Edith Bunker
Encyclopedia
Edith Bunker is a fictional 1970s sitcom character on All in the Family
(and occasionally Archie Bunker's Place
), played by Jean Stapleton. She was the wife of Archie Bunker
(who often called her a "dingbat
"), mother of Gloria Stivic
, mother-in-law of Michael "Meathead" Stivic
, and, after 1975, grandmother of Joey Stivic
. Her cousin was Maude Findlay
(Beatrice Arthur
) who was Archie's nemesis.
Edith was the voice of reason and rock of understanding, often contributing a unique perspective to a topic. She was decidedly less bigoted than Archie (e.g., she was good friends with her black neighbor Louise Jefferson
, while Archie was always at odds with her and husband George
, and she acknowledged that she'd voted for President Jimmy Carter
in one of the later episodes). Though her opinions sometimes sharply differed from Archie's, she was intensely loyal to her husband, often stuck up for him and stood by him in his times of need. Edith was hardly the sharpest member of the family and could be a tad slow on the uptake, but she was certainly the happiest and wisest character on the show. For example, in a conversation with Gloria, Edith stated that she favored capital punishment
, "as long as it ain't too severe." In the episode "Cousin Liz
" (in which the Bunkers learn that her recently deceased cousin Liz was a lesbian with a life-partner, Veronica), Edith is at first shocked at the revelation, but quickly throws her arms around Veronica and warmly accepts her as Liz's "true next-of-kin", giving her the tea-set Liz's spouse would have legally inherited. Edith was extremely popular because she was easily the sweetest character on the show, unconditionally loving everyone she knew and also managing to keep high spirits even when she faced tragedy.
In contrast, in a memorable episode in the show's second season, Edith uncharacteristically snaps at Archie, repeatedly telling him (as he frequently did to her) to "stifle". Edith, who otherwise never cursed, also loudly instructed the family to "Leave me alone, dammit!" After a visit to the doctor Gloria explains to Archie that he needs to be sensitive to the fact that Edith is going through menopause
. Later on in the episode, a frustrated Archie yells at Edith "When I had the hernia I didn't make you wear the truss
. Now if you're gonna have a change of life, you gotta do it right now. I'm gonna give you 30 seconds!" In another episode, Edith, in a conversation with Gloria, wondered whether men go through "women-o-pause."
When All in the Family premiered in 1971, Edith was a housewife. In 1974, to help bring in extra money to the Bunker household, Edith got a part-time job as a caretaker at the Sunshine Home. She later was a partner in Archie's business, Archie's Place, the tavern he purchased in 1977. Edith loses her job at the Sunshine Home in 1979 (for breaking a policy by allowing a terminally ill woman to die and failing to inform the staff), but in an early episode of Archie Bunker's Place, she is able to find a similar caretaker's job at another nursing home.
Edith was most known for her shrill voice (her trademark "Oh, Aaaaaaaaaah-chie!" became very popular among viewers) and her flighty demeanor. The latter character trait caused Archie to call her "dingbat". However, Archie truly loved his wife and wanted what was best for both of them. Frequently, he would consult with her whenever something bothered him (such as the episode, "Archie and the KKK," where a distressed Archie asks Edith for advice on how to prevent a cross burning).
More than once, Edith sharply chastised Archie for casting judgment against other people, particularly when he mentions God. Two notable examples came in the episodes "Cousin Liz" (Archie went on a diatribe about how God hates gays) and "California, Here We Are" (where, upon learning that Gloria's near affair had almost destroyed the Stivics' marriage, berates the "Little Goil" and says that the matter is "God's business"). In both instances, Edith warned Archie to back off and says that God should be left to deal with those matters and the people involved. She also became close friends with a transgender person/drag performer known as Beverly LaSalle (Lori Shannon
) who came into their lives when Archie saved his life when he required CPR, remaining friends with him, despite Archie's discomfort. Edith later had a crisis of faith after Beverly's death protecting Mike from muggers.
Edith also serves as the voice of reason for Mike and on several occasions corrects him when, as she says, "He's been acting all stuck up." She explains to Mike that Archie yells at him not because he hates Mike but because he is jealous of Mike's many opportunities in life.
Edith also on many occasions helps Gloria to understand that Gloria's feminist views, while correct, do not mean other view points are necessarily any less valid.
Edith is described by Archie's father as being "too smart" for him because, while Edith appears to have less-than-average intelligence, she is very wise about life and the way the world works.
Around the house, Edith usually ran everywhere she went, impliedly to please others without them having to wait. This included answering the doorbell or phone, and running to the kitchen to get Archie a beer.
