Ed O'Neill's Real Name: Ed O'Neill

Quick answer: The actor is known professionally as Ed O'Neill. Biography.com and the Hollywood Walk of Fame independently date his birth to April 12, 1946, in Youngstown, Ohio. The listings used here do not independently confirm a longer given name, so this page titles him with the public name (Biography.com; Hollywood Walk of Fame).

Real name and early life

He is known professionally as Ed O'Neill. Biography.com says he was born on April 12, 1946, in Youngstown, Ohio, the eldest of five children of Ruth Ann Quinlan and Edward O'Neill Sr., and that he attended Ursuline High School and later Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, on a football scholarship. The Hollywood Walk of Fame independently lists the birth as 1946-04-12, in Youngstown, OH, and also says he was born to an Irish Catholic family on April 12 in Youngstown and attended Ohio University and Youngstown State University. The Television Academy independently gives the birthday April 12 and the birthplace Youngstown, Ohio, and records the same college path, without the year in its birthday field. Biography.com says that after a bachelor's degree in 1969 he had a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was cut during training camp, then substitute-taught social studies at Ursuline. The Television Academy and Walk of Fame independently record the Steelers cut and a later social studies teaching job.

Career highlights

Biography.com says he rose to fame as Al Bundy on Married... with Children, which hit the airwaves in 1987 and ended in 1997 after 11 seasons. The Television Academy and Walk of Fame independently identify Al Bundy on the Fox sitcom as his best-known earlier role, and the Walk of Fame says the part prompted two Golden Globe nominations. Biography.com says that in fall 2009 he returned to family comedy in Modern Family as Jay Pritchett, a role that brought three consecutive Emmy nominations across an 11-season run. The Television Academy independently notes an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for that role, and the Walk of Fame independently names Jay Pritchett and later Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations. All three sources also list credits including the Wayne's World films, The Bone Collector, and a remake of Dragnet.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Ed O'Neill are looking for the Youngstown-born actor known for Married... with Children and Modern Family. This page titles him with the public name used by the independent sources cited here.