http://www.baldcelebrity.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Al_bundy1.jpg

Five years before being cast as the grumpy Bundy patriarch on Fox's Married with Children, Ed O'Neill tried out for a pair of big parts for two NBC sitcoms at the start of the 1982 season: father Steven Keaton, the anti-Al Bundy, on Family Ties and womanizing bar owner Sam Malone, who was originally a football player, on Cheers. Producers decided O'Neill wasn't the right fit for either part, and Michael Gross and Ted Danson, respectively, won the roles instead. From Married with Children to Modern Family, Ed O'Neill exceeds when playing downtrodden louts, and the part of Sam Malone was very different from the type we've seen him play.

http://splitsider.com/2012/03/the-lost-roles-of-cheers/

http://www.baldcelebrity.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Al_bundy1.jpg

Five years before being cast as the grumpy Bundy patriarch on Fox's Married with Children, Ed O'Neill tried out for a pair of big parts for two NBC sitcoms at the start of the 1982 season: father Steven Keaton, the anti-Al Bundy, on Family Ties and womanizing bar owner Sam Malone, who was originally a football player, on Cheers. Producers decided O'Neill wasn't the right fit for either part, and Michael Gross and Ted Danson, respectively, won the roles instead. From Married with Children to Modern Family, Ed O'Neill exceeds when playing downtrodden louts, and the part of Sam Malone was very different from the type we've seen him play.

http://splitsider.com/2012/03/the-lost-roles-of-cheers/




I never knew that.I think he would of been great on either of those shows too.But i'm deffinatley glad he ended up being Al Bundy.And of course Michael Gross and Ted Danson ,We're Great as Steven Keaton and Sam Malone.

I can't even picture anyone else but Michael Gross playing Steven Keaton - which is taking nothing away from Mr. O'Neill, because I can't picture anyone else playing Al Bundy!!!

I can't even picture anyone else but Michael Gross playing Steven Keaton - which is taking nothing away from Mr. O'Neill, because I can't picture anyone else playing Al Bundy!!!



Yeah,They we're both the perfect fit.Nobody else could of did it like they did.I'm glad it turned out the way it did.

Yeah,They we're both the perfect fit.Nobody else could of did it like they did.I'm glad it turned out the way it did.


Agreed

I can't imagine Ed having the same chemistry with Meredith that Michael Gross did. Then again Ed had great chemistry Katy Segall on MWC!