Unaired 1968 "All in the Family" pilot. 1 of 4 (A.K.A "Justice for All")

[KayEn78]

Thanks for posting this on here! I've waited many years to finally see it!

[sucraman2]

So amazing to see this. Thank you!!

[RollerDisc88]

looks like the Original Mike had a mullet which wasnt popular til the 1980s

[spider9137]

Archie's daughter is a gum-cracking Brooklynite ... in the next pilot, she's a little softer, but still tawks New Yawk. Interesting to see how she evolved into the character we know today.

[TheMikester307]

Wow! I've never seen this! Thanks!

[yryriza]

This meathead looks more like a criminal.

[indyfan22k]

@yryriza I like this one better. That fat director cant remember name, was crazy.

[56thAlbanyProd]

good job and thanks!

[slimtee2]

Is it my eyes or does Lionel have a full pocket in those jeans?! :)

[SeanMBryans]

ABC's loss was CbS's gain - These two actors Tim McIntyre (Richard) and Sally Jean Peters (Gloria) just weren't right for the parts. Nor were the actors, Chip Oliver & Candace Azzar, who would follow them in the pilot Those Were the Days. Lear kept Stapleton and O'Conor - add Struthers and Reiner - and though reluctant CBS took the bait and aired the show. It would garner high ratings, many Emmy awards and spawn controversy and discussion during it's run. A classic . . . Thanx for the post.

[mikper7]

I am 40. Carrol is 44 here.  Unbelievable, people really did age quicker back then.

[slimtee2]

@mikper7 Wow, and Jean was 43...They could easily pass for 50+, were they aged purposely for the show?

[yryriza]

@slimtee2 That's what 43 looked like in the 1970's. Milfs hadn't been invented yet.

[scrumm21]

@yryriza LOL now Thats funny !!

[1skunkus]

where did you find these? 2 pilots so far, and thank you for the time spent to piece it together, and the decency to share with us all. i think it put us in suspense and excitement of, wait woah, where is this from? so, Im def. watching your kind work, I know it takes time for all this, cheers.

[phillygirl06]

the gloria was in an episode of the monkees..with davy jones and the talent show

[phillygirl06]

too funny how those skirts and stockings came back in the 80's and now. BTW that is not a hair piece. Caroll O'Connor had lots hair in his youth...look back on his old movies.

[CrackerJD]

I think Mr. O'Connor had a hair piece on in this pilot!

[spartacus3ful]

The house was far too upper middle class looking for a blue collar man like Archie. The house in the actually aired episodes was much more fitting.

[celticqueen0206]

@spartacus3ful No, I disagree, I grew up in Brooklyn and people went all out for their homes, I always thought the Bunkers home furnishings were too meager. These were people who strived to be middle class. This layout with the enclosed porch looks very much like a Queens Middle village, Ridgewood type of home. I actually like it better.

[spartacus3ful]

Good God, Mike and Gloria in this episode acted as if they were right out of the South Bronx! The woman playing Gloria was too harsh and seedy (gum chewing and all) while the man playing Mike did not come off as the intellectual 1960s college student in the manner that Rob Reiner perfected that image. No wonder this one never got off the ground.

[BonaDun]

@spartacus3ful

so many pilots (even to this day) never make it...

seems networks wing more than we know

trial and test

[RichYan33]

There was two unaired pilots? I bet there aren't may shows that got the green light to try three different casts.

[storrs19]

Verrry Interesting as Arte Johnson used to say.  I love the malapropisms. They were a staple of AITF for sure.

[hhoskins2]

I seen this and to be honest, the two that played Mike and Gloria didn't meet the roles, they were not believable. It seemed more like they were just there. The guy that played Lionel was off too. I see why it too so long to get picked up.

[Elric33239]

I read a review written by Harlan Ellison about this pilot that was reprinted in his collection of essays on TV called "The Glass Teat." He knew even then that he was watching the start of a dynamite series and he even had the foresight to call ABC cowards for not listing it among their new shows that year! Amazing how Lear took elements of this bold pilot and wrote several episodes out of it in AITF years later. Thanks for posting this lost classic! I thought you did an excellent editing job!

