Sally Struthers soared to fame through her portrayal of Gloria Stivic in the 1970s sitcom “All In The Family.” This show achieved immense success, captivating millions of viewers as it fearlessly addressed social issues and taboos, often blending humor with poignancy.
Struthers shared the screen with other notable talents who later flourished in their careers due to the show’s popularity. Among them were Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner, and Danielle Brisebois.
Throughout its run, the show garnered an impressive 42 awards and an astonishing 73 nominations. Even today, many of us reminisce about “All In The Family” as a fond reminder of television’s golden era.
Regarding the character she portrayed, Struthers revealed to Longview Daily News in 1973, “Initially, I acted foolishly on set. I believed that was the key to gaining people’s affection. However, I underwent a learning process on set, discovering the importance of being authentic. Now, I am respected.”
Her journey to becoming part of the show is quite intriguing. Specifically, Struthers was dancing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour when she caught the attention of producer Norman Lear, whom the actress fondly referred to as a “paternal figure to us all.”
The show was so successful, that then 22-year-old Struthers couldn’t even leave her home without being followed by fans who wanted to meet her.https://www.instagram.com/p/BnlK2Meg_-E/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=540&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fboreddaddy.com&rp=%2Fthis-blonde-bombshell-of-the-70s-still-knows-how-to-pack-a-punch-on-screen%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0wEZmyCjToVVwlzak_B4deSbV47puNpEdBY1mWUZn6XXDSedRWf2t2LAk#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A673.5%2C%22ls%22%3A32.5%2C%22le%22%3A566.1000000238419%7D
As the show went from one season to another, Struthers asked her role to get more dramatic.
“When we go on hiatus, I desire to explore something new,” she expressed. “There are myriad ways to portray a woman. I aspire to embody roles such as a murderess, an unwed mother, a nun, and an elderly Jewish mother. By the conclusion of my career, my hope is for people to regard me as funny as Judy Holliday and to hold me in the same esteem as Ruth Gordon.”
After the conclusion of the show, Struthers encountered difficulties in securing the roles she aspired to play due to being typecast. In the 1990s, she served as a semi-regular panelist on the game show “Match Game.” Additionally, some may recognize Sally for her role as Babette Dell in “Gilmore Girls.”
