Did you grow up watching the hilarious sitcom Married With Children? It was raucous, politically incorrect, and ahead of its time in many ways. In fact, Married With Children watches more like a modern sitcom than one that hit the airwaves in the 90s.
The show was a success because it was relatable to so many ordinary Americans. But what made the show a huge hit amongst viewers was its stellar cast members. While the main cast members were exceptional, there were also many great supporting cast members who deserve our respect!
Supporting actors often add flavor to a show and bring a sitcom some of its most hilarious moments!
Sadly, many of these great supporting cast members have since passed away. Let’s look back on their incredible careers and this great show…
KIM WEISKOPF
Kim Weiskopf was born on April 10, 1947, but grew up in Los Angeles and eventually studied at San Francisco State University.
He made a prominent career as a writer and producer for some of America’s most popular TV series. These included shows such as Good Times, Three’s Company, Rachel Gunn RN, Full House, and What’s Happening Now.
Along with his writing partner Michael S. Baser, he wrote part of the radio anthology series The Zero Hour.
It seems as if writing was in his genes as his father, Bob Weiskopf, who also a prolific television writer. He wrote teleplays for shows such as The Carrol Burnett Show, Flip, Maude, and All’s Fair. So it was no surprise that his son Kim would follow in his footsteps and write excellent TV shows as well.
Kim also wrote a few episodes of Married With Children and served as a producer and executive producer for several episodes. But his most notable role on the show was as the voice of Lucky, the dog.
Lucky was the reincarnation of Buck, the Bundy family’s previous dog. Though the voice of Lucky was only ever heard in a few episodes, it was enough to leave a lasting impact. We may not have seen Kim Weiskopf, but we’ll certainly remember his voice. We should also remember the great work that he did behind the scenes in producing and writing some of our favorite TV shows.
Kim passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009 at the age of 62 in Encino, California.
Before we tell you more about the Married With Children supporting Cast members who have died, please like this video and subscribe to our channel for more current Hollywood news and interesting stories related to the entertanment industry. Now, back to the video…
KATHLEEN FREEMAN
Kathleen Freeman voiced the role of Florence “Flo” Wanker who was an unseen character and Peggy’s mother. In season 10, Flo separates from Peggy’s father Ephraim and lives in an upstairs bedroom.
While we never see Flo, it’s implied that she was over 1,000 pounds and is always a target for Al’s insults.
While Flo was one of the most popular supporting characters on Married With Children And really, generally speaking, Kathleen Freeman’s career couldn’t have been more versatile and prolific.
She was born on February 17, 1919, in Chicago. Her parents were vaudeville performers, and she began her career performing alongside them during her childhood.
After moving to California to study music at UCLA, she began acting on the stage. She began her film career in the late 1940s.
One of her first major film roles was as the diction coach Phoebe Dinsmore in Singin’ in the Rain – although this role was uncredited.
Her other major films included The Fly, 3 Ring Circus, Support Your Local Sheriff!, The Blues Brothers, Dragnet, and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. While her film career was varied, it was clear that she had a talent for comic performances.
She had many bit parts and recurring roles on television shows such as The Loretta Young Show, Mr. and Mrs. North, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, The Donna Reed Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Dave’s World, Home Improvement, Rugrats, Becker, and As Told By Ginger.
She was an actress with an incredible work ethic and one who had an appeal that spanned generations.
Her film career ranged from the 1940s to the 2000s, and her television career flourished from the 1950s to the 2000s. How many actors have worked in show business that long? And while we may not have seen her in Married With Children, one can easily recognize her voice as you’ve likely seen her in various roles in film and television. She’s someone who could steal the show no matter how big or small her role was!
She died in 2001 at the age of 82 from lung cancer.
TIM CONWAY
Peggy’s father, Ephraim Wanker, was played by veteran actor Tim Conway. Tim began his career in the 1960s. He retired from acting in the 2010s. Between these decades, Conway garnered over 100 credits in film and television. He was one of the most gifted and prolific actors of his generation.