The character suffers from several physical and emotional traumas throughout the series. Edith goes through menopause
in the second season ("Edith's Problem"), discovers a lump in her breast just before Christmas in the fourth season ("Edith's Christmas Story"), is nearly rape
d on her 50th birthday in the eighth season ("Edith's 50th Birthday
"), and develops phlebitis
in the show's final episode in season nine ("Too Good Edith"). The first episode of the second season of Archie Bunker's Place
("Archie Alone") reveals that Edith died of a stroke
.
, in which Edith becomes seriously ill while frantically helping Archie cook Irish dinners for a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the bar; she had been suffering from phlebitis
and didn't tell Archie out of love, but he found out anyway and was upset that she'd hidden it from him).
Archie's worst nightmare came true in 1980, on the re-titled All in the Family continuation series Archie Bunker's Place
, when Edith died (off-camera) of a stroke
in the 1-hour second season premiere, "Archie Alone," which originally aired on CBS on November 2, 1980.
Jean Stapleton had wished to leave her role (in interviews, Stapleton has stated the role of Edith had reached its potential). Her appearances on the prior season sharply declined, having appeared in only six episodes of the 1979-1980 season. The 1980–1981 season premiere of Archie Bunker's Place acknowledged Edith's death (which had occurred a month before), and focused on Archie's denial and later grieving over Edith's death. The memorable episode ends with Archie alone in the bedroom in which he finds one of Edith's slippers, at which time he mourns her passing.
The following is part of the transcript from the episode on Edith's death:
It was only with great reluctance that producer Norman Lear
killed off his beloved character. When Jean Stapleton reminded him that Edith was a fictional character, Lear took a long pause and with a sad tone responded, "Not to me she isn't."
Jean Stapleton appeared as a presenter on an Emmy Awards Telecast (after the episode "Archie Alone" aired) and said to the viewing audience: "See! I'm still here!"
Edith and Archie's chairs have been noted as famous pieces of history by their inclusion in the National Museum of American History
.
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
(and occasionally Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place is an American sitcom originally broadcast on the CBS network, conceived in 1979 as a spin-off and continuation of All in the Family. While not as popular as its predecessor, the show maintained a large enough audience to last for four seasons, until its cancellation in 1983...
), played by Jean Stapleton. She was the wife of Archie Bunker
Archie Bunker
Archibald "Archie" Bunker is a fictional New Yorker in the 1970s top-rated American television sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunker's Place, played to acclaim by Carroll O'Connor. Bunker is a veteran of World War II, reactionary, bigoted, conservative, blue-collar worker, and...
(who often called her a "dingbat
Dingbat (disambiguation)
A dingbat is an ornament or spacer used in typesetting, sometimes more formally known as a "printer's ornament"Dingbat or dingbats might also refer to:...
"), mother of Gloria Stivic
Gloria Stivic
Gloria Stivic , is the name of the supporting character played by Sally Struthers on the American situation comedy All in the Family, which aired on the CBS television network from 1971 until 1979...
, mother-in-law of Michael "Meathead" Stivic
Michael Stivic
Michael Casimir Stivic is a fictional character on the long running American television sitcom of the 1970s, All in the Family. He was the live-in son-in-law of the series's lead character, the bigoted and undereducated Archie Bunker, who frequently called him "Meathead". Michael was the husband...
, and, after 1975, grandmother of Joey Stivic
Joey Stivic
Joseph Michael "Joey" Stivic is a fictional character who first appeared on the 1970s American sitcom All in the Family. Joey Stivic was the son and only child of Mike Stivic and Gloria Stivic , and the grandson of Archie Bunker and Edith Bunker...
. Her cousin was Maude Findlay
Maude Findlay (character)
Maude Findlay is a fictional character on the controversial 1970s sitcom Maude. She was portrayed by the Emmy-winning actress Beatrice Arthur.-Background:...
(Beatrice Arthur
Beatrice Arthur
Beatrice "Bea" Arthur was an American actress, comedienne and singer whose career spanned seven decades. Arthur achieved fame as the character Maude Findlay on the 1970s sitcoms All in the Family and Maude, and as Dorothy Zbornak on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls, winning Emmy Awards for both...
) who was Archie's nemesis.
