The Big Picture
- Ed O’Neill almost became involved in organized crime after facing hard times in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.
- A tempting offer from an old friend almost led O’Neill down a different path, but sound advice from his father saved him.
- O’Neill’s decision to pursue acting ultimately led to his successful career, including his iconic roles in
Married… with Children
and
Modern Family
.
Ever wonder what it would be like if Modern Family crossed over with The Sopranos? Probably not. But, for beloved sitcom star, Ed O’Neill, that was almost reality. For 10 seasons, he brought to life family patriarch Jay Pritchett on the hit ABC sitcom. Before that, he starred as Al Bundy on the raunchy classic Married… with Children. Additionally, the actor has had a mix of other successful roles in film and television. However, times before screen success were vastly different for O’Neill. The star recently revealed that hard times back in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio nearly led to a life of organized crime! A tempting offer from an old friend seemed reasonable, but sound words of advice from O’Neill’s very own “Jay” turned things around and ultimately led him to his long-sought-after success.
Modern Family
Three different but related families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.
- Release Date
- September 23, 2009
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Studio
- ABC
- Seasons
- 11
An Old Friend Made Ed O’Neill an Offer He Almost Couldn’t Refuse
Though largely known for comedy, Ed O’Neill has proven himself eager to take on dramatic roles. The most serious role he nearly took was that of mafia gofer. During a recent appearance on Modern Family costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson‘s podcast Dinner’s on Me, O’Neill recalled a meeting with his old friend, whom he referred to as ‘Jim,’ in 1969. Times had been tough for then-23-year-old O’Neill when he and Jim went for a drive. During the interview with Ferguson, O’Neill recalled “We’re driving and he [Jim] said, ‘How you doing? You know, you got cut, you got no money.” O’Neill says he confirmed he was “broke,” adding, “You know, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Jim took O’Neill to a local bar and, according to the actor, Jim began discussing business of the mysterious sort with the bartender. After the exchange, Jim told O’Neill “You can do this kind of stuff for me, you know, I’ll protect you. I’ll give you the easy stuff. Just collect here. You do that. You run, you drop something off here and there. You may have to lean on a guy. You’re good at that. You can make some good money.” The story sounds like the plot of a gangster film.
During the podcast, O’Neill admitted it wasn’t an easy offer to turn down. He says he told Jim he would think about it, but that he was still considering “leaving town to pursue this acting thing.” Still, good money almost immediately when he needed it most was a tempting offer. He told Ferguson that he had gone home and thought to himself “What else am I going to do?” O’Neill may have decided to take Jim up on his offer, had he not received a bit of tough love from his very own “Jay Pritchett.”
Ed O’Neill’s Father Stopped Him from a Life in Organized Crime
Jay Pritchett is among the most beloved of O’Neill’s characters, not to mention among the Modern Family cast as a whole. Known for his blunt approach to love but deep sense of care, the character is the ideal TV dad. It was O’Neill’s own father who gave him a “dose of Jay” and stopped him from falling into organized crime. During his interview with Ferguson, O’Neill recalled his father approached him and said: “I saw you take a ride with Jimmy… I just wanna ask you a question: Can you do the time?” O’Neill replied “No,” before his father continued “You couldn’t do the time. You’d have a hard time in jail, right?” O’Neill told his father “No, I don’t think I could do the time,” to which his father simply replied “Okay.”
O’Neill called Jim and turned down his offer. O’Neill, of course, ended up pursuing acting, though it would be 11 years before he would land his first role in the controversial film, Cruising. O’Neill has since gone on to have a massively successful career, appearing in two of the biggest sitcoms of all time, Married… with Children and Modern Family, as well as a slew of films and other TV shows.
Ed O’Neill’s life nearly played out far differently. It’s a reminder that when you’re down on your luck, it’s important to consider your options —it also doesn’t hurt to have a parent who will give you a little tough love when you need it. Without his father’s blunt advice, audiences may never have gotten to know the great talent that is Ed O’Neill, or the wonderful characters that he continues to bring to life.
