#35: Why Ed O’Neill Was Loyal to the Show

According to Ed O’Neill, he stuck with Married… with Children for all 11 seasons for two key reasons. First, he feared being typecast as Al Bundy—a concern that largely came true until his career resurgence with Modern Family. Second, his salary kept climbing, making it harder to walk away from the show.

Of course, there’s probably another reason that kept him around—playing a universally beloved character. Despite Al’s grumpy, downtrodden nature, audiences loved him, and O’Neill’s performance made him an unforgettable sitcom legend.