WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.520 OK, let's unpack this. When you hear the name 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:04.839 Sally Struthers, what's the first image that 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:06.700 pops into your mind? Oh, for most people, it's 00:00:06.700 --> 00:00:08.560 got to be Gloria Stivak, right? I'm all in the 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:12.240 family. Exactly. That iconic role, the spirited 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:15.220 daughter, always mixing it up with Archie Bunker, 00:00:15.259 --> 00:00:17.780 you know, thoughtfully but humorously. She really 00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:19.539 was the progressive voice in that household. 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:21.519 But what if we told you there's, like, so much 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:23.940 more to her story? Yeah. Layers of fascinating 00:00:23.940 --> 00:00:27.379 work, personal struggles, too, that go way beyond 00:00:27.379 --> 00:00:30.399 just Gloria. That's what we're digging into today, 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:33.880 the incredibly extensive life and career of Sally 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:36.859 Struthers. She's an American actress and activist 00:00:36.859 --> 00:00:40.240 born July 28, 1947. And we've got quite a bit 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:42.039 to draw on for this. We do. We're looking at 00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:44.640 her Wikipedia entry, which is pretty comprehensive, 00:00:45.899 --> 00:00:47.939 interviews she's given, biographical details. 00:00:48.670 --> 00:00:51.070 All sorts of sources. And our mission, really, 00:00:51.189 --> 00:00:53.070 is to cut through that main image. Right. Get 00:00:53.070 --> 00:00:56.170 past Just Gloria. Exactly. Uncover the surprising 00:00:56.170 --> 00:00:59.429 bits, the aha moments, and show the sheer breadth 00:00:59.429 --> 00:01:01.710 of her career. We want to give you that shortcut 00:01:01.710 --> 00:01:04.209 to being really informed about her. Because it's 00:01:04.209 --> 00:01:06.629 more than just groundbreaking TV, isn't it? Oh, 00:01:06.730 --> 00:01:09.549 absolutely. significant stage work, which we'll 00:01:09.549 --> 00:01:13.150 get into, and even her advocacy work. It paints 00:01:13.150 --> 00:01:15.549 a picture that's just, well, far richer than 00:01:15.549 --> 00:01:17.709 that one single role might suggest. Okay, so 00:01:17.709 --> 00:01:19.730 let's lay the groundwork. Where does her story 00:01:19.730 --> 00:01:22.849 begin? Well, the basics. Sally Ann Struthers, 00:01:23.209 --> 00:01:27.430 born July 28, 1947, in Portland, Oregon. Portland, 00:01:27.430 --> 00:01:30.150 okay. Yeah. She was the second of two daughters. 00:01:30.709 --> 00:01:33.670 Her older sister's name's Sue. Her parents were 00:01:33.670 --> 00:01:36.969 Margaret Caroline Jerns and Robert Alden Struthers, 00:01:37.090 --> 00:01:39.430 who was a surgeon. A surgeon. So a comfortable 00:01:39.430 --> 00:01:42.349 start, you might think? You might think so. Appearances, 00:01:42.450 --> 00:01:44.450 as they say. Right. And there's a bit more to 00:01:44.450 --> 00:01:46.349 the family background, too. Something about her 00:01:46.349 --> 00:01:49.409 heritage. There is, yeah. Our sources mention 00:01:49.409 --> 00:01:51.730 her maternal grandparents were actually Norwegian 00:01:51.730 --> 00:01:54.209 immigrants. Oh, interesting. Yeah, it ties her 00:01:54.209 --> 00:01:56.390 to that specific immigrant experience. You know, 00:01:56.510 --> 00:01:58.609 coming to America, building a life. It often 00:01:58.609 --> 00:02:00.950 brings a certain resilience, maybe a work ethic. 00:02:01.209 --> 00:02:02.730 While it might not be something she talked about 00:02:02.730 --> 00:02:05.250 all the time, it's part of her foundation. Exactly. 00:02:05.349 --> 00:02:08.319 It's a subtle layer. but it hints at that lineage 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:10.639 of perseverance. Okay, but here's where things 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:13.180 take a really difficult turn, right? Early in 00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:15.639 her childhood. Yeah, this is significant. Our 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:18.280 sources confirm her father abandoned the family 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:20.800 when Sally was only about nine years old. Nine. 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:24.240 Wow, that's... That's huge for any kid. Absolutely 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:25.939 devastating. It changes everything. Your sense 00:02:25.939 --> 00:02:28.419 of security, family dynamics, everything. It 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:30.560 definitely left a mark. So how did they manage 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.400 after that? Well, she was then raised by her 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:37.360 single mother, Margaret, in the Concordia neighborhood 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:39.639 of northeast Portland. Just her mom and her sister. 