Sally Struthers Movies
The daughter of a Portland doctor, Sally Ann Struthers left home at 18, determined to become a star. The 5' 1", frizzy-haired Ms. Struthers attended classes at the Pasadena Playhouse, then worked as a singer, dancer and commercial actress before the breaks began arriving in rapid succession in 1970. By the end of that year, she had been seen on TV as a comedy-ensemble player on The Smothers Brother Comedy Hour and a chorus girl (in fact, the only chorus girl) on The Tim Conway Comedy Hour; she'd played a small but attention-grabbing role in the Jack Nicholson film Five Easy Pieces; and she'd provided the voice for Pebbles Flintstone on the animated Pebbles and Bamm Bamm Show. Oh, before we forget: also in 1970, Struthers was cast as Gloria Bunker Stivic on the groundbreaking TV sitcom All in the Family. During her seven-season stint as Gloria, she shared a 1972 "Best Supporting Actress" Emmy with The Mary Tyler Moore Show's Valerie Harper. She also took time out to deliver an image-busting performance as the sluttish wife of kidnap victim Jack Dodson in Sam Peckinpah's The Getaway (1972), and to star in such made-for-TV films as Aloha Means Goodbye (1974), Hey, I'm Alive (1975) and The Great Houdinis (1976). In 1975, Struthers very nearly walked off All in the Family over a much-publicized salary dispute; she left the series when her contract ended in 1978, returning briefly to appear in an episode titled "California Here We Are"--and winning a second Emmy as a result. Though big things were predicted for Struthers, her post-Family years were rough. Her TV-movie appearances began playing to ever-diminishing ratings, while her highly touted 1981 Broadway debut in Wally's Café was a bust. It was a frightened, insecure Sally Struthers who returned to series television in 1982 as the star of Gloria, an All in the Family spin-off which recast the actress in the role that made her famous. Despite initially good ratings, Gloria tanked after a year. After another foredoomed Broadway appearance in a female version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, Sally accepted the role of klutzy divorcee Marsha McMurray Shrimpton in the 1986 syndicated sitcom 9 to 5. Around this same time, Struthers began showing up as the TV spokesperson for a charitable organization serving malnourished Third-World children. While none could doubt the actress' sincerity, her strident, lachrymose fund-raising appeals were treated with merciless derision by the many sketch-comedy TV series of the period. Though her career may never again reach the heights of her All in the Family days, Sally Struthers has kept busy in a variety of show-business ventures, including voiceover assignments on such series as Talespin and Dinosaurs, and a recent touring production of the musical Grease, in which she co-starred with another TV favorite of yore, The Monkees' Davy Jones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A disaffected man seeks a sense of identity in one of the key films of Hollywood's 1970s New Wave. Once a promising pianist from a family of classical musicians, Bobby Eroica Dupea (Jack Nicholson, in his first major starring role) leads a blue-collar life as an oil rigger, living with needy waitress girlfriend Rayette (Karen Black) and bowling with their friends Elton (Billy "Green" Bush) and Stoney (Fannie Flagg). Feeling suffocated by responsibilities, Bobby seeks out his sister, Tita (Lois Smith), and, discovering that his father is gravely ill, he reluctantly heads back to the patrician family compound in Puget Sound with a pregnant Rayette in tow. After a road trip featuring a harangue from hitchhiker Palm (Helena Kallianiotes) about filth, and Bobby's ill-fated attempt to make a menu substitution in a diner, he tucks Rayette away in a motel before heading to the house. There Bobby seduces his uptight brother Carl's cultured fiancée, Catherine (Susan Anspach), but Rayette shows up unexpectedly. As Rayette's crassness collides with the snobbery of the Dupea circle, Bobby loses patience with both sides. After trying to reconcile with his mute father, Bobby departs, unwilling to give in to either destiny. Director Bob Rafelson and screenwriter Adrien Joyce (aka Carole Eastman) used the creative control afforded by the low budget to craft a European-influenced character study, catching a cultural mood of anomie and resentment as it was embodied in Bobby. Neither older generation nor hippie, Bobby fits in nowhere, and his desire for independence conflicts with his emotional emptiness. Nicholson's nuanced performance of simmering frustration resonated with 1970 audiences caught between Nixon's "silent majority" and the troubled counterculture; a substantial hit, Five Easy Pieces was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and established Nicholson as a star. Offering no "easy" answers to Bobby's existential crisis, Five Easy Pieces is one of the pre-eminent films in the early-'70s cycle of alienated American art movies, as even the fantasy of rebellion is reduced to merely running away. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, (more)
- 1970
- PG
Have you ever longed for the day when James Brown, Martha Raye, and Col. Harland Sanders would appear in a movie together? Well, that's barely the tip of the improbable casting iceberg in this bizarre cold-war spoof. The leaders of the American intelligence organization the S.S.A. ("Super Secret Agency") are becoming increasingly alarmed by the disappearance of a number of B-list celebrities, who are being spirited off to Communist Albania. Eager to bring the fading stars back to the Land of the Free, the S.S.A. come up with a simple plan: They'll find four typical guys in their mid-twenties, have them form a rock group, make them into international stars, and wait until they get invited to play a gig in Albania, which will allow them to find out what's become of Rudy Vallee, Butterfly McQueen, and Huntz Hall, among others. Unemployed philosopher Michael A. Miller, Native-American honor student Ray Chippeway, phys-ed major Dennis Larden, and male model Lonny Stevens are drafted by the S.S.A., and after some intensive training by experts (Trini Lopez shows them a few guitar chords, and Richard Pryor gives them a crash course in soul), they become an overnight sensation as The Phynx (yes, it's pronounced "Finks"). Their album sells 17 million copies on the strength of songs like "What Is Your Sign?," and their groupies have to be cleared away by forklift. But fun and games have to go to the back burner when Albanian ruler Markevitch (George Tobias) and his wife, Ruby (Joan Blondell), invite the Phynx to perform at the behest of their son. Pat O'Brien, Xavier Cugat, Patty Andrews, and Dick Clark are just a few of the other notables who make cameo appearances in The Phynx, which had a very brief theatrical release before being sold to television in the early '70s. Legendary songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller penned the songs performed by The Phynx (and Stoller composed the background score), though for some reason they're not covered nearly as often as "Jailhouse Rock," "Hound Dog," or "Yakkety Yak." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Miller, Ray Chippeway, (more)
- 1971
Ironside (Raymond Burr) invests in a play staged by an avant-garde theater troupe. When one of the actresses dies of a heroin overdose during rehearsal, the Chief takes it upon himself to find the killer, prevent further murders--and, incidentally, protect his investment! Featured in the cast is Sally Struthers, whose career was then just taking off thanks to her exposure on the new CBS sitcom All in the Family. This episode was filmed at the old Pasadena Playhouse, onetime training ground of series star Raymond Burr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
The tempestuous introductory "shakedown season" of All in the Family ended on a high (and highly rated) note with the episode titled "The First and Last Supper." Though Archie is resigned to the fact that the Jeffersons are living across the street, he is still opposed to having other black families move into the neighborhood. Archie's intolerance -- and all the inconsistencies and contradictions included therein -- come to surface when Edith invites the Jeffersons to dinner. Isabel Sanford appears as Louise Jefferson, while Mel Stewart appears as her brother-in-law Henry (Sherman Hemsley had not yet joined the cast). Written by Jerry Mayer, "The First and Last Supper" originally aired on April 6, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Archie's old army buddies prepare a reception for the most successful of their ranks, self-made millionaire Eddie Frazier (William Windom). Figuring that Eddie will purge Mike of some of his "pinko" anti-capitalist notions, Archie invites Eddie home for dinner. Not unexpectedly, it is Archie who learns a lesson -- and a painful one. George Savalas, billed here as "Demosthenes" and later co-starred in his brother Telly Savalas' series Kojak, is here cast as Joe. Written by Burt Styler, "Success Story" first aired on March 30, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
A "showcase" episode for series co-star Sally Struthers, "Gloria Discovers Women's Lib" delivers exactly what its title promises. Upset that even her liberal husband Mike refuses to regard her as an equal, Gloria angrily leaves the Bunker household. As upsetting as this is to Archie, the prospect of Mike remaining in the house alone is even more daunting. The episode's best moments include Gloria's impromptu imitation of a wind-up doll and Edith's lugubrious reaction to impending "sisterhood." Written by Norman Lear and Sandy Stern, "Gloria Discovers Women's Lib" was originally telecast on March 23, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
This episode offers a few clues as to what makes Archie Bunker "tick." Worried that he will be fired from his job, Arch spends a nervous evening seated at the telephone, while a steady stream of eccentric characters -- a nosy cop (Sandy Kenyon), a noisy drunk (Jack Perkins), and a confused neighbor (Hollis Irving) -- make a bad situation worse. The best scene finds Archie hauntingly recalling his father's reaction to sudden unemployment during the Depression. Burt Mustin, who later joined the cast as Justin Quigley, is here cast as an elderly guard. Scripted by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, and Bryan Joseph from a story by William Bickley Jr., "Archie Is Worried About His Job" originally aired on March 16, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Just because All in the Family specialized in cutting-edge humor didn't mean that the producers were above using tried-and-true sitcom plot lines now and then. In this one, Edith Bunker serves on a jury -- and, of course, is the sole holdout when everyone else enters a "guilty" verdict. As a bonus, Archie airs his somewhat skewered opinions on capital punishment. Though basically a showcase for Jean Stapleton, this episode also draws excellent performances from the rest of the regular cast, as well as guest stars Hollis Irving (as Clara Weidemeyer) and Doris Singleton (as Mrs. Stonehurst). Scripted by Susan Harris, Don