Born
Edward Leonard O'Neill
Occupations
Years active
1967–present
Spouse
Catherine Rusoff
Children
2
Personal information
Height:
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Career information
High school:
Ursuline High School
(Youngstown, Ohio)
College:
Position:
Undrafted:
Career history
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Edward Leonard O'Neill[1] (born April 12, 1946) is an American actor, comedian and former professional football player. Over his career he has earned four Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
He gained stardom for playing a working class father Al Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children (1987–1997) for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy twice. He had a career resurgence portraying the family patriarch Jay Pritchett on the award-winning ABC sitcom Modern Family (2009–2020), for which he was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series and won four Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series.[2][3] He portrayed Governor Eric Baker in the drama series The West Wing (2004–2005) and Donald Sterling in the FX on Hulu limited series Clipped (2024).
On film, he made his debut in the William Friedkin crime thriller Cruising (1980). He has since appeared in the Wayne's World film series (1991–1992), Dutch (1991), Little Giants (1994), Prefontaine (1997), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), The Bone Collector (1999), Sun Dogs (2017), and The Last Shift (2020). He has done voice-work for animated films such as the Wreck-It Ralph franchise (2012–present) and Finding Dory (2016).
Ed O'Neill was born into an Irish-American Catholic family in Youngstown, Ohio, on April 12, 1946.[4][5][6] Both sides of his family are the descendants of Irish immigrants who came to the United States in the 1850s.[7]
His mother, Ruth Ann (née Quinlan) (1924-2017), was a homemaker and social worker, and his father, Edward Phillip O'Neill (1921-2008), was a steel mill worker and truck driver.[6] O'Neill attended Ursuline High School where he played football. At 14, he worked in construction, then at a steel mill.[8]
He was awarded a football scholarship to Ohio University, where he majored in history, and was a member of the Mu chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.[9] He left the university after his sophomore year. He admits he spent more time playing sports and partying than studying.[9] He also feuded with his coach.[8]
He transferred to Youngstown State University, where he lettered as a defensive lineman from 1967 to 1968.[10] As an undergraduate, he pledged Delta Sigma Phi and was initiated into the Delta Sigma chapter there.[6] While at Youngstown State, he played in a game against Roger Staubach, who was playing for the Pensacola Naval Station.[11] O'Neill said that his team was penalized 15 yards when he hit Staubach out of bounds.[12]
O'Neill was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelersin1969 under rookie head coach Chuck Noll but was cut in training camp, having to compete with fellow rookie defensive lineman Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood for a roster spot. Both became key members of the Steel Curtain defense during the Steelers success in the 1970s.[5][6][13] Later, while on Married... with Children, O'Neill played a former high school football star who had failed to make it big and constantly reminisced about his "glory days" at Polk High ("I once scored four touchdowns in a single game"). As part of this theme, former Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw also made two guest appearances on the show. O'Neill worked as a substitute social studies teacher at his alma mater Ursuline High School before becoming an actor.[6]
O'Neill re-enrolled at Youngstown State after being cut by the Steelers and was one of the first students at the school's new theater program.[8] Later, in 1979, he played a boxer opposite Danny Aiello in the Broadway play Knockout at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Richard Eder of The New York Times described the performance as "chilling" adding, "As Paddy Klonski, the brutal young boxer, Edward O'Neill's towering physique, peaceful smile and empty eyes form a genuinely frightening presence".[14] It was there that he was seen by director William Friedkin and landed his first movie role, as a police detective in Cruising, starring Al Pacino.[15]
In 1985, O'Neill appeared in a Red Lobster commercial.[16] He made a brief guest appearance in The Equalizer. In 1986, he was cast as NYPD detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle for the planned television series Popeye Doyle. The character had originally appeared in the motion picture The French Connection (played by Gene Hackman). The two-hour made-for-television movie/pilot was filmed and shown on network television. O'Neill received good reviews for his performance, and the pilot received positive ratings, but the series was not picked up for production.
In 1984, while playing the role of Lennie in a stage production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and MenatHartford StageinHartford, Connecticut, he was seen by a casting agent from the Fox television network and was asked to audition for the role of Al Bundy[17][18][19]inMarried... with Children, a proposed sitcom about a dysfunctional family living in Chicago.[6] He won the part because, during the audition, he simply slumped his shoulders and sighed as he was about to walk through the front door of the home.[20] Married... with Children led off the first night of Fox's primetime lineup on April 5, 1987, concluding after 11 seasons on June 9, 1997.
