Carroll O'Conner gives a masterclass in acting

@lindabergman3127

4 ай бұрын

Yes he did😂

You have probably heard this before, but in real life, Carrol O'Conner was an Irish Catholic liberal and was known to cry during rehearsals on set when he felt "Archie" was being too over the top. He liked to play him as a buffoon, but one with a heart and a true sense of being right in his beliefs. As the show went on, Archie really did grow. You would be surprised. But he never lost his rough edges. Also...like many of his generation of actors, he really did serve in WWII.

@maniafactor3564

9 ай бұрын

Carrol O'Connor was a brilliant actor.

@rudolphbradshaw6124

9 ай бұрын

BettetGreta, he also adopted two Black children

@jgsrhythm100

9 ай бұрын

Agreed 💯 NextMaude on " All in The Family" has got to be next! Maude'( B Arthur) played Edith's cousin who didn't put up with Archie!. Maude's episodes so popular her spin off show hugely successful! kzread.info/dash/bejne/mXqBxNpxXafOhag.htmlsi=JJkbC2SRr0RKqLLy

@RobertJuzstone

9 ай бұрын

Archie was always "right", but this was a leftest written show made to make right wing people look bad/stupid. That why leftest halfwit O'Conner played Archie as a buffoon. aka both Rob Reiner & O'Conner were real life 'Meatheads'.

@cynthiamatthews

9 ай бұрын

​@@maniafactor3564 He was also a great man.

Vietnam was different. We handled it wrong and too many good people died. Comparing it to WW2 is a mistake.

@velvetbees

9 ай бұрын

There was such a feeling of sadness and useless deaths associated with Vietnam. On the nightly news, sometimes we saw reporters in vietnam with footage of wounded soldiers, and that video of the POW who was blinking morse code asking for help, all tthe coffins coming back in airplanes. It was a sadness that can barely be described. I still feel it just thinking about that time. Conciencious objectors were supposed to be people who knew they were not capable of killing other human beings. That is the reason.

@Martin.Wilson

9 ай бұрын

It was when America began going down the road of fighting wars for political and financial reasons instead of going to war because it was the right thing to do.....because it was necessary. To be honest, the end of WW2 was the last time America was truly great.....since then it's been a slow slide downhill leading to where we are today..

@Martin.Wilson

9 ай бұрын

@@velvetbees All true. That war divided a nation and gave stark relief to the huge generational gap that was occurring. It was the media's graohic, honest coverage of the war that changed the minds of middle class Americans and tipped the scales to end the war. If today's media was covering that war, there's no telling how much worse it would have gotten.

@Sunny-jz3dy

9 ай бұрын

Agreed!

@bobbysmith1255

9 ай бұрын

The war was unwinnable. And we had no right to tell Vietnam how to govern country. No one should have went. Vietnam was fighting to keep its sovereignty against oppressive America trying to force its will. No people want outside force controlling them

This was a tough episode to watch. I’ve seen it many times. Despite all his flaws and ignorance, Archie was a patriot who loved America. He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II, was wounded in action in Italy, and received both a Purple Heart and a Good Conduct Medal. These details were mentioned many times in several episodes, and he took service to his country very seriously. You can see how upset he was when he found out Mike’s friend ran to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft. In this episode, actor Eugene Roche played Archie’s friend Pinky Peterson, whose son had been killed in Vietnam. That’s why Archie said Pinky’s opinion matters more than anybody else’s.

THIS WILL ALWAYS BE A ONE OF A KIND SHOW NEVER TO BE DUPLICATED!!!!!!! Your silence throughout the episode says it ALL!!!!

@vegasbaby3669

8 ай бұрын

Agreed

Seeing the realization he could be drafted on this kids face: priceless

When I a little kid, I heard whispers from my Mom and Grandparents about the neighbors children on our block who never came home from Vietnam. They were so worried about my Moms little brother, my Uncle being drafted. One day we were playing Army and one of the neighbors kids came home from there. He came out and saw us playing and told us to come over. We knew who he was but really didn't understand what the War was about because we were just kids but I remember he talked to us for a few minutes. We never played Army again and went back to Baseball.

Great video, guys. My father avoided the draft because he was the oldest son and was the provider for his mother and siblings.

@marywood8794

9 ай бұрын

I wouldn't consider him a "draft dodger" because he wouldn't be required to go as the head of the family and the financial support for his family.

@jeffb.3174

8 ай бұрын

your father didnt avoid the draft. he was passed over because of his circumstance

@wmorris3484

7 ай бұрын

Audie Murphy avoided the draft. He was the oldest and at 16 enlisted in the Army. This is how he provided for his family and his country!

@melissaford717

3 ай бұрын

​@@wmorris3484WWII was way different than Vietnam. There were men who fought in WWII who sent their sons to Canada because they knew what war did to men. You're comparing oranges to apples.

This is one of my favorite episodes of All in the Family. I'm a Navy veteran, and I'm on the side of the "draft dodger" believe it or not. I love the scene where Archie's veteran friend is also on his side as well.

@CoopyKat

9 ай бұрын

​ @mamakat114 🙃🙂🐯

@docdee770

9 ай бұрын

My dad served in the Vietnam War and came back classified as mentally impaired after he shot and killed a man in a fit of rage. My dad served three years in prison for manslaughter, based on charges that he was temporarily insane, stemming from him having served in the war.

