ON A PERSONAL NOTE
All hail the most brilliant “dingbat” that ever graced the American TV screen as Edith in the All in the Family. She made us roar with laughter with her child-like innocence, and surprised & often shocked us when she handled the most challenging situations with the upmost grace & dignity. She captured the hearts of American audiences because of her exceptional, well defined, and perfectly crafted and acted American typical housewife persona. What was so incredibly brilliant about Edith is that she transcended all stereotypes of social class, the educated, success, motherhood, and the role of wife with her soulful and honest approach to and perspective about life. Norman Lear let Edith show us “how it’s done.”
The Edith character is one of those sages wrapped in “ordinary clothes & skin” who teaches us really important lessons: kindness, patience, acceptance, trustworthiness, being mindful, being loving, and that quiet servitude, that at times, can be all that is needed to remedy the cruelty and unfairness that we all face in the world. Edith: the “dingbat” we should all strive to be. If only…
ABOUT JEAN STAPLETON
Jean Stapleton was born Jeanne Murray in Manhattan, New York City, to Marie A. (Stapleton), an opera singer, and Joseph Edward Murray, a billboard advertising salesman. Her paternal grandparents were Irish. She was a cousin of actress Betty Jane Watson. Other relatives in show business were her uncle, Joseph E. Deming, a vaudevillian; and her brother Jack Stapleton, a stage actor. She graduated from Wadleigh High School, NYC, in 1939, and attended Hunter College. She worked as a secretary before becoming an actress. Stapleton made her stage debut at the Greenwood Playhouse, Peaks Island, Maine, in the summer of 1941, and her New York stage debut in "The Corn Is Green" (1948). She appeared on Broadway in the musicals "Damn Yankees" (1955) and "Bells Are Ringing" (1956), and later repeated her roles in the movie versions (Damn Yankees (1958) and Bells are Ringing (1960)). Her other Broadway roles included the original companies of "Rhinoceros" (1961) and "Funny Girl" (1964). Stapleton also played Abby Brewster in the 1986-87 revival of "Arsenic and Old Lace".
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tim Dunlevy
TRADEMARK
Her high-pitched nasally voice (as Edith Bunker on ALL IN THE FAMILY (1971).
Mother of actor John Puch and actress Pamela Puch.
She won the role of Edith Bunker on All in the Family (1971) when creator Norman Learr directed her in his 1971 film Cold Turkdy (1971).
Is a favorite of playwright Horton Foote for whom she has acted in numerous plays, most recently "The Carpetbagger's Children" at Lincoln Center (Closed June 2002).
Ran Totem Pole Playhouse, a summer stock theater, in Caledonia State Park, outside Chambersburg, PA. Her husband was from the area. She and her children still visit frequently.
Was offered a role in WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTOR (1971), but turned it down to work on the pilot of ALL IN THE FAMILY(1971).
Was offered the role of Jessica Fletcher on MURDER, SHE WROTE.
In the TV episode THE DEFENDERS: THE HIDDEN JUNGLE (1962), which aired 1 December 1962, an unknown actress at this time, she played a woman who witnessed a murder. In the episode, while on the witness stand, she is asked to point out the murderer. The actor playing the murderer was another unknown named Carroll O’Connor who later starred with her in ALL IN THE FAMILY (1971).
Best remembered by the public for her role as "Edith Bunker" on the TV series ALL IN THE FAMILY (1971).
Received an honorary degree from Wilson College and has a scholarship named after her.
Portrayed "Sister Miller" in the stage version of 'Damn Yankees!' and reprised her role in the movie DAMN YANKEES (1958).
In 1977 she was one the commissioners who helped put together the National Women's Conference in Houston, a gathering of 2000 delegates from every U.S. state--part of International Women's Year--to assist in the formulation of national policy on women's issues.
Was a staunch liberal Democrat and womens’ rights activist.
Her first Broadway appearance following her departure from long-term TV series hits ("All in the Family" and "Archie Bunker's Place") was the comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace," alongside another actress (Polly Holliday) who was also trying to get some distance from her own long series of TV hits ("Alice" and "Flo"). Interestingly, Holliday was later replaced by Marion Ross in the "Arsenic" role. Ross also was aiming for her first Broadway appearance following a long TV run in "Happy Days.".
Best friend of Carroll O’Connor.
SOURCE: IMDB BIO
QUOTE BY JEAN STAPLETON
There's nothing like humor to burst what seems to be an enormous problem.
WHAT I WISH FOR YOU TODAY
LAUGHTER!