Edward Phillip "Ed" O'Neill, Jr. (born April 12, 1946) is an
American actor. He is best known for his role as the main character
Al Bundy, on the
Fox Network sitcom
Married... with Children, for which he was nominated for two
Golden Globes. He can currently be seen on the award-winning ABC sitcom
Modern Family in the role of Jay Pritchett.
Early life
O'Neill was born into an
Irish Catholic family in
Youngstown,
Ohio. His mother, Ruth Ann (
née Quinlan), was a homemaker and
social worker, and his father, Edward Phillip O'Neill, Sr. was a
steel mill worker and
truck driver. O'Neill attended
Ursuline High School and won a football scholarship to
Ohio University, where he majored in history. However, O'Neill left Ohio after his sophomore year: he spent more time playing sports and partying than studying and also feuded with his coach. He transferred to
Youngstown State University where he was a defensive lineman. O'Neill was signed by the
Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 but was cut in training camp. Later, on
Married... with Children, O'Neill played a former high-school football star who had failed to make it big and constantly reminisced about his...
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