@jgsrhythm100

9 ай бұрын

Agreed 💯 Next Maude on " All in The Family" has got to be next! Maude'( B Arthur) played Edith's cousin who didn't put up with Archie!. Maude's episodes so popular her spin off show hugely successful! kzread.info/dash/bejne/mXqBxNpxXafOhag.htmlsi=JJkbC2SRr0RKqLLy

@russelbarnes7235

9 ай бұрын

​@docdee770 sorry for you and your father having gone through that. A large price to pay for serving this country. TY for your dad's service and may God Bless and keep you both.

@docdee770

9 ай бұрын

@@russelbarnes7235 Thank you.

I had 4 uncles who were drafted and had to serve during the Vietnam War. My Mother's older brother and 2 brothers- in laws and my dad's only and younger brother( he died 4 yrs after returning from the damage the chemical used in warfare "Agent Orange" did to him. My dad had constant bouts of pneumonia as a child that gave him weak lungs so he was exempt. The horror stories they shared years later when I was old enough to handle it makes me understand why some men made the decision to dodge the draft.😞

@lindabergman3127

4 ай бұрын

I had several uncles n cousins who was in Vietnam and others who were in desert storm! My dad was in Philippines war. They survived the war but many came back with horrible nightmares and ptsd n my dad came back an alcoholic also😭war is hell

i wish SO BAD that yall would react to every episode from the whole series beginning with episode 1.. You miss so much about this family and about how this show is just as relevant today. 95+% of the entire series is amazing, especially as you grow to know each member. Almost all of these smaller clips focus on Archie without a lot of context. Missing out on getting to really know Edith and how much depth she really has and how she is the glue in this family would be such a shame.

@lindabergman3127

4 ай бұрын

She was a wonderful actress❤

Archie called the older gentleman a “gold star father” meaning he lost his son in the war. His friend was saying that he would love for his son to be there and talk to the draft dodger because nobody should have to go fight a war like Vietnam. I’m 66 years old when I was 18 my brother, my girlfriend and I went and I signed up for the draft but I was never called to go. I was ready to go but like I said I had a girlfriend and she was beautiful and I didn’t want to go anywhere, so I was glad I wasn’t called to go and neither was my brother. and my father, who was a WWII veteran was happy that we were never called to go.

Gen X here loving y’all’s reactions to these older shows. “Whaddya mean I signed up for the draft?!?” Good Times is another 70s show that dealt with deep issues we are still dealing with today. Congratulations on 5K subscribers!!

@IggyStardust1967

9 ай бұрын

Another Gen-Xer here. All of those old shows dealt with "sensitive topics", especially for that era. Of course, we were kids and didn't really know that we were watching television history in the making. To us, it was just "normal". But if you think about it, our views on life were formed by many of these shows. All in the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, Maude.... ALL of those shows. They took on topics that we didn't fully understand, but in a way that we could learn from. Looking back on those shows, and seeing young people now able to appreciate them, gives a minor sense of hope for the future. I would love to see these guys react to full episodes of these shows, not just "certain clips". Granted, they are relevant as much today as they were back then, but the full episodes give an even greater context that just the clips alone. Plus, us Xers can help them understand even more, by giving the "context of the time", not just of the episodes.

@DR-mq1vn

9 ай бұрын

Hello Fellow Generation Xers!!!!! I was born in 68.

@randallbourne2717

9 ай бұрын

The producers of Good Times always wanted the family to stay in poverty and to never "move on up" like the Jeffersons did. The actor that played the father character of the show disagreed with the producers and he quit. The producers tried writing in that he died but the show ended getting cancelled later.

@mgordon1100

9 ай бұрын

Gen X spanned over a decade, and I am one of the older ones (1967). I remember turning 18 just a few years before the Cold War ended, and we were just shy of voting in the election when Regan won his second term. I knew that when I turned 18, I needed to register for the draft, and I thought this could very well happen. If WWIII breaks out with a low enrollment, there's going to be a lot of shocked young people. When did this education cease?

@sheilamorgan3845

9 ай бұрын

I'm a Senior Citizen. They need to bring this show back on TV. People today whine about anything. I'd prefer the 70's over 2023 anytime.

Carroll O'Connor is a great actor, please consider at some point watching In the Heat of the Night. Not only having one of the best theme songs, episodes with Carroll in a interracial relationship.

@jgsrhythm100

9 ай бұрын

Agreed Love Typa Dudes!! Maude - All in The Family Spin off !!! First check Maude on All in The Family. Maude ( B Arthur, later Golden Girls) played Ediths Cousin who did not put up with Archie's BS!! Her episodes so popular it lead to her own hugely popular show in its own right.

@marcos7801

9 ай бұрын

Carroll O'Connor adopted son Hugh was also on Heat of the Night for a short time. Unfortunately, he took his own life. Hugh suffered with depression and drug addiction.

@MsJoyce31202

8 ай бұрын

I loved his serious character on that show.

This episode especially resonates with me. My older brother was just weeks away from having to report for active duty in 1974 when the mandatory draft was done away with (the Vietnam war ended in 1975). My father was a combat vet in Korea, so the expectations to not dodge the draft were definitely there.

@neverettebrakensiek8771

7 ай бұрын

My eldest brother turned 18 in 74, talk about relief when the mandatory draft ended. We grew up with that war, I turned 16 that same yr. It was like living in 2 different realities, the one where you were a kid without a care and the other one you saw on the TV and the adults only whispered about in your presence. Many of our friends had older brothers that went, some returned ( never to be the same ) and some did not make it. Even those friends of ours werent the same, their family life was so negatively impacted by loss. The best description for the time of our generations life " Strange days indeed " Im talking those of us born in the late 50s to present, soooooooooo many changes in the world at such a fast pace, many have a hard time adjusting to what we are dealing with today. These episodes are reminders of an era that shaped us in so many ways.

