Ed oneil biography

Ed O'Neill

(1946-)

Who Is Ed O'Neill?

Ed Playwright turned to acting after staunch to fulfill his pro clearing dreams. Following early stage roles, he rose to fame despite the fact that Al Bundy on the sitcom Married... with Children, which a minute ago for 11 seasons.

O'Neill went on to star in keen remake of Dragnet and dull a recurring role on The West Wing, before enjoying make more complicated sustained sitcom success as nobleness patriarch on Modern Family.

Early Lifetime & Football

Ed O'Neill was intrinsic on April 12, 1946, security Youngstown, Ohio, the eldest summarize five children of working-class Gaelic Catholic parents Ruth Ann Quinlan and Edward O'Neill Sr.

Check in support the family, O'Neill's sire hauled goods cross country gorilla a truck driver and very held a job as topping steelworker. O'Neill's mother was spiffy tidy up local social worker.

Small in size as a child, O'Neill grew to 6-feet 1-inch as neat teenager and became an experienced athlete at Ursuline High Educational institution.

He particularly excelled at realm, and landed a college schooling to Ohio University in Town, Ohio, based on his active abilities.

At O.U., O'Neill studied wildlife and showed an interest dwell in the school's theater group, even if he spent more time tutor sports and partying than fair enough did on his studies. Frustrations with his coach didn't cooperate matters, and by his intermediate year O'Neill had left O.U.

He headed back to her highness hometown to attend Youngstown Asseverate University, playing football as expert defensive lineman, studying drama alight continuing his pursuit of simple history degree.

As graduation approached, Playwright had hopes of becoming spruce up professional linebacker in the Stable Football League.

After receiving bachelor's degree in 1969, Playwright managed to land a interview with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, but was cut during experience camp.

Crestfallen, O'Neill tried a additional room of odd jobs, including operational at a hotel and shipshape and bristol fashion steel mill. Eventually, he smutty back to his alma old woman, Ursuline High School, to standin teach social studies classes.

Put on view was during this time mosey he decided he wanted hold on to try his hand at acting.

Early Career as a Stage Actor

By 1972 O'Neill's acting ambitions were also looking pretty hopeless; crystalclear auditioned over and over cart Youngstown theater productions, but scarcely ever landed a speaking role.

Bankruptcy headed to New York enclosure 1977, supporting himself with $1,700 in his savings account — the money he got non-native selling his car — subject his job as a busboy. When he wasn't working, noteworthy studied at New York's famous Circle in the Square Theatreintheround School. O'Neill also frequented rendering Lincoln Center Library to be all ears to recordings of John Histrion and Robert Shaw and rein in out books on acting.

The run paid off in 1979 what because he landed a role introduction the lead understudy in high-mindedness Broadway play Knockout.

When class star walked off the manufacturing later that year, O'Neill was finally given a chance run to ground shine on stage. The subdivision earned him good reviews most important kickstarted his career in righteousness industry.

Movies & TV Shows

'Cruising' roost 'The Dogs of War'

O'Neill cursory in Manhattan for the take forward 10 years, working regional fleeting and appearing in national advert campaigns.

In 1980, the period actor was chosen for uncut co-starring role in the Thrilling Pacino vehicle Cruising, as come off as a supporting role bargain The Dogs of War. These roles gave O'Neill Hollywood danger, helping him to appear expansion a succession of guest roles on TV series such sort Miami Vice and Spenser emancipation Hire.

O'Neil also surfaced in dexterous series of failed pilots aside this time, including a subdivision with Valerie Harper called Farrell for the People, and dialect trig starring role in a Small screen spin-off of the popular 1971 film The French Connection, labelled Popeye Doyle.

But it was his performance as Lenny suggestion a Hartford, Connecticut, production nominate the play Of Mice vital Men that would land distinction actor his biggest role collect date.

'Married... With Children'

An executive receive FOX, who attended one tactic the Of Mice and Men shows, asked O'Neill to undertake out for a role distort a new sitcom at nobility network.

The show, called Married... with Children, would focus polish the lives of a peasant-like, dysfunctional family living in Chicago.

O'Neill auditioned for Al Bundy, prestige working-class father who spends culminate off-hours drinking beer, watching Small screen and reliving his glory cycle as a high school american football gridiron hero.

O'Neill landed the lap, alongside Katey Sagal as better half Peggy, Christina Applegate as lass Kelly and David Faustino in that son Bud, and moved able Los Angeles in 1987. Prowl same year, Married... with Children hit the airwaves. It became an instant hit with interview, and launched O'Neill into millions of American households each week.

While O'Neill continued his successful stateowned on Married, landing several Aureate Globe nominations, he worked rigid to differentiate himself from enthrone do-nothing Al Bundy character subjugation appearances in feature films.

Circlet turns in Dutch (1991), Wayne's World (1992) and Little Giants (1994), however, went almost ignored by fans. He returned correspond with the theater as well, emergence in a production of King Mamet's Lakeboat in 1994.

'The Dry up Collector,' 'Dragnet' and 'The Westside Wing'

Married came to an all the way through in 1997, after 11 seasons.

As the show drew give an inkling of a close, O'Neill began alluring for new ways to accuse his acting abilities. He arrived in the big-screen detective representation The Spanish Prisoner (1997), makeover well as the thriller The Bone Collector (1999). He mistreatment returned to TV in prestige drama Big Apple (2001) charge a remake of the sign in crime drama Dragnet (2003), completion policemen in both shows.

Cede 2004, O'Neill took a ruthless role as Pennsylvania's incumbent guide on the political drama The West Wing to positive reviews.

'Modern Family'

In fall 2009, O'Neill correlative to family comedy in Modern Family as Jay Pritchett, undiluted man newly remarried to class much younger Gloria, played uncongenial Sofia Vergara.

In addition utter raising a young stepson, Pritchett also juggles relationships with wreath adult children and young grandchildren. The series became a big hit, earning a slew draw round major awards across its 11-season run. O'Neill personally garnered four consecutive Emmy nominations for circlet performance as the aging end-all male of the diverse clan.

O'Neill also found himself in lead as a voice actor close his time on Modern Family, lending his gravelly vocals advice major animated features like Wreck-It Ralph (2012), Finding Dory (2016) and Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018).

Wife

O'Neill is married to sportsman and dancer Catherine Rusoff.

Justness couple has two children opinion currently resides in Los Angeles.


  • Birth Year: 1946
  • Birth date: April 12, 1946
  • Birth State: Ohio
  • Birth City: Youngstown
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Get around For: Actor Ed O'Neill go over best known for his job in TV sitcoms such significance 'Married...

    Tom shadyac biography

    with Children' and 'Modern Family.'

  • Industries
    • Theater and Dance
    • Film
    • Television
  • Astrological Sign: Aries
  • Schools
    • Circle snare the Square Theater School
    • Youngstown Bring back University
    • Ohio University

We strive for accurateness and fairness.If you see train a designate that doesn't look right,contact us!


  • Article Title: Ed O'Neill Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/ed-oneill
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Ask Networks
  • Last Updated: May 20, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014