Want to know why did Jean Stapleton leave All in the Family? Well, the sitcom had a huge, significant cast, and Jean was one of them. Remember, who are you talking about? The actress who portrayed Edith Bunker. Yes!
During every exit, the actors usually either be upset or mad. But Jean didn’t appear to be anything like that. She was okay with her character getting written off from the sitcom. What happened? Before getting into it, let’s briefly discuss Jean Stapleton’s prominence, her character, and the sitcom.
You must know how great Jean Stapleton was as an actress. Even though she is not alive today, we still cherish all of her films and shows. Isn’t it? Being Jean’s fan, you must not miss out on her works like- Archie Bunker’s Place, Dead Man’s Folly, Everybody Loves Raymond, Pursuit Of Happiness, Beakman’s World, and You Can’t Take It With You.
What about the sitcom, All in the Family? Well, it started back in 1971 and later concluded with Season 9. Created by Norman Lear, this CBS sitcom focused on a working-class white family living in New York City.
Talking about Jean, portraying Edith Bunker, we saw her as the significant other of Archie Bunker. Her character was pretty much good, being understanding and loving but uneducated. Because of that, Archie used to call her ‘dingbat.’ They also had a daughter, Gloria.
Coming back to Jean Stapleton’s departure from All in the Family, it was not shocking to her. It seemed like she was aware of it. Did she part ways from the show by herself? If you are looking for the reason why Jean Stapleton left All in the Family, here is what we know.
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Reason Behind Jean Stapleton Leaving All in the Family Revealed
It was in 1980 when Jean Stapleton left All in the Family after serving until the mid of the finale season. But why? The ones who failed to continue with the show must be wondering how her character, Edith Bunker, ended up.
Starting from the reason behind Jean Stapleton leaving All in the Family was nothing but the end of her contract. Yes! Initially, she was afraid of getting typecast in “submissive roles.” Because of that, she started making fewer appearances on the show. Still, she wanted to keep her identity intact.
Several rumors related to Jean Stapleton’s departure from All in the Family surfaced online. After coming across those, the actress was not mad but hurt for sure. The headline appeared like “Edith quits.” Well, when the term “quit” is used, it usually denotes that the star has left the show after having a feud with fellow castmates. But, Jean didn’t have any disagreements with the cast, producers, or anyone from the show.
Concerning Jean Stapleton’s exit, the actress said, “I love Edith. She changed my life. So far, by doing other things in the summer, I’ve kept my identity as an actress separate. But, I was afraid if I went on as Edith, I’d never lose her.” How did Edith Bunker end up in the story?
Well, her character was written off as she was shown dead. Yes! It wasn’t a good ending on her side. What was the cause? Edith passed away after suffering from a stroke.
Talking more about how Jean Stapleton was, everyone was quite happy with her performance. That was obvious, though! Even off-screen, behind the scenes, the actress shared good relationships with everyone on the set. Therefore, questions regarding the feud should not have been raised in her case. It was hurting, yes! Which is your favorite Jean Stapleton work?
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