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On
June 21, 2001, actor, father, activist and native New Yorker
Carroll O'Connor died of a heart attack at the age of 76. Best
known for his portrayal of the bigoted, irascible Archie Bunker,
O'Connor leaves behind an impressive body of work, both professional
and philanthropic.
O'Connor began his acting career abroad, performing in stage
plays in Ireland, England, and France before returning to the
United States for his Broadway debut in 1958. His film work
encompassed such classics as Lonely Are the Brave (1962), Cleopatra
(1963), In Harm's Way (1965), Death of a Gunfighter (1969),
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966), and Kelly's Heroes
(1970).
Although he was passed over for the role of the Skipper in Gilligan's
Island, O'Connor found television fame shortly thereafter as
America's favorite bigot, Archie Bunker, in Norman Lear's ground
breaking All in the Family. His role on All in the Family earned
him four Emmy Awards and seven TV Guide covers in eight years.
He continued playing Archie in the spin-off series Archie Bunker's
Place for four additional years. In the late 1980s, O'Connor
garnered further acclaim (and earned another Emmy Award) for
his self-produced series, In the Heat of the Night.
In addition to his professional life, O'Connor and his wife,
Nancy, supported the University of Montana (his alma mater)
with a one-million-dollar grant. In 1995, after his son Hugh's
tragic drug-related suicide, O'Connor became an outspoken advocate
of tough drug laws. He is considered instrumental in the passage
of California's Drug Dealers Civil Liability Act. Late in his
life, O'Connor donated his time to several Public Service Announcements
warning of the dangers of drug abuse. |
