Ed O’Neill Reveals Why He Almost Got Fired from ‘Married with Children’ | The Rich Eisen Show 

This guy was a beast on the football field back in the day. Once scored 4 touchdowns in one game for Polk High.

Ed O’Neil absolutely nailed the Al Bundy character. He made that show.

Would have been the biggest mistake in sitcom history not having Ed O'Neil as Al Bundy.

Married With Children was one of the pillars that FOX was built on. One of the most important sitcoms in TV history. Can’t imagine what would’ve happened if they’d canned it after the pilot because some executive bigwig didn’t like O’Neil as Al?

Ed O'Neill's one of the truly great actors and good guys in Hollywood, if there were only more like him

For a little more context, Fox was the new small TV network and Married was their first series. Having the star of the show be some unknown actor when you're trying to get people to switch from one of the three established networks to your new one is a huge risk. When it's someone you've never seen do a comedy, it's really crazy casting. It makes sense the execs weren't happy with it and wanted someone they at least knew of. It turned out to be perfect casting of course, and was the hit that first brought people over to Fox

Dutch is a criminally underrated movie.

Nobody could play Al Bundy. Ed O’Neil was perfect for that role.

Ed is right about Dutch. Very underrated and I remember they spoofed it on the show when the Bundys went to the video store and they were giving away copies for free.

I watched the pilot the night it came out. The intro song, the humor, the characters and the plot. It was a smash!

I loved Married With Children as a kid growing up in the 90's. Honestly I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role of Al Bundy

I'm old and remember how different MWC was compared to every other sitcom up to that point. It truly broke the mold. I was a young teen at the time and watched every week.

It is truly hard to say that if Ed O'Neill was not cast for the show, it would have been a success. Ed brought the look of the 'every man' to the show at a time, in my opinion, when we needed it. So many shows of the time focused on looks over real-life characters, and Ed brought the right character to be the one NOT to be PC, and it fit this show perfectly... his look and his character was what I feel made the show. I was not a fan of Katy at first, but she evolved into the perfect character later, as did the kids. Kelly too was the smart one at first, it played out OK, but only when she began to become a total ditz and Bud begin to mature, the show took off really well. Overall, the entire show was a success, and I am so happy that I got to see it all; from beginning to end, and so on as it repeated in syndication. And as the show goes, I am so happy that the casting hit it on the head, perfectly. How many years has it been how? I still feel that this show will still be appreciated for another 3 decades, if not more... probably better than the Honey Mooners or I Love Lucy. That, of course, is just my opinion.

The fact that Ed O'Neill was relatively unknown at the time was perfect. It was easier to just associate him with Al Bundy and only Al Bundy. Plus, Al Bundy kind of dipped into obscurity after his high school glory days, which matched Ed O'Neill's unknown status in Hollywood at the time.

I heard he had 4 touchdowns in one game

It wouldn't have worked without Mr. O'Neill

There is literally no one else who could've embodied Al Bundy better. I'm glad they doubled down on Ed O'Neill. What an absolute legend.

He is so interesting. Seems like a lot of fun to hear stories from.

Thank goodness he wasn't fired. That show brought so many people joy!

Imagine the amount of crybabies that would cry if a show like this comes out in 2024

I am impressed that neither of them held a grudge and didn't take things personally. And because of what happened we got Al Bundy. So iconic I couldn't imagine anyone else doing that job. He was so perfect and it is clear even just seeing the first episode that the role was his. I think they did a great job with the entire cast, it was just amazing. Thank you Mr O'Neill for your services to American and world culture.

Thats a great story, shows the faith they had in their choice, the respect to not put that extra pressure on him or the cast, and be willing to let it fail then change their vision.

Dutch is legitimately one of my favorite Thanksgiving movies, right behind Planes, trains, and automobiles. I've watched it EVERY year during the holidays. Love some Ed O'Neill

Ed O’Neil has the best perspective a man could have. He’s funny, sarcastic, to the point, and a no nonsense personality!!!

Dutch is such a fantastic movie

Ed was incredible as Al Bundy. Perfect casting.

I love listening to Ed O’Neil tell a story! He makes everything sound funny!

Could listen to these back stories all day!

He was the reason why married with children lasted 11 seasons

47 years ago, the man they called Al “Touchdown” Bundy, cemented his place in Chicago High School Football history with 4 Touchdown’s in a single game for Polk High.

I can’t imagine any other actor, past or present, as Al Bundy

Stories like that are why I love sitcoms.

Was a kid watching Married with children 51now still watching the greatest show of my time

Married with Children was a smash hit! Alao helped put Fox on the map as it was a new network at the time!

We need Al Budy as a grandfather, with no filters.

Al Bundy will forever be my favourite character ever created

They couldn't have picked a better actor for this role!

Today Al Bundy is needed more than ever!

He was the perfect Al.

Remember, these executive geniuses told Roddenberry to can Leonard Nimoy from Star Trek. Didn't Diller use to work for NBC?

