In its day, All in the Family was truly a revolutionary sitcom. Created by Norman Lear, it broke new ground in network television and was the first sitcom to openly discuss subjects like racism, miscarriage, menopause, homosexuality, and breast cancer.
All in the Family revolves around a blue-collar household that’s owned by a bigoted working stiff, Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor), and his sweet but dim-witted wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton). Living with them are their adult daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her liberal husband Michael Stivic (Rob Reiner). Recurring supporting characters are played by Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Mike Evans, Mel Stewart, Betty Garrett, Vincent Gardenia, Danielle Brisebois, and Allan Melvin.
The show debuted on January 12, 1971 and CBS ran a disclaimer before it aired: “The program you are about to see is All in the Family. It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter we hope to show, in a mature fashion, just how absurd they are.”
More about:
All in the Family,
Archie Bunker's Place
