One of CBS Television’s biggest hit shows was All in the Family a show about a white bigot named Archie Bunker.  The show poked fun at some of our most basic human frailties on its way to breaking nearly every rule in the television censor’s playbook.

The very first episode opened with this warning to its viewers, which disappeared with the flushing of a toilet, something that later became a signature trademark of the show:

“The program you are about to see is All in the Family. It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter we hope to show, in a mature fashion, just how absurd they are.”‘

The All In The Family writers and producers decided to go against the grain, and the show that first aired on January 12, 1971, ranked #1 in the Nielsen ratings every year until 1976.  Only The Cosby Show and American Idol have been able to equal All In The Family’s five year run as the #1 show in the US.

The show continued to air new episodes until April 1979.

In September of that same year the show got a makeover and was called Archie Bunker’s Place. This new version lasted until 1983 but never achieved the success of the original.

All In The Family was centered around the ignorant, but still lovable, Archie Bunker, played superbly by Carroll O’Connor. He was a blue collar working class type of guy that had served in World War II and was a very outspoken bigot. He was basically prejudiced against everyone and everything that didn’t agree with his world view. His ignorance and bull-headed ways often got Archie in some awkward situations that made him to appear a complete idiot … often without him even understanding he was the butt of the joke of his own comments and actions.

Edith was his loving wife, who Archie constantly labeled as a ding-bat.  Yeah, he was  a verbally abusive husband too – go figure.  Edith, who was played by the adorable Jean Stapleton, was the sweet to Archie’s sour. Though the character was naive to a fault, Edith often was the only one in the room who’s views made any sense.

All In The Family certainly deserves its place as one of the best shows of all time. This was a type of show, incredulous as it sounds, that made America better.