Your discussion of the draft was priceless to people from my generation (I'm 58). When you hear about "Vietnam War Protestors" please understand that for everyone I knew, it was the draft that we were most in opposition to (in addition to many other things). Back then, it was the young kids from our working class neighborhoods that were being sent off. I had two older brothers who were draft eligible. It was something every eligible family that we knew worried about. Most came back. Many didn't. Some came back and had such a difficult time. It was all so scary for us as kids and so sad to see when you'd see a Vet struggling. These days, I stand up, cheer, and cry during the Fourth of July Parade every time The Vietnam Vets go marching by. EVERY fucking time man! ✌✌

It depends on the war. WWII was a war against absolute evil and we were attacked at Pearl Harbor so that war was justified by almost everyone. Vietnam was different. There was no clear cut reason why we were there. The war had been going on for almost 20 years by that time. It started in 1955 and we were pulled into it in the 60s. By the late 60s and the 70s, we weren't winning and most Americans were wondering what we were doing there. Every night, the news showed a tally of the number of Americans killed and wounded. They also showed video of bombings and of dead and maimed women and children. I was just a kid at the time, but I had older cousins who were sent to Vietnam and when they came back, my favorite cousin wasn't the same. He was a shell of who he was. The war was over, but for him it lasted for the rest of his life. It was very sad. Vietnam veterans went through hell in this country when they came back because they were caught in the middle of the political fallout. I never thought that was fair, but it was the politicians who were to blame, all of them. One of the truths about the draft is that is was "selective" in who had to go. If you were a college or graduate student, you could get a deferment, which means it was generally the working class and the poor who went to the front lines. "Fortunate Son" a great and popular anti-war song by Creedence Clearwater Revival, was about how "fortunate" sons of the wealthy and politicians found ways not to go to Vietnam.

I appreciate your thoughtful discussion with your reaction to one of the most thought provoking 'sit coms' in history. I would also recommend at some point that you do a little biographical reaction to 101yr old Norman Lear . . . the man who was way ahead of his time and created this and other programs.

I'm a senior citizen but I think you young men have great discussions about what you watch. Most young men and women today have no idea of how the past affects the future and how we got to be where we are today. The thought process was different along with the times.❤❤❤

There isn’t a equivalent of the Vietnam draft. We watched our brothers die on tv every day,we watched them bleed we watched them die. I lived in a town where there were a tremendous amount of deaths. The town put wreaths for the dead on our street signs, our intersection had double wreaths on every corner. We knew the wealthy kids didn’t go and most suburban boys had a out until after college but our boys were sacrificed meat for a cause no one could explain in any way that made sense . My mom let the boys gather to figure a way out.😮

You guys are responding ro this show exactly how it was made to elicit conversation. Like it or not, it was one of the most impactful shows in TV history. Archie’s character is a picture of how people can have a moral foundation, but also character flaws of their environment and ignorance.

My very favorite was Archie trapped in the basement and his reaction when someone opened the cellar door. Fantastic! I really enjoy your channel.

@lowprofile513

9 ай бұрын

Archie got drunk on vodka and thought the black guy that saved him was God. He dropped to his knees and said “forgive me Lord”, instantly regretting every racist thing he ever said😂. One of the best episodes. I think it’s called Archie in the Cellar.

@fhat6924

9 ай бұрын

Yes that was so funny.

My cousin Phillis used to work on this show and she invited me to come see it filmed live, but I was so bummed out to find out I was too young to see it at the studio because I was under 14 at the time.. Great show. One of my favorites of the time..

I was in high school in the early 70's. Imagine seeing Archie, George Jefferson, and Fred Sanford for the first time. Although some people really felt like Archie, many more realized it was a skewering of the ridiculousness that it portrayed. Many of us were somewhere between Archie and Mike. All in the Family is the antithesis of SNL today, with only one side taking the beating. I love your reactions, thoughtful perspectives, and willingness not to be offended by the history that shaped us. Embrace it, learn from it, but don't erase it.

All in the Family is my all time favorite sitcom of all time. I am 46 years old and I have loved it since I was 3 years olf (no kidding.. my parents recorded me on tape saying it was my favorite show) It is one of those shows that I can watch over and over again and still laugh out loud. I have the series on DVD and love introducing younger people to it all the time. Take care guys

@PotterPossum1989

9 ай бұрын

I've got the DVD too. Just wish they'd release ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE and that that program hasn't ended on a cliffhanger.

@MrLoretano77

9 ай бұрын

@@PotterPossum1989 they released season 1 only -I have that- and then they stopped

@suzannecipriani7663

8 ай бұрын

I have almost every season on dvd

You're right. It was deep. Your reactions while watching were the same as most young people during that time except we were not just shaking our heads in disbelief. Look at each other and think "what would i say or how could i help Joe if he got drafted? Today. Right now? " We just couldn't actually handle it at all. It was unfathomable. I remember watching news reports on TV during dinnertime (we didn't have 24/7 news). I remember my family being outraged at what we saw. It was horrific seeing war reporting on TV as well as the civic unrest/protest. It was a scary time especially for teens. There was still backlash from civil rights/desegregregation going on daily. So young people had to deal with that plus the Vietnam War. We didn't want our friends dying in Vietnam, nor did we want to disrespect adults who's generation fought in WW II and Korea. It was a very confusing and dangerous time. Keep in mind also the very recent Civil Rights assassinations. Your reactions if you actually lived it would be lets say more. We just couldn't as you say "wrap our heads around" ANY of it. Lots of violence and unrest.

