Carroll O'Conner passed away today. This is a very sad day for me.
What an incredible actor and an amazing show that was such a big part of my life growing up and even today, many years later, no show makes me laugh as much as All in the Family.

We'll miss you. http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/frown.gif



[This message has been edited by realpe (edited 06-21-2001).]

I know. I'am crying my eyes out. I can't stand it.

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Andrew Carden

My god..I can't believe he is dead. You just don't think Archie Bunker could ever go.

It's kind of weird I had it on CNN and saw Carroll O' Connor's picture up on the screen and heard the word "died". I can't tell you how shocked and saddened I was by hearing this. I was hoping I had heard wrong, but it looks like this confirmed it.

RIP Carroll- You have entertained me during these years with your great potrayal of Archie. I will never forget all the fun I had watching the Bunker family.

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Yeah, I heard that a few minutes ago on the news. Very sad.

God bless you Archie. Say hello to Whitman Mayo for all of us!

I can't believe it either. I dunno know why, but he was just one of those people I thought would live forever. He was a wonderful actor.

Here;s the official story courtesy reuters

Emmy-Winning Actor Carroll O'Connor Dead at 76
Photos

Reuters Photo


By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Carroll O'Connor, who became one of television's biggest stars as grumpy, bigoted but lovable Archie Bunker on the landmark 1970s TV series ``All in the Family,'' died on Thursday. He was 76.

The Bronx-born O'Connor died at Brotman Medical Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Culver City of a heart attack brought on by complications from diabetes, his publicist Charles Sherman said. His wife, Nancy, was at his side.

``He was having chest pains at home,'' Sherman said. ``They rushed him to the hospital and they tried to revive him without any luck. He'd been in and out of the hospital but his heart seemed fine so this kind of took us by surprise.''

Though O'Connor had a long career in show business that included scores of stage and film roles, he was indelibly linked to Bunker and ``All in the Family,'' which was hailed for its groundbreaking social satire -- the likes of which had never before been seen on American television.

The show, which was based on a popular British series, ''Till Death Us Do Part,'' debuted on CBS in January of 1971 and ran for eight seasons before the show was revamped and premiered under a new title, ``Archie Bunker's Place.''

The original show opened with O'Connor and co-star Jean Stapleton as his scatterbrained wife Edith behind the piano in the living of their working-class home in Queens, singing the standard ``Those Were The Days.''

The groundbreaking series first drew controversy over the comic rantings of Bunker, who called blacks ``jungle-bunnies'' and ``spades,'' Puerto Ricans ``spics'' and Asians ``chinks.''

But the show became a major hit and transformed O'Connor from a journeyman actor into a household name with critics hailing his performance as a masterpiece. He won four Emmys for the part.

'MEATHEAD' AND THE JEFFERSONS

Bunker's foils on the show were his liberal, intellectual son-in-law, portrayed by Rob Reiner -- who the irascible dock foreman referred to as ``Meathead'' -- and the black family next door, the Jeffersons, who later had a hit television series of their own.

O'Connor once described his portrayal of the narrow-minded Bunker this way: ``I'm not playing him to make people hate him for his attitude or make them like him. I'm just playing his attitude as truthfully as I know how.''

That portrayal showed Bunker as a loser trapped in his own prejudices and was praised for ultimately advancing race relations.

As he once told the Los Angeles Times: ``The funny thing about Archie is that he wouldn't change his mind. That was the fun, the comedy and the satire. That was what you laughed at. He never laughed at anything himself .... The world was a painful place to him. And because it was painful to him, it was funny to you.''

``Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker was genius at work, God's gift to the world,'' Norman Lear, producer of ``All in the Family,'' said after learning of his death.

O'Connor returned to series television in the late 1980s, winning his fifth Emmy as the small-town sheriff in the NBC series ``In the Heat of the Night,'' which was based on an Academy Award-winning film.

TRAGEDY PROMPTS ANTI-DRUG CRUSADE

Tragedy struck for O'Connor in March of 1995 when his only son, who had been battling drug addiction, shot himself to death. Hugh O'Connor's death inspired O'Connor to launch an anti-drug crusade, which culminated in his public condemnation of the man he said had sold his son drugs.

O'Connor called the drug dealer, Harry Perzigian, a ''partner in murder'' and a ``lawbreaker'' and gave out his address so that he could be ostracized, saying in one interview: ``Harry Perzigian, you sleazeball, we're going to get you.''

Perzigian sued O'Connor for slander but lost the case after a jury trial in Los Angeles.

