200TH EPISODE CELEBRATION OF ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE (TV)
Summary
This special celebrates the 200th episode of "All in the Family," a comedy series about a working-class household presided over by the opinionated Archie Bunker. First, the announcer introduces a number of audience members, fans of the program who have traveled from all over the United States for the celebration. Host Norman Lear, the creator of "All in the Family," addresses a theater full of guests, explaining that the evening will feature "choice moments" from the long-running series. Clusters of clips are then screened, grouped thematically by topic, including ground-breaking television moments, political arguments between Mike and Archie, Edith's character, Christianity, Archie's bigotry, and human sexuality. Between screenings, Lear discusses the program's groundbreaking role in bringing real-life subject matter to television -- material that had been censored in the past, he explains. Lear quotes Time magazine, in which a writer said of the content of network entertainment shows, "By and large any subjects were fair game, except those that bore on the reality of viewer's lives." Lear also describes some of the criticism "All in the Family" has received.
Lear introduces a further series of clips from the show, characterizing the theme of the clips as "a celebration of life." Next, Lear talks about censorship and the strides made by "All in the Family." The last clip of the evening is from the episode in which Mike and Gloria move away from the Bunker household. Finally, Lear introduces the cast members, who walk onstage to join him: Sally Struthers, Rob Reiner, Jean Stapleton, and Carroll O'Connor. The program closes with glimpses of the party after the show, during which the guests mingle with the cast members. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Verizon Foundation, 2002.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 4, 1979 Sunday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:53:44
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:14742
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Specials; Comedy; Television writing
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1971-1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Mort Lachman … Executive Producer, Writer
- Milt Josefsberg … Executive Producer, Writer
- Brigit Jensen-Drake … Producer
- Walter C. Miller … Producer, Director
- Harry Waterson … Associate Producer
- Norman Lear … Writer
- Roger Kellaway … Music by
- Lee Adams … Theme Music by
- Charles Strouse … Theme Music by
- Roger Kellaway … Theme Music by
- Carroll O'Connor … Theme Music by
- Norman Lear … Host
- Carroll O'Connor … Cast, Archie Bunker
- Jean Stapleton … Cast, Edith Bunker
- Rob Reiner … Cast, Mike Stivic
- Sally Struthers … Cast, Gloria Stivic