Ed is a tv sitcom GOAT.... starting to really get old. They better make sure to do a Modern Family reunion show/movie/series before we no longer have him

Thank God they didn’t fire him!! Couldn’t imagine someone being a better Al Bundy the Polk High superstar 4 td’s in one game

Very happy it turned out the way it did!

I don't know where I would be right now without Al Bundys guidance. Thank you very much Ed 🙏

Ed IS Al Bundy. No way that show would have lasted without him.

O'Neill is a great interviewee being interviewed by the best.

I don't care what anyone says, I still feel that Ed O'Neil channeled Carroll O'Connor's Archie Bunker character into Al Bundy. I also liked David Garrison's character more than Jefferson, but both were great overall.

GREATEST SITCOM EVER!! Ed O’neal Al Bundy is the GREATEST sitcom character EVER

Man, that sitting on the sofa and putting his hand down the front of his pants is Legendary. I have my people do that every Thanksgiving and they have to send pics. 🤣😂😎😎

It’s weird a generation of kids will only know Ed O’Neill from Modern Family.. While a whole other generation knows him from Married With Children,, and Also,, Modern Family… But, when they see him their first thought it Al Bundy

I recall they originally wanted Sam Kinison to be Al Bundy. NO ONE else, could have been Al Bundy, other than Ed.

He is such a good storyteller; I can't help but just stop what I am doing and listen to everything he has to say.

Woah, Bundy....👍👍 "Fox viewing positions"😁

So much disrespect for a dude that scored 4 touchdowns in a single game against his nemesis Bubba “Spare Tire” Dixon.

My favorite sitcom! 😉😁

We love you, Ed.

I absolutely cannot imagine ANYONE else playing the role of Al Bundy!

What a great show

This man deserves a statue 😆

Al Bundy is the greatest television character of all time

Reading the book Ed's talking about right now. It brings back a lot of memories. I grew up with this show.

Bundy is a legend loved the show!!

Good story i love how it all came together

I couldnt imagine married with children without ed, He was a perfect al bundy

He is legend ❤

Props to the creators of the show.

I was NFL bound until them Sebring Lightning bolt boys took out my knees in the Heartland Championship game of the 7th grade Junior high school round of 64 in 1997. Them good ole days as the running back for them Hardee Junior High Wildcats.

Dutch - underrated and under appreciated movie. Mr O’Neil knocked that role out of the park. Changed my mind about him as an actor. Been a fan ever since.

Ed O’Neill played Popeye Doyle in the third French Connection movie which came out in 1986 just before Married with Children got started. If you watched that movie, you would know that Ed O’Neill was going to make a great Al Bundy.

Ed O’ Niel is the man!!

Ed O'Neill is Al Bundy! I'm sure the show wouldn't have been as good without him.

That show needs to come back in fact shame in general should make a come back

No one else could of played Al Bundy . They tried with that spin off Unhappily ever after but failed. Ed was a beast ! 🤣🤣

Ed almost raised me. I've never seen a show as good in all the years since. There will never be anything as good in the current state of woke stupidity.

Ed O’Neill looks so much like my Irish father here, and my father was a good story teller.

Great actor. Tells some good stories.

They're keeping Al, thank your father kids. THANKS dad! 😂👍🎉

Ed O’Neil was the perfect Al Bundy

1st movie i seen ed in was Dogs of War in1981

Best show in the 80’s 🤣🤣

I just found out he played football and was even with the Steelers. I’m not a football fan at all, but I am a fan of people who are able to change their careers and have success.

Clearly, somebody with excellent foresight, knew about Ed to have him come in for the role which was one of the best casting decisions they must have made.

Ed, I know you won't see this but thank you for the years of entertainment. Not just with Married With Children.

"We all make 'em." Classic Al.

MwC is one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.

A core memory I have is my Dad laughing for five solid minutes from a MWC episode. Dude didn’t laugh that often so it really stuck with me. I just wish I knew what part it was that made him laugh so hard. It was the first time I had heard of the show so it must’ve been an early episode.

I wonder how many nights Ed has spent at Bohemian Grove. He has managed to surpass the 20 year thing for entertainment success.

Glad they made the series. Still makes me laugh now. Good for you Al Bundy.

The man I learn dark humor from

I thought that was Junior Soprano in the thumbnail haha but big respect to Ed O'Neil,a true master

I have the feeling those Married... producers knew what he meant. When your wife or girlfriend says "do whatever you want", that means DON'T do whatever you want.

When this came on my Pop always made up an excuse to get us out the living room 😂😂. We would be like ahhh you just want to watch that show!! Lol

Good thing Ed told the network in high school he scored 4 touchdowns in one game or else he probably wouldn't have gotten the part in the first place.

Al just chillin with the Sketchers on!

Ed O'Neil is an acting icon. There can only be ONE Al Bundy!

He was so good, and some of those scripts were so diabolical.

This is pretty much all of us in any job. We just find out through the grapevine instead of books and interviews lol.

Imagine not wanting someone who turns out to be one of the greatest TV comedic actors of all time because he wasn’t a comedic actor.

Who remembers Ed in The Adventures of Ford Farelane? Booty time ya ya ya! I love that one!

Al Bundy for president 🎉