00:02:39.819 --> 00:02:42.819 Yes. And her mother, Margaret, worked at the 00:02:42.819 --> 00:02:44.580 Bonneville Power Administration to support them. 00:02:44.729 --> 00:02:47.830 That's a big federal agency out there, so likely 00:02:47.830 --> 00:02:49.770 a demanding job. Definitely. And it wasn't just 00:02:49.770 --> 00:02:51.629 the financial strain, was it? There was more 00:02:51.629 --> 00:02:54.530 going on. Semi -tragically. The sources also 00:02:54.530 --> 00:02:57.370 reveal that her mother suffered from significant 00:02:57.370 --> 00:02:59.990 depression during Sally's childhood. Oh, man. 00:03:00.370 --> 00:03:02.870 So you've got the abandonment, the single parent 00:03:02.870 --> 00:03:06.460 household, money worries. and a mother battling 00:03:06.460 --> 00:03:08.939 depression. It's a lot. A heavy burden for a 00:03:08.939 --> 00:03:10.960 child to navigate. Yeah. It really makes you 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:12.939 stop and think, doesn't it, about the resilience 00:03:12.939 --> 00:03:15.479 needed just to get through that. Not just surviving, 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.020 but finding the strength each day. Incredible 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:21.870 fortitude, really. from both Sally and her mother. 00:03:22.150 --> 00:03:25.150 How do you think those really intense early experiences, 00:03:25.669 --> 00:03:28.169 the kind of trial by fire, might have shaped 00:03:28.169 --> 00:03:32.650 her later on, her drive, her choices in the tough 00:03:32.650 --> 00:03:35.289 world of acting? Well, you have to imagine it 00:03:35.289 --> 00:03:39.229 forged a deep sense of independence, adaptability, 00:03:39.810 --> 00:03:42.169 maybe a fierce determination. Yeah, like a certain 00:03:42.169 --> 00:03:45.620 grit. Exactly. When you face rejection in Hollywood 00:03:45.620 --> 00:03:48.659 or long hours, maybe that early resilience kicks 00:03:48.659 --> 00:03:50.979 in. That kind of upbringing can give you an inner 00:03:50.979 --> 00:03:53.639 strength, maybe even a drive to succeed, to honor 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:55.639 the sacrifices you saw your mother make. That 00:03:55.639 --> 00:03:57.240 makes a lot of sense. Her strength was built 00:03:57.240 --> 00:03:59.680 long before Hollywood. For sure. Okay, so let's 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:02.280 move from those tough beginnings to the big break. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.139 The role that put her on the map. Gloria Stivak 00:04:06.139 --> 00:04:08.219 in All in the Family. The breakthrough moment. 00:04:08.300 --> 00:04:10.800 She debuted in the show back in the early 70s. 00:04:10.819 --> 00:04:13.400 Yeah. And the story of how she got cast is pretty 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:15.780 great. Yeah, I read Norman Lear himself discovered 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:19.420 her. That's right. He saw her dancing on the 00:04:19.420 --> 00:04:22.019 Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Dancing on the 00:04:22.019 --> 00:04:24.399 Smothers Brothers? That's amazing. Plucked from 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.459 a comedy show dance routine into arguably one 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:29.699 of the most important sitcoms ever. It really 00:04:29.699 --> 00:04:31.899 does sound like a bit of Hollywood magic, doesn't 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:34.720 it? Pure serendipity. But it wasn't necessarily 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:36.839 a sure thing for her, was it? I mean, did she 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.800 think she'd get it? Well, digging into it, our 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:43.120 sources say she actually had doubts. She apparently 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:46.100 thought Rob Reiner's fiance at the time, who 00:04:46.100 --> 00:04:48.579 later became his wife, Penny Marshall, was more 00:04:48.579 --> 00:04:51.319 likely to get it. Why Penny Marshall? Struthers 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:53.500 felt Marshall looked more like Jean Stapleton, 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:56.220 who played Edith. Yeah. You know, a more believable... 00:04:56.250 --> 00:04:59.089 mother -daughter look. Uh, okay. And wasn't there 00:04:59.089 --> 00:05:01.970 someone else cast before her, too? Yes. Actress 00:05:01.970 --> 00:05:04.629 Candice Azara actually played Gloria in an earlier 00:05:04.629 --> 00:05:07.370 pilot episode, but she was dropped. Wow. So it 00:05:07.370 --> 00:05:09.810 really shows how competitive casting is, even 00:05:09.810 --> 00:05:12.209 for these roles that become legendary. It wasn't 00:05:12.209 --> 00:05:14.490 straight shot for her at all. Not at all. It 00:05:14.490 --> 00:05:16.569 highlights that whole unpredictable nature of 00:05:16.569 --> 00:05:19.269 Hollywood. And Sally herself told a story about 00:05:19.269 --> 00:05:21.470 how she actually became available for the audition, 00:05:21.709 --> 00:05:22.949 right? Something about another show. Oh, yeah. 00:05:23.050 --> 00:05:25.569 This is a fantastic anecdote she shared in a 00:05:25.569 --> 00:05:28.490 2012 interview. She'd just been let go from the 00:05:28.490 --> 00:05:32.550 Tim Conway comedy hour. Fired. Why? Apparently, 00:05:32.910 --> 00:05:35.490 she said, the suits in New York said that I made 00:05:35.490 --> 00:05:38.920 the show look cheap. Look. Sheet. Yeah, but ironically, 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:42.160 the producer actually wanted that effect. He 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:44.759 intended it to look sort of delightfully low 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:48.019 budget. Just her dancing and one musician humming 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:51.360 the theme. So getting fired was actually good 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:54.259 luck. Pretty much. Her dismissal made her, quote, 00:05:54.540 --> 00:05:56.980 free to read for all in the family. That's incredible. 