Archie Bunker’s Place – “Gloria: The First Day”

Date Created: 1982

Directed by: Paul Bogart

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!

Synopsis: Gloria (Sally Struthers) leaves home with her son Joey (Christian Jacobs) and starts a career as a veterinary assistant to Dr. Adams (Burgess Meredith).

Featured Feline: This unaired episode was the original pilot for the spin-off series Gloria. As Gloria learns the ropes of working in the animal clinic, a longhaired white cat named Blossom Schneider is being spayed. We see her under sedation on the operating table and later sleeping in a cage.

Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - longhair white cat Blossom Schneider under sedation
Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - longhair white cat Blossom Schneider asleep in cage

Near the end of the episode, Gloria is talking to Dr. Adams when Dr. Waynewrite (Rick Lohman) enters carrying Blossom and accuses Gloria of leaving her cage open. He says he found the cat trying to cuddle up with a Doberman.

Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - Dr. Waynewrite Rick Lohman entering with longhair white cat Blossom Schneider with Dr. Adams Burgess Meredith and Gloria Sally Struthers
Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - Dr. Waynewrite Rick Lohman holding white cat Blossom Schneider

Dr. Adams tells Dr. Waynewrite it was Ben who left the cage door open. After an apology, Gloria takes Blossom from Waynewrite.

Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - Dr. Waynewrite Rick Lohman holding longhair white cat Blossom Schneider with Dr. Adams Burgess Meredith and Gloria Sally Struthers
Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - Dr. Waynewrite Rick Lohman holding longhair white cat Blossom Schneider
Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - Gloria Sally Struthers taking longhair white cat Blossom Schneider from Dr. Waynewrite Rick Lohman with Dr. Adams Burgess Meredith

The final shot of the episode is Gloria sitting on the fireplace with Blossom, commenting on how they both had a rough day.

Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - longhair white cat Blossom Schneider held by Gloria Sally Struthers
Archie Bunker's Place - Gloria: The First Day - longhair white cat Blossom Schneider held by Gloria Sally Struthers

The animals for this episode were provided by Gentle Jungle, Inc. When this pilot was rejected by CBS, another was ordered which was used as the first episode of the short-lived series.

Gloria promotional photo - Sally Struthers holding calico kitten

Final Mewsings: Cats don’t find veterinarian offices funny.

Relevant Links:

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