The pilots both had the same story. Gloria and Richard are making a surprise anniversary party for Edith and Archie. Gloria does not want Richard to argue with Archie. Their friend, Lionel Jefferson was fixing the toilet for them. When Richard and Gloria leave Archie and Edith come home, Edith is surprised to see the party. But when Richard and Gloria come back, Richard and Archie start to argue about controversial ideas. Gloria tells Archie that she is going to leave because they keep arguing but she does not. Lionel comes back to the house and Archie tries to show Richard that he likes African-Americans but insults Jewish people instead. Lionel and Richard play a joke on Archie and try to make him think that he is Jewish. Edith opens a present from Archie but he did not make it. She is very happy but Archie is confused. The episodes end with Archie insulting Richard.
This was the last pilot and it would be two years until the first episode of the "All in the Family" was made. Both of the pilot episodes were never put on television. ABC did not like the show because they thought it was too controversial and because another show, "Turn-On" was ended after one episode. They also thought that the people who watch ABC would not like Archie Bunker. Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin took back the screenplay and thought about making a movie with "All in the Family" and not a show because Norman and Bud has made good movies. Norman Lear had a meeting with United Artists about making movies and Bud had a meeting with CBS. CBS thought about getting "All in the Family" back. Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin agreed to make 13 episodes for the first season and CBS bought the show back.
The show was filmed at CBS Television City in Hollywood from 1971 to 1975 and then was filmed at Metromedia Square also in Hollywood, from 1975 to 1979. Tandem Productions was the company that produced the show. Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin created the company. Norman Lear wanted the show to be made in black and white but CBS would not let him. The furniture in the show did not have many colors in them this was because Norman Lear wanted the people watching the show to make it feel like they were looking at family photos. "All in the Family" was the first American sitcom to be recorded in front of a live audience. Each episode is 25 or 26 minutes long. CBS had a warning before each episode to warn the people watching that controversial topics would be talked about on the show, but they did it too make people laugh. CBS did this so people would know before the show started if they were going to be offended by what was on the show. Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers played Michael and Gloria instead and the first episode was put on television on January 12, 1971.
"All in the Family" was not famous in the first season. But the show started to become famous when CBS had reruns of the first season on television.
"All in the Family" takes place Astoria which is a neighbourhood in the Queens, New York. Many episodes of the show take place at Archie and Edith's house. The address for the house Archie and his family is 704 Hauser but the address is not real. The house is real and is in Greendale also in New York. The Bunker's live near New York State Route 25A which is where Kelsey's Bar is and where "Archie Bunker's Place" is set. Many of the places mentioned in the show are real. Like the high school that Archie Bunker goes too is a real high school in Flushing, New York.
Most sitcoms before "All in the Family" did not talk about controversial issues. "All in the Family" became very famous because it talked about controversial topics like race and sexuality but in a funny way. Many people liked the show because they thought the show was relatable for them because the show was about average people in the 1970s. Norman Lear used this when he made other shows like "Sanford and Son". "All in the Family" won many awards for it's success. The chairs that Archie Bunker and Edith sit in and the table that is in between the chairs are on display at the National Museum of American History. On the table is Archie's favorite beer and a bowl to stop his cigar when he is done smoking. The hat that Archie wears on the show is also at this museum.
During the 1972 United States presidential election, shirts, and buttons were sold that said "Archie Bunker for President." In 1998, the United States Postal Service created a stamp that cost 33 cents and was about "All in the Family".
In the sound recordings of the Watergate scandal the then-U.S President Richard Nixon was heard talking about how "All in the Family" "glorifies homosexuality." He talks about Archie Bunker and calls Michael his "hippie son-in-law" but not does not say the show's name. Richard Nixon liked the show, having been mentioned many times in the sitcom and even been the plot of the second episode of the show. Nixon did not go on the show.
The rapper, Redman says Archie Bunker name in some of his songs when rapping about cigars because Archie is very well known for smoking large cigars.
A main character is a character who is in almost all the episodes or is important to the story.
Supporting characters are characters who are in many episodes and help the main characters at times.
A recurring character is a character who is in only a few episodes but does not have a big part.
The opening theme song for "All in the Family" is played at the start of each episode. The song is composed by Charles Strouse and the lyrics were written by Lee Adams. "Those Were the Days" is sung by Archie Bunker and Edith. Edith is playing during the piano during the song. In the introduction many clips of Manhattan from the sky are used. The clips start to show the neighborhoods as it gets closer to the Bunker's house. The final clip returns to the Bunker's house and Edith and Archie finish singing. There are many shorter versions of the lyrics here is the longest one which was made for Atlantic Records:
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
songs that made the hit parade
Guys like me we had it made
Those were the days
Didn't need no welfare state
ev'rybody pulled his weight
gee our old LaSalle ran great
Those were the days
And you knew who you were then
girls were girls and men were men
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again
People seemed to be content
fifty dollars paid the rent
freaks were in a circus tent
Those were the days
Take a little Sunday spin
go to watch the Dodgers win
Have yourself a dandy day
that cost you under a fin
Hair was short and skirts were long
Kate Smith really sold a song
I don't know just what went wrong
those were the days!
In 1975 Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Jean Stapleton, and Carroll O'Connor sung "Those were the Days" but changed the name to "These are the days." The song was for the live audience but was not but on television. The lyrics were different and it was about what was currently going on and realizing the changes. This was the only time that Reiner and Struthers were also singing with Stapleton and O'Connor.
"Remembering You" was the closing theme song for "All in the Family". The song would play after each episode had ended and the credits were being shown. The song was composed by Roger Kellaway. The lyrics were never added to the show but Carroll O'Connor did sing them when he was an television. During the song the clips from "Those were the Days" would play but instead it would be backwards. It used to just be a piano playing but lyrics sung by Archie Bunker actor, Carroll O'Connor were added. In the episode "Stewie Loves Lois" of "Family Guy" this song was played for the end credits:
Got a feelin' it's all over now - All over now, we're through.
And tomorrow I'll be lonesome, Remembering You.
Got a feelin' the sun will be gone - The day will be long and blue.
And tommorrow I'll be cryin', Remembering You.
There'a a far away look in your eye when you try to pretend to me,
That everything is the same as it used to be.