American actor Ed O’Neill was born on April 12, 1946, and is well-known for his various roles in both film and television. O’Neill had a multi-decade career that began with his classic role as Al Bundy in the sitcom “Married… with Children” and continued with his role as Jay Pritchett in the popular series “Modern Family.”
His contributions to the entertainment sector include critically acclaimed plays and movies. Ed O’Neill’s wealth is a reflection of his continued success as well as his significant and enduring influence in the entertainment and acting industries.
Ed O’Neill Net Worth
The net worth of American actor Ed O’Neill is $65 million. Ed O’Neill’s performing credits in television shows and films have contributed significantly to his wealth.
His work on the television programs “Married with Children” and “Modern Family” has made him most famous. In addition, he receives a large salary for voice acting, most notably for the drug Zyrtec.
Ed O’Neill Biography
On April 12, 1946, O’Neill was born in Youngstown, Ohio, into a Catholic family that was Irish-American. Edward Phillip O’Neill worked as a truck driver and steel mill worker, while his mother, Ruth Ann (née Quinlan), was a social worker and homemaker. O’Neill was a football player at Ursuline High School. He started working at a steel mill at the age of 14.
He attended Ohio University on a football scholarship, majoring in history and belonging to the Delta Tau Delta fraternity’s Mu chapter. He graduated from college after his sophomore year. He acknowledges that he did not spend as much time studying as he would have liked. And he was at odds with his coach.
After transferring, he played defensive lineman for Youngstown State University. He was inducted into the Delta Sigma chapter at Delta Sigma Phi and pledged to the fraternity as an undergraduate.
He faced Roger Staubach, a player for the Pensacola Naval Station, in a game while he was a student at Youngstown State. O’Neill said that when he knocked Staubach out of bounds, his side was penalized 15 yards.
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Ed O’Neill’s Personal Life
O’Neill is wed to Catherine Rusoff, an actress. They and their two girls were residing in Los Angeles as of 2016. O’Neill has studied Brazilian jiu-jitsu for 22 years under the guidance of Rorion Gracie, having been first introduced to the art form by his buddy, writer/director John Milius.
Following sixteen years of training, O’Neill was awarded a black belt in December 2007. As O’Neill puts it in the 2012 TV documentary, I Am Bruce Lee, earning a black belt is “the greatest achievement of my life, apart from my children.”
O’Neill received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from his alma school, Youngstown State University, on May 18, 2013. Following the contentious appointment of Republican congressman Bill Johnson as the university’s president on November 30, 2023, O’Neill announced to Ideastream that he would be returning his degree, stating, “I don’t want it… I am going to refer to it as Trump-U.”
Professional Football Career
The Pittsburgh Steelers, led by rookie head coach Chuck Noll, signed O’Neill as an undrafted free agent in 1969. However, he was cut during training camp and had to contend with fellow rookie defensive tackle “Mean Joe” Greene and L. C. Greenwood for a roster position.
Both developed into essential players in the Steel Curtain defense that helped the Steelers win in the 1970s. Later, O’Neill portrayed a former high school football player on Married… with Children who was continuously thinking back on his “glory days” at Polk High despite never being able to make it big.
Terry Bradshaw, the former quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, made two guest appearances on the program as part of this subject. Before turning to acting, O’Neill taught social studies as a substitute at Ursuline High School, where he attended high school.
Ed O’Neill’s Career
After being cut by the Steelers, O’Neill re-enrolled in Youngstown State, where he was among the first pupils in the newly established theater department. Later, in the Broadway production of Knockout in 1979, he portrayed a boxer alongside Danny Aiello.
There, he caught the eye of filmmaker William Friedkin, who cast him in Cruising, starring Al Pacino, as a police detective. O’Neill costarred with Jeff Kinsland in a Red Lobster commercial in 1985.
He appeared in The Equalizer as a brief guest. He was chosen to play NYPD detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the television pilot Popeye Doyle in 1986. Gene Hackman’s portrayal of the character first arose in the movie The French Connection.
The two-hour pilot/movie for television was recorded and broadcast on network television. Although O’Neill’s performance was well appreciated, and the pilot was well received, the series was not picked up for production.
O’Neill made his comeback to sitcoms in 2009 when he joined the cast of “Modern Family” on ABC. He portrayed the family patriarch, Jay Pritchett. “Modern Family” ran for 11 seasons, from September 2009 to April 2020, and was immensely successful.
In fact, the show’s last episode attracted 7.37 million viewers. Along with the 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series-Musical or Comedy, it also won five Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series.
In 2011, O’Neill received a star at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He received nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards for “Modern Family” and two Golden Globe Awards for “Married… with Children.”
In addition, O’Neill received two Behind the Voice Actors Awards for his work on “Wreck-It Ralph” and four Screen Actors Guild Awards for “Modern Family.”