[GOLDENFLYWARRIOR]

THANKS FOR HAVING THIS....YET LIKE HOW IT GOT BETTER ....'ALL IN THE FAMILY" BECAME MY FAVORITE SHOW ......AND STILL IS SOME 40 YEARS ALTER. WHO WERE OHER CHARACTERS THAT PLAYER GLORIA AND MIKE. NOTHING LIKE SALLY AND BOB. VERY WEIRD.

[GINGERALER]

The Justice For All pilot was considered lost for many years until Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released it on DVD in the "Norman Lear TV Collection" box set in 2009.

[MultiBeeny]

I just saw this one antenna tv the later one with new mike and gloria not this one

[analyzingfunny]

How the fuck did you get this? if it was "unaired"?

[CrackerJD]

@analyzingfunny Norman Lear released both unaired pilots on his dvd collection and I think TV Land showed them when Mr. O'Connor passed away

[analyzingfunny]

@CrackerJD Thank you.. It is really cool to see all three pilots with different actors.

[RWCPROD80]

I remember when the 2nd unaired pilot aired for the very first time in 1998 when TV LAND launched airing the All in the Family series. That 2nd pilot was a special from "The Museum of Television and Radio." They mentioned the first pilot (posted here) but said that the "whereabouts are unknown." When did the whereabouts of this pilot become known? How did it get found? Was this video accessed from a museum? Would like to know for historical purposes, because this is very, very interesting.

[19Chuck80]

Im still amazed on this LOST pilot with you finding it, Thanks again!

[RoseMaddison]

I'm glad they recast Mike and Gloria. The actors they finally picked really worked well with the show.

[BufordStone]

I love the "socialist propaganda" line at 7:37. Some things never change.

[vitoduval]

@BufordStone yes and he;d watch fox news

[MrLangley59]

liked this intro more than all in the family intro

[cdickenson64]

@MrLangley59 it's the same song, it's just played differently and some of the lyrics were changed

[jazzynet1]

wow man this is amazing! thanks! :)

[enterprise160]

Fascinating. I've always wanted to see this pilot.

[swami1]

Is that Michael J. Pollard?

[maximadog]

@swami1 According to wikipedia, the actor playing Mike in this pilot is named Tim Mcintire. He died in 1986. But he really does resemble Michael J Pollard, who is one of my fave character actors ever. Good observation on your part!

[WarRogers]

@maximadog yeah I thought it was Michael Pollard too for a sec, and since he had a done a guest stint on 'Lost In Space' around this time, he was likely available to play the part on a TV show. Would've been interesting if he had, though maybe a bit too mealy-mouthed for the role; not explosive enough, like Reiner.

[maximadog]

@WarRogers Too true regarding Rob Reiners' explosive energy and eloquence, in that very anti-establishment sort of way. Reiner definitely was the best choice for this role. Michael Pollard was always somewhat endearing in that mealy mouth way, though, which is one of those distinguishing characteristics that is the hallmark of a solid character actor, and character actors, to me anyway, are the glue that hold a show or movie together. But yes, Reiner was definitely the best foil for Archie.

[WarRogers]

@maximadog Oh absolutely about Pollard. One of the best character actors ever, who held his own amongst Academy Award winning performances in 'Bonnie & Clyde.' That 'mealy-mouth' aspect was merely a trademark, but was in no way contingent upon him being noticeable in a role. Very solid actor, just wanted to make that clear. I personally consider him much more iconic than Rob Reiner.

[tomservo56954]

@maximadog You can see McIntire in such movies as THE STERILE CUCKOO and THE GUMBALL RALLY.

[maximadog]

@swami1 Sorry, I see that his name is Richard in this pilot.

[pytko3]

Richard here looks more like a hippie and free believer than Michael does.

[pytko3]

This Michael definitely looks like a hippie and a free thinker.

