Jean Stapleton was born on January 19, 1923 in New York City. Jeanne Murray is Jean Stapleton's birth name.

At the Greenwood Playhouse, Peaks Island, Maine Jeanne Murray made her stage debut in the summer of 1941.

Stapleton, an unknown actress at the time, played a woman who witnessed a murder in an episode of the courtroom drama series THE DEFENDERS.The episode was titled The Hidden Jungle (1962). In the episode, while on the witness stand, Jean is asked to point out the murderer. The actor playing the murderer was another unknown named Carroll O'Connor, who later starred with her in the hit television series ALL IN THE FAMILY.

When creator Norman Lear saw her perform in DAMN YANKEES on Broadway, Jean Stapleton won the role of Edith Bunker on ALL IN THE FAMILY.

Stapleton made her New York stage debut in THE CORN IS GREEN in 1948. Jean Stapleton is mother of actor John Putch and actress Pamela Putch.

Jean Stapleton's other notable credits include...

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (2001)

YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998)

MICHAEL (1996)

THE BUDDY SYSTEM (1984)

KLUTE (1971)

ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE (1979 - TV series)

ALL IN THE FAMILY (1971 - TV series)

SOMETHING WILD (1961)

DAMN YANKEES! (1958)

Jean Stapleton in YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998)