Beloved sitcom “All in the Family,” created by legendary TV writer and producer Norman Lear, ran for nine seasons from 1971 to 1979. The series starred Carroll O’Connor as lovable bigot Archie Bunker, Jean Stapleton as Archie’s unappreciated wife Edith, Sally Struthers as their daughter Gloria, and Rob Reiner as her husband Mike. The family is working class and lives in Queens, New York. Being a product of the post-1960s era, the sitcom weaves in issues of racism, antisemitism, feminism, LGBTQ rights, religion, sexual abuse, and the anti-war movement into more accessible family-centered storylines. Through depicting these controversial issues, “All in the Family” made waves, yet also eased more conservative viewers into these topics. Some viewers see themselves as an Archie, while others are closer to the more liberal Mike and Gloria.
These days, “All in the Family” is still considered one of television’s greatest sitcoms, despite its now somewhat controversial portrayal of bigotry and progressivism. Being an older show, however, many of the series’ stars have passed away. Here’s who in the cast of “All in the Family” has died that you may not remember. Rutger Hauer’s memorable “Like tears in rain” monologue is considered one of the most powerful death scenes in cinema, not only because of its emotional weight but also due to the fact that it was improvised. Hauer rewrote the lines and performed them spontaneously, without informing the filmmakers. His heartfelt delivery moved some of the crew members so deeply that they were brought to tears.
