Sally Struthers opens up about her mixed feelings towards Norman Lear, revealing her struggles during her time on “All in the Family.”
Los Angeles: Sally Struthers has some strong feelings about her time on “All in the Family.” She recently shared that she wasn’t a big fan of Norman Lear, the show’s creator.
During a podcast, she opened up about her experience on the show from 1971 to 1979. She felt comfortable discussing her thoughts now that Lear has passed away.
Struthers recalled how she was never invited to Lear’s home for dinner parties, which made her feel left out. She mentioned that other cast members were invited, but not her.
She also shared a memory from the first season when she asked Lear if she was the funniest choice for her role. His blunt response was a simple “No,” which left her speechless.
Struthers felt like she was often sidelined in the show, getting only a few lines per episode. She described her character as the “fourth banana” compared to the leads.
Despite her frustrations, she did enjoy the later seasons when her character, Gloria, had more storylines, including having a baby. She even got her own spinoff, “Gloria,” in 1982.
Now at 77, Struthers continues to act and recently starred in a Netflix show. She joked about audiences being curious to see her, wondering if they come to check if she’s still around.