@dinacarr2734

9 ай бұрын

PS. Thanks to all the Veterans who came home. They deserve to be well cared for. This includes our Veterans from Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. What young people should understand is that whether you volunteer and enlist or are drafted, which could happen, No young men and women should take for granted they are immune from this. And if God forbid you do have to fight, I hope no one spits on you upon you safe return. If you return. Undamaged physically and or mentally. So many young people of the past endured. Thank a Veteran for your way of life and show respect, since you never know if someday it will be you. History. Study and Understand it.

@albertusmagnus6606

9 ай бұрын

Very well said. Thank you🙏

@750count

9 ай бұрын

​@@dinacarr2734I agree with you about the veterans coming home The ones that actually deserved to be collectively spit on were the officials who started the war and prolonged it for completely self serving reasons

This is a brilliant episode of one of televisions greatest series. Also, if you watch carefully CBS edited out the word “goddam” out of Archie’s mouth at the point where he and Mike are yelling about the war. It was a terrifying time if you were in high school waiting for that conflict to end. What this really lays bare is the generational anguish over duty and what is patriotism . It was a time where broadcast choices were limited and at the time NO show on television was touching

@jaycee330

7 ай бұрын

Yeah, I pointed that out with my comment. I guess S&P at CBS made them go dub it back after the taping before air. You could say any slur, but couldn't use "god" in a profane way.

@lindabergman3127

4 ай бұрын

Right I had 2 older brothers who were denied going to Vietnam due to hearing loss, and another spine was crooked!

This was a great episode, it showcased the rift between the greatest generation and the young boomers in re war. They didn’t show the beginning but you can see the pain in Pinky’s eyes when he first sees David as if to say “my boy was about your age too and I would give anything for him to be here right now with you and us”

@randolphduke

9 ай бұрын

I always break the Baby Boomers down into two groups. The older ones were the "hippies." They were of age during the Vietnam war and the 60's. IMO, this group is responsible for a lot of the damage that has been done to our country over the last 15-20 years. The second group were the "yuppies." Unlike the hippies, who were content to just sit around smoking weed and getting drunk, the yuppies were very ambitious and were willing to work for what they wanted in life. These were the baby boomers who came of age during the 80's. As a member of the "yuppie" half of the Baby Boomer generation, the thought of someone dodging the draft couldn't disgust me more. I have ZERO respect for someone who is willing to watch others put their lives on the line in defense of their country, but they are unwilling to do the same with their own. True cowards, and don't try to tell me about "principle" because I don't believe it for a second. It is cowardice, and nothing the least bit more noble than that.

I was 18 when they reinstated the mandatory registration for selective service. I went to college, planning on going to law school, but also so IF I had to go into the service, I could do it as an officer.

Imagine…you just graduated from high school, turned 18 a month later, and you are drafted into the army, sent half way around the world to face disease, horrific injuries/death to go fight in a country you have barely heard of. It was definitely a real thing. Yep, some young guys just up and left the country (went to Canada usually) to avoid being drafted…or they enrolled in college, joined the reserves (which were less likely to be sent overseas), just did not show up for “duty,” burned their draft cards in protest, etc. Interesting to research how they/the government created the Draft and how they determined who would be sent to war, and when. By the way, you may want to listen to some of the music/media of that time period: All Along the Watchtower; Fortunate Son; Eve of Destruction; Give Peace a Chance; Blowin’ In the Wind; Who’ll Stop the Rain; Hello Vietnam. And later, Copperhead Road.

I just subscribed to you guys because of today's video. You hit it on the mark with this episode of All In The Family and your comments regarding the topic. Joe seems to know a lot about these old shows and the history of what they are about, which is great. This episode shows the more serious side of Archie, and there are quite a few of those shows, usually on very sensitive topics. Draft dodging was a very serious subject back in the 60s and 70s. There were kids that weren't meant to go to war, that couldn't psychologically handle the pressures of war. Sending those kids to war would be a death sentence for them and they were terrified. They would cross the borders almost as if they were fugitives to get out of being drafted. You are right about Artchie's generation that found it the patriotic thing to do. This topic was as delicate as two people trying to discuss who's religion was better or who would make a better president. Each person was passionate about their opinion because each one knew they were the one that was right. If I was sitting at the table, I would have gotten up, gathered my stuff and left the house. It was like someone holding a lighter up to a piece of dynamite.

@jgsrhythm100

9 ай бұрын

Agreed 💯 Typa Dudes are the best. This has got to be next ! kzread.info/dash/bejne/YmRhzMykdKe_hLA.htmlsi=Xmz0VoYto5_r6UB9

This is one of heaviest scenes from any show

Great reaction! All In The Family was a great show! Carroll O'Connor and cast, stellar!

Carroll O'connor came out of serious theater, before television. Thats why he was such a good actor. The young guy who plays Mike Stivic is Rob Reiner (Spinal Tap, etc). The war they are talking about is Vietnam.

