Jean Stapleton

Jean Stapleton (born Jeanne Murray; January 19, 1923 – May 31, 2013) was an American character actress of stage, television, and film. She was best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker, the perpetually optimistic and devoted wife of Archie Bunker, on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family. The role earned her three Emmys and two Golden Globes for Best Actress in a comedy series.

Early life Stapleton was born on January 19, 1923 Her uncle was a vaudevillian performer, and her brother was a stage actor who inspired her to pursue acting.

Career

Jean Stapleton began her career in 1942 aged 18 in summer stock theater and made her New York debut in the Off-Broadway play American Gothic. She was featured on Broadway in several hit musicals, including Funny Girl, Juno, Damn Yankees, and Bells Are Ringing, recreating her parts from the latter two musicals in the film versions of Damn Yankees (1958) (her film debut) and Bells Are Ringing (1960).

Stapleton's early television roles included parts in Starlight Theatre, Robert Montgomery Presents, Lux Video Theater, Woman with a Past, The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, The Patty Duke Show, Dr. Kildare,

All in the Family

Stapleton played the role of Edith in All in the Family, which premiered in 1971. and two Golden Globes.

Feeling her character had run its course, Stapleton continued the role of Edith for only five more episodes in the follow-up series Archie Bunker's Place to help the transition. In the first episode of season two, the character of Edith had an offscreen stroke and was written out of the show. In 1982, Stapleton portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt in the TV movie Eleanor, First Lady of the World, focusing on the subject's later life. The role earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress.

She continued to guest-star in a number of television series during the 1980s including two episodes of Faerie Tale Theatre—in 1983 and 1985 editions entitled "Jack and the Beanstalk" as the Giant's Wife and "Cinderella" as the Fairy Godmother—Scarecrow and Mrs. King and The Love Boat. Stapleton also co-starred in the film The Buddy System (1984), alongside Susan Sarandon and Richard Dreyfuss, and played Ariadne Oliver in the 1986 television adaptation of Dead Man's Folly, opposite Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. She declined the role of Jessica Fletcher in the TV series Murder, She Wrote, which went to Angela Lansbury.

From 1990 to 1991, Stapleton co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg in 15 episodes of Bagdad Cafe, In 1996, Stapleton appeared in the educational series Beakman's World as Beakman's mother, Beakmom, and also appeared on Everybody Loves Raymond playing Ray's imperious aunt. Also in 1996, she appeared in a Murphy Brown episode, "All in the Family", playing Miles's grandmother, Nana Silverberg, playing opposite John Travolta in Nora Ephron's hit film Michael as the eccentric rooming house owner, Pansy Milbank. She voiced John Rolfe's maid, Mrs. Jenkins, in Disney's 1998 direct-to-video animated film Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, and appeared in the film You've Got Mail as a close co-worker in whom Meg Ryan's character confides. From 1998, Stapleton took her "Eleanor" characterization to live theaters, now adapted as a one-woman show.

In May 2000, Stapleton appeared in "Mother's Day", an episode of the TV series Touched by an Angel, portraying an angel named Emma who came to help Celine who was taking care of her late best friend's mother. Stapleton's final film role was as Irene Silverman in the 2001 fact-based TV movie, Like Mother, Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes, starring Mary Tyler Moore as convicted criminal Sante Kimes. while her final acting role was in Horton Foote's The Carpetbagger's Children at Lincoln Center in New York, March 7, 2002. Stapleton was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2002. She was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame that same year. Personal life Stapleton and William Putch were married from 1957 until his death in 1983. They had two children: actor/writer/director John Putch and television producer Pamela Putch. For 30 years, William Putch directed a summer stock theater, Totem Pole Playhouse, at Caledonia State Park in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. Stapleton performed regularly at the theater with the resident company. When William Putch died of a heart attack during the run of a touring production in Syracuse, Stapleton insisted on performing that night.

Stapleton's brother, Jack Stapleton, was a stage actor. Her cousin was actress Betty Jane Watson. Jean was active in the Christian Science church. She was unrelated to actress Maureen Stapleton, contrary to a common misconception. Jean supported Walter Mondale's campaign in the 1984 presidential election, was a vocal supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, and took an active role in the 1977 National Women's Conference.

Jean Stapleton rarely appeared on talk shows; nevertheless, she reunited on-camera with Carroll O'Connor on Donny and Marie Osmond's show on April 24, 2000, a little over a year before O'Connor's death. When the Osmonds asked her to perform in Edith Bunker's voice, she declined to do so and jokingly said that she only did so "for pay".

Death and reaction Stapleton died at her apartment in Manhattan, on May 31, 2013, at age 90. Co-star Rob Reiner said, "Working with her was one of the greatest experiences of my life."

