This strapping, barrel-chested character lead of American stage and TV embodied a classic sitcom character in Al Bundy, the slovenly, put-upon patriarch of an unruly clan on the Fox network's first hit, "Married...With Children" (1987-97). With his characteristic scowl, dry sarcastic comments, and dread of connubial obligations, this unsuccessful shoe salesman was the disgruntled oaf as Everyman--an Archie Bunker/Ralph Kramden figure for more vulgar times.
O'Neill began acting in high school plays in his native Youngstown, OH. He attended college on football scholarships and went on to the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. After a pro football career fizzled, O'Neill worked as a bellhop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and a steel mill worker back in Youngstown. He returned to college to study acting while working as a social studies teacher. O'Neill began working regularly in local theater productions after winning the starring role in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". He made his film debut during this period with a small role as a highway patrolman in John Boorman's "Deliverance" (1972). After making the traditional move east, O'Neill made his NYC stage debut in a off-Broadway production of Rod Serling's "Requiem for a Heavyweight." His Broadway debut followed when he replaced the fired star of "Knockout". Director William Friedkin caught the show and cast O'Neill for a small part in "Cruising" (1980).
O'Neill segued to TV as a regular on the daytime soap "Another World". He went on to guest spots, TV movies, and several busted pilots. After hitting pay dirt with "Married...", O'Neill resumed a feature career with supporting parts in "K-9" (1989), "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" (1991), and a starring role as working-class hero "Dutch" (1991), a family comedy by John Hughes. He followed up with "Wayne's World" (1992) and its sequel "Wayne's World 2" (1993), playing a slightly unstable manager, and Friedkin's "Blue Chips" (1994), as the reporter who hounds Nick Nolte.
- Also Credited As:
edward o Neil, edward o'Neil
- Born:
April 12, 1946 in Youngstown, Ohio, United States
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Job Titles:
Actor, Bellhop, Steelworker, Teacher, Waiter
Family
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Father: Edward Philip O Neill.
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Mother: Ruth Ann O Neill.
Education
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Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
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Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio
Milestones
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1970 Became a social studies teacher at age 24
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1972 Feature debut, John Boorman s Deliverance , playing a highway patrolman
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1976 Moved to NYC at age 30 (date approximate)
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1980 Appeared in Friedkin s film, Cruising
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1980 Primetime TV debut, The Day the Women Got Even , an unsold pilot for an NBC comedy-drama
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1983 TV-movie debut, When Your Lover Leaves , an NBC romantic comedy
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1986 Starred as Popeye Doyle , the cop portrayed by Gene Hackman in The French Connection , in an unsold NBC pilot
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1987 Cast in the star-making role of Al Bundy in the hit Fox sitcom, Married...With Children ; show ran for ten seasons
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1991 First feature starring role, Dutch , playing the title character in the John Hughes-produced family comedy
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2001 Returned to series TV as star of the CBS police drama Big Apple
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2002 Cast as Joe Friday, replacing Danny Huston, in the ABC television series Dragnet
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2004 Reunited with former Married ... with Children co-star Katey Sagal on 8 Simple Rules, (ABC) playing a former college boyfriend of Sagal s character
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2005 Cast as Gov. Eric Baker, a recurring character on NBC s The West Wing
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2007 Cast in David Milch s HBO series, John From Cincinnati
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Acted in local productions (date approximate)
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After being cut from the training camp, moved to Fort Lauderdale FL; worked six months as a bellhop
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Attended college on football scholarships
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Attended the Pittsburgh Steelers football training camp
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Became a regular on the NBC daytime soap, Another World
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Broadway debut, Knockout ; spotted by director William Friedkin during the run of the play
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NY stage debut, off-off Broadway production of Rod Serling s Requiem for a Heavyweight
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Performed in high school plays
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Played his favorite stage role, Lennie in John Steinbeck s Of Mice and Men at the Hartford Theater in NYC
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Returned to Youngstown OH
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Returned to Youngstown State to take acting classes
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Served as an understudy to the star of the Broadway production Knockout
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Was an award-winning member of the school debate team
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Won the starring role of Randall P. McMurphy in a local production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo s Nest
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Worked as a waiter at O Neal s Balloon restaurant
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Worked summers as a steel mill worker