Behind-The-Scenes Tension On All In The Family Nearly Had Audiences Saying Goodbye To Archie Bunker

"All in the Family" is one of those beloved sitcoms we still love to watch endless reruns of — and for good reason. It showed difficult family dynamics in a humorous light, along with touching on political subjects with its controversial yet still fan-favorite character, Archie Bunker, who was portrayed by Carroll O'Connor. But avid fans will recall how, during the sitcom's fifth season, Archie mysteriously disappeared for two episodes. Turns out, this wasn't a planned absence scripted by the show's writers. They had to improvise when O'Connor decided to walk off set and go on strike due to behind-the-scenes grievances. 

"I've been asking the producers for two years for some administrative changes, and they aren't forthcoming," the actor explained to the Baltimore Evening Sun in 1974, per MeTV. "They can get someone else to do Archie." He toyed with the idea of venturing into movies full time, alleging that the producers' conduct on TV shows left much to be desired. "Movie producers are much nicer and take better care of you," O'Connor argued. As reporting by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune detailed at the time, the actor was primarily at loggerheads with "All in the Family" producer Norman Lear. 

The actor even took Lear's production company to court, alleging he was owed $64,000 for his work. As O'Connor bragged to every publication he spoke to that he was leaving, Lear went on the offensive, telling the media he was happy to kill off Archie if the actor missed three consecutive episodes. The legendary producer also had a court order issued banning O'Connor from booking other work before finally reaching an agreement. As fans know, Archie ended up back on the show, which continued for years.

There are an abundance of '70s sitcoms that are best left forgotten, but "All in the Family" isn't one of them. What might best be forgotten, however, is the backstage beef that went on between Carroll O'Connor and his co-star, James Cromwell. Something fans might not know about the show's producer, Norman Lear, is that he was ready to have Cromwell's character, Stretch Cunningham, step into Archie's role in the Bunker household amid O'Connor's strike. It was this particular threat, in part, that seemingly provided the necessary motivation for the star to return to the show. Ironically, Cromwell ended up being the one whose character was killed off not long after. 

In a 2011 interview with Showbiz411, Cromwell revealed a bit of what was going on behind the scenes. "Carroll O'Connor just didn't want me on the show," he professed. "I was on set, and I told Sally Struthers I'd like to do more. She said, 'Carroll, we should get him to stay.' He wouldn't have it." During a 2007 chat with the New York Post, the "Babe" star was even more candid, alleging that O'Connor wasn't a fan of Stretch becoming such a popular character with the audience. Cromwell also claimed that his co-star tried to get him fired from the show "because I was getting too many laughs." 

But the joke was really on O'Connor in the end. As Cromwell reasoned, "He did me a great favor, because I might have ended up as another Fonzie, an actor totally identified with one character." The cast of "All in the Family" might have had their ups and downs behind the scenes, but fans still loved the show regardless, and continue to revisit it today.