MovieChat Forums > All in the Family (1971) Discussion > Archie could have kept his job....

Archie could have kept his job....


...and still run the bar, at least until he knew he could make a go of it. I've known people who own their own business and still work full time as a safety net. The logical and practical thing to do was use vacation time to get things in order, and what Archie did on his own time was his own business. Sanders couldn't have done anything about it. Once the bar was re-opened and things were running smoothly, Archie didn't have to be there every night from opening till closing. He should have treated Harry nicer, and even made him manager with a pay increase so Archie wouldn't have to be there all the time. Harry knew what needed to be done. Since the bar was in walking distance to his house, all Archie needed to do was pop in for a few hours every night during the week, to make sure things were okay. He was just a phone call away in case Harry needed him. Hire an extra bartender in case Harry needed a night off. Archie could have also used the weekends to hang around and see what was going on, again, he didn't have to be there all the time to make sure things ran smoothly. But then, Archie being practical and proceeding with caution doesn't make for good comedy, does it?

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It does not. But, you're correct.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Barbara Hale. You were great in Perry Mason. RIP William Christopher.

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If you figured out Archie's references to his paycheck he was making about $5 an hour.
Even back 40+ years ago that was a puny salary.

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Did he make $5.00 an hour? We were told he took home $150 a week in 1973 but was cut to $145 a week when he could no longer claim Gloria as a defendant when she started working.
I was paid minimum wage, which was $3.10 an hour, in 1980 when I got my first job. I don't remember what I took home a week.

Archie would never have let Harry run the bar for him, at least when he first bought the place. They closed at 4:00 AM, so it wouldn't have been possible for Archie to keep his foreman job.

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$3.10 an hour here too bagging groceries 1977.

Archie was a foreman i thought Burt Mustin mentioned in archies worried about his job.

Googling the median income for the early 70s is around 8k. It shot up to 16 k in 1981.

Poor archie in the early 70s worked in a time frame where blue collar workers didnt ear much.

One aspect of the show that i found unrealistic is mike freeloading off the working class bunkers and not contributing jack until he started tutoring. I dont know he gave much then. He should have been working part-time from day one and contributing.

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I agree. Mike should've at least had a weekend job.

Archie did earn more by the time he bought the bar, as he was awarded the Dispatcher's job the previous season. But he still couldn't have kept it and ran the bar also.

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It wouldnt have been feasible for archie to support mike and upkeep the household. He had to eat $40 dollars a week food at least even back in 70s money plus all mikes other expenditures archie got stuck with. Mike had a lot of balls.

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He sure did. He was also driving Munson's can some nights too.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Barbara Hale. You were great in Perry Mason. RIP William Christopher.

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Well, Gloria helped at least when she started working.

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Just not enough hours in a day

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He could only do so much.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Barbara Hale. You were great in Perry Mason. RIP William Christopher.

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Hey cj where you going soon after this places closes

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Nowhere. Imdb will be the only boards I ever use.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Barbara Hale. You were great in Perry Mason. RIP William Christopher.

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Wow, lots of luck cj

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He planned to. But his boss Mr. Sanders showed up at the bar and insulted Archie, so Archie's pride took over and he quit.

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Also he was missing to many days and it was only a matter of time.

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