| Birth: | Aug. 2, 1924 | | Death: | Jun. 21, 2001 | 
Actor. He is best known for playing Archie Bunker on "All In The Family". The oldest of three sons, born in Manhattan, O'Connor's mother was a shcool teacher and his father a lawyer. He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. In 1951 he married costume designer Nancy Fields whom he met in a campus production of Life With Father at the University of Montana. He also studied history at the National University in Dublin. Carroll and Nancy lived in New York City and he made the rounds of auditions. He substituted as a high school English teacher to keep up the bills until an acting job came along. He was given minor rolls in several films including Cleopatra, starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Nancy was on location in Rome during filming of Cleopatra in 1962 and she converted from Episcopalian to Catholicism. Carroll and Nancy remarried in the Catholic Church. They were unable to have children so they adopted a son that they named Hugh. Carroll named Hugh after one of his brothers that had passed away in a motorcycle accident. At first Carroll was not completely sure about becoming a father, but Nancy said that he came to adore Hugh. The television show "All In The Family" premiered in 1971. No one thought it would last. Everyone was wrong. The show lasted for eight years, was televisions number one show for five years and it earned Carroll four Emmy Awards. When Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner, co-stars, left the show in 1979, Carroll and Jean Stapleton continued on with the series renamed "Archie Bunker's Place". The show finally ended for good in 1983. Carroll's son, Hugh was fighting Hodgkin's disease at 16 and began smoking marijuana. Hugh battled drugs for the rest of his life. Carroll tried to help Hugh with rehab and acting jobs from 1988 to 1994. Carroll had bypass surgery in 1989, but continued to star in his new television show "In The Heat Of The Night". Hugh also starred in the show. By 1995 Hugh was seperated from his wife. Carroll spoke to Hugh three times on his third wedding anniversary. In the final phone call Hugh told his father that he was going to kill himself. Carroll called police and by the time they could get to his sons house it was to late, he had shot himself. Carroll then made it his mission to get the man who had supplied Hugh with the drugs that he was addicted to. He posed a wrongful death suit against the man, but it was dismissed a year later. Carroll also made it his mission to make the world aware that their children were the most important things in their lives. He made commercials warning parents to "Do anything to get between your kid and drugs!" In 1998 he wrote his autobiography named "I Think I'm Outta Here". The O'Connors spent lots of time with their grandson, Sean. Carroll was interested in restoring cars like the 1936 Rolls Royce Phantom III. He also had a beautiful singing voice. On June 21, 2001 Carroll O'Connor had a heart attack after complaining of chest pains. Although he had battled diabetes in recent years the heart attack was a shock. His wife of 50 years was by his side at the hospital when he passed away two hours after arriving there. On June 26, 2001 a funeral was held for Carroll at the St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westwood, Ca. The Rolls Royce Phantom III was parked out front to honor Carroll. The funeral was attened by 800 mourners and 200 fans were gathered outside the church. A violin solo of "Danny Boy" was played during the service. When Carroll's casket was carried out of the church he was given a final standing ovation, outside 76 doves were released, one for each year of his life.
(bio by Julie Karen Hancock (Cooper) Jackson)
Family links:
Children:
Hugh O'Connor (1962 - 1995)*
*Calculated relationship
Search Amazon for Carroll O'Connor | | | Burial:
Westwood Memorial Park
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jun 25, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 22815 |
|
|
|
R.I.P. Still watching all the reruns there having on Tv still great shows
-
Stephen
Added: May. 17, 2013 |
well its been a while and still watch youre shows and still the king of comedy to me in my books. i love yea with all my heart.
-
David esch scarbrough,on
Added: May. 14, 2013 |
The world lost such a wonderful and loving person when you left the earth. Everyime I watch your reruns of The Heat of the Night, I think about you and your precious son...and look forward to seeing you again
-
karen bordonaro
Added: Apr. 28, 2013 |
| There are 2,697 more notes not showing...
Click here to view all notes...
| |
|
|
(4.8 after 841 votes)
