It was a part, however, that he initially turned down.
As for the inspiration for developing the character of Al, O’Neill didn’t need to look very far.
And Joe would say, ‘What’s for dinner?’
So it was sort of like that.
That was how I read it and they had not heard that interpretation.
So, long story short, they thought that was funny."
The part eventually went to Ted Danson, who wontwo Emmysfor his work on the hit comedy.
Michael Gross wound up winning that part and might even have O’Neill to thank for it.
“It was a dream job,” O’Neill toldThe Business Journal.
“I am so thankful to have had it.
We took some great vacation trips for episodes.
We shot an episode in Paris, which was beautiful.
And I never had to work long hours because of the show’s structure of three separate families.
When they were shooting the other two families, I wasn’t working.”
