A star of both film and television, Carroll O’Connor carved a place for himself in history when he took on the role of Archie Bunker. The actor starred in the hit series All in the Family for a number of years, though the character has remained iconic to this day.

Never one to sit still, O’Connor was quick to pursue new roles. “No one’s asked me to play anything remotely like Archie,” said the actor during an interview with The Grand Rapids Press. “That was such a wonderful role. I don’t think an actor has a right to expect more than one great role in his career. He can hope for another, but he shouldn’t expect it.”

The actor starred in the crime series, In the Heat of the Night, as Chief Bill Gillespie. Though Gillespie and Archie were more different than they were similar, O’Connor admitted that he took on both roles for the same reason.

Watch In the Heat of the Night on MeTV!

Weekdays at 11 AM

*available in most MeTV markets

“I liked the idea that we could do something that when people turned it off, they would say, ‘That was right on,’” said O’Connor. "’That’s life as it’s lived.’”

In an effort to preserve this vision, O’Connor frequently found himself at odds with the writers, particularly early on in the series. “The material was disappointing, the writing was second-best,” said the actor. “I told them it would have to improve, or they would have to get someone else. They were taking big city stories and imposing them on a small town. It was like having Miami Vice plots forced into a little town setting.”

Ultimately, O’Connor’s struggle was for the benefit of the series. In the Heat of the Night was well received by audiences everywhere.