9. (tie) “Edith's 50th Birthday, Parts 1 & 2” (1977, Season 8)

This two-part episode may be one of the hardest to watch, yet its subject matter remains relevant and important. In Part 1, Edith prepares to celebrate her 50^th birthday when a man posing as a detective tries to rape her. In Part 2, Gloria employs tough love on her mother when she refuses to report the man who attacked her. The whole episode is treated as a cautionary tale to anyone who is left home alone.

8. “The Stivics Go West” (1978, Season 8)

Reiner and Struthers did not wish to continue playing their characters Mike and Gloria, so Lear and company devised a plot where they would move away. The story has Mike accepting a teaching post in California. Before they leave, he and Archie put aside their differences and give each other a heartfelt goodbye. Reiner and Struthers would make two more appearances together, but this was their last as series regulars.

7. “Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood” (1971, Season 1)

One of Archie’s worst nightmares comes true when a black family moves into the neighbourhood. This family happens to be the Jeffersons, which includes Mike’s friend Lionel (Mike Evans). When Lionel tells Archie he is part of the family Archie is trying to stop from moving in, his reaction is priceless. This episode introduces Lionel’s mother, Louise (Isabel Sanford).

6. “Archie and the Editorial” (1972, Season 3)

The Season 3 opener has Archie delivering an argument in favour of “guns for everybody.” Archie cuts up a TV editorial supporting gun control, and Mike gets him to broadcast a rebuttal. The exchange between Archie and Mike on what makes a man a man is one of the best in the entire series. Archie’s rebuttal is even funnier. This episode deserves to be called a classic.

5. “Henry's Farewell” (1973, Season 4)

This is always a fun episode to watch. Lionel’s uncle Henry (Mel Stewart) decides to move upstate. However, his family’s party plans are threatened when older brother George declines to break bread with the Bunkers. Edith comes through when she decides to host the party at their house, which makes Archie fume. His attitude changes when he learns of George’s refusal to set foot in their house. Sherman Hemsley makes his debut as George in this episode.

4. “Archie is Branded” (1973, Season 3)

I consider this episode to be the most intense next to “Edith’s 50^th Birthday.” This is the one where Archie’s front door is branded with a swastika by an extremist group looking to attack a Jewish neighbour. A Jewish radical arrives and puts everyone in the house on edge, except Archie, who admires his vigilantism. This is the only episode that doesn’t end in applause due to the tragic outcome.

3. “The Bunkers and the Swingers” (1972, Season 3)

A lot of fans consider this the funniest episode of the series, and it certainly comes close. The story has naïve Edith answering an ad from a couple looking for 'friendship.' This leads to hysterical misunderstandings between the Bunkers and the swinging couple. Trivia: it’s this episode that led guest star Rue McClanahan to clinching the role of Vivian on the spinoff series Maude.

2. “Two's a Crowd” (1978, Season 8)

In one of the last great exchanges between Archie and Mike, the two men find themselves locked in the storeroom of Archie’s newly-purchased bar. They are the only two characters in this episode, and it is here that we learn the roots of Archie’s bigotry and melancholic nature. It also reveals how Mike’s experiences led to his contrasting view of life and society in general. Both O’Connor and Reiner give five-star performances in this episode.

1. “Sammy's Visit” (1972, Season 2)

One of All in the Family’s most popular episodes tops my list. Sammy Davis Jr. stops by the house to pick up a briefcase he left in Archie’s cab. The excitement his visit produces in the Bunker house leads Archie to drop one faux pas after another. Davis was a fan of the show, and it was his friend O’Connor who invited him to be in this episode. It was also O’Connor’s idea to have Davis initiate the big kiss at the end. Classic!