Was There Really A Purpose For The Stephanie Character on 'Archie Bunker's Place?'

[Brian Damage]

It just seemed silly to me that a little girl would hang around a bar all day long with Uncle Archie. No offense to the actress Danielle Brisbois, but it just didn't make much sense to me.

[Dr. Thong]

The character was carried over from the final season of All In The Family. She was there to fill the void created by the departures of Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner.

They were trying to keep the Archie character going and having a surrogate daughter gave him something to focus on after the death of Edith and Jean Stapleton's departure after the first season of ABP.

It gave Archie somewhat of a family life, as he had to deal with Stephanie's Aunt and her upbringing.

[sm95fan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

It just seemed silly to me that a little girl would hang around a bar all day long with Uncle Archie. No offense to the actress Danielle Brisbois, but it just didn't make much sense to me.

I thought she was great for what she was intended for in 1978, filling the void left by departed characters and keeping the show going for one final season. But in retrospect, if they had known it would last 5 more years and would transition into workplace comedy centered around a saloon, no 9 year old Stephanie Mills didn't make much sense as they had increasing difficultly trying to find ways to incorporate her.

Right off the bat they should have added a little older girl like Billie that could have eventually grown into a conduit between 704 Hauser and the bar.

I give them credit for a least keeping Stephie around, they could have shipped her off to live with her grandmother.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by sm95fan

I thought she was great for what she was intended for in 1978, filling the void left by departed characters and keeping the show going for one final season. But in retrospect, if they had known it would last 5 more years and would transition into workplace comedy centered around a saloon, no 9 year old Stephanie Mills didn't make much sense as they had increasing difficultly trying to find ways to incorporate her.

Right off the bat they should have added a little older girl like Billie that could have eventually grown into a conduit between 704 Hauser and the bar.

I give them credit for a least keeping Stephie around, they could have shipped her off to live with her grandmother.

Which almost happened, as her maternal grandmother sued to gain custody.

In retrospect, it shows you how unrealistic a sitcom ABP was: Archie, who was not a blood relative, retained custody over a maternal grandmother who had the financial means to take care of her, send her to a fancy school and give her whatever she needed.

Doubtful that the courts in real life would have rules in Archie's favor.