LOS ANGELES — Celebrities and entertainers said farewell Tuesday to Carroll O'Connor, the gruff actor who satirized prejudice as the buffoonish bigot on "All in the Family."
Among the nearly 1,000 people at his funeral were comedian Carl Reiner and his son, actor-director Rob Reiner, who played the liberal son-in-law famously dubbed "Meathead" by Archie Bunker, O'Connor's character on the popular sitcom.
Comedian Don Rickles, "Dallas" star Larry Hagman, Martin Sheen of "The West Wing" and former Gov. Jerry Brown also attended the service at St. Paul the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in West Los Angeles.
The 76-year-old actor died Thursday following a heart attack.
"He was a master theatrician, Mr. Bunker was," Carl Reiner said. "It's funny how we keep calling him Archie, and we keep calling my son 'Meathead.' That's the kind of an impact they ('All in the Family') had, even on a father."
Sally Struthers, who played Bunker's daughter, Gloria, said O'Connor helped fill an emotional need after her own father died. "We were a family of four and now we're a family of three," Struthers said about the cast. Jean Stapleton, who played Bunker's wife, Edith, was not at the funeral. "It doesn't feel the same. I shared such an incredible time and space with Carroll."
Actor Richard Crenna said O'Connor will be missed.
"We always say that we do go to a better place perhaps, but this will not be a better place for the loss of Carroll," he said.
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, the archbishop of Los Angeles, presided over the traditional Catholic Mass. He said O'Connor's life showed moments of "great joy and great rejoicing and others of great sorrow and disappointment."
About 950 people spanning all races and ages gathered inside the church for the emotional service that concluded with a violin solo of the mournful Irish ballad "Oh, Danny Boy."
Hagman and Sheen read scriptures. Six of O'Connor's nephews served as pallbearers, carrying the casket from the church amid spontaneous applause. Outside, 76 white doves were released and circled above the church.
O'Connor's remains will be cremated and buried privately.
The actor was known mainly for his stage work and a few small movie roles before playing Bunker on the influential TV series that began in 1971 and lasted eight seasons. From 1979-83, the show was called "Archie Bunker's Place," and was based in a bar Bunker owned.
O'Connor was credited with showing the vulnerable side of the cranky, blue-collar tyrant by playing him as an outdated, uneducated man threatened by the sexual, political and racial changes he saw sweeping America.
His later years were steeped in tragedy after his only child, Hugh — his co-star on the TV crime series "In The Heat of The Night" — shot himself in a drug-related suicide in 1995.
O'Connor began traveling the United States promoting state laws that would allow families of drug abuse victims to sue dealers for monetary damages. Thirteen states have passed such laws, including New York, California and Illinois.
Nancy O'Connor, the actor's wife of nearly 50 years, asked that instead of flowers, fans support the Actors' Fund of America, the John Wayne Cancer Institute or the National Museum of the American Indian.