Honored as the 1996 "Penguin of the Year", Ed O'Neill enjoyed
his return to the city where some of his fondest memories took
place.
O'Neill was the star of the popular Fox sitcom MARRIED... WITH
CHILDREN, where he became known as shoesalesman Al Bundy, who was
fond of reliving his doubtful 15 seconds of fame on the football
field. The popular show featuring the Bundy family aired from 1987
through 1997.
However, he was more than a cult hero, in fact, a professional
football career after starring on the gridiron at nearby Ursuline
High School and Youngstown State almost altered the career path of
this celebrity.
O'Neill, who was born in Youngstown, first performed as a
budding thespian and on the gridiron while in high school and in
college. While he liked the stage, he initially preferred playing
football, starring for the Penguins in 1967 and 1968. He was a late
cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, and acting was the road
that he then followed.
When his football career didn't pan out, he moved to Florida,
only to return to Youngstown to take a teaching job. But while he
enjoyed his work as a teacher, it was acting that he really yearned
to do.
He earned many accolades for his outstanding performances in
productions sponsored by the YSU Theater Department and various
community theaters, and some of his more memorable local
performances include "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead", "The
Rose Tattoo" and "Six Characters in Search of an Author."
When he was 30 years old, he moved to New York City in 1977 to
pursue an acting career, and landed a role as an understudy in the
Broadway production of "Knockout". True to theatrical legend, the
lead left the show and the rest is history.
Some of his theater credits include David Manet: Lake Boat, Of
Mice and Men, A Streetcar Named Desire, Androcles and the Lion,
Front Page and The Gerte People.
Among his television credits he lists The Whereabouts of Jenny,
Midnight Caller, Popeye Doyle, Big Apple, the 10th Kingdom, and of
course, Married . . With Children.
On the big screen, he was the featured member of the movie
Dutch, which was released in 1991. He has also had roles in
Nobody's Baby (2001), The Bone Collector (1999), Little Giants
(1994), Blue Chips (1994), Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2 (1992,
1993), Sibling Rivalry (1990), The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
(1990), K-9 (1989), Disorganized Crime (1989), The Dogs of War
(1980) and Cruising (1980).
