You're a pip, Edith, a real pip

[greatbear]

I was really saddened to read actress Jean Stapleton had died. Of course, she's most famous for her role as Edith Bunker, wife of America's most favorite bigot, Archie Bunker, in the series All In The Family. Her character was the perfect spoil for Archie, her seemingly limitless ability to know and do the right thing always came from the heart. AITF was must-see TV for me when it first aired, despite my relative youth at the time, I knew I was seeing something incredible on the small screen. Issues and controversy was examined in nearly every episode, be it politics, religion, homosexuality and gay rights, racial relations, you name it. Ms. Stapleton's portrayal of Edith allowed so many people to relate with her, she was Everyperson's aunt, grandma, mother. In the end, Archie would come to see that week's error of his ways, most often with Edith's heartfelt help. If I see the show in reruns while surfing channels, I always stop. I remember all those episodes, some practically word-for-word.

I also remember this scene, from 1980. I bawled my eyes out.

As "edgy" as television is considered these days, a show like this couldn't be made now. Too many people would get "offended" I'm sure. I feel fortunate that Norman Lear was able to completely destroy the boundaries of stuffy television series values and give us a show that not only changed television forever, but countless hearts and minds as well.

RIP, Jean Stapleton, and thanks for some of the fondest memories of my earlier days.

Comments

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Wow, I had no idea. She will be missed. She was an excellent actress, and I do remember All in the Family quite well too, and watched so many of the episodes over the years.

Edith may have come of as very naive, but she was a lot smarter, wiser than she often let on, and Jean played it superbly.

May she rest in peace.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tribute. So many people don't realize that Jean Stapleton's first home was theatre and that she performed in many stage musicals such as DAMN YANKEES and BELLS ARE RINGING. She was the character actress of character actresses.

[geometrician.livejournal.com]

I ache for her, and ached when that scene first aired. That was the first television show I had a strong connection to. The boundaries pushed making All in the Family contributed much to who I am today, including waking me up to there being people whose gender and sexuality were outside the mainstream. The character Beverly LaSalle, and Archie's reaction to her death allowed me to acknowledge that I was gay, and to be able to tell others.

[maxauburn.livejournal.com]

I cried while I watched that scene.

It is indeed still powerful after 33 years.

I liked Jean Stapleton and her positive, innocent portrayal of Edith Bunker.

RIP, Jean.

[dendren.livejournal.com]

it's pretty amazing to watch this show nowadays. It's still incredibly funny, and it just boggles the mind with the whole "how did they get away with that 40 years ago and they can't now" thing. So many shows from the 70s would just never be able to fly now. Weird how some things have become more taboo.

[merlinwon.livejournal.com]

This was great! is this an all in the family episode? I didn't watch a lot of the series as i grew older and went to high school!! But watched enough!

Thanks for sharing! ♥

[wander.livejournal.com]

All in the Family was my first exposure to a lot of the those issues and allowed my family to discuss them openly. I can see Edith in my Mom and a lot of my aunts and Archie a little bit in my Dad but very strongly in many of my uncles. So for us it was like watching a portrayal of our extended family. She will be missed.

W