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"Archie in the Cellar"
Season 4, episode # 10
# 71 overall in series (205 episodes)
"All in the Family" episode
Series: All in the Family
Network/Country: CBS-TV
Air date November 17, 1973
Production code 410 (4x10)
Written by: Don Nicholl
Directed by: John Rich and Bob LaHendro
Guest starring: Betty Garrett
Billy Sands
Juan DeCarlos
IMDb logo IMDb: Archie in the Cellar
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Archie in the Cellar is the 10th episode of the fourth season and the 71st overall episode of All in the Family. The Season 4 episode first aired on CBS-TV on November 17, 1973. The episode was written by Don Nicholl and was co-directed by John Rich and Bob LaHendro.

"Archie in the Cellar"
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Synopsis[]

While the others are away for the weekend, Archie goes down to the cellar to relight the pilot light to his furnace. However, the door only locks on one side, and it's not the side Archie finds himself on. Trapped for the entire weekend, Archie entertains himself with a bottle of vodka and a tape recorder, in which he incoherently makes out his will.

Summary[]

Left home alone while the rest of the family is out of town for the weekend, Archie manages to get himself locked in the cellar. Convinced that he will perish before he is discovered, Archie prepares to meet his Maker by fortifying himself with a bottle of vodka. The scene in which the besotted Mr. Bunker responds to a persistent rap on the cellar door with "I'm comin' Lord, I'm comin'!" -- and his reaction when he sees who's on the other side of the door -- may well be the series' single most hilarious moment.

Trivia/Notes[]

  • This episode was the inspiration for the 150th episode of FOX's Family Guy animated TV series - "Brian & Stewie".
  • This episode is essentially a solo tour de force for series star Carroll O'Connor.
  • The uncredited voice on the tape recorder of the heretofore talked about, but, to this point in the series, yet still unseen character Stretch Cunningham (he'd later be played in several episodes in the series by James Cromwell) is voiced in this episode by Billy Sands, who also occasionally played bit parts on the series. When the actual appearance of the character was required by Season 5, it was the 6'7" inch tall, lanky Cromwell who filled the bill, as no one would have nickname the diminutive Sands "Stretch".

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