S1.E5

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Judging Books by Covers

Episode aired Feb 9, 1971
TV-PG
26m

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

498

YOUR RATING

All In The Family episode: 'Judging Books by Covers', featuring (from left) Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker arm wrestling Philip Carey as Steve, an ex-professional football player friend of Archie's. Image dated January 12, 1971.

Comedy Drama

Archie is irritated at Mike's offbeat friend, who dresses and behaves in a way that leads him to mistakenly conclude he is a homosexual. But Archie soon learns that one of his best friends i... Read allArchie is irritated at Mike's offbeat friend, who dresses and behaves in a way that leads him to mistakenly conclude he is a homosexual. But Archie soon learns that one of his best friends is gay.Archie is irritated at Mike's offbeat friend, who dresses and behaves in a way that leads him to mistakenly conclude he is a homosexual. But Archie soon learns that one of his best friends is gay.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

498

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos7

+ 3

Top cast10

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Carroll O'Connor

Archie Bunker

Jean Stapleton

Edith Bunker

Rob Reiner

Michael 'Meathead' Stivic

Sally Struthers

Gloria Bunker-Stivic

Philip Carey

Steve

Anthony Geary

Roger
(as Tony Geary)

Bob Hastings

Kelcy

Billy Halop

Barney
(as Bill Halop)

Billy Sands

Nick
(as Billie Sands)

Linn Patrick

Jerry

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Then-President Richard Nixon happened upon this episode the night that it aired while looking for a baseball game on television. On his secret tapes, made public after the Watergate scandal, he was so incensed by the pro-gay stance that he demanded that the show be pulled from CBS because he felt that it would further the gay agenda.

Goofs
A microphone is quickly shown then quickly pulled up, right around when Roger was telling Archie he spent most of his time in London England.

Quotes
Archie Bunker: His pal Roger is as queer as a $4 bill and he knows it.
Gloria Bunker-Stivic: That's not only cruel Daddy, that's an outright lie.
Mike Stivic: You know something Archie, just because a guy is sensitive, and he's an intellectual and he wears glasses, you make him out a queer.
Archie Bunker: I never said a guy who wears glasses is a queer. A guy who wears glasses is a four-eyes. A guy who is a fag is a queer.

Connections
Edited into All in the Family: The Best of All in the Family (1974)

Soundtracks
Those Were the Days
(Opening Theme)
Written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse
Performed by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton

User reviews3

Featured review

10/10

"Well, if that's the punch of a fruit..."

Very well done episode. The topic is handled in an excellent way, thanks to the absence of Political Correctness. Is it Mike's friend Roger who is homosexual, or is it Archie's friend Steve? Unlike the treatment this topic would get on a current TV show, this episode doesn't suggest that there is "nothing wrong with that." The point made here is that people should not jump to a conclusion, based on someone's appearance. Of course, why would Archie not have jumped to the obvious conclusion? Anthony Geary is OK (nothing more) as Roger. Philip Carey is much more effective as Steve. In the end, Archie believes what he wants to believe. Overall, a great episode.