Sally Struthers
She broke through as Archie Bunker's liberal daughter on TV, then used her fame to champion child sponsorship for decades as a global activist.
Born 1947 (age 79)·American actress and activist·Birthday: July 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sally Struthers became a fixture in American living rooms as Gloria Stivic, the feisty, feminist daughter clashing with her bigoted father Archie Bunker on 'All in the Family.' Her performance, both heartfelt and hilarious, earned her two Emmys and made her a star. But Struthers leveraged that celebrity into a second, profound career. Beginning in the 1970s, she became the passionate face of Christian Children's Fund (later ChildFund) in countless television appeals, her direct, emotional pleas making child sponsorship a tangible act for millions of viewers. For over forty years, she has traveled the world and testified before Congress, dedicating herself to advocacy for impoverished children with a consistency that has made her activism as defining as her acting.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Sally was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sally Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Sally's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Gloria Stivic on 'All in the Family.'
- Served as a long-time spokesperson and ambassador for ChildFund International (formerly Christian Children's Fund), raising global awareness and funds.
- Starred in the successful television film 'The Great Houdini' and had a leading role in the sitcom '9 to 5.'
- Provided the voice of Rebecca Cunningham in the Disney animated series 'TaleSpin.'
Did You Know?
She was originally hired on 'All in the Family' for a single episode, but was made a series regular.
She performed on Broadway in the musical 'Grease' as Rizzo and in 'Annie' as Miss Hannigan.
She is an accomplished ceramicist and has showcased her pottery.
Her ChildFund commercials were famously parodied on shows like 'Saturday Night Live.'
“Use your voice for those who can't speak, and your privilege to feed a child.”
