It is the genius of actor Carroll O'Connor that millions of fans will forever confuse him with his most unforgettable creation, Archie Bunker. But O'Connor has lived the kind of rich, momentous life that Archie could never have imagined. Now, emrerging from gehind the actor's mask for the first time, O'Connor writes eloquently and intimately about his great triumphs and terrible tragedies— and a career that has been immortalized in television history. Growing up in Depression-era New York, Carrol O'Connor made his way armed with the quick wit, mischievous bent of mind, and engaging Irish charm that flow through these pages. From his rough and tumbel days in the merchant marine during World War ll— marked by big dreams, bar brawls, and bloody noses he moved on to salad days in Dublin. There he received an education in literature and in life, found his true calling in the theatre, and married his wife, Nancy...a fifty year success story that's still going strong.
O'Connor was soon invitied to Hollywood, the scene of his greatest achievements. His unique persective on the creation of "All in the Family" — and his certainty at the start that is was destined for ratings disaster— reveals television history in the making. And O'Connor vividly recalls scores of classic moments with Noman Lear, Rob Reiner and Jean Stapleton, as well a numberous other colleagues, including Howard Rollins ( "In the Heat of the Night" ), Clint Eastwood ( "Kelly's Heroes" ), and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor ( "Cleopatra" ).
But Hollywood was also the source of O'Connor's most painful memory: the cocaine addition and suicide of his son, Hugh. As a grieving father, O'Connor was forc to asssume the most poignant and powerful role of his life, and he speaks honestly here about both his loss and his efforts to educate others about the horror of drug abuse.
Candid and insightful, spirited and funny, this is the story of all the families Carroll O'Connor has been able to call his own. And in a career graced with landmark achievements, "I Think I'm Outta Here" stands as on of the most moving and memorable of all.