This is one of my favorite eps of AITF. I remember watching it live. Back then there was no VCR or way of recording TV, so you had to sit down and watch stuff when it was on, or wait until the reruns. As an old &^ck, I have two observations: Google college deferment, because that's how millions of guys got out of Vietnam. All you had to do was be enrolled in college with passing grades. That's another reason the war was so unpopular. The poor, and especially POC who could not afford college, had to go, while the sons of the well-to-do, most of whom were White, stayed home and, if they lived in SoCal, spent their free time surfing. (I made that up, but you get my drift.) There was NO social stigma concerning college deferments. I was literally at the cusp. The draft was discontinued within one year of me being eligible, although it was decided earlier that I would go to college, not Vietnam. My parents had friends whose names are on the Vietnam Memorial. Second, go back and look at the part when Archie blows up, specifically his lips, what he's saying. He actually talks about that GD war. He says GD twice. I found the exact wording on IMDb. Apparently there are hard lines drawn on what can and can't be said today. I do recall that his use of GD was controversial at the time. It made the news (we had newspapers, TV news and the radio back then). www.imdb.com/title/tt0509930/reference/ I applaud you guys digging deep into these old sitcoms. They're part of our American history, especially anything helmed by Norman Lear. AITF still holds the record as the #1 rated on TV, five years in a row. Yes, Cosby and American Idol tied with 5, but All in the Family did it first. Lastly, EVERYONE watched All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, Good Times, What's Happening!! and others. Same with In Living Color to a lesser extent, years later.

Two things- 1. This is a good example of the difference between the two generations. Archie’s generation of WWII when that war was noble to stop Germany/Japan, socialism, etc., against the Vietnam War. 2. I was a very young kid during the Vietnam War and remember the draft came up as a topic of discussion in our family. I thought that it was something that ALWAYS happened and EVERYONE was drafted when they turned 18 and had to go fight in a war. I was scared hearing that, then my mom told me that it was only for men and that women stayed home and had babies. Haha. That created a whole other terror in me. LOL

@stevensuarez4843

9 ай бұрын

You forgot the third thing.

@turtleneckrobot7714

9 ай бұрын

During WWII we were not fighting against socialism. We were fighting against Nazi fascism and Japanese imperialism. Yes, I know the Nazis referred to themselves as national socialists, but their true agenda was anti- socialist. Hitler and the Nazi party partnered with the rich industrialists who would not have had anything to do with a true socialist organization. During the war Jewish slave labor was provided to many of the industrialists privately owned factories. Actually the Soviet Union which was communist, an extreme form of socialism, fought against Germany along with the United States, England and the other members of the Allie’s. The Nazis were in truth extreme right wing nationalists

@MatthewC137

9 ай бұрын

@@turtleneckrobot7714 Distinction without a difference. Fascism is a form of socialism and the Nazi party was the National SOCIALIST German Workers' Party. ALL tyranny comes from the left but most have been purposely led to think differently.

There were SO many issues that this show dealt with It's one of the reasons it will always be THE BEST Carroll O'Conner was a very talented actor He was so hilarious in All In The Family & wonderful as the police chief in In The Heat Of The Night 🥰🥰

During times of war countries will introduce a draft as needed. Obviously they are usually unpopular if the war is seen as unecessary.

I am cracking up when this guy found out he signed up for the draft

My dad got drafted, but they didn't take him because he had flat feet. He wanted to go, but it just didn't happen. That didn't stop them from taking me in the 90's, but I see why... I have flat feet too and had problems marching! Carroll O'Connor was a great actor, check out In The Heat of the Night!

Carroll O Conner was an incredible actor! During that time, so many people opposed the Vietnam War! ALOT of young people tried to cross the border into Canada to run from the draft! But Carroll OConner was so great, he won 5 Emmys and a Golden Globe! Great Actor!

Remember this you got drafted when you graduated from high school at 18 but were not able to vote until you were 21.

Being very young, I don't know a lot about that, but I remember hearing people leaving the country to avoid going to war.

The main issue here is that most young people and many other Americans did not agree with the Vietnam War. Sort of like going into Iraq was very unpopular in the early 2000s. I suspect that feeling would have been different if were like WW2 where the fate of the world and overall freedom were at risk. Additionally, as the Vietnam War dragged on into the early 70s, it was clear we were losing and were not going to win, yet our Government would not admit that and continued to send men to the battlefront to die for no purpose. I was alive but very young and know that time was incredibly contentious in this country, similar today. Ironically, the other impeached President was in office at this time and fan the flames against these Anti-War protestors.

They cut out the best part. Archie was really moved by that and said he had to go sit down and work this out. He had to go sit down and think after hearing his opinion. Was really interesting to see Archie, who seems like he just flies off the handle, quiet down and sit down and reflect and have a change of heart.

@LuvTadnDixie

9 ай бұрын

I don't know if he had a change of heart. I think he was just hurt and disappointed that nobody at the table felt the same way he did, especially Pinky. He seemed very shook up after his friend Pinky chose to support David. I don't think Archie even wanted to sit down and eat but Edith pleaded with him and said, "Please Archie, for me." so he decided to sit down.

@robd2721

9 ай бұрын

Yes, and he insisted to everyone that after dinner he still had to "work this thing out". Then he meekly added, "You better remind me to do that, Edith!" 😅

@383corvette1

6 ай бұрын

I think if Pinky's son was still alive, he probably would have a different opinion. @@LuvTadnDixie

I’m so glad to see your generation exploring this era in time.

Growing up in the 70s as a kid I have yet to see another sitcom that can match this. In my opinion, "All in the Family" is the Sistine Chapel of American Sitcoms.