Nicholl, and Bryan Joseph from a story by Harris, "Edith Has Jury Duty" first aired on March 9, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Also known as "Mike's Hippie Friends Come to Visit," this episode proves that even Mike has his limits when it comes to human behavior. Archie is appalled when Mike and Gloria invite their flower-child friends Paul (Jack Bender) and Robin (Jenny Sullivan) to "crash" at the Bunker home. He is even more incensed when he learns that Paul and Robin aren't married. At first a bastion of liberality, Mike slowly realizes that some of the "beautiful people" aren't quite so beautiful when seen close-up -- and besides, Robin's refusal to communicate with words is really annoying! Scripted by series co-star Rob Reiner, Philip Mishkin, Don Nicholl, and Bryan Joseph from a story by Reiner and Mishkin, "Now That You Know the Way" first aired on February 23, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Archie learns to his horror that a black family is moving across the street. As Edith, Gloria, and Mike listen with varying reactions, Archie spouts out all manner of racist venom and ethnic misapprehensions -- only to be caught short when Lionel (Mike Evans) arrives with an added tidbit of information. Vincent Gardenia, who later joined the cast as Frank Lorenzo, here portrays the extremely nervous Bowman (Best line: "Uh-uh, they're Baptists!"). Written by Don Nicholl and Bryan Joseph, "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood" originally aired on March 2, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Archie thinks he knows a homosexual when he sees one, and when Mike invites his flamboyant photographer friend Roger to the Bunker household, Archie automatically assumes that Roger is a "flamer." Retreating to the safety of Kelsey's Bar, Arch chooses to spend some time with his "he-man" pals, notably his old arm-wrestling crony Steve. This early episode scores not only by radically reversing the usual stereotypical expectations, but also with the casting of future General Hospital heartthrob Tony Geary as the fluttery Roger and veteran movie tough guy Philip Carey as the ostensibly "safe" Steve. Written by Norman Lear and Burt Styler, "Judging Books by Covers" was originally scheduled to air on February 2, 1971, but was moved down to February 9. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
When Gloria announces that she's pregnant, both Mike and Archie blanche in terror. Not only did Mike enter into matrimony with the understanding that there wouldn't be any children, but he just plain can't afford to be a father. As for Archie, he is dead set against Gloria bringing a "little Meathead" into the world. The ending of this episode is especially poignant, with Archie revealing a heretofore well-hidden tender and compassionate side. Written by Jerry Mayer, "Gloria Is Pregnant" originally aired on February 16, 1971; at the time, the series' producers felt it wise to withhold information on the episode's content, thus TV Guide carried no synopsis whatsoever. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
After getting into a minor fender-bender, Archie suffers a delayed case of whiplash. Hoping to collect a huge settlement from the other driver, Archie figures that his chances in court will improve if he hires a Jewish lawyer. But even Attorney Rabinowitz (Salem Ludwig) balks at suing a "van full of nuns." Also in the cast are George Furth as Fitzroy and Richard Stahl as Marshall. Written by Stanley Ralph Ross, "Archie's Aching Back" first aired on January 26, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Archie balks at the notion of donating blood at the local Red Cross. When Mike accuses him of being chicken, Archie protests that he doesn't want to give up a precious pint of his own "pure" blood unless he can be certain that the recipient will not be a member of a minority group. Archie's ethnocentric monologues in this episode are so incredibly convoluted that one almost grudgingly admires his stubborn stupidity. Written by series coproducer Norman Lear, "Archie Gives Blood" first aired on February 2, 1971, replacing the originally scheduled episode "Judging Books by Covers." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
The sitcom that changed the face of American television premiered on January 12, 1971, with the last of three pilot episodes filmed between 1968 and 1970 (during which time the property underwent two near-complete cast overhauls and three title changes). Written by series co-producer Norman Lear, "Meet the Bunkers" used the occasion of Archie and Edith Bunker's wedding anniversary to introduce the main characters and rapidly establish both the mood and tenor of all the episodes to come. Though virtually plotless, the episode is jam-packed with incident: Archie and Mike have a heated argument over "racial profiling," Edith tries to drag a recalcitrant Archie to church, Gloria and Mike are so hot for one another that they can barely wait until they get to the bedroom, and Lionel Jefferson (Mike Evans) uses broad African-American stereotypes to subtly needle the reactionary Archie. Especially worth noting in this inaugural episode is Jean Stapleton's portrayal of Edith, who comes off as a lot less stupid and a lot more sarcastic than she would in future episodes. While "Meet the Bunkers" seems somewhat tame when seen today, it packed enough of a wallop back in 1971 for CBS to issue a disclaimer at the beginning of the program, in which the network lauded All in the Family for its courage and daring and simultaneously begged the viewers' pardon for those