8 Behind-The-Scenes Stories About Sitcom Dads (2 of 5)

2. James Avery taught Will Smith a lesson about humility

Although Will Smith was already achieving success in the late 1980s as part of the rapping duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, it wasn’t until he starred in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that he truly became a household name. While he was the lead character on the show, veteran actor James Avery, who played Uncle Phil, made sure the young Smith understood he wasn’t going to put up with his nonsense. Smith noted in an interview with GQ years later that Avery told him that while he was on the set, he wasn’t a famous rapper, and that if he wanted to make it as an actor, he needed to be humble.

3. Ed O’Neill got the part of Al Bundy by swimming against current

Married…with Children completely flipped the script on the family-centered sitcom. In conventional sitcoms, domestic life gives the main character a purpose in life. But the highly cynical Married… centered around Al Bundy, played by Ed O’Neill, a self-loathing father who had contempt for his wife and kids. When he read for the part, instead of emulating an angry Jackie Gleason, as the other auditioners had, he opted for a resigned, deadpan approach that was inspired by his real-life Uncle Joe, who would react to terrible news (like his wife accidentally running over the family dog) with a nonchalant “So what’s for dinner?” Producers believed the angle was ideal, leading to the show’s successful 11-season run.