The term Draft Dodger was popular during the American War in Vietnam. The US military could not recruit the number of young men needed to escalate the war as Defense Secretary McNamara wanted. So, young men fresh out of High School and attending college, were made eligible for a program called the Selective Service Draft. There were anti war protests across the US on college campuses. Hundreds of young men were being killed every month. Some young men when they received their Draft Notice went into hiding or fled the country to Canada where they were granted refuge - "Draft Dodgers". A group of men who served combat duty in Vietnam started a national anti war organization called Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). Thousands joined. In 1971, 1,500 of them marched on Washington DC to protest the war. The government built fences and barricades to keep them out. The veterans threw the medals they received for serving in Vietnam over the fencing onto the capitol grounds. You can view here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pXiewZKzl7fQY84.html

My boyfriend was 16 when he got on the transport plane and 17 when he landed at Lackland Air Force Base during Viet Nam. Two years later the government sent a draft notice to his childhood home…oops. In WWII we entered after the Japanese attacked our country by bombing Pearl Harbor, so the need to stand up and fight felt deep and visceral at that time. My father and uncle both joined after Pearl Harbor was bombed. There was a similar response and increase in enlistment after we were attacked on September 11.

The Vietnam War years tore this country apart. Protests, draft dodging, flag burning, chaos galore. All those young protesters fought to kill the draft by the mid-70s, among many other things. It was a crazy time in our country back then. Massive changes.

"Conscientious Objector' is an old status, going back at least to WWII, but CO status had to be approved by authorities and one criterion was opposition to ALL wars, such as religious groups like the Quakers. The Draft was abolished in 1973, maintaining the register as you discussed.

I "volunteered" in March, 1968 and was released from active duty 3 years & 10 months later. I then spent 9 & 1/2 months in a major VA psychiatric hospital. To this day, I live on medications to help keep those dreams at bay. Over the years I have be hospitalized 7 more times, sometimes for a month or more. I have never been to the wall in Washington, and never will. Too many names are there, some I do not want to see. Dodge the draft? With hindsight: Yes!

Indeed. You are signed up for the draft. God forbid we should ever have to do that again. 😊

Even the Korean War and WWII were not fought for the United States, not for freedom. This had to do with lots of things in history that most people could care less about. What we know is what we have been told (educated in). Fighting for 'freedom'??? Many people in the U.S. did not have freedom. But the U.S. continues to ring that bell. Certainly it is complex. ALL in the FAMILY was such a great show. I hope more people revisit it like you guys are doing!

What an actor Carol O’Conner was as Archie especially in this episode

I’m 72..Conscientious Objectors (Draft Dodgers) were a huge thing during the ‘60s Vietnam War. Many young men fled to Canada and were labeled a coward.

One of the best All in the Family episodes, and it was interesting to see your impressions. For future reference, it may be a good idea to do some reading about the underlying topics before watching the show. The Vietnam War created quite a schism in America's body politic - and it takes some reading or watching of documentaries to get to a decent understanding of that. Also, it helps to know in advance the names of the actors and who they are playing in the show. heh.

My brother served in the navy. My father was a marine his boot camp @ Paris Island. Growing up I had severe allergy issues and a couple other medical issues so an Army recruiter said I probably wouldn't pass the physical. Thank u to all who have served or are serving in the armed forces.

New subscriber. I have lived through all of this. I'm in my 70's now. It was a totally different time. Norman Lear was a genius. He went to extremes in order to make you think about the situation. Also, when I got drafted, one of the top 3 excuses to get out of the draft was to declare that you were gay.

Very few young men were afforded Conscientious Objector status. You had to convince the draft board that you sincerely held pacifist beliefs rather than were just trying to get out of being deployed. When approved, you were assigned to 2 years of community service. One famous C.O. was Richard Dreyfuss - he did paperwork in a county hospital every night while pursuing an acting career during the day in the late '60s. There were other ways to avoid combat. My cousin decided to join the Air Force rather than be drafted into the Army. He spent 20 years as a Chaplain's Assistant. Bush Jr. joined the National Guard. Many rich kids got waivers just for going to college. And then there were those who faked disabilities or homosexuality to be given a pass. tRump's dad infamously hired a doctor to diagnose "bone spurs" in his feet 5 different times - yet he had no problem participating in athletics in college. Others moved to Canada & changed their citizenship. It was a crazy, dangerous time, especially for young, poor or lower middle class men.

In reality, Carol O’Connor was a highly educated and extremely liberal man. He was great actor as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed your insight on this topic… very wise! TY! 😊❤

There is a difference between a draft dodger and a conscientious objector. A conscientious objector does register for the draft (obligatory military enlistment) but refuses to serve in a military capacity for moral or religious reasons. Conscientious objectors are then (usually) assigned to non-combatant roles like medics or administrators. The movie "Hacksaw Ridge" tells the story of a conscientious objector during WW2. A draft dodger refuses to enlist upon receiving the notice. This is considered illegal during times of obligatory conscription (like during the Vietnam War) and so draft dodgers can be arrested and imprisoned. This is why, when I went to community college in Montreal, Canada in the 1970s, I had so many wonderfully over-qualified teachers. Canada actually benefited by being a safe haven for US draft dodgers.

There's a remake of this episode with Woodie Harrelson and Marissa Tomei It came out during the holidays and was recorded love in front of the audience. I grew up watching this with my parents. They loved it, but were liberals that loved Archie Bunker. CARROL O'Connor was nuttin like Archie Bunker in real life and Gene Stapleton was opposite Edith ... They were wonderful. Im 53 and love rewatching just for nostalgia when missing my parents

And that episode is why All in the Family was and is the best sit com of all time. No show ever made you laugh and cry all in the same episode.

That always makes me tear up at the end. Every U.S. resident assigned male at birth is required to register with the Selective Service from age 18 through 26, and is disqualified from federal student aid if they fail to do so (irreversibly, I believe, for life), and required by law to update that agency anytime they change their address while between those ages. As late as the Civil War, draft laws allowed any man who was wealthy enough to hire a substitute to go in his place.

