For Sally Struthers, stepping into the role of Gloria Bunker-Stivic on All in the Family was a transformative experience that brought her widespread recognition but also led to a struggle to break free from that beloved character. Before her rise to fame, Struthers had a respectable career in Hollywood, with appearances on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Tim Conway Comedy Hour, as well as roles in films like The Phynx and Five Easy Pieces. Despite these endeavors, she remained relatively unknown to the general public.
Everything changed when All in the Family began airing reruns after its inaugural season. Suddenly, millions of viewers came to know and love Struthers, but the downside was that she became almost exclusively associated with her character, Gloria. “The world’s going to find out that I’m not Gloria Bunker!” she exclaimed in a candid interview with The Miami Herald as she geared up for her role in the 1972 film The Getaway, a gritty heist thriller directed by the acclaimed Sam Peckinpah.
Struthers found the opportunity to work with Peckinpah refreshing, especially given the director’s reputation for crafting complex characters in films like The Wild Bunch and Straw Dogs. She expressed her desire to expand her acting range: “Everything I’ve done on TV, I’ve been a silly, sweet, American apple-pie little girl. And every time I’ve done a movie, I’ve been cast as a sort of loose woman, a trampy lady, almost a prostitute type. I guess the two media see me in different ways, and I enjoy it because it gives me a chance to go a full 180 degrees.”
Despite her fondness for Gloria’s character, Struthers faced the challenge of public perception. During All in the Family’s original run, fans often approached her, calling her by her character’s name, which led to some awkward moments. She longed for more consistent film roles to help delineate her identity beyond television. Unfortunately, the gaps between her film projects often left audiences thinking each new role was her first attempt at a serious acting career. “I did Five Easy Pieces and I got a lot of acclaim, even though I was only on the screen for a total of four or five minutes,” she reflected, acknowledging the struggle to reshape her image.
Ultimately, while Struthers embraced the chance to explore diverse roles, she remained grateful for her time as Gloria Bunker. “I like the regularity of it, knowing every morning what I’m going to do, where I’m going to be,” she shared, contrasting the stability of her television work with the loneliness she experienced while traveling for films. Struthers would go on to portray Gloria in 182 episodes of All in the Family, two episodes of Archie Bunker’s Place, and 21 episodes of her own spin-off, Gloria. Even as she sought to diversify her career, the impact of Gloria Bunker would remain a significant part of her legacy, a role she cherished while navigating the complexities of fame and identity in Hollywood.