[brithgob]

40 minutes? Was Lear planning for this to air as an hour-long episode? Also, I don't think "smartass" would have made it onto TV in 1968, let alone the "god damn" bit (which as someone pointed out did make it onto a later episode.)

[maclovindotca]

I am really surprised that much of this footage for the intro made it to the final show considering how many other things got changed.

[johnissoevil]

Love how they left the set intact for the Bunkers and later the Cumberbatches (anyone who doesn't understand the latter, you must have blinked, cuz what I refer to was short lived).

[man975dog]

It's amazing how many pilot episodes there were with the "All In The Family" TV sitcom. There may b earlier pilot episodes 4 AITF going as far back as 1966, 1965, and 1964.

[tomservo56954]

@man975dog No...the original British series 'TILL DEATH DO US PART didn't even debut until 1966.

[man975dog]

@tomservo56954 oh o.k.-then i am wrong, but my comment was just a possibility or an assumption.

[tomservo56954]

@man975dog  I can see that...but can you imagine anyone even considering a show like ALL IN THE FAMILY in 1964?

[man975dog]

@tomservo56954 If the British version of AITF would have come out way b4 1966, then "All in the Family" could have made it to American TV by 1964.

[tomservo56954]

@man975dog I meant that U.S. television would NEVER have considered such a show then...and remember, TILL DEATH DO US PART came first.

[man975dog]

@tomservo56954 It's a shame that Carroll O'Connor died in June 2001-I heard his death was due to complications from diabetes that could have caused a heart attack-Ever c him in the tv drama of "In the Heat of the Night"?-It was very nice, but I didn't like it as good as AITF-AITF had a name change in 1979 to "Archie Bunker's Place"-The original AITF with Jean S., Sally S, and Rob Reiner was nicer and the best.

[StevenFallonOfficial]

I have no problem with the quality, definitely watchable. I've seen the second pilot, but never this one before. Eventually casting Rob and Sally really put the icing on the cake. Thanks for the upload!

[Stentor7]

Yeah! All you fat cats with your 24 inch TVs, LOL! Oh if he could only have known.

[quirpco]

LOL - I love Archie's hairdo in this pilot, makes him look like Herbert Hoover...which I guess is appropriate since he's mentioned in the theme! :D

[SecretTimeWarp]

Mike Evans did the "elect-ical engineer" line SO MUCH BETTER.

[ManTexDal]

Mike Evans was MUCH better period !

[ItsMeItsOlive]

@SecretTimeWarp

Yep, Mike Evans was BRILLIANT as Lionel..no one could match him.

[louspintoo]

Even with the edits, this is a fantastic clip. Thanks for doing the work. Now we can see how AITF began to take shape.

[tudoparacris]

Thanks for sharing. It's wonderful!

[googuse]

Tim McIntyre was great as Meathead!

[Stentor7]

@googuse I was just noticing how similar his diction and dialog was to Rob Reiner's version, they sound nearly alike.

It's too bad I would have only been 4 years old at the time this pilot was aired so I would have been in bed by the time it came on. I remember so many other classic TV shows from that era as a firsthand viewer, Star Trek, The Red Skelton Show, Sesame Street, Brady Bunch, Laugh-In, The Sonny & Cher Show, The Carol Burnette Show, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and many others.

[WalterLiddy]

Carroll O'Connor really shines here - the character is fully realized even at this early stage. The show isn't great, and I think the young people are too angry and cold, but you could see the potential in that man.

[WeeeWriter]

who are these two at the beginning of the show? I thought archie's daughter was blonde

[proudrebel69]

Considering how you recorded it, it looks good.

[larrybiglarry]

@proudrebel69 Why thank you! I've seen many youtube videos filmed this way but they usually hold the camera and shake it like crazy instead of setting it down. And of course they can't refrain from laughing or adding their commentary.

[proudrebel69]

@larrybiglarry You are very welcome, I have seen the same and I think you did a good job on it, and I thank you.

[needles1987]

What is wrong with Archie's hair?