Ahh, Vietnam, the one war America doesn't want to talk about because we LOST! When the vets came home they were spit on and called baby killers. I work with a woman who helps homeless Vietnam veterans and their families, their stories are atrocious and heartbreaking😢

@jaycee330

7 ай бұрын

We lost in Afganistan too.

It is amazing that Vietnam is now almost ancient history. I grew up during the era, and knew people who went to Vietnam and others who protested the war. One difference with Vietnam is that it was a foreign war, but not one to defend the country. Also, by the way, there have long been conscientious objectors. There were people who refused to fight during World War 2.

When the young man was talking about freedom he was referring to having to go to prison for 5 years if he remained in the US.

Thanks for some of my great television memories back in the day. Many smiles for my day😊

I’m in my 70s so I was around during the UNDECLARED Viet Nam conflict. There was no danger to the US, being undeclared means no benefits that one would get in a declared war, we weren’t fighting for freedom, we lost not only the conflict but nearly 60,000 soldiers who neither wanted or needed to be there. Then, after being forced to be there, they were spat upon when they came home. It was a disgrace.

Carol O’Conner was very liberal in real life. Shows how great an actor he was .

This episode aired in December 1976. Jimmy Carter was just elected President one month earlier. He campaigned on amnesty for draft dodgers, most of whom had fled to Canada. The following year in January of 1977, President Carter gave total amnesty as promised.

the actor who played pinky,was one of my favorite actors during this era.

Carroll O’Connor was also one of the main characters in another good tv series called “In the Heat of the Night”.

O'Conner was in "The Merchant Marines" in WWII. as a WWII "Vet" A LOT of WWII Vets REALLY LOOKED DOWN on Draft Dodgers.

There's an old 15-20 floor apartment building 4 km from my house here in Toronto where tons of young American boys went to escape the Vietnam War. Many never returned to the US, sought permanent asylum in Canada, and eventually gained Canadian citizenship.

@Violet-fj8yd

9 ай бұрын

That's interesting.

a draft doger is different than Conscientious Objector. A draft dodger is someone who ran away from the legal system in the USA. They went to Canada to get away from being prosecuted. A CO is someone who stayed in the US and brought the CO case through the court system and either were granted that status or lost that case and when to prison like Muhammed Ali.

This show was so ahead of its time... these were real conversations and different difficult points of view. We couldnt have shows like this now unfortunately. Also the draft would never work in todays world..... that generation is long gone.

Love watching y'all react to this. I watch mainly old shows & this is my favorite all time show, watched it in reruns as a kid. The thing about them being able to talk about this stuff, even racism, then is that it eased tensions ESPECIALLY because it was in a comedy. Because people COULD watch stuff like this & see each other's perspectives, laugh at ignorance, & things were discussed without ppl cancelling each other. It actually worked to ease racial tensions. This show would never be allowed today & tensions are actually getting worse because of current attitudes. Great reactions & discussion. I hope y'all react to more episodes of All in the Family & the Jeffersons too (George was kinda the Black Archie Bunker & was also really funny)

There's this Ken Burns documentary on Vietnam that takes the views of both sides of American society and of the Vietnamese society.

The Vietnam war was very controversial. It was pretty common for people 18 to 26 to dodge the draft by fleeing to Canada, or claiming to be a consiense objector. It was totally different from the feelings of WW2 where everyone agreed it was important for us to fight the Nazis, and our freedoms.President Johnson sent 500,000 troops to Vietnam starting in 1965. Muhammad Ali was a conscientious objector and fought his draft in the courts and won. By 1968, with hundreds of American soldiers killed every week, th3 American people turned against the war, and President Johnson declined to run for reelection since his war was so unpopular. The problem with draft dodgers in the 1970s was not a lack of patriotism; it was due to not wanting to fight and die in an unpopular war. Kids dodged the draft with full approval of their parents who bravely served in WW2. President Nixon won the 1968 election because he promised to end the war which had little popular support. It took him till 1974 to end it. It was the first war that the USA lost, with over 50,000 US soldiers lost.

I volunteered in 1978 for 3yrs in the US Army Infantry, and after getting out in 1981 and even though I was on a ready reserve list for the next 6yrs, I still had to sign up for the draft. My brother who was in college in the 70's while the Vietnam war was still going on was never drafted because the government started what they called the draft lottery, the draft numbers were picked randomly. He had a few friends that volunteered for the Navy not because they thought it was their duty, this way they avoided the draft and the draft board selecting for them which branch of military to place them in.

One of the big dodges was going to college/university to get a deferment from military service. Guess whose children could afford to go to university? You should check out the song, Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

@Go-pointl

9 ай бұрын

Similar happens in Russia.

There's a reason they called Archie's generation "The Greatest Generation" They survived the Depression and a World War and then came back to build the country. That is a fact that can't be denied. I am sad for kids today who want to be victims and fragile but that doesn't mean it has to be that way. There was a great British reality series called That'll Teach "Em where they took modern kids from the early 2000's and put them back into a boarding school atmosphere from the 50s. After they were able to settle in without electronic devices and were given a proper diet and discipline, they can be seen to thrive and grow in self esteem. And when they had to return back to their "modern lives" they all expressed appreciation for what they had done and how much it meant to them. There were three versions the 50's and 60's and another. The 60's series (Season 2) is my favourite. I think they are on KZread.

