Cousin Liz
Encyclopedia
"Cousin Liz" is an episode of the American television situation comedy All in the Family
. The story concerns lead character Edith Bunker's inheritance of a valuable tea service from her deceased cousin Liz and her decision, upon learning that Liz's "roommate" Veronica is really Liz's surviving longtime companion, to give Veronica the service. The second episode of season 8, "Cousin Liz" originally aired on October 9, 1977.
"Cousin Liz" was critically acclaimed, winning an Emmy Award for its script. The episode aired at a time when gay rights protections were being challenged through ballot initiatives and one of the writers believed that "Cousin Liz" was associated with the defeat of one such initiative.
(Carroll O'Connor
) and his wife Edith
(Jean Stapleton) check into a motel to get ready to attend the funeral of Edith's cousin, Liz. Archie wonders how much Edith, as Liz's closest living relative, will inherit from Liz's estate. Edith suggests that there will not be a large inheritance since as a school teacher, Liz did not make much money and had to share an apartment with her roommate Veronica (K Callan
).
At a gathering at Liz and Veronica's apartment after the funeral, Archie speculates about what items in the apartment Edith will inherit. She says that the only thing she will receive is Liz's silver tea service, which has been in Edith's family for 100 years. Archie initially scoffs at the service until Edith advises him that it is worth at least $2,000.
Overhearing their conversation, Veronica pulls Edith aside to speak privately. Veronica asks to keep the service, explaining that for 25 years she and Liz spent an hour every afternoon with each other over tea. Veronica struggles to explain her relationship with Liz, finally telling Edith that it was "like a marriage". After initially not understanding, Edith immediately accepts Veronica and Liz's relationship and gives Veronica the tea set.
As the Bunkers prepare to leave Archie instructs Edith to collect the service. Edith explains that she has given the service to Veronica and explains their relationship. Archie tries to convince Veronica to return the set and when she refuses, threatens to sue her, which would expose her lesbianism and probably cost her her teaching career. Edith insists that Veronica keep the service and Archie relents, but not before expressing his distaste for Veronica's sexuality and suggesting that she find herself a man.
, Bob Weiskopf
, Harve Brosten
and Barry Harman
received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for writing "Cousin Liz". The episode was cited by The Christian Science Monitor
as being "compassionate" and Veronica's coming out
to Edith as "one of the most delicately handled sequences of the entire series".
"Cousin Liz" aired at a time when Anita Bryant
and her Save Our Children
coalition were sponsoring a series of ballot initiatives to repeal gay anti-discrimination ordinances across the country. Notably in California
, state senator John Briggs
was sponsoring the Briggs Initiative, which would have barred gay and lesbian people from working in the state's public schools. Writer Barry Harman recalls that series creator Norman Lear
(who has cited "Cousin Liz" as among his favorite episodes) wanted to do an episode that commented on the issue of gay teachers. Although Harman misremembered the year that "Cousin Liz" was first broadcast, he recalled that it was repeated the night before voters decided on the Briggs Initiative and associated the defeat of that initiative with the message of the episode.
All in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
. The story concerns lead character Edith Bunker's inheritance of a valuable tea service from her deceased cousin Liz and her decision, upon learning that Liz's "roommate" Veronica is really Liz's surviving longtime companion, to give Veronica the service. The second episode of season 8, "Cousin Liz" originally aired on October 9, 1977.
"Cousin Liz" was critically acclaimed, winning an Emmy Award for its script. The episode aired at a time when gay rights protections were being challenged through ballot initiatives and one of the writers believed that "Cousin Liz" was associated with the defeat of one such initiative.
Plot
Archie BunkerArchie Bunker
Archibald "Archie" Bunker is a fictional New Yorker in the 1970s top-rated American television sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunker's Place, played to acclaim by Carroll O'Connor. Bunker is a veteran of World War II, reactionary, bigoted, conservative, blue-collar worker, and...
(Carroll O'Connor
Carroll O'Connor
John Carroll O'Connor best known as Carroll O'Connor, was an American actor, producer and director whose television career spanned four decades...
