Happy Birthday Carroll O'Connor - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Penny Lane · 08-02-2012, 12:22 PM

Today would have been his 88th birthday. IMO his best role was Chief Bill Gillespie in The Heat Of The Night. He was the exact opposite of Archie Bunker! RIP Carroll. We miss you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEfQY...=results_video

AB · 08-02-2012, 07:35 PM

Happy birthday to a wonderful actor.

Bronson · 08-03-2012, 06:54 AM

Yes happy birthday to this wonderful actor.

Yong Fang · 08-03-2012, 10:53 AM

I am from Mississippi, and although I thought "In the Heat of the Night" was a bit over the top (that a small town like a (fictional) small town like Sparta, Mississippi can have as many murders as it did) Carroll O'Connor really nailed it playing a Mississippian and southerner, and this character was nothing like Archie Bunker.

The show itself was filmed in Georgia and not Mississippi. Georgia seems to be a more friendly state to film shows than Mississippi. I am also from Tennessee (from Memphis, but went to Ole Miss, had a home and job in Mississippi, I claim both as home states). There was a film called The Blind Side in which the characters were from Memphis and the lead character played football at Ole Miss, but the movie was also shot in Georgia.

Another thing about O'Connor, he looked older than he actually was. He was only 47 when All In the Family premiered in 1971. Rob Lowe on Parks and Recreation is about the same age as O'Connor ws in early Family episodes. Jean Stapleton was 1.5 years older than O'Connor, so she was in her late 40's when the show went off. When Archie Bunkers Place went off in (around) 1983, O'Connor was under 60 years old.

Sort of wish The Heat of the Night tried not to be such a Hill Street Blues in a tiny town and more focused on the small town. My two cents.

08-02-2012, 12:22 PM	#1
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,236	Happy Birthday Carroll O'Connor Today would have been his 88th birthday. IMO his best role was Chief Bill Gillespie in The Heat Of The Night. He was the exact opposite of Archie Bunker! RIP Carroll. We miss you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEfQY...=results_video Attached Images
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08-02-2012, 07:35 PM	#2
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	Happy birthday to a wonderful actor.

08-03-2012, 06:54 AM	#3
Bronson Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 27, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 274	Yes happy birthday to this wonderful actor.

08-03-2012, 10:53 AM	#4
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	I am from Mississippi, and although I thought "In the Heat of the Night" was a bit over the top (that a small town like a (fictional) small town like Sparta, Mississippi can have as many murders as it did) Carroll O'Connor really nailed it playing a Mississippian and southerner, and this character was nothing like Archie Bunker. The show itself was filmed in Georgia and not Mississippi. Georgia seems to be a more friendly state to film shows than Mississippi. I am also from Tennessee (from Memphis, but went to Ole Miss, had a home and job in Mississippi, I claim both as home states). There was a film called The Blind Side in which the characters were from Memphis and the lead character played football at Ole Miss, but the movie was also shot in Georgia. Another thing about O'Connor, he looked older than he actually was. He was only 47 when All In the Family premiered in 1971. Rob Lowe on Parks and Recreation is about the same age as O'Connor ws in early Family episodes. Jean Stapleton was 1.5 years older than O'Connor, so she was in her late 40's when the show went off. When Archie Bunkers Place went off in (around) 1983, O'Connor was under 60 years old. Sort of wish The Heat of the Night tried not to be such a Hill Street Blues in a tiny town and more focused on the small town. My two cents.