Ed O'Neill
Ed O’Neill is an American actor, best known for his roles in popular television series and films. Born on April 12, 1946, in Youngstown, Ohio, O'Neill initially pursued a career in professional football, playing for Ohio University and Youngstown State University before being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, after a brief foray into acting during college, he shifted his focus to theater, eventually moving to New York City to pursue acting full-time.
O'Neill gained widespread recognition for his role as Al Bundy in the sitcom "Married... with Children," which aired from 1987 to 1997 and became a cultural touchstone for its unconventional portrayal of family life. He later starred as Jay Pritchett in the critically acclaimed series "Modern Family," which showcased a diverse and contemporary take on family dynamics and earned numerous awards during its run from 2009 to 2020.
In addition to his television work, O’Neill has appeared in various films and lent his voice to animated features, including Disney's "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Finding Dory." Outside of his career, O'Neill is married to Catherine Rusoff, and they have two daughters. His journey reflects both a transformation in his professional life and a significant contribution to the evolution of sitcoms in American television.
Subject Terms
Ed O'Neill
Actor
- Born: April 12, 1946
- Birthplace: Youngstown, Ohio
Contribution: Ed O’Neill is an award-winning actor best known for his roles in the television shows Married . . . with Children (1987–97) and Modern Family (2009–20).
Background
Edward Leonard O’Neill was born on April 12, 1946, in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Edward and Ruth O’Neill. Although he performed in plays while a student at Ursuline High School, O’Neill initially planned to pursue a career in professional football. He played for Ohio University and Youngstown State University and in 1969 was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the Steelers cut O’Neill during training camp, however, he found himself back in Youngstown, where he successfully tried out for a play.
O’Neill quickly fell in love with the theater and went on to perform in numerous productions and take acting classes at Youngstown State. Despite his success in local theater, he did not view acting as a viable career path, instead finding work in a steel mill and as a teacher. Over time, however, O’Neill realized that he wanted to pursue acting as a career and moved to New York to find work.
Career
While in New York, O’Neill worked menial jobs to support himself while he auditioned for plays. Though he did manage to obtain a few roles, including a part in the 1979 Broadway production of the boxing drama Knockout, he soon transitioned into a career in film and television, making his film debut in the 1980 Al Pacino film Cruising. That year O’Neill also appeared in the action film The Dogs of War, starring Christopher Walken. He went on to play small roles in several television series, including Another World, Miami Vice, and Hunter, and in 1986 starred in the television movie Popeye Doyle.
The following year, O’Neill was cast as the bumbling patriarch Al Bundy in the Fox sitcom Married . . . with Children. Focusing on the daily life of the outrageous Bundy family, the show generated controversy with many of its jokes and story lines but was ultimately popular with viewers, airing for eleven seasons between April 1987 and June 1997. The role of Bundy earned O’Neill a loyal mainstream following, and he was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for his performance.
During this period, O’Neill took on several side projects, including roles in films such as Disorganized Crime (1989), Sibling Rivalry (1990), Wayne’s World (1992), Wayne’s World 2 (1993), and Prefontaine (1997). Following the cancellation of Married . . . with Children, O’Neill, concerned about typecasting, worked to distance himself from the iconic role of Bundy. He played a serious, dramatic role in the crime thriller The Bone Collector in 1999 and in 2001 played New York detective Michael Mooney in the short-lived crime drama Big Apple. From 2003 to 2004, O’Neill starred in the police drama Dragnet, based on several earlier television and radio programs. O’Neill went on to appear in a four-episode role in the political drama The West Wing and guest star in shows such as The Unit and 8 Simple Rules. In 2007, he costarred in the HBO series John from Cincinnati.
In 2009, O’Neill returned to television in the Golden Globe and Emmy Award–winning ensemble sitcom Modern Family, playing patriarch Jay Pritchett. The series follows Pritchett and his young wife and children as well as his two grown children and their respective families. Modern Family became a hit with fans and critics, earning numerous awards and nominations and propelling O’Neill and his costars into the spotlight. In recognition of his performance, O’Neill was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
In addition to his lead role in Modern Family, O'Neill took on roles in several projects during the 2010s. He performed the voice role of Mr. Litwak in Disney's animated feature Wreck-It Ralph (2012) and its sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). He also had a voice role as the octopus Hank in another Disney animated feature, Finding Dory (2016), and as the voice of Bud Swanson in a 2015 episode of Family Guy.
Though the 2020s started for O'Neill with the conclusion of Modern Family, with the series finale airing in 2020, the first year of the decade also saw him appear in the comedic drama feature The Last Shift as the character Dale.
Impact
An established character actor initially best known for his performance as Al Bundy, O’Neill experienced a second rise to fame following the premiere of Modern Family. Both programs have been credited with revitalizing the sitcom genre, and Modern Family was honored with numerous awards, including twenty-two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, for best television series, in 2012.
Personal Life
O’Neill married Catherine Rusoff in 1986. They have two daughters, Claire and Sophia.
Principal Works
Television
Married with Children, 1987–97
Big Apple, 2001
Dragnet, 2003–4
The West Wing, 2004–5
John from Cincinnati, 2007
Modern Family, 2009–20
Film
Disorganized Crime, 1989
Sibling Rivalry, 1990
Wayne’s World, 1992
Wayne’s World2, 1993
Little Giants, 1994
Prefontaine, 1997
The Bone Collector, 1999
Wreck-It Ralph, 2012
Finding Dory, 2016
Ralph Breaks the Internet, 2018
The Last Shift, 2020
Bibliography
Barrett, Leslie. “Valley Native Ed O’Neill Talks About His Career and Growing Up in the Valley.” WFMJ.com. WFMJ, 28 May 2013. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.
D'Astolfo, Guy. "Ed O'Neill Says Goodbye to 'Modern Family.'" The Business Journal, Mar. 2020, businessjournaldaily.com/article/ed-oneill-says-goodbye-to-modern-family/. Accessed 16 Dec. 2021.
Hueso, Noela. “Emmys 2011: Ed O’Neill Almost Played Football Instead of Becoming an Actor.” Hollywood Reporter. Hollywood Reporter, 26 Aug. 2011. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.
Marshall, Zoe. “An Evening with ‘Modern Family’ Star Ed O’Neill.” Neon Tommy. USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 27 Nov. 2011. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.
O’Neill, Ed. “Actor Ed O’Neill.” Interview by Tavis Smiley. Tavis Smiley. Smiley Group, 31 Jan. 2011. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.
O’Neill, Ed. “Ed O’Neill.” Interview by Nancy Harrington. Archive of American Television. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 3 Apr. 2013. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.