00:05:57.139 --> 00:05:59.399 Sometimes rejection really does open the right 00:05:59.399 --> 00:06:02.180 door. What seems like a setback is actually destiny 00:06:02.180 --> 00:06:04.139 pushing you along. It's a perfect example of 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:07.000 that, yeah. the perceived failure leading directly 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:09.459 to our biggest break. And the show itself, all 00:06:09.459 --> 00:06:11.759 in the family. It wasn't an instant smash hit, 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:14.560 was it? No, it had a bit of a shaky start. Network 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.660 execs were nervous about the controversy, the 00:06:16.660 --> 00:06:20.379 themes, but then the summer reruns hit. Ah, the 00:06:20.379 --> 00:06:24.120 power of reruns. Absolutely. That's when tens 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:27.579 of millions of viewers, as the sources say, really 00:06:27.579 --> 00:06:31.129 got to see Archie, Edith, Mike and Gloria. It 00:06:31.129 --> 00:06:33.889 just exploded from there, became a cultural phenomenon 00:06:33.889 --> 00:06:36.589 basically overnight. And Gloria herself was such 00:06:36.589 --> 00:06:39.470 a key part of that conversation. Totally. Struthers 00:06:39.470 --> 00:06:41.329 character was known for, and I'm quoting here, 00:06:41.750 --> 00:06:44.149 defending her viewpoints about negative stereotypes 00:06:44.149 --> 00:06:47.449 and inequality. She was that relatable, progressive 00:06:47.449 --> 00:06:50.189 voice, especially for younger viewers, pushing 00:06:50.189 --> 00:06:53.230 back against Archie's views. Exactly. She wasn't 00:06:53.230 --> 00:06:55.689 just the daughter. She represented that shift 00:06:55.689 --> 00:06:58.360 in social attitudes happening at the time. made 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.600 the show feel really relevant. And she got recognized 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:02.860 for it, right? Big time. Oh, yeah. Critically 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:06.060 acclaimed, she won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding 00:07:06.060 --> 00:07:08.220 Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for playing 00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:10.660 Gloria. Two Emmys? When were those? The first 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:13.980 was in 1972. And interestingly, she tied with 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:16.259 Valerie Harper, Rhoda from The Mary Tyler Moore 00:07:16.259 --> 00:07:18.980 Show. Wow, a tie. That's cool. Yeah. And then 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:21.699 she won again in 1979. So, you know, major industry 00:07:21.699 --> 00:07:23.620 validation for her performance throughout the 00:07:23.620 --> 00:07:28.610 show's run. OK, so massive success. Emmys. Cultural 00:07:28.610 --> 00:07:32.329 icon status. Sounds perfect, right? But here's 00:07:32.329 --> 00:07:35.470 where the story gets, well, more complicated. 00:07:35.649 --> 00:07:37.970 Mm -hmm. This is where we see that difference 00:07:37.970 --> 00:07:40.509 between public perception and private reality. 00:07:41.449 --> 00:07:44.310 Despite all the success and her generally positive 00:07:44.310 --> 00:07:46.250 public comments about the show... She wasn't 00:07:46.250 --> 00:07:49.410 entirely happy. ...sources say she was personally 00:07:49.410 --> 00:07:51.589 discontent with how static her character was 00:07:51.589 --> 00:07:54.230 portrayed. She felt Gloria wasn't evolving enough 00:07:54.230 --> 00:07:57.069 as a character. That's surprising given how beloved 00:07:57.069 --> 00:07:59.589 Gloria was. She wanted more depth. Seems so. 00:07:59.930 --> 00:08:01.990 It points to that tension an artist can feel, 00:08:02.110 --> 00:08:04.600 even in a hit show. wanting creative growth. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:07.160 And recent information suggests this discontent 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:09.899 was actually quite deep. It does. This is fascinating. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:12.620 Struthers herself has said she only regarded 00:08:12.620 --> 00:08:14.759 the time between the sixth and eighth seasons 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:17.459 as the best period for her playing Gloria, implying 00:08:17.459 --> 00:08:19.560 the earlier years, maybe the later ones felt 00:08:19.560 --> 00:08:22.040 stagnant. Just those two seasons out of the whole 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:23.819 run. Apparently, and get this, this only came 00:08:23.819 --> 00:08:26.899 out in January 2025, revealed by Tripp Wetzel, 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:29.220 who wrote a book on Norman Lear. She actually 00:08:29.220 --> 00:08:33.179 made an unsuccessful attempt. to sue to get out 00:08:33.179 --> 00:08:35.720 of her contract with the show after the fifth 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:38.820 season. Sue? She tried to sue Norman Lear's company. 00:08:38.980 --> 00:08:41.820 Yep. And spent $40 ,000 in legal fees trying 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:45.460 to do it. $40 ,000? Back in the mid -70s? That's 00:08:45.460 --> 00:08:47.419 a huge amount of money. It really is. It shows 00:08:47.419 --> 00:08:50.600 you just how deeply unhappy or creatively frustrated 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:53.480 she must have been. It wasn't just a minor complaint. 00:08:53.860 --> 00:08:56.379 She was willing to spend serious money and risk 00:08:56.379 --> 00:08:59.600 a major fallout. Wow. And the relationship with 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:02.809 Norman Lear himself. Sounds like it wasn't exactly 00:09:02.809 --> 00:09:05.029 warm and fuzzy. Well, according to Struthers 00:09:05.029 --> 00:09:08.590 in 2025, Lure apparently regarded her as the 00:09:08.590 --> 00:09:12.370 show's fourth banana. Fourth banana? Ouch. Below 00:09:12.370 --> 00:09:14.929 Carol O 'Connor, Gene Stapleton, and Rob Reiner, 00:09:15.129 --> 00:09:16.730 presumably. That's the implication. Like, she 00:09:16.730 --> 00:09:18.950 was lower on the totem pole creatively. Yeah. 00:09:19.110 --> 00:09:21.490 She also said Lure never invited her to his dinner 00:09:21.490 --> 00:09:23.850 parties. Creating a distance. Yeah, social and 00:09:23.850 --> 00:09:26.070 professional one. Yep. And then there's this... 