@beaujac311

9 ай бұрын

jethro1963:. You do know that term "The Greatest Generation" irks many people of color. Black soldiers came back after the war to the same inhumane treatment that they had before the war. They could not even wear their military uniform without threat of being killed. Those black aviators returning from was could not get any of those pilot jobs because of discrimination. That generation was not so great.

Good discussion. I especially liked what Joe said about how draft dodging impacts someone else who has to fill the dodger's boots. As you said, there are a lot of factors that are considered when executing a draft other than medical. For example, a young father could have been chosen to take his place. Therefore, the selfishness of a single dodger not only impacted the life of another man, but also a wife, child, and two sets of parents.

Avoiding the draft was a big thing during the Vietnam War especially in the 1960s, which most people considered a terrible mistake and even immoral. Many thousands went to Canada and were finally given amnesty by Pres. Carter in the later 70s. Vietnam was a terrible mistake which cost the lives of over 58,000 brave men (and some women, too). These draft avoiders and the War protesters did not want anyone to go to die for a meaningless reason. The right-wing intentionally conflated being against the war with being against the troops--and they still do! One of my best friends served in Vietnam in 70-71 and he has endless stories of the horror and stupidity. I was lucky to be too young and the draft formally ended right before I was eligible (nonetheless my parents said that I would be going to live in Canada if I were drafted.). As the wonderfully sarcastic Country Joe song goes about this: "..be the first one on your block to have your son come home in a box!".

Much love to all who served in vietnam One of my uncles lost a leg there , another got cancer from Agent Orange The Vietnam Memorial is something all Americans should visit if they have the chance Ive been many times, and also to the other war memorials in DC - TO pay my respect and show the gratitude i have to these ones who paid the ultimate price to protect our freedom This clip , this show , this episode is so moving When Archie goes off i cry every time And laugh and smile too My father and i watched TONS of this show together and he was gone way to soon Much love to my dad I also have much respect for the opinion of Pinky and also the young man who went to Canada more love Less war I hope this world can get there ❤

Dissenters is the word you're looking for. Vietnam is the 1st war aired on TV so we saw the real consequences of war.

This episode and the one where Archie talks about his father always puts a lump in my throat.❤

I was not drafted. I volunteered in 1977. I served 6 years in the US Marine Corps from 1977 to 1983. At just 5ft 1in tall and 117lbs, bootcamp was tough, but I made it . And I am a better person for it. I went on to serve my community as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher and later, worked in the WV Div. of Corrections at a medium security state prison. Now, 65 years old, I am still performing military funerals for our fallen veterans. I am also singing the Star Spangled Banner at local community events. I do believe that war should be a very last resort. But, should war be necessary, I believe that it should be fought with overwhelming force so that it does not drag on and on for many years. I am not a violent person; but when violence is necessary, I can be a force to recon with. Semper Fi!

@albertusmagnus6606

9 ай бұрын

Thank you for your service, sir. God bless. 🙏

This show was a classic and i've never been another one like it

It is called selective service. "From 1948 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the armed forces which could not be filled through voluntary means. Induction authority expired in 1973, but the Selective Service System remained in existence in “standby” to support the all-volunteer force in case of an emergency. Registration was suspended early in 1975 and the Selective Service System entered into “deep standby”. Beginning in late 1979, a series of “revitalization” efforts were begun in an effort to upgrade the System’s capability for rapid mobilization in an emergency. In the summer of 1980, registration was resumed. Presently, young men must register within 30 days of their 18th birthday."

The city of Draft, California was home of the Draft Dodgers starting in 1958. Later that same year Draft changed its name to Los Angeles, hence thereafter the baseball team was called the Los Angeles Dodgers.

You guys should check out the live recording of Bruce Springsteen’s “The River” where he tells a story before the song about getting his draft notice and his father’s reaction. It absolutely captures the mood of the time represented in the episode of this show.

I remember being shocked when I saw this episode back in the day. It was always funny with some sharp wit and the seriousness with which this was handled sobered me. A great book that deals with this topic is ‘A Prayer For Owen Meaney’ by John Irving. Highly recommend!

@GjpgrD

7 ай бұрын

You just mentioned what is probably my favorite novel of all time! Amongst all of Irving's other gems.

"I didn't know what a draft dodger meant"... Some were VERY creative.

Alex Trebeck was once interviewed and he said the one thing that he noticed was people under 40 don’t know recent history. Having said that, I was born in 1965. We watched the news every night and Vietnam was first and foremost constantly. It ended when I was nine. We had a neighbor who was in the military, and when he came home, people treated him like shit and called him a baby killer. We had neighbors who were hippies, and they all went to college, in order to avoid the draft. They were hanging on by a thread with their grades, but knew if they weren’t in college, the chances of them surviving, Vietnam, in a jungle, was not going to be good. My uncle was 16 when I was born. He was about to be drafted during the worst part of Vietnam and somehow, my grandparents got him out of the draft by paying somebody off and sticking him in college. Mentally, he was not equipped to even be in college. He’s slow. This clip from All in the Family was hard for me to watch. My husband was in the Beirut bombing. And I’m sure none of you know what I’m talking about. The 40th anniversary of it is next month. There’s some history that’s ignored. Look it up.

@jaycee330

7 ай бұрын

I'm old enough to remember the Lebanon war.

Desmond Doss was a Seventh Day Adventist, was drafted as CO and received the CHM

A lot of drafted young men escaped to Canada. Our prime minister at that time was Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the father of our current prime minister. Pierre welcomed the dodgers into Canada. He was a feminist, a hippie, and didn't believe in the war in Vietnam.