Character background
Edith Bunker was a native of New York City. She was born in October 1927 and died in September 1980, at age 52. Her character and accent changed somewhat between the first and second seasons. In the earliest episodes, she was the "put-upon wife," often bemoaning (though softly) her husband's behavior or comments; also during the first season, Jean Stapleton spoke in her own voice, rather than the nasal, high pitched voice for which Edith is generally remembered. By the second season, she became the character more familiar to viewers: kind, utterly non-judgmental, and fully dedicated to her husband. Also, in the first season, she pronounced her husband's name as "Ahchie" or even "Archie." In the 1st season 2nd episode "Writing the President" Edith remarks how before her marriage she worked for "Hercules Plumbing". By the second season, her husband became "Awwchie." In the third season episode "The Battle of the Month" and fourth season episode "Gloria Sings the Blues," Edith reveals that her parents almost divorced after a nasty fight and that although they stayed married, things were never the same between them. This deeply affected Edith and her views on marriage, marital fighting, and how to treat other people. In the fourth season episode "Archie the Gambler," Edith reveals that her father was addicted to gambling and almost brought his family to ruin (an experience which led Edith to put her foot down twice regarding Archie's similar gambling problem).Edith was the voice of reason and rock of understanding, often contributing a unique perspective to a topic. She was decidedly less bigoted than Archie (e.g., she was good friends with her black neighbor Louise Jefferson
Louise Jefferson
Louise Jefferson was a supporting character, portrayed by Emmy Award-winning actress Isabel Sanford, who appeared first on the television series All in the Family. She later became one of the main characters in its spinoff series, The Jeffersons...
, while Archie was always at odds with her and husband George
George Jefferson
George Jefferson is a fictional character played by Sherman Hemsley in American television sitcoms All in the Family and its spin-off The Jeffersons...
, and she acknowledged that she'd voted for President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
in one of the later episodes). Though her opinions sometimes sharply differed from Archie's, she was intensely loyal to her husband, often stuck up for him and stood by him in his times of need. Edith was hardly the sharpest member of the family and could be a tad slow on the uptake, but she was certainly the happiest and wisest character on the show. For example, in a conversation with Gloria, Edith stated that she favored capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, "as long as it ain't too severe." In the episode "Cousin Liz
Cousin Liz
"Cousin Liz" is an episode of the American television situation comedy All in the Family. The story concerns lead character Edith Bunker's inheritance of a valuable tea service from her deceased cousin Liz and her decision, upon learning that Liz's "roommate" Veronica is really Liz's surviving...
" (in which the Bunkers learn that her recently deceased cousin Liz was a lesbian with a life-partner, Veronica), Edith is at first shocked at the revelation, but quickly throws her arms around Veronica and warmly accepts her as Liz's "true next-of-kin", giving her the tea-set Liz's spouse would have legally inherited. Edith was extremely popular because she was easily the sweetest character on the show, unconditionally loving everyone she knew and also managing to keep high spirits even when she faced tragedy.
In contrast, in a memorable episode in the show's second season, Edith uncharacteristically snaps at Archie, repeatedly telling him (as he frequently did to her) to "stifle". Edith, who otherwise never cursed, also loudly instructed the family to "Leave me alone, dammit!" After a visit to the doctor Gloria explains to Archie that he needs to be sensitive to the fact that Edith is going through menopause
Menopause
Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining...
. Later on in the episode, a frustrated Archie yells at Edith "When I had the hernia I didn't make you wear the truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
. Now if you're gonna have a change of life, you gotta do it right now. I'm gonna give you 30 seconds!" In another episode, Edith, in a conversation with Gloria, wondered whether men go through "women-o-pause."
When All in the Family premiered in 1971, Edith was a housewife. In 1974, to help bring in extra money to the Bunker household, Edith got a part-time job as a caretaker at the Sunshine Home. She later was a partner in Archie's business, Archie's Place, the tavern he purchased in 1977. Edith loses her job at the Sunshine Home in 1979 (for breaking a policy by allowing a terminally ill woman to die and failing to inform the staff), but in an early episode of Archie Bunker's Place, she is able to find a similar caretaker's job at another nursing home.
Edith was most known for her shrill voice (her trademark "Oh, Aaaaaaaaaah-chie!" became very popular among viewers) and her flighty demeanor. The latter character trait caused Archie to call her "dingbat". However, Archie truly loved his wife and wanted what was best for both of them. Frequently, he would consult with her whenever something bothered him (such as the episode, "Archie and the KKK," where a distressed Archie asks Edith for advice on how to prevent a cross burning).
