This is a longshot, but just in case…
I’ve been on a bit of an All in the Family kick lately, and have been watching dozens of old episodes. Such an amazing show and timeless performances!
I was watching one episode, “Joey’s Baptism,” where Archie is determined to sneak his grandson Joey out to church to get the baby baptized (since Mike is an atheist, he and Gloria don’t plan on baptizing the boy). Anyway, Edith knows Archie’s plans and so she locks the door to the closet to prevent Archie from getting his coat – it’s winter – and takes the key.
Now at this point I thought I remembered what was about to happen. Sure enough, she hides the key down her blouse. However, what I thought was about to transpire didn’t, and while Archie was irritated with her, he didn’t yell or grab at her “chests” and he eventually gave up, instead grabbing a sweater from a charity box and the episode proceeded in its inevitable course.
Here’s how I thought this scene transpired: Archie is trying to get at the key, and Edith finally hides it down her blouse. Archie is brought up short and the following dialogue transpires:
ARCHIE (disgustedly): Where did you get a low class dodge like that?
EDITH (protectively covering her chest): That’s not a low class dodge, that’s a high class dodge! Bette Davis done it. Joan Crawford done it. Doris Day done it. (she names a few others I believe.)
ARCHIE: Well, Franchot Tone and Erroll Flynn and Rock Hudson (or whoever the actors really were) shoulda done this here!
And he tries to stick his hand down her shirt to grab the key. They struggle for a little while and – just as Mike and Gloria walk into the house – Archie yells:
“EDITH! Edith, give it here! I gotta have it!”
Mike and Gloria just stand there, gawking. Archie and Edith realize they’re being watched and Archie turns around. And Mike says with a gleam in his eye: “You’re an animal!”
It was hysterical. But the only other instance that I can remember Archie trying to get at a key (or something that was locked away) was later on, when their little niece Stephanie was being accused of stealing things and they suspected she was hiding stuff in a keepsake box. However, Stephanie only arrived after Mike and Gloria left for California, so that can’t be it, right?
Does this sound familiar to anyone? I know I didn’t make this scene up, so what episode does it belong to?