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.539 Really blunt, kind of shocking comments she recounted. 00:09:28.659 --> 00:09:30.879 You still on? She stated, Lear told her he only 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.700 wanted to cast her because she had blue eyes 00:09:32.700 --> 00:09:36.639 and a fat face. He said that. Blue eyes and a 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:42.940 fat face. That's incredibly harsh. And just dismissive. 00:09:43.059 --> 00:09:46.519 It really is. A stark contrast to the image of 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:49.820 this happy, groundbreaking TV family. So it really 00:09:49.820 --> 00:09:51.500 makes you wonder, doesn't it? How do you deal 00:09:51.500 --> 00:09:53.600 with that? You're part of this massive hit. Everyone 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.929 loves you. You're winning awards. But behind 00:09:55.929 --> 00:09:58.929 the scenes, you feel creatively stuck, and your 00:09:58.929 --> 00:10:01.570 boss is saying things like that. It complicates 00:10:01.570 --> 00:10:03.730 the narrative entirely. It's that classic public 00:10:03.730 --> 00:10:06.970 success versus private struggle. How do you reconcile 00:10:06.970 --> 00:10:10.370 those two things? It's a powerful reminder of 00:10:10.370 --> 00:10:12.769 the hidden costs that can come with fame. Yeah, 00:10:12.850 --> 00:10:14.549 the emotional toll. It makes you think about 00:10:14.549 --> 00:10:16.330 what other performers might go through that we 00:10:16.330 --> 00:10:18.789 never see. Absolutely. It's about wanting artistic 00:10:18.789 --> 00:10:20.990 respect, even when you have everything else externally. 00:10:21.309 --> 00:10:24.299 OK, so. All in the family was huge, complex, 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:26.179 but definitely not the end of her story. Not 00:10:26.179 --> 00:10:28.460 by a long shot. Her career kept going in really 00:10:28.460 --> 00:10:30.720 interesting directions. Totally. She really showed 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:32.919 her versatility moving beyond the bunker household 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:35.200 pretty quickly. She did some pioneering stuff, 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:37.879 especially in TV movies. Right, like that film 00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:40.960 Intimate Strangers in 1977. That was a very different 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:43.659 role for her. Hugely different. She played Janis 00:10:43.659 --> 00:10:46.019 Halston, a housewife being physically abused 00:10:46.019 --> 00:10:49.019 by her husband, played by Dennis Weaver. A really 00:10:49.019 --> 00:10:52.159 dramatic, intense part. And that movie was pretty 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:54.980 significant for its time, wasn't it? Extremely. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:57.559 Our sources highlight it was one of the first 00:10:57.559 --> 00:10:59.779 network features to focus on domestic violence. 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:02.919 Wow. In the 70s, that was definitely not something 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:06.539 you saw on TV often, if ever. Exactly. It was 00:11:06.539 --> 00:11:09.220 brave for her to take it on, showed her range, 00:11:09.659 --> 00:11:11.980 and proved she could handle serious, socially 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:14.529 relevant material. It wasn't just comedy, it 00:11:14.529 --> 00:11:16.409 really helped bring that difficult subject into 00:11:16.409 --> 00:11:18.710 the open. Did she ever play Gloria again after 00:11:18.710 --> 00:11:21.110 All in the Family ended its main run? She did, 00:11:21.389 --> 00:11:23.370 briefly. She popped up in Archie Bunker's place 00:11:23.370 --> 00:11:25.509 for about five episodes. Okay, a little continuation. 00:11:25.750 --> 00:11:27.669 Then she got her own spin -off called Gloria. 00:11:27.769 --> 00:11:30.710 It ran from 1982 to 1983, but it was pretty short 00:11:30.710 --> 00:11:33.190 -lived. What was the premise there? Gloria was 00:11:33.190 --> 00:11:36.629 a new divorcee, single mom, working as an assistant 00:11:36.629 --> 00:11:38.909 to a veterinarian, played by Burgess Meredith. 00:11:39.309 --> 00:11:42.120 Burgess Meredith, wow. But it didn't quite catch 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:44.799 on like the original. No, it didn't have the 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:46.740 same magic, unfortunately. A different dynamic. 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:48.879 But then she moved into a whole other arena that 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:51.899 became huge for her. Voice acting. Oh, absolutely. 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.740 She became a true legend in voice acting, lent 00:11:54.740 --> 00:11:57.460 her voice to so many animated series. It showed 00:11:57.460 --> 00:12:00.159 incredible range and reached whole new generations. 