) and his wife Edith
Edith Bunker
Edith Bunker is a fictional 1970s sitcom character on All in the Family , played by Jean Stapleton. She was the wife of Archie Bunker , mother of Gloria Stivic, mother-in-law of Michael "Meathead" Stivic, and, after 1975, grandmother of Joey Stivic...
(Jean Stapleton) check into a motel to get ready to attend the funeral of Edith's cousin, Liz. Archie wonders how much Edith, as Liz's closest living relative, will inherit from Liz's estate. Edith suggests that there will not be a large inheritance since as a school teacher, Liz did not make much money and had to share an apartment with her roommate Veronica (K Callan
K Callan
K Callan is an American actress known for playing Clark Kent's mother Martha in the ABC television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman....
).
At a gathering at Liz and Veronica's apartment after the funeral, Archie speculates about what items in the apartment Edith will inherit. She says that the only thing she will receive is Liz's silver tea service, which has been in Edith's family for 100 years. Archie initially scoffs at the service until Edith advises him that it is worth at least $2,000.
Overhearing their conversation, Veronica pulls Edith aside to speak privately. Veronica asks to keep the service, explaining that for 25 years she and Liz spent an hour every afternoon with each other over tea. Veronica struggles to explain her relationship with Liz, finally telling Edith that it was "like a marriage". After initially not understanding, Edith immediately accepts Veronica and Liz's relationship and gives Veronica the tea set.
As the Bunkers prepare to leave Archie instructs Edith to collect the service. Edith explains that she has given the service to Veronica and explains their relationship. Archie tries to convince Veronica to return the set and when she refuses, threatens to sue her, which would expose her lesbianism and probably cost her her teaching career. Edith insists that Veronica keep the service and Archie relents, but not before expressing his distaste for Veronica's sexuality and suggesting that she find herself a man.
Critical response and cultural impact
Bob SchillerBob Schiller
Bob Schiller is an American screenwriter, most notably for the television series I Love Lucy and All in the Family . For the latter series, he received an Emmy Award in 1978 as one of the writers of the episode "Cousin Liz".Schiller, born in San Francisco, California, began writing for television...
, Bob Weiskopf
Bob Weiskopf
Bob Weiskopf was an American screenwriter and producer for television. He has credits for I Love Lucy which he and his writing partner Bob Schiller joined in the fifth season...
, Harve Brosten
Harve Brosten
Harve Brosten is an American Emmy Award-winning screenwriter for television.-External links:...
and Barry Harman
Barry Michael Harman
Barry Michael Harman is an American Emmy Award-winning writer and producer for television, and a Tony nominated book writer and lyricist for the Broadway theater...
received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for writing "Cousin Liz". The episode was cited by The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
as being "compassionate" and Veronica's coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
to Edith as "one of the most delicately handled sequences of the entire series".
"Cousin Liz" aired at a time when Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
and her Save Our Children
Save Our Children
Save Our Children, Inc. was a political coalition formed in 1977 in Miami, Florida, U.S. to overturn a recently legislated county ordinance that banned discrimination in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation...
coalition were sponsoring a series of ballot initiatives to repeal gay anti-discrimination ordinances across the country. Notably in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, state senator John Briggs
John Briggs (politician)
John V. Briggs is a retired California state politician who served in the California State Assembly and the California State Senate. He is perhaps best known for sponsoring Proposition 6 in 1978, also known as the Briggs Initiative, which attempted to remove all gay or lesbian school employees or...
was sponsoring the Briggs Initiative, which would have barred gay and lesbian people from working in the state's public schools. Writer Barry Harman recalls that series creator Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
(who has cited "Cousin Liz" as among his favorite episodes) wanted to do an episode that commented on the issue of gay teachers. Although Harman misremembered the year that "Cousin Liz" was first broadcast, he recalled that it was repeated the night before voters decided on the Briggs Initiative and associated the defeat of that initiative with the message of the episode.
External links
- "Cousin Liz" at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...