During this time O'Neill starred in several films, including the family films Dutch (1991) and Little Giants (1994).[21] He also had small parts in the comedy films Wayne's World (1992), and Wayne's World 2 (1993).[21] He appeared as Relish the Troll KinginThe 10th Kingdom (2000). He took roles in the drama films Prefontaine (1997), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), and The Bone Collector (1999).[21] O'Neill made a brief appearance on the comedy variety show In Living Color, playing the "Dirty Dozens" champion who defeats the challenger, played by Jamie Foxx in 1994. He also made a cameo on the sitcom 8 Simple Rules as the ex-boyfriend of Cate S. Hennessy (played by Katey Sagal, who portrayed O'Neill's wife Peggy Bundy on Married... with Children).[22] He appeared in the movie The Adventures of Ford Fairlane with Andrew Dice Clay. During the mid-1990s, he had a string of appearances in commercials for 1-800-COLLECT.
Law & Order franchise creator Dick Wolf cast O'Neill as Sergeant Joe Friday in his 2003 updateofJack Webb's long-running Dragnet media franchise.[23] The series was canceled by ABC in its second season. O'Neill went on to appear as Governor Eric Baker, a recurring character on the NBC political drama series The West Wing from 2004 to 2005.[24] O'Neill also played Bill on HBO's television series John from Cincinnati. In 2008, O'Neill appeared in an advertisement for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama as "Al the Shoesalesman".[25] In January 2009, O'Neill reunited with David Faustino (Bud Bundy from Married... with Children) for two episodes of Faustino's show Star-ving.[26] O'Neill also appeared with the entire cast of Married... with Children again when they were honored at the 7th Annual TV Land Award show in 2009.[27]
For eleven seasons O'Neill played the role of Jay Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family from 2009 to 2020. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "O’Neill may have the trickiest job here. A late-middle-ager remarried to a Latina bombshell...his Jay wants to enjoy his overdue-midlife-crisis prize but has to put up with her mope of a son...and do it without seeming like a mean old duffer. O’Neill and the writers pull it off by making Jay both deadpan sarcastic and a genuinely decent guy."[28] Gina Bellafante of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. O’Neill exquisitely portrays the straight man to the fire engine of Sofia Vergara".[29] Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "O’Neill’s Al Bundy is one of TV’s most unforgettable characters, but this role will let viewers see him in a new light".[30] The role earned him three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominations—in 2011, 2012, and 2013.[31][32][33] O'Neill won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series four times from 2010 through 2013.
Since 2012, O'Neill has done voice-overs in TV advertisements for the over-the-counter form of Zyrtec,[34] along with Walmart's store-branded mobile phone service Straight Talk. In 2016, O'Neill starred as Hank the Octopus in the Pixar animated film Finding Dory. According to O'Neill, he didn't realize at first that he had a starring role in the film. As his voice recording sessions continued and most of his interactions turned out to be with Dory, he began to suspect that Hank was a major character in the film.[35]
O'Neill starred in FX on Hulu miniseries Clipped portraying Donald Sterling.[36] Andrew Lawrence of The Guardian gave the show a perfect score declaring, "Forty years of playing cranks on screen has given Ed O’Neill a particular understanding for Sterling’s quirks, gripes and foibles that few others in his field can claim".[37] Daniel Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "O’Neill leans hard into every aspect of his entitled grotesquerie, from the external — such a bad dye job — to the dazed certainty in his intonations. It’s not a subtle performance, but Donald Sterling’s general grossness wasn’t a secret".[38] Quinci LeGardye of The A.V. Club stated, "O’Neill gives a skilled performance as a truly reprehensible human being".[39]
O'Neill is married to actress Catherine Rusoff. As of 2016, they were living in Los Angeles with their two daughters.[40]
After being introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu by his friend writer/director John Milius, O'Neill has trained for 22 years under the mentoring of Rorion Gracie. In December 2007, after 16 years of training, O'Neill received his black belt.[41][42] In the 2012 TV documentary I Am Bruce Lee, O'Neill states that he considers getting his black belt "the greatest achievement of my life, apart from my children."[43]