The marquee lights on Broadway were dimmed for two minutes on June 5, 2013, at 8 p.m. EDT, to honor the memory of Stapleton. She was cremated by the Neptune Society in Paramus, New Jersey. Her cenotaph lies at Lincoln Cemetery in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Filmography Films Year Title Role Notes 1958 Damn Yankees Sister Miller Film debut; recreating Broadway role 1960 Bells Are Ringing Sue 1961 Something Wild Shirley Johnson 1967 Up the Down Staircase Sadie Finch 1971 Cold Turkey Mrs. Wappler Klute Goldfarb's Secretary 1984 The Buddy System Mrs. Price 1993 The Trial Landlady Uncredited 1996 Michael Pansy Milbank 1998 Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World Mrs. Jenkins (voice) Direct-to-video 1998 You've Got Mail Birdie Conrad 2001 Pursuit of Happiness Lorraine Final film role

Television Year Title Role Notes 1951 Starlight Theatre Woman Episode: "The Come-Back" 1952 Robert Montgomery Presents Episode: "Storm" 1953 Lux Video Theatre Teacher Episode: "A Time for Heroes" 1954–1956 Omnibus 2 episodes 1954 Woman with a Past Gwen TV series 1955 Repertory Theatre Bus Girl Episode: "A Business Proposition" 1960 The Robert Herridge Theater Episode: "The End of the Beginning" 1961–1963 Naked City Various 3 episodes 1961 Dr. Kildare Nurse Whitney Episode: "The Patient" 1962 Dennis the Menace Mrs. Flora Davis Episode: "Mr. Wilson's Housekeeper" The Nurses Mrs. Montgomery Episode: "The Barbara Bowers Story" Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine Nagging Wife Episode: #1.5 The Defenders Mrs. Larsen Episode: "The Hidden Jungle" Car 54, Where Are You? Mrs. Duggan (uncredited) Episode: "Je T'Adore Muldoon" 1963 The Eleventh Hour Rosa Criley Episode: "The Bride Wore Pink" Route 66 Mrs. Snyder Episode: "93 Percent in Smiling" 1964 My Three Sons Molly Dunbar Episode: "The People's House" 1965 The Patty Duke Show Mrs. Pollack Episode: "The Raffle" 1971–1979 All in the Family Edith Bunker 205 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1971–1972, 1978)Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1973–1974)Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1973–1975, 1977, 1979)Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1972, 1975, 1978–1980) 1973 Acts of Love and Other Comedies Gina's Mother TV movie 1976 American Documents, Vol. 5: How We Got the Vote Host/Narrator TV documentary 1977 Tail Gunner Joe Mrs. DeCamp TV movie 1978 The Muppet Show Herself 1 episode 1979 You Can't Take it With You Penny Sycamore TV movie Aunt Mary Mary Dobkin TV movie Archie Bunker's Place Edith Bunker 5 episodes 1981 Angel Dusted Betty Eaton TV movie Captain Kangaroo Freddie's Mom Episode: "The Captain Kangaroo's 25th Anniversary Special" Isabel's Choice Isabel Cooper TV movie 1982 Eleanor, First Lady of the World Eleanor Roosevelt TV movieNominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or MovieNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Something's Afoot Miss Tweed TV movie 1983–1985 Faerie Tale Theatre Various 2 episodes 1984 A Matter of Sex Irene TV movie Scarecrow and Mrs. King Lady Emily Farnsworth 2 episodes 1985 Great Performances Helen Episode: "Grown-Ups" 1986 Dead Man's Folly Ariadne Oliver TV movie The Love Boat Helen Branigan 2 episodes 1987 Tender Places Sam TV movie 1989 Trying Times Edna Episode: "The Boss" 1990 The American Playwrights Theater: The One Acts Helen Episode: "Let Me Hear You Whisper" Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme Mother Goose TV movie 1990–1991 Bagdad Cafe Jasmine Zweibel 15 episodes 1991 Fire in the Dark Henny TV movieNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 1992 Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories Narrator (voice) Episode: "Elizabeth and Larry/Bill and Pete" The Habitation of Dragons Lenora Tolliver TV movie The Ray Bradbury Theater Grandma Episode: "Fee Fie Foe Fum" 1993 General Motors Playwrights Theater Emilie Episode: "The Parallax Garden" Ghost Mom Mildred TV movie 1994 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle 13 episodes Grace Under Fire Aunt Vivian Episode: "The Road to Paris, Texas"Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 1995 Caroline in the City Aunt Mary Kosky Episode: "Caroline and the Opera" 1996 Murphy Brown Nana Silverberg Episode: "All in the Family" Lily Dale Mrs. Coons TV movie Everybody Loves Raymond Aunt Alda Episode: "I Wish I Were Gus" Beakman's World Beakman's Mom Episode: "Elephants, Beakmania and X-Rays" 1914–1918 Edith Wilson (voice) TV miniseries documentary: "War Without End" 1998 Style & Substance Gloria Episode: "A Recipe for Disaster" Chance of a Lifetime Mrs. Dunbar TV movie 2000 Touched by an Angel Emma Episode: "Mother's Day" Baby Byrd TV movie 2001 Like Mother Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes Irene Silverman TV movieFinal film role

Stage + Year Title Role Notes 1953 In the Summer House Inez Playhouse Theatre, Broadway 1953 American Gothic Mrs. Adams Circle in the Square, Off-Broadway 1955 Damn Yankees Sister 46th Street Theatre, Broadway 1956 Bells are Ringing Sue Shubert Theatre, Broadway 1959 Juno Mrs. Madigan Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway 1961 Rhinoceros Mrs. Ochs Longacre Theatre, Broadway 1964 Funny Girl Mrs. Strakosh Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway 1986 Arsenic and Old Lace Abby Brewster 46th Street Theatre, Broadway 1991 The Learned Ladies Philamente Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway 2002 The Carpetbagger's Children Grace Ann Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway