I just want to ask you a question.
Can you do time?
the “Married…with Children” star recalls his father asking him.
Ed O’Neill.ichael Kovac/Getty
Ed ONeillhas revealed that he almost took up a very different line of work before becoming a professional actor.
We’re driving and he said,, How you doing?
You know, you, you got cut, you got no money, ONeill recalled.
I said, No, I’m broke.
You know, I don’t know what I’m going to do.
He started talking to the bartender, ONeill remembered.
And the guy says, No, it doesn’t ring a bell….
So if he comes in again, this is my, you could call this number.
you’re free to reach me.
ONeill said that this questionable encounter ended with a job offer.
I’ll give you easy stuff.
Just you collect here.
You run, you drop something off here and there.
You know, you may have to lean on a guy.
You’re good at that.
you might make some good money…
I said, Let me think about it, Jim.
Cause I’m, I don’t know.
I might be leaving town to pursue this acting thing.
The futureModern Familystar said that he genuinely considered his friends proposal.
I went home and I was thinking about it.
I thought, you know, what else am I going to do?
He said, I saw you take a ride with Jimmy…
I just want to ask you a question.
Can you do time?
ONeill remembered responding, no.
He said, You couldn’t do time.
You’d have a hard time being in jail, right?
I said, No, I don’t think I could do time.
He said, Okay.
That conversation was enough to dissuade ONeill from pursuing a life of crime.
I’m going to try this, this other thing.
He then became a stage actor, which later led to massive success on television and in movies.
you might listen to the fullDinners on Meinterview above.
