Struthers and her co-stars have been able to wrap up “All within the Household” earlier than O’Connor was, however not as a result of they’d grown sick of the present or hated their characters. She, Reiner, and Stapleton all got here again to assist the O’Connor-led sequel sequence, “Archie Bunker’s Place,” discover its footing in its early seasons, with Struthers finally returning to headline a short-lived spinoff present of her personal titled “Gloria.” Fleeting as her time was reprising Gloria after “All within the Household” ended, Struthers remained in contact with O’Connor and Stapleton for the remainder of their lives. As you’ll be able to think about, that additionally makes revisiting the sequence onerous for her in the present day.
Struthers affirmed as a lot when requested if she remembered filming the present’s ultimate episode:
“Sure. It was emotional, but it surely wasn’t unhappy. I did not have any concept on the time how a lot I’d miss it. Every time I see an episode on TV now, I cease for a second, however as quickly as I see Carroll or Jean, I get so unhappy that I’ve to vary the channel.”
You needn’t take Struthers’ phrase for it. Her real affection for her onscreen mother and father (and her personal private Meathead, too!) manifested itself of their chemistry on the present. It is the identical motive why “All within the Household” went via two complete failed pilots and appeared destined for the scrap heap, proper up till Struthers and Reiner got here aboard. Norman Lear’s cherished sitcom pushed boundaries like no American comedy sequence earlier than it, however its solid supplied it with the center it wanted to maintain viewers coming again for extra, regardless of which of the characters’ politics they agreed with. Even now, with the way in which Struthers talks about O’Connor, Archie’s “little woman” remains to be bringing out his softer aspect.