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:02.200 Yeah, her voice is really distinctive. You hear 00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:04.340 it and you know it's her. Definitely. And she 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:07.419 started early. She was the voice of teenage Pebbles 00:12:07.419 --> 00:12:10.480 Flintstone. on the Pebbles and Bam Bam show way 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.279 back in 71, 72. Mupples Flintstone, okay, that's 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:16.480 iconic. And she reprised it later in Fred Flintstone 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.919 and Friends. Then, maybe even more famously for 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:22.740 a certain generation, she was Rebecca Cunningham 00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:26.340 on Disney's Tailspin in the early 90s. Tailspin, 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:29.039 Baloo's boss, yes. That's the one, including 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.480 the TV movie Plunder and Lightning. And another 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:34.539 huge one from that era, Charlene Sinclair on 00:12:34.539 --> 00:12:37.419 ABC's Dinosaurs. Not the mama. Well, she wasn't 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:40.240 the baby, but Charlene. Yes, the teenage daughter 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:42.460 dinosaur. That show is something else. Produced 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:45.519 by Disney and Henson Productions. Groundbreaking 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:48.759 puppetry. And her voice work just kept going. 00:12:48.899 --> 00:12:51.120 The list is pretty long, isn't it? It's immense. 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:54.419 The Charnkins, Yo -Yogi, Tom and Jerry Kids, 00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:57.720 Tiny Toon Adventures, Cow and Chicken, The Wild 00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:00.899 Thornberries. Wow. As told by Ginger, American 00:13:00.899 --> 00:13:04.399 Dad. Summer Camp Island. I mean, it goes on and 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:07.740 on. Wild West C .O .W. Boys of Moomasa. Okay, 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:09.620 you're just pulling these out now. It's incredible. 00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:12.519 There's even a little note that she was initially 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:15.740 cast as Granny in Hoodwinked, but Glenn Close 00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:18.519 ended up overdubbing her lines. Really? Huh. 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.039 But still, that list, it shows her voice was 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:24.929 constantly in demand. Constantly. across decades. 00:13:25.070 --> 00:13:26.750 You know, if you step back and look at it, that 00:13:26.750 --> 00:13:29.090 voice acting career alone is just massive. It's 00:13:29.090 --> 00:13:31.450 proof of her versatility, her longevity. It kept 00:13:31.450 --> 00:13:33.909 her relevant, reaching kids and families in totally 00:13:33.909 --> 00:13:35.889 different ways. Exactly. It wasn't just a side 00:13:35.889 --> 00:13:38.090 thing. It was a whole other major career path. 00:13:38.269 --> 00:13:39.909 And maybe it offered a different kind of creative 00:13:39.909 --> 00:13:42.370 freedom than live action sometimes did. That's 00:13:42.370 --> 00:13:44.250 a good point. No worries about being typecast 00:13:44.250 --> 00:13:47.000 by your appearance, just the voice. Right. pure 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.740 performance through vocal nuance. Yeah. And it 00:13:49.740 --> 00:13:51.659 clearly provided consistent work throughout the 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:54.000 years. OK, so beyond animation, she kept busy 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.940 with live action TV and film too, post -Gloria. 00:13:57.320 --> 00:13:59.539 Definitely. She didn't just disappear to voice 00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:03.019 books. She starred as Florence Ungar in the female 00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:05.580 stage version of The Odd Couple in the mid -80s. 00:14:06.059 --> 00:14:08.940 Florence Ungar. She played opposite. Who was 00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:11.879 Olive? Initially, it was Rita Moreno. But Struthers 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:14.620 actually described that experience as unpleasant 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:18.139 until Moreno left. Oh. What was the issue? Struthers 00:14:18.139 --> 00:14:20.879 apparently found Moreno mean -spirited. Brenda 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:23.879 Vaccaro took over, and things improved. It's 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:26.000 just another reminder that backstage dynamics 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:28.460 can be tricky. Yeah, personal chemistry matters. 00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:30.620 What else stands out in live action? Well, she 00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:33.379 was fun on game shows. A semi -regular on the 00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:36.179 Match Game Revival in 1990, guested on Win, Lose, 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:38.460 or Draw, even hosted it for a week. Shows her 00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:41.389 quick wit. And later sitcoms. People might remember 00:14:41.389 --> 00:14:43.830 her as Bill Miller's manipulative mom, Louise, 00:14:44.309 --> 00:14:47.549 on Still Standing in the early 2000s. Ah, yes. 00:14:47.929 --> 00:14:49.929 And of course, for a whole generation, Abed. 00:14:50.250 --> 00:14:53.830 Abed Dell from Gilmore Girls. A truly memorable, 00:14:54.090 --> 00:14:57.009 quirky character. She was on from 2000 to 2007 00:14:57.009 --> 00:14:59.629 and even came back for the revival, A Year in 00:14:59.629 --> 00:15:03.019 the Life, in 2016. Fans loved Babette, her voice, 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:05.600 and her relationship with Moray. Just perfect. 