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Our American Stories

The Super Bowl of Sitcoms: The Story of "All in the Family"

Our American Stories

iHeartPodcasts

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.6817 Ratings

🗓️ 2 April 2025

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On this episode of Our American Stories, in its heyday, "All in the Family" was watched by nearly one-third of all Americans. Throughout its nine seasons and 212 episodes, the show delivered six of the top 50 highest-rated television programs of all time. Here’s our own Greg Hengler with the story.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley Season 1.

0:09.1

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

0:13.7

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

0:18.5

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

0:21.0

Listen to new episodes of Bone Valley Season 2, starting April 9th on the I Heart Radio app,

0:26.6

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

0:43.6

And we continue with our American stories.

0:55.2

In the 1970s, all in the family was watched by nearly one third of all Americans and dominated the TV ratings throughout the decade.

0:59.7

Before its last of nine seasons and 212 episodes,

1:06.1

the show delivered six of the top 50 highest rated TV programs of all time.

1:08.8

Here's Greg Hengler with a story. From Television City in Hollywood.

1:12.1

Boy, the way Glenn Miller played.

1:15.8

Songs that made the hit parade.

1:19.5

Guys like us we hadn't made.

1:23.2

Those were the days.

1:26.2

It was doomed from the start.

1:29.9

The social satire television show called All in the Family was seen as too abrasive and failed to pull any punches.

1:38.7

Carol O'Connor played the blue-collar bigot, Archie Bunker.

1:42.8

The show's creator, Norman Lear, inclined O'Connor for the combination of bombast and sweetness.

1:49.8

The actor exuded on the big screen.

1:53.0

O'Connor believed in the character, but not in the show's chances to succeed on television.

1:59.7

Here's Rob Reiner.

...

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