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All In The Family

Judging Books By Covers

Season 1, Episode 5, Aired Feb 09, 1971

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Roger, a friend of Mike and Gloria's, stops by for a visit. Archie takes one look at him and labels him as gay due to what Archie considers effeminate behavior, even though Mike insists that he isn't. Mike soon makes a realization that one of Archie's drinking buddies, Steve is actually a well-adjusted, sports loving, straight-acting, gay man.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Linn Patrick

Jerry
GUEST STAR
Phil Carey

Steve
GUEST STAR
Anthony Geary

Roger

Carroll O'Connor

Archie Bunker
Jean Stapleton

Edith Bunker
Rob Reiner

Michael Stivic (1971-1978)
Sally Struthers

Gloria Stivic (1971-1978)

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Fan Episode Reviews (1)

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Archie questions the sexuality of an effeminate straight man, and later learns that one of his best friends, an all American, is really gay

9.0

"Superb"

By johndoe70, Jun 08, 2009

It took a lot of guts, brains and talent for a network television show to tackle gay people and gay rights in the early 1970s.

In the previous decades their had been few openly gay characters (much less actors) on television mostly based on cultural cues, sexual innuendos and various gender-based stereotypes. Even less was said about the issue of gay rights. While their was a gay rights movement in post-war America, television -- especially entertainment -- generally avoided the issue.

Hence, this episode was a controversial at the time. It challenged not just homophobia, but larger issues of sexism. Entirely appropriate for the series, but not without some protest.

For example, President Nixon went on record as being very opposed to it and homosexuality in general. Yet, the series would tackle sexuality based prejudice and discrimination in future episodes.

It is a great episode, albeit somewhat dated, and many of the issues raised are still being debated today.moreless
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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (1)
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- Mike: Whaddya mean Arch? Archie: Whadya think I mean? F-A-G, fruit! Mike: That's right, you always have to hang a label on everything don't you?! Archie: (affecting a lisp) Well if the purse fits.
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NOTES (3)
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- When Archie asks for two beers over a the table that Steve and he are sitting at, neither of them ever take a drink of either beer. The glasses get moved twice, but no one drinks. In addition, the beer is served in iced tea glasses.
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- There's a nice touch of reality when Steve is eating peanuts where one falls from mouth but they left it in. It's something that's likely to really happen accidentally but most shows would cut it out.
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- Who would have seen it coming that the two leads, Anthony Geary and Philip Carey would go on to the land of soap operas? Anthony Geary would play the character of "Luke Spencer" on General Hospital and Philip Carey would play the character of "Asa Buchanan" on the daytime soap, One Life to Live.
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