00:15:05.700 --> 00:15:08.440 And her guest roles spanned decades too. Love, 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:11.139 American Style, Ironside, Murder, she wrote, 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:14.860 Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Tons of stuff. Plus, 00:15:15.059 --> 00:15:17.779 many TV movies over the years. And films. Anything 00:15:17.779 --> 00:15:20.970 major there besides the early ones like... Five 00:15:20.970 --> 00:15:23.809 Easy Pieces and The Getaway. She had roles in 00:15:23.809 --> 00:15:26.350 films like Reese Phil, Badass, Waiting in the 00:15:26.350 --> 00:15:30.090 Wings, The Musical, a really eclectic mix. And 00:15:30.090 --> 00:15:31.850 incredibly, she's still working now, isn't she, 00:15:31.850 --> 00:15:35.149 on a current show? Yes. This is amazing. In 2024, 00:15:35.269 --> 00:15:37.330 she started playing Virginia Foldow in the Netflix 00:15:37.330 --> 00:15:40.110 series, A Man on the Inside, starring Ted Danson. 00:15:40.309 --> 00:15:42.669 Ted Danson. And she's in multiple episodes. Sources 00:15:42.669 --> 00:15:45.129 say eight episodes, a significant role. It just 00:15:45.129 --> 00:15:47.169 shows her incredible staying power, adapting 00:15:47.169 --> 00:15:49.429 to streaming platforms, still in demand after 00:15:49.429 --> 00:15:51.759 50 play... That kind of longevity is honestly 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:53.919 rare and really impressive. It really is. But 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:55.639 wait, there's more. We haven't even really touched 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:57.879 on her stage career properly yet. Right, because 00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:59.720 besides that odd couple run, she's done a lot 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:02.159 of theater. A ton of theater. Thank God. Spanning 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.779 decades. It's the whole other major pillar of 00:16:04.779 --> 00:16:07.220 her career, showing a real dedication to live 00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:09.700 performance. What are some highlights? Broadway? 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.600 Yep. Broadway includes Wally's Cafe in 81, The 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.919 Odd Couple in 85, 86, and she played Miss Lynch 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:20.240 in Grease for a long run. from 94 to 98. Miss 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:23.500 Lynch. Wow. And national tours. Those are demanding. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:26.259 Hugely demanding. She toured as Miss Hannigan 00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:28.879 in the 20th anniversary tour of Annie. Oh, she'd 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:30.679 be a great Miss Hannigan. Right. Then she was 00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:33.019 Mother Superior in the 25th anniversary tour 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:36.139 of Nonsense in 2008. And get this, she played 00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:39.500 Dolly Levi in the 50th anniversary tour of Hello 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:43.080 Dolly. in 2013 -14. Dolly Levi, that's one of 00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:45.059 the biggest roles in musical theater. That takes 00:16:45.059 --> 00:16:47.600 serious chops. Absolutely. And she's also been 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:49.659 a mainstay in regional theater, particularly 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:52.100 at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine since the 00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:54.299 early 2000s. Ogunquit, yeah, that's a very well 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:57.559 -respected theater. And just recently, in 2022, 00:16:58.039 --> 00:17:00.340 she was playing Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein 00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:02.940 out in California. Frau Blucher, that's fantastic. 00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:07.380 Exactly. So when you look at all this stage work, 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:10.259 It just shows an artist who truly loves performing 00:17:10.259 --> 00:17:13.019 live, you know, that connection with an audience, 00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:15.359 the discipline it requires. It's completely different 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.480 from TV and film. It really rounds out the picture, 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:21.460 doesn't it? Screen, voice, stage. She's done 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:24.140 it all and at a high level. A truly comprehensive 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:27.359 performer. Okay, switching gears a bit now. Beyond 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.900 acting, Sally Struthers also became a really 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:32.759 visible public figure for other reasons, activism, 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:36.000 right? Yes. Her advocacy work is a huge part 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.400 of her public identity for many people, particularly 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.640 her work for children. That's the Christian Children's 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:43.619 