[MIKESOWELL]

@needles1987 There's a lot more of it here, I tell you that.

[blockcl]

During the opening song Archie sings "had my 12 tube radio".Does anyone know what Edith's next line was? Ican't make it out. Thanks to anyone who can help out.

[larrybiglarry]

@blockcl Loved the Eddie Cantor show.

[streetcarjay]

The pre-series to the groundbreaking comedy that ended televisions innocence.

[PhaedrusNYC]

The prevailing view is that ABC rejected this pilot because of the dismal failure of the "adult" (and somewhat tasteless) show "Turn On." Lear kept trying and eventually "All In The Family" made it to CBS.

However, watching this one gets the feeling that it wasn't entirely a matter of timing, but also of chemistry. Richard is, frankly, unlikeable, unlike Rob Reiner's more nuanced Mike. Gloria is more trashy than innocent. And Edith is angry. Interesting hairpiece on Carroll O'Connor, though.

[gabsylv]

@PhaedrusNYC The Gloria here look like she could be Edith's daughter. Gleason's influence here is sooo obvious,...

[PhaedrusNYC]

@gabsylv No doubt- in fact, Sally Struthers has mentioned in interviews that she was surprised she got the part since she didn't look like her "parents" (Rob Reiner had suggested his wife Penny Marshall, who did resemble Jean Stapleton, and Struthers was sure they would go that way). But they made the right choice, in my opinion. The balance would not have been the same with a Gloria who was as strident and hard as the actresses cast in the pilot.

[gabsylv]

@PhaedrusNYC Agreed

[Vanillablooos]

This version has a 1920's feel to it. GREAT!!

[ThirdDegreeTheater]

I really like the opening version of "Those Were The Days" better here than what it ended up being. But, it's good no matter what version. Classic show. Archie Bunker for President!

[tomservo56954]

@ThirdDegreeTheater  Dingbats Unite! Edith Bunker for President!

[MrDavkoz]

Never knew this existed. Well done posting this.

[tallulah1961]

Did CBS or ABC produce thia  episode?

[Joe007ofrockk]

@tallulah1961 ABC produced the first two pilots, but they were both rejected. So simply, ABC wasn't really thinking

[TheShootTruth10]

man this show would have never taken off. great though. your luck you could get this.

[TheShootTruth10]

man how did you get ahold of this.

[gardenvarietypenis]

Awesome upload--truly a must see for diehard fans. Thanks

[shootinair]

Also notice the opening credits when the camera panned across New York and over to Archie's neighborhood - same film footage was used for the opening & closing credits during the entire series of "All in the Family".

[shootinair]

Some of the lines in this original pilot that never aired were later used in "All in the Family", like when Archie said he knew a black guy named Cumberbatch - that was in the 1st season/2nd episode. The famous "god damn it" line must have been too over the top for the 1st season of "All in the Family", but it was used in the 1st episode of the 4th season (1973).

[toolkien]

@stevemichiganman But it explains why the beginning had the house the way it was. They kept the house from the beginning but changed the set for the succesful show.

[tubeeorrnottubee]

LOL~ "...a pot to pee-l a potato-in!" HAHAHAA {clever, Norman, clever!}

[karencarpenterfan1]

i love these opening credits

[fromthesidelines]

In 1968, CBS originally had the chance to buy the American rights to "TILL DEATH US DO PART", the original British sitcom this was based on. But Norman Lear beat them to it, and pitched the idea of an American version to ABC, who gave him the "green light" to produce this pilot. However, they insisted he produce a second one, as they weren't satisfied with some of the casting choices and a few "other things"...

[tomservo56954]

@fromthesidelines And before Lear brought ALL IN THE FAMILY to CBS, there were developing a show called MAN IN THE MIDDLE. Van Johnson would have been the title character. the sensible center of a family where the wife, daughter and mother-in-law were of various political extremes. I think it's what AITF would have been if it had been done by MTM Productions.

[littlebit19801]

Is Carroll's hair a wig?

[TPTPTP88]

this house is so much nicer house used in the all in the family.

