MovieChat Forums > Archie Bunker's Place (1979) Discussion > Archie Anti Semitic?

Archie Anti Semitic?

posted 5 months ago by MCguy (949)
11 replies | jump to latest

In the pilot episode, Klein's attorney referred to Archie as anti semitic. Was he? Or was it a reequipment of the pilot?

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[–] ShogunofYonkers (73748) 5 months ago

Archie seemed to be anti-just about everything but he was always a lovable clod in the end.

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[–] MCguy (949) 5 months ago

While that is true, Archie was friendly with the Jewish Defense League member in the AITF episode "Archie Is Branded", I never recall him specifically being anti-semitic.

Gregory Sierra played the JDL member. That wouldn't fly today.

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[–] ShogunofYonkers (73748) 5 months ago

I always had a certain affection for the Archie Bunker character, he seemed like a lot of the neighborhood fathers when I grew up when certain unfair judgements were far more common than today. I found Mike 'Meathead' Stivik to be an unbearably preachy and self important loudmouth for a loser that was perpetually in College and living off his in-laws WHILE screwing their daughter under their own roof!

Meathead was sort of an asshole.

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[–] MCguy (949) 5 months ago

Not sort of. The episode where is he plays the Group Therapy" Game proves he was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGSbkmJ-oi8

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[–] ShogunofYonkers (73748) 5 months ago

Good point.

Love Rob Reiner, he's a huge talent but damn did Meathead grate on the nerves.

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[–] EdwardHaskell (131) 5 months ago

Archie mellowed over the course of All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place. He may have held certain prejudices but when it came right down to it he would not do harm to anyone of a different ethnicity or religion.

There was an episode in which Stretch Cunningham died and Archie was asked to deliver the eulogy. He didn't know until the funeral that Stretch was actually Jewish. He delivered the eulogy in a somewhat awkward fashion and was borderline offensive. But he didn't refuse to speak and ended by basically saying his life was better for having known Stretch.

When Stephanie Mills was abandoned on the Bunker's doorstep they took her in. In a subsequent episode she was revealed to be Jewish. Archie was conflicted but at the end of the ep he gave her a Star of David pendant necklace.

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[–] MCguy (949) 5 months ago

That is very informative. Thank you. Still it doesn't make him sound anti-semitic.

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[–] EdwardHaskell (131) 5 months ago

No it doesn't. That's what I'm saying.

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[–] MCguy (949) 5 months ago

Thanks again. Some people don't understand the difference between racism and prejudice. I am glad you do.

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[–] liscarkat (17136) 5 months ago

Perhaps anti-Semitic in the old-fashioned, rude but benign way.

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[–] MCguy (949) 5 months ago

Thanks. But how can one be rude and benign?

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