Fund commercials, which later became Child Fund. 00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:45.859 So many people remember those. Absolutely. She 00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:47.799 was their spokesperson for years, advocating 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:50.940 on behalf of impoverished children in developing 00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:54.910 countries. Her face, her voice became synonymous 00:17:54.910 --> 00:17:57.289 with that cause. Those commercials were incredibly 00:17:57.289 --> 00:17:59.950 impactful, weren't they? Very direct, very emotional 00:17:59.950 --> 00:18:02.509 appeals. They really were. She was asking people 00:18:02.509 --> 00:18:04.789 directly to help, showing the conditions these 00:18:04.789 --> 00:18:07.269 kids lived in. It was a long -term commitment 00:18:07.269 --> 00:18:09.670 for her, not just a one -off thing. And it raises 00:18:09.670 --> 00:18:11.950 that interesting point about how celebrities 00:18:11.950 --> 00:18:14.710 use their platform, right? She really dedicated 00:18:14.710 --> 00:18:17.329 herself to this for a long time. She did. Now... 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:19.619 Sources mentioned there were some past criticisms 00:18:19.619 --> 00:18:22.000 about the charity spending, which isn't uncommon 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.099 for large organizations. Sure, what happens? 00:18:24.220 --> 00:18:27.279 But the focus really remains on her role as this 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:30.240 incredibly effective, visible spokesperson who 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:33.339 brought so much attention and undoubtedly donations 00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:37.119 to help children globally. Her image became linked 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.880 to that humanitarian effort. Yeah, she became 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:42.720 a symbol of that cause for millions. A very powerful 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.740 use of her celebrity. And then there was another 00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:48.819 quite different spokesperson role she had, something 00:18:48.819 --> 00:18:50.759 involving education. Right, the International 00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:53.859 Correspondent School, ICS. Remember those ads? 00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:56.440 Agly. What was the famous line? Do you want to 00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:59.180 make more money? Sure, we all do. Yes. OK, I 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:01.279 remember that now. Delivered with that encouraging 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:04.200 smile. Exactly. It became kind of a catchphrase. 00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:07.460 ICS was basically an early distance learning 00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:09.900 school. What did they teach? All sorts of things. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:13.380 The sources say the curriculum range from like 00:19:13.380 --> 00:19:16.630 bricklaying to personal computers. very diverse 00:19:16.630 --> 00:19:19.609 vocational training. So offering people practical 00:19:19.609 --> 00:19:22.769 skills for better jobs? Pretty much. It was about 00:19:22.769 --> 00:19:26.529 self -improvement, opportunity, accessible education, 00:19:27.130 --> 00:19:29.390 outside traditional routes. So if you connect 00:19:29.390 --> 00:19:31.670 those two things, the charity work and the ICS 00:19:31.670 --> 00:19:34.190 ads, it shows how she became this trusted face, 00:19:34.269 --> 00:19:36.250 didn't it? Not just for entertainment, but for 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:39.119 Well, for hope, almost. That's a great way to 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:41.500 put it. Whether it was helping a child overseas 00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:43.940 or helping someone get a better job here, she 00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:46.720 was selling opportunity, a panth forward. It 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.599 really broadened her connection with the everyday 00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:51.339 person. Added another layer to her public persona 00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:54.900 beyond just actress. Definitely. Warmth, sincerity, 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.920 trustworthiness. She became associated with positive 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:00.240 change. Okay, let's touch briefly on her personal 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:02.420 life just to round out the picture. Sure. Sources 00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:05.140 say she married a psychiatrist, William C. Rader, 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:08.599 back in December 1977, right around the peak 00:20:08.599 --> 00:20:10.619 of her all -in -the -family fame. And they had 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:13.940 a family. Yes, one daughter named Samantha. But 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:16.900 the marriage didn't last. They divorced in January 00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:20.779 1983. So navigating marriage, motherhood, divorce, 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:24.220 all while being incredibly famous, that adds 00:20:24.220 --> 00:20:26.539 another layer of complexity. For sure. The universal 00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:28.900 experience is happening under a very public spotlight. 