[latinahoney123]

what the heck is this?

[snowden67]

Thanks Larry for posting this. I never saw the 68 pilot before. I actually like this Mike and Gloria best. They are more natural than the 69 version, and anyone would beat Sally Struthers. Rob Reiner was OK, but not great. Also, Archie's hair in the 68 pilot is styled just like Jackie Gleason's in Gleason't later years (e.g., Color Honeymooners). Were they trying to make Archie look like Ralph Kramden?

[RachaelOest]

Haha I just thought of something. Its a good thing they changed Richard's name to Michael/Mike because of what Archie could have called him instead of MEAThead! My Uncle Dick's name is actually "Richard"... if u don't get it, then you're probably too young, so forget it :)

[wartybunghole]

Cool thanks for posting this

[slmacph]

Archie gets Rev. Felcher's name right. Throughout the series he would call him Fletcher. Someone would correct him. And he'd say "Whatever". Great running gag. :-P

[redheadonfire2]

archie's hair is funny

[19Chuck80]

I thought this first filmed on was missing and no where to be found, amazing!

[diddymuck]

Tim McIntire...best remembered as playing Alan Freed in the film American Hot Wax.

[diddymuck]

none of the actors look distinct enough (except maybe Ms. Peters) to make a difference in the production value. Tim McIntire looks way too innocent and "actor-ish", especially when compared to to the flawed but ultra-realistic appearance of Mr. Reiner. O'Connor's hair here makes him look like a upscale businessman.

[Rynorage2006]

Who cares about the quality...just glad to be able to watch it! Thanks!!"

[mandaladouble]

I am very impressed that youtube has this. Thank you very much larrybiglarry for posting this!

[iiwatcher]

Cool stuff--interesting to see how the show & the characters evolved. O'Conner had it pretty much down from the beginning while Stapleton tweaked her character. The original Mike & Gloria were atrocious actors. Rob Reiner was a great choice while Strthers pretty much sucked, but still she was better than this one. It's a great thing Edith's character evolved. That snippy wife shit is so cliched.

[diddymuck]

@iiwatcher Actually Sally Struthers was picked for her little girl voice and her astonishing resemblance to Caroll O'Connor.

[iiwatcher]

@diddymuck Yeah that's true she really looked like Archie's kid. Not much of an actress though, imo. But w/ that much talent on the set it didn't matter, they carried her & made it work.

[KeatonMovieFever]

Fascinating! I'd heard about this pilot for years but had obviously never had a chance to see it. Easy to see why the Mike/Richard and Gloria actors were changed, but even then, Jean Stapleton and Carroll O'Connor held their own. Thanks for posting.

[Steven197981]

@mymyharlow "Meet the bunkers" was recorded in 1971.

[loginsarelame]

I think it says a lot that you can replay a lot of 70s AITF and it resonates today. And in some cases, it'd be considered "too controversial" and the networks would wimp the frak out. That's why the real TV is on cable. Even Basic Cable kicks Network ass.

[tmc102464]

Also, that is Jean Kelly Peters in the roll of Gloria. She was in The Great Waldo Pepper w/Robert Redford and played a love interest for Radar (if you can imagine such a thing) in an early episode of MASH.

[tmc102464]

No network today would allow a prospective show to simmer in its own juices over the course of three years like CBS allowed this show to do. It wouldn't implement 2 pairs of major supporting cast changes, nor produce three different pilots for the sake of artistic satire. In 2010, there would've been no All In The Family. That's why there isn't one today. What a sad commentary.

[mandaladouble]

@tmc102464 There is however 2 and a half men...go figure...

[notfragile33]

wow, this is even RACIER than the one a year later!!

[AMEwrestling]

Carroll O'Connor would be having laughs if he saw this today. This is the original, then came the 1969 unaired pilot, both from ABC filmed in New York. Then the successful 1971 pilot on CBS filmed in Los Angeles.

[Gerkinstock]

Nice to see this pilot didn't remain "lost" forever.