Flash72
07-20-2003, 04:53 PM
I rewatched an old episode of the "Donny and Marie" show from 2001 in which Carroll O Connor was the featured guest. They surprised Carroll by bringing out Jean Stapleton. It was obvious from the show that the two of them deeply care about one another and their friendship was as strong as ever. Carroll was promoting his then new movie "Return to Me" and Jean was speaking of her one woman show called "Eleanor." Carroll said he got the Archie voice from James Cagney and Jackie Gleason; he borrowed various things from these two great actors to include in his portrayal of Archie. He happily did the voice for Donny and Marie but Jean refused to, saying that she only did it for a great deal of money and that she did not like to go back and do something that she had done before. Even monetary offerings from Donny could not change Jean's mind. Incidentally, Jean said she acquired the nasal voice of Edith from a character she did in "Damn Yankees." Both actors spoke fondly of the show and how amazed they are of its enduring popularity. Carroll told Donny and Marie that in his opinion "All in the Family" was not a sitcom but a satire. They also spoke of how Carroll finally, through Nick at Nite, got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If I am not mistaken, this was probably the last time Carroll and Jean appeared together, with Carroll passing shortly after this show.