WhoDat!656

R.I.P You will be missed!!

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Jean Stapleton, the long-suffering Edith Bunker on the landmark television series of the 1970s, "All in the Family," has died at 90 of natural causes.

Stapleton, born Jeanne Murray, also worked on stage and in film, but was by far best known for her signature wail of "Aaaaaarchie!" on Norman Lear's iconic show about the working class family of Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O'Connor. She won three Emmys and two Golden Globes for her portrayal of Edith.

The shrill-voiced, big-hearted Edith, affectionately referred to by O'Connor's Archie Bunker as "dingbat," became synonymous with the actress on a show than ran for nine seasons and had more than 200 episodes.

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Sally Struthers played her daughter on the cusp of the women's liberation movement while Edith represented the homespun values of wife and mother, effacing herself for the greater good of her family. But Lear's social message about a changing American society shone through Archie's abuse toward Edith, and Edith's acceptance of her subordinate role.

It was a role she eventually outgrew. Her character was written out of the "All in the Family" follow-up "Archie's Place" after a single season. For good measure, the show's writers killed her off, explaining she died from a stroke.

Years later, while appearing with O'Connor on "The Donny and Marie Show" in 2000 she refused to reprise her signature voice, saying "I only do it for pay."

In addition to her small screen work, Stapleton was an accomplished stage actress, performing in such notable Broadway shows as "Funny Girl," "Damn Yankees" and "Bells Are Ringing."

Stapleton would win three Emmys and two Golden Globe awards for her "All in the Family" work and the fame that came with the role would lead to guest appearances on shows like "The Muppet Show" and The Carole Burnett Show."

Though she left the spotlight once she abandoned Edith, she remained active on stage and screen, appearing in supporting roles in films like "You've Got Mail" and "Michael" and on programs like "Everybody Loves Raymond."

William Putch, Stapleton's husband of 30 years, died in 1983. She is survived by their two children, the actor and director John Putch and the actress Pamela Putch.

'All In The Family' star Jean Stapleton dies at age 90 - MSN TV News

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

QBREES9

Sad News !

SmashMouth

RIP....

D_it_up

I was very young when All In the Family went off the air, so anything I caught of it was in syndication. It became my late-night obsession along with The Jeffersons and Three's Company. There will never better another "dingbat" like her.

QBREES9

She was Great at what she did. God Bless her.

Mardigras9

RIP Jean..

SloMotion

Her playing the piano & singing "Those Were the Days" on the intro to All In the Family was always one of my favorites & one of the most memorable ... for some odd reason, .

RIP.