It can be difficult to picture All in the Family without Archie Bunker, but would you believe us if we told you that it would actually still be an entertaining show? No? What about if Carroll O’Connor was the one telling you?
According to an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, O’Connor responded to rumors that he would actually be leaving the cast of All in the Family. While O’Connor assured readers that he had no intention of leaving any time soon, he also claimed that even without Archie Bunker, a show like All in the Family would still attract viewers.
O’Connor stated, “A show like All in the Family has enough momentum to go on even without me as Archie Bunker.”
While O’Connor had a very precarious relationship with the higher-ups of All in the Family and even disappeared from episodes from time to time due to striking, he was also incredibly supportive of the series as a whole, as well as his fellow castmates like Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner
O’Connor continued, “There’s a lot going on in that Bunker house all day long before Archie gets home that could be the subject of interesting stories.” He even added, “It’s no secret I’ve been asked to be taken out of some shows, and I think they have been considering it.”
Still, O’Connor was aware of Archie Bunker’s status as a television icon, even before All in the Family had officially wrapped. However, he argued that it wasn’t because people looked at Archie and saw Carroll O’Connor; it was because they looked at Archie and saw someone they knew in their everyday life.
The actor said, “I’m sure that the success of the show is due to Archie’s recognizability. Archie’s a character that every American knows.”