qualities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Incensed that Mike has written a stern and critical letter to President Nixon, super-patriotic Archie tries to set things right by penning his own missive to the Chief Executive. "Dear Mr. President...Your Honor...Sir..." -- and Archie even dons a clean shirt and tie for the occasion. Scripted by Paul Harrison, Lennie Weinrib, and Norman Lear from a story by Les Erwin and Fred Freiberger, "Writing the President" originally aired on January 19, 1971. Though withdrawn from CBS' daytime rerun package of All in the Family at the request of producer Lear (who felt that Archie's behavior was ridiculous even for him), the episode has since been restored to the series' syndicated package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Mike's nervousness over his upcoming final exams have rendered him temporarily impotent. Not only does this put the damper on his sex life with Gloria, but it adversely -- and hilariously -- affects the rest of the Bunker family as well. The script for this taboo-shattering All in the Family installment (which, according to the producers, generated more network resistance than any other episode during the 1972-1973 season) was written by Alan J. Levitt and Philip Mishkin, from a story by Levitt. "Mike's Problem" first aired on November 20, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Jack Crowder (later billed as Thalmus Rasulala) guest stars as Chester Byrd, a high-pressure black real estate agent. Offering to give Archie twice what he paid for his house, Byrd adroitly and insidiously utilizes scare tactics, warning the Bunkers that their neighborhood is about to be infested by low-income African-Americans. Though Archie takes Byrd at face value, Lionel recognizes the "blockbuster" for what he is. Scripted by Austin and Irma Kalish, Michael Ross, and Bernie West from a story by the Kalishes, "The Blockbuster" originally aired on November 13, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Interviewed by a WCBS-TV reporter about Nixon's economic plan, Archie is thrilled to learn that his interview will appear on the evening news. Alas, the Bunkers' TV set is broken and practically every other set in the neighborhood is likewise incapacitated. After numerous frustrations, Archie finally gets to see himself on the boob tube -- or does he? Neil J. Schwartz appears as Levy the repairman, who delivers the episode's funniest line. Written by Lennie Weinrib, Paul Harrison, and Don Nicholl from a story by Weinrib and Harrison (incidentally the same team responsible for the classic Saturday-morning series H.R. Pufnstuff), "The Man in the Streeet" first aired on December 4, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
So often the dispenser of thoughtless discrimination, Archie finds himself forced to take his own medicine. This occurs when the Bunkers' home insurance is canceled thanks to the company's new racial red-lining procedures. Archie's plight at home is contrasted with his on-the-job decision to lay off a Puerto Rican employee. Philip Proctor of Firesign Theater fame appears as Wendell. Written by Lee Kalcheim, Michael Ross, and Bernie West, "The Insurance is Canceled" originally aired on November 27, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
As indicated by the title of this episode (which is "bookended" by the celebration of Mike and Gloria's first anniversary), the viewer is taken back in time to the momentous first meeting between Archie Bunker and Mike Stivic. The fun is generated not only by Archie's outraged reaction at Gloria's hirsute hippie boyfriend (never before or since did Rob Reiner have so much hair), but also by the depiction of the pre-marriage Gloria as a curly headed, squeaky-voiced Junior Dingbat. The script was co-written by series star Rob Reiner and Philip Mishkin. "Flashback: Mike Meets Archie" first aired on October 16, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Archie's insistence upon purchasing a gun to protect his household backfires when a couple of burglars named Coke and Horace break into the Bunker household. Keeping Archie at bay with his own gun, the two thieves reveal a lot about themselves -- and, in the course of the evening, genially encourage the disingenuous Edith to compose an impromptu ditty about her life. The burglars are played by Tony award-winning actor Cleavon Little and relative newcomer Demond Wilson, who on the strength of this performance was cast as Lamont in the Norman Lear-produced sitcom Sanford and Son. Written by Lee Kalcheim, "Edith Writes a Song" was first telecast on October 9, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Accidentally denting the fender of a parked car with a can of peaches, Edith leaves a note on the car's windshield. A furious Archie reprimands Edith for her unrepentant act of honesty, but that's hardly the end of the story, which includes such elements as insurance fraud and an "unfrocked" priest. Guest star Barnard Hughes is cast as Father Majeski. Written by Michael Ross and Bernie West, "Edith's Accident" first aired on November 6, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1971
Though "The Election Story" originally aired on October 30, 1971, for plot purposes the action takes place during an election year. Predictably, Mike and Gloria throw their support behind a liberal candidate, while Archie takes the side of the conservative opponent. And that's about all that's predictable about this All in the Family-style civics lesson. "The Election Story" was scripted by Michael Ross and Bernie West. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
