Mr. Salty

From the Chicago Tribune:

'All in the Family' star Jean Stapleton dies at 90

By Valerie Nelson

2:56 p.m. CDT, June 1, 2013

Jean Stapleton, who played Archie Bunker’s long-suffering wife Edith in the long-running 1970s television series “All in the Family,” died Friday at her New York City home. She was 90.

Stapleton died of natural causes, her family announced Saturday.

She had been a veteran of stage, film and television when she was cast in the CBS sitcom opposite Carroll O’Connor’s loud-mouthed, bigoted Archie Bunker, who often addressed her as "dingbat." She won three Emmys for the role.

“The benign, compassionate presence she developed made my egregious churl bearable,” O'Connor wrote of Stapleton in his 1998 autobiography. He died in 2001.

Born in New York City on Jan. 19, 1923, Stapleton was the daughter of a billboard advertising salesman and an opera singer.

In 1949, she got a break when she was cast in the national touring company of “Harvey.” Many characters later in summer stock, regional and off-Broadway plays, Stapleton starred as a wisecracking waitress in 1953 Broadway production of “In the Summer House.”

Stapleton went on to a feature role as Sister in “Damn Yankees,” singing the hit tune “You've Gotta Have Heart,” and reprised the role in the 1958 film. She also appeared in both the stage and film versions of “The Bells Are Ringing” as Sue, the proprietor of Susanswerphone Service. And she originated the role of Mrs. Strakosh in “Funny Girl,” which made a Broadway star of Barbra Streisand.

Stapleton is survived by her children, television producer Pamela Putch and film and television director John Putch.

Complete obituary to follow at latimes.com/obits.

Jack Straw

Loved how she drove Archie up the wall all those episodes. Stifled for good. R.I.P.

mickey65

Always loved how she sang the "All in the Family" theme...RIP

And she was good in "You've Got Mail" too.

Mike86

She lived a long life but will be missed. I used to watch All in the Family a lot back when it was on Nick at Nite and TV Land and always enjoyed her interaction with Carroll O'Connor. RIP Jean.

Numanoid

Sad, but happy to know that she lived a good long life.

astrochimp

I hate to say, but I thought she was already dead.

RIP Dingbat

Double_Oh_7

Cling peaches in heavy syrup.

Jimmy James

That's what happens when somebody dies on a show. It causes confusion.

RIP

astrochimp

Yeah, I think maybe thats what I was thinking of.

Bacon

RIP you silly dingbat

Rypro 525

or being old and out of the spotlight helps too

Bandoman

davidh777

RIP

(I could never makle out the words to the line "Gee, our LaSalle ran great.")

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MrSmearkase

Mike86

Her death was one that upset me a lot the first time I saw the episodes of Archie Bunker's Place. She was a great character and very memorable and it was sad when she wasn't around with Archie through the end of the show. Yes technically she was when on All in the Family, but Archie Bunker's Place was pretty much a direct contiunation only focused more on Archie and his bar. Even though we didn't see the character die on screen those were probably some of Carroll O'Connor's best acting moments. Very well done, emotional episodes.

Hokeyboy

I want to thank The Iron Sheik for verbalizing what we're all feeling right now.

Mike86

What the hell?? Sheik is a crazy bastard.

Sonic

I still watch All In The Family on antenna tv.

RIP

adamblast

This is the 2nd version of the song; at one point in the run they redid it, specifically they said to make the LaSalle line clearer... tho to me the biggest difference is Edith turning "and you knew where you WERE then" into an even bigger comedy scream-note.

Deadman31

I always thought it was gee our old la salle ran great. I always just assumed it was an old car?

Red Dog

She played a great dingbat.