Full interview with Bill Dana at http://emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/bill-dana
In this interview clip, comedian and writer Bill Dana discusses how he came to write the legendary episode of All in the Family, featuring special guest star, Sammy Davis Jr. For the full interview with Bill Dana and others, visit http://emmytvlegends.org
Thanks TV for posting this. I don't have many heros but I've wondered who wrote this. My step-father was like alot of people at that time who thought Archie was wonderful. Being so honest and all. They didn't get that he played a fictional bigot and that O'Connor was the opposite. This episode threw them because it was so obvious that Archie was a bigot. It was done with no hatred or anger. Just up front honesty of how Archie actually thought. One day I hope we will stop color coding.
Songsmirth 10 months ago
Note: O'Connor and Davis were longtime friends and when Davis expressed an interest in appearing on the show, O'Connor and Lear came up with the idea of having Davis as himself but doing most of his parts in ad lib form to make it more natural. The kiss at the end was O'Connor's idea. The unrestrained laughter was the longest in TV history; it was cut short in the final print to allow Archie to say the last line on screen.
miaflaguy 10 months ago 2
Dana's story about Sammy Davis Jr. directly contradicts Norman Lear's or John Rich's version. That version goes that Sammy contacted them and said that he wanted to be on the show, and, as a result of that, Lear/Rich created the cab driving storyline over several episodes, culminating in the Sammy Davis Jr. episode.
kolst8406 1 year ago
yeah. the famous line was ''my name jose' jimenez''.
dale1966gto 2 years ago
Wasn't it José Jimenez? (not Emenez)
That character was so great!
gayschloffen 2 years ago
was he the brother of Sophia that was the priest? If so I remember him (in charecther) saying "i never liked da him, he's a dig big yutz!"
wentsurfing 2 years ago
Yeah , he did ! and i think this old guy is still kicking !!
billybodybuilder 2 years ago 2
He played Sophia's brother Angelo on "The Golden Girls."
snoopy64116 2 years ago
Wow, this guy has such a young voice, then you see his face! He looks 100! Really interesting...
TEAMHBO 3 years ago
Bill Dana, As Jose Emenez has got to be one of the funniest comedy characters ever!
asa0207 3 years ago