On May 18, 2013, O'Neill was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from his alma mater, Youngstown State University.[44] On November 30, 2023, after the controversial hiring of Republican congressman Bill Johnson as the university's president, O'Neill told Ideastream he was going to return his degree, saying, "I don't want it... I'm going to start calling it Trump-U."[45]
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1980
Detective Schreiber
Terry
1989
Detective George Denver
Sergeant Brannigan
1990
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
Lieutenant Amos
Wilbur Meany
1991
Dutch Dooley
1992
Glen
1993
Glen
1994
Ed Axelby
Kevin O'Shea
1997
FBI Team Leader
1999
Detective Paulie Sellitto
2000
Dick Simmons
2001
Norman Pinkney
2004
Burch
2005
Steel Valley
Congressman Cardone
Short film
2008
Hollywood Producer
2010
Lost Masterpieces of Pornography
Chief Justice Renato Corona
Short film
2012
Mr. Litwak
Voice role
2015
Himself
Cameo
2016
Hank The Octopus
Voice role
Traficant: The Congressman of Crimetown
Himself
Documentary
2017
Bob Garrity
2018
Mr. Litwak
Voice role
2020
Dale
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1980
The Day the Women Got Even
Ed
TV film
1981
Lenny
Episode: "Hostages at the Cabin"
1982
Farrell for the People
Detective Jay Brennan
TV film
1983
When Your Lover Leaves
Mack Sher
1984
Arthur Lawson / Artie Rollins
Episode: "Heart of Darkness"
1985
Taxi driver
Episode: "Pilot"
Dan Colson
Episode: "The Garbage Man"
Danny Buckner
TV film
Doctor
Episode: "The Children's Song"
Buddy Almeida
Episode: "Widow's Walk"
1986
Whitey Wyshner
TV film
James "Popeye" Doyle
TV pilot film
1987
Bob's Partner
TV film
1987–1997
Lead role; 259 episodes
1988
Police Story: Gladiator School
Sergeant Stanley Bivens
TV film
Hank
Episode: "Twelve Gauge"
1990
Guest host
Episode: "Ed O'Neill/Harry Connick, Jr."
A Very Retail Christmas
Max Crandall
TV film
TV special
1991
Episode: "Top of the Heap"
Jimmy O'Meara
TV film
1994
Himself
Episode: "The Dirty Dozens Tournament of Champions"
1995
W.E.I.R.D. World
Dr. Monochian
TV film
2000
9 episodes
2001
Detective Michael Mooney
8 episodes
2003–2004
Main cast (renamed L.A. Dragnet, season 2)
2004
In the Game
Buzz
TV pilot
2004–2005
Governor Eric Baker
4 episodes
2005
Matt Walsh
Episode: "Old Flame"
2006
Inseparable
Alan
TV film
Brock Manley
Episode: "Between Brock and a Hard Place"
William Partch
Episode: "Silver Star"
2007
10 episodes
2009
Panicking Man (voice)
Episode: "The Wrong Side of the Law"; uncredited
2009–2020
Lead role; 250 episodes
2011
Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil
Grandpa (voice)
Episode: "Truth or Daredevil"
Mayor Thompson (voice)
Episode: "Great Garage Rescue"
2012
Orson (voice)
Episode: "Operation: Antarctica"
2013
Himself
Episode: "Thicke and Tired"
2015
Bud Swanson (voice)
Episode: "Papa Has a Rollin' Son"
2019
Burt Maxsome
Episode: "The One"
2020
Himself
Modern Family documentary
2024
Himself
Episode: "Buried Secrets"
Miniseries
Year
Title
Role(s)
Venue
Ref.
1979
Knockout
Paddy Klonski
Helen Hayes Theater, Broadway
1982
Pierman
Long Wharf Theater, Connecticut
1984
Lennie
Hartford Stage, Connecticut
1984
Theatre Calgary, Canada
1986
Ferrovius
Hartford Stage, Connecticut
2008
Keep Your Pantheon
Strabo
Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles
O'Neill received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 30, 2011, ironically located in front of a shoe store.[54][55][5][20]
Year
Award
Category
Title
Result
Ref.
Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical
Nominated
Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical
Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Modern Family (episode: "The Kiss")
Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Modern Family (episode: "Baby on Board")
Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Modern Family (episode: "Bringing Up Baby")
Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Won
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Won
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Won
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Won
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominated
Innovator Award
Won
Short stories
Year
Writing
Notes
2015
"A Few Cold Nights in '58"
Appeared in Car Bombs to Cookie Tables: The Youngstown Anthology
My mother and my father came over in the, their families, came over in the 1850s.
the greatest achievement of my life, apart from my children.
International
National
Other
