 Tom Bosley (qv), Jack Warden (qv) and Jackie Gleason (I) (qv)  were all considered for the role of Archie Bunker. In fact, CBS  wanted to buy the rights to the original British show and retool it  specifically for Gleason, who was under contract to them, but  producer Norman Lear (qv) beat out CBS for the rights and offered  the show to ABC.