He was born in Ohio on December 15, 1933. His birth name was Thomas Conway, but he later changed his first name to Tim to avoid being needlessly confused with the British actor Tom Conway. He pursued a degree in television and radio from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. During his university years, he was a disc jockey.
Upon his graduation, he enlisted in the US Army and served from 1956 to 1958. After serving in the military, he began his career on local TV stations based in Cleveland, Ohio. Conway got his start as a television writer and actor.
His acting career took off in the 1960s when he appeared in shows such as McHale’s Navy, The Steve Allen Show, Turn-on, The Carol Burnett Show, and his own two shows – The Tim Conway Show and The Tim Conway Comedy Hour.
He also did extensive voice acting work in shows such as Scooby-Doo and Spongebob Squarepants. In the latter show, he voiced the characters of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.
His film career included roles in films such as The World’s Greatest Athlete, Gus, The Shaggy D.A., The Prize Fighter, The Longshot, Dear God, and the Dorf series.
He died in 2019 at the age of 85 due to complications from hydrocephalus.
STEVE SUSSKIND
Steve Susskind was born on October 3, 1942, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He had a productive career in film and also had many small parts in sitcoms.
He acted in films such as Friday the 13th Part III, House, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, A Bug’s Life, The Prince of Egypt, Tarzan, The Iron Giant, Osmosis Jones, and Monsters, Inc.
On television, he had small roles in The Tick, NewsRadio, and Duck Tales. On Married With Children, he played Barney in 6 episodes. This became one of his most well-known roles on TV. Barney was Al’s friend and became one of the favorite supporting characters from the show. He also played “Stan” in one episode of Married…With Children.
He died at the age of 62 in 2005 due to an automobile accident.
JANET CARROLL
Janet Caroll was born in Chicago on Christmas Eve 1940. She studied theatre and began her acting career in the 1960s. She began acting in theatre while appearing in local productions.
Then, she joined the Starlight Theatre, where she became a regular actress. She also began singing live during this time. She had begun learning how to sing since she was 12 and could sing in a range of styles from jazz to opera.
Much of her early career was in theatre until she began acting in film and television in the 1980s.
Her early TV roles included work in shows such as Knight Rider, E/R, Cagney & Lacey, Double Dare, The Twilight Zone, and The Bronx Zoo. She also appeared on shows such as The Boys, The Hat Squad, and Murphy Brown.
She also appeared in films and TV movies such as The Killing Time, Memories of Me, Family Business, The Platinum Triangle, Talent for the Game, Born to be Wild, Timemaster, The Omega Code, Enough, Confession, What Happens Next, and Crosser – which was her final film role.
In Married With Children, she appeared as Gary, who was the owner of Gary’s Shoes and was Al’s boss with whom he had many quarrels.
Janet Caroll died in 2012 at the age of 71 due to a brain tumor.
DIANA BELLAMY
Actress Diana Bellamy came into this world on September 19, 1943, in Los Angeles, California. She was a character actress with a multifaceted career in film, television, and theatre. Acting was in her genes as her father had studied at Julliard and acted in local Westerns.
She began her TV career in the early 1980s. Her TV career began with shows such as TJ Hooker, Dynasty, Matt Houston, Hill Street Blues, and Cagney & Lacey.
The film roles included work in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, Free Ride, My Chauffeur, Crossroads, Stripped to Kill, Born in East LA, Critters 3, Outbreak, Ghosts of Mississippi, and Air Force One.
Her theatre work included roles in plays such as Funny Girl, Romeo and Juliet, The House of Blue Leaves, Weekend at Goshen, and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You.
In Married With Children, she played Shirley. This was a recurring role as one of the customers at Gary’s Shoes, who Al was always annoyed with. Shirley was often the butt of Al’s jokes and insults.
She died at the age of 57 in 2001 from cancer.
Are you a fan of Married With Children?
Do you think that the show is still as popular today as it was when it was released?
Or do you feel younger audiences will feel that the show is dated?
We personally think it’s a classic! We love the main cast members of Married With Children and also love the supporting cast members who made the show brilliant!
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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