Film critic Leonard Maltin has said that were it not for O'Connor's ``long-running gig as TV's loudmouth bigot Archie Bunker,'' the actor would not have scored very high based on his work in movies, in which he often played nasty heavies and gruff, boorish characters.

Born Aug. 2, 1924, he was educated at the University of Montana and at Dublin's National University.''

His last screen role was as Minnie Driver's grandfather in the romantic comedy ``Return to Me.''

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I just heard the sad news only a few moments ago. Like realpe, I grew up on All In The Family, and its hard to believe that someone I watched every day of my life is now gone. In his portrayal of Archie, Carroll O'Conner showed us what being a bigot was like, and made us all see how inane it truly was. I never knew the man, but I feel as if I did.


R.I.P.- Mr. O'Conner :-(

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I was in shock,when I read that he had died http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/frown.gif

I can't believe he is dead. I was watching CNN and I saw them briefing everyone on his career and I thought maybe he had been presented an award. Then they said Carroll O'Conner dead at age 76. He is one of those people I thought would live forever.

He was an incredible actor. Archie Bunker was/is one of the few men on TV that make me laugh, even when all he is doing is sitting still.

He truly was an incredible actor, and will be missed by all.


ks

One of his best moments on All in the Family, was when he first defined his favorite word, "Meathead" I absoulutly loved how his facial expression was when he said it. Here is the definition of the word of Archie: Meathead(Mike Stivic) dead from the neck up

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Tootie:Will Danny open the door?

Mrs.Garrett: No, that kid would've been great at the Alamo!

Nat: OK, secure all valuables to higher ground- keep tossin that porcelain boys.

I cant beleive hes dead. he is one of my favorite actors. tvland is doing a 48 hour marathan on him maybe they will show archie bunkers place. and of course they will show aitf

im very upset about carroll ill miss him

Just want to say how sorry I am about Archie Bunkers passing. I enjoy watching ALL INT HE FAMILY. I just heard about him on the news & was shocked. My hubby is also sorry to hear about it. Peace & God Bless!

I was saddened when I heard. But at least he prob. knew he'd live forever in re-runs. May he rest in peace.

I was shocked when I heard the news a couple of minutes ago. He was such a great actor, especially as the role of "Archie Bunker" in "All in the Family." He changed television's history with his role in "All in the Family" and he will be missed by all.

Sniff.

Yes, his show beat "Bewitched" after it started to show it's age.

When i found out that he died, I got this sinking feeling in my stomach. Kinda like my heart fell into it. I also, like alot of you, grew up watching him in AITF and ABP

You know it's a funny thing, you watch wonderful people like him on tv for such a long time and it feels like they're part of the family or old friends.

I feel bad for his family and friends.


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Mary: No, fear made Chester disappear.

It's heartbreaking. I thought he'd be one of those kinds who'd NEVER die. I thought he was fine.

Yea, I'm 17 and just discovered AITF. It's amazing how even 30 years, I can watch the show, understand it, and laugh with it. RIP Arch.

God Bless You,Carrol O'Connor! I can't believe you passed away. You are always a special one in my heart.

"Archie Bunker", you will be sorely missed. I am watching the 48 hour special of your show on TV Land. You were so great, you caught a 15 year old's attention. R.I.P. YOU'RE GREAT!!!!!
Jodi Romano...

R.I.P. Truly one of a kind.

I hope I didn't jinx him, God forbid. But, around a month ago I told my pops it'll be very sad when he eventually passes(I was looking up on the net how old he was) and I told my dad the whole world would mourn.

I wish I never said that, even more I wish that never had come true, unfortanately it did. I was even trying to look for a site for him where you could email him etc. Dang.

He influenced me a lot even tho i'm only 21, in the middle of my day I could find my self using some of his sayings.

i.e. Get away from me, all of ya's.
meathead
stifile yasself
dummy up

R.I.P. Carrol.

When I heard the news about Carol O'Connor's death over the weekend, I was shocked. The news was sad. Like many of you on this board, I felt that Caroll O'Connor was one of those guys that would always be around.

I watched "AITF" as a child when it used to be on CBS and in syndication. I never understood the humor of the show 'cause I was just a kid back then. As a teenager, I was able to understand and appreciate the show.

Even tho I am an adult now, with O'Connors passing, I feel that in away, a small part of my childhood has died.

Thank you, Caroll O'Connor for making me laugh as well as think. Rest in Peace, Archie Bunker.

It has been a few days since Carroll's passing. I feel so sad that "Archie" is gone. I will always remember Mr. O'Connor for his great courage and many shows.

I didnt believe it when I heard it! God bless you, Carrol. Rest in Peace.

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