Norman Lear and Archie Bunker Actor Butted Heads, Biographer Claims

Norman Lear seemingly had some behind-the-scenes drama with Carroll O’Connor, the actor who played Archie Bunker on All in the Family.

Tripp Whetsell, who is the author of the upcoming biography, Norman Lear: His Life and Times, claimed in a recent interview with Cracked that Lear and O’Connor “had a very difficult, contemptuous relationship.”

“It was much more Carroll than Norman,” Whetsell alleged. “Carroll was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders with Archie Bunker.”

Whetsell claimed that O’Connor would go into “every production meeting with the red pen” and make changes to his character’s dialogue.

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“They had a very difficult relationship, but Norman really respected him,” Whetsell told the outlet. “Deep down, they respected and loved each other, but creatively it was only challenging for them every step of the way.”

Lear was the mastermind behind All in the Family and other legendary sitcoms in the 1970s. O’Connor starred in All in the Family alongside Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, and Danielle Brisebois. He played Archie from 1971 to 1983 on the original show and its spinoff Archie Bunker’s Place. O’Connor’s portrayal of the sometimes controversial blue-collar TV dad earned him four Emmy wins.

O’Connor died in 2001 at age 76 due to a heart attack. Lear, Reiner, Struthers and Brisebois attended the actor’s funeral. Last year, Lear died at 101 from cardiac arrest.

According to Whetsell, O’Connor wasn’t the only actor to find themselves at odds with Lear throughout their career. The author claimed that both John Amos and Bill Macy also had issues with Lear.

Amos, who recently passed away in August, struggled with how Good Times would constantly use Jimmie Walker and his catchphrase “Dyn-o-mite!” as comedic relief. For Amos, the use of Walker was becoming “intolerable” as the groundbreaking series followed a Black family who lived in public housing in Chicago.

“I looked at it objectively and said, ‘I can see that he’s comic relief. We do a lot of serious issues on the show, and people don’t want to get beat over the head,’” Amos said in the book, per Cracked.

For Macy, who died in October 2019, he allegedly argued with Lear over compensation during his time on Maude. Macy played Walter in the 1970s sitcom, who was married to the titular character portrayed by Bea Arthur.

“I was innocent and inexperienced and I said OK. Now, for all these years, [Lear’s] been getting residuals — my residuals,” Macy recalled of his contract in the book. “He’s a billionaire, and I need the money.”

Norman Lear: His Life and Times hits shelves on Tuesday, November 12.