More than once, Edith sharply chastised Archie for casting judgment against other people, particularly when he mentions God. Two notable examples came in the episodes "Cousin Liz" (Archie went on a diatribe about how God hates gays) and "California, Here We Are" (where, upon learning that Gloria's near affair had almost destroyed the Stivics' marriage, berates the "Little Goil" and says that the matter is "God's business"). In both instances, Edith warned Archie to back off and says that God should be left to deal with those matters and the people involved. She also became close friends with a transgender person/drag performer known as Beverly LaSalle (Lori Shannon
Lori Shannon
Lori Shannon was an openly gay female impersonator who was long associated with the drag revues at the famous Finocchio's nightclub in San Francisco. He also wrote an entertainment column for the Bay Area Reporter...
) who came into their lives when Archie saved his life when he required CPR, remaining friends with him, despite Archie's discomfort. Edith later had a crisis of faith after Beverly's death protecting Mike from muggers.
Edith also serves as the voice of reason for Mike and on several occasions corrects him when, as she says, "He's been acting all stuck up." She explains to Mike that Archie yells at him not because he hates Mike but because he is jealous of Mike's many opportunities in life.
Edith also on many occasions helps Gloria to understand that Gloria's feminist views, while correct, do not mean other view points are necessarily any less valid.
Edith is described by Archie's father as being "too smart" for him because, while Edith appears to have less-than-average intelligence, she is very wise about life and the way the world works.
Around the house, Edith usually ran everywhere she went, impliedly to please others without them having to wait. This included answering the doorbell or phone, and running to the kitchen to get Archie a beer.
The character suffers from several physical and emotional traumas throughout the series. Edith goes through menopause
Menopause
Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining...
in the second season ("Edith's Problem"), discovers a lump in her breast just before Christmas in the fourth season ("Edith's Christmas Story"), is nearly rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d on her 50th birthday in the eighth season ("Edith's 50th Birthday
Edith's 50th Birthday (All in the Family)
"Edith's 50th Birthday" is the third episode of the eighth season of the American situation comedy All in the Family. The episode, which originally aired October 16, 1977, was written by Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf, and directed by Paul Bogart....
"), and develops phlebitis
Phlebitis
Phlebitis is an inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs.When phlebitis is associated with the formation of blood clots , usually in the deep veins of the legs, the condition is called thrombophlebitis...
in the show's final episode in season nine ("Too Good Edith"). The first episode of the second season of Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place is an American sitcom originally broadcast on the CBS network, conceived in 1979 as a spin-off and continuation of All in the Family. While not as popular as its predecessor, the show maintained a large enough audience to last for four seasons, until its cancellation in 1983...
("Archie Alone") reveals that Edith died of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
.
Edith's death
Archie was intensely protective of her and became upset at even the thought of losing her (a point driven home in the episode "Too Good Edith," the 208th and final episode of All in the FamilyAll in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
, in which Edith becomes seriously ill while frantically helping Archie cook Irish dinners for a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the bar; she had been suffering from phlebitis
Phlebitis
Phlebitis is an inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs.When phlebitis is associated with the formation of blood clots , usually in the deep veins of the legs, the condition is called thrombophlebitis...
and didn't tell Archie out of love, but he found out anyway and was upset that she'd hidden it from him).
Archie's worst nightmare came true in 1980, on the re-titled All in the Family continuation series Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place is an American sitcom originally broadcast on the CBS network, conceived in 1979 as a spin-off and continuation of All in the Family. While not as popular as its predecessor, the show maintained a large enough audience to last for four seasons, until its cancellation in 1983...
, when Edith died (off-camera) of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in the 1-hour second season premiere, "Archie Alone," which originally aired on CBS on November 2, 1980.
Jean Stapleton had wished to leave her role (in interviews, Stapleton has stated the role of Edith had reached its potential). Her appearances on the prior season sharply declined, having appeared in only six episodes of the 1979-1980 season. The 1980–1981 season premiere of Archie Bunker's Place acknowledged Edith's death (which had occurred a month before), and focused on Archie's denial and later grieving over Edith's death. The memorable episode ends with Archie alone in the bedroom in which he finds one of Edith's slippers, at which time he mourns her passing.
The following is part of the transcript from the episode on Edith's death:
It was only with great reluctance that producer Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
killed off his beloved character. When Jean Stapleton reminded him that Edith was a fictional character, Lear took a long pause and with a sad tone responded, "Not to me she isn't."
Jean Stapleton appeared as a presenter on an Emmy Awards Telecast (after the episode "Archie Alone" aired) and said to the viewing audience: "See! I'm still here!"
Cultural impact
In 2009, a group of former punk rockers (Peanut Butter Scar, Once Again, School Bus, Dalrymple) from the Ohio Valley/Wheeling West Virginia music scene started recording material under the name of Edith Bunker. Their music can be referenced on both Facebook and Myspace.Edith and Archie's chairs have been noted as famous pieces of history by their inclusion in the National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.