00:20:29.130 --> 00:20:31.890 And awards -wise, we mentioned the Emmys, but 00:20:31.890 --> 00:20:34.190 she got recognition for her stage work later 00:20:34.190 --> 00:20:37.210 too. She did. In 2010, she won an Ovation Award 00:20:37.210 --> 00:20:40.650 for Featured Actress in a Musical. Ovation Award. 00:20:40.849 --> 00:20:43.170 That's for Los Angeles Theater, right? Like their 00:20:43.170 --> 00:20:45.690 version of a Tony. Exactly. It was for playing 00:20:45.690 --> 00:20:47.970 the Fairy Godmother in a production of Cinderella 00:20:47.970 --> 00:20:50.349 at the Cabrillo Music Theater. Fairy Godmother. 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:54.220 Nice. So Emmy's for TV comedy and ovation for 00:20:54.220 --> 00:20:56.200 musical theater. It really speaks to the depth 00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:58.259 and range of your talent, doesn't it? Getting 00:20:58.259 --> 00:21:01.099 critical acclaim across such different mediums. 00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:03.299 Master of her craft. And you know, another sign 00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:05.119 you've truly made it that you're part of the 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:07.380 cultural furniture is when people start satirizing 00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:10.700 you. Yes. And Sally Struthers definitely reached 00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:12.759 that level. South Park, right? They had a memorable 00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:15.839 take on her. Oh, famously, in the Starvin' Marvin 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:19.450 episode in 97, and starving Marvin in space in 00:21:19.450 --> 00:21:23.269 99. How did they portray her? It was pretty out 00:21:23.269 --> 00:21:25.750 there, wasn't it? Yeah, humorously depicted resembling 00:21:25.750 --> 00:21:28.769 Jabba the Hutt. Jabba the Hutt, oh my god. And 00:21:28.769 --> 00:21:30.630 ironically shown eating the Christian children's 00:21:30.630 --> 00:21:33.250 fun food herself. It was biting satire for sure. 00:21:33.329 --> 00:21:36.049 Definitely controversial. Was she parodied anywhere 00:21:36.049 --> 00:21:38.470 else? Yep, and Living Color also did a sketch 00:21:38.470 --> 00:21:42.170 in their third season called Feed Me. Okay, so 00:21:42.170 --> 00:21:45.160 what does that mean really? being satirized like 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:46.920 that. Well, it means you've permeated the culture, 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:49.779 right? Yeah. You're so recognizable. Your image 00:21:49.779 --> 00:21:52.240 and your work are reference points for comedy 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:54.400 and commentary. It's kind of a backhanded testament 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:56.940 to your enduring recognition. Even if the parody 00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:59.559 is a bit rough, it means you're an icon. Exactly. 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:02.619 Not just a star, but a genuine cultural icon. 00:22:03.059 --> 00:22:04.920 So wrapping this all up, reflecting on everything 00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:07.380 we've discussed, Sally Strother's journey is 00:22:07.380 --> 00:22:10.019 just so much bigger than Gloria Stivik. Absolutely. 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:12.839 From that tough childhood in Portland, building 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:16.359 resilience. to TV superstardom than that incredible 00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:19.220 voice acting career, the dedicated stage work, 00:22:19.539 --> 00:22:22.900 the advocacy. It's a story of amazing versatility, 00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:26.740 resilience, and just a relentless drive to perform 00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:29.440 and connect. And what stands out is that adaptability, 00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:32.359 right? Facing challenges like feeling stuck in 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:34.920 all in the family or dealing with difficult co 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:37.319 -stars. But continuously reinventing herself. 00:22:37.529 --> 00:22:42.069 moving across genres, across platforms, sitcoms, 00:22:42.509 --> 00:22:45.329 animation, stage, activism. It's a narrative 00:22:45.329 --> 00:22:48.029 of constant evolution. It really makes you think 00:22:48.029 --> 00:22:50.710 about how one iconic role can define someone 00:22:50.710 --> 00:22:53.849 in the public eye, but also kind of obscure all 00:22:53.849 --> 00:22:56.130 the other incredible things they've done. Precisely. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:58.819 And this deep dive into her life hopefully invites 00:22:58.819 --> 00:23:01.440 you, the listener, to consider that. How often 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:03.759 do we really see the full picture of public figures? 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:06.200 What layers are we missing beyond the headlines 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:08.299 or the most famous character? Right, maybe check 00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:10.339 out her filmography, dig into that voice work, 00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:12.619 find some clips of her on stage. There's so much 00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:14.440 more to Sally Struthers than you might initially 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:17.380 think. A truly remarkable and enduring career, 00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.440 full of surprises.