Ed O'Neill

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder, Professor Gates has published numerous books and produced and hosted an array of documentary films. The Black Church (PBS) and Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches (HBO), which he executive produced, have each received Emmy nominations. His latest history series for PBS is Making Black America: Through the Grapevine. Finding Your Roots, Gates’s groundbreaking genealogy and genetics series, is now in its ninth season on PBS.

Gates is a recipient of a number of honorary degrees, including his alma mater, the University of Cambridge. Gates was a member of the first class awarded “genius grants” by the MacArthur Foundation in 1981, and in 1998 he became the first African-American scholar to be awarded the National Humanities Medal.

A native of Piedmont, West Virginia, Gates earned his B.A. in History, summa cum laude, from Yale University in 1973, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English Literature from Clare College at Cambridge in 1979, where he is also an Honorary Fellow.  He is the co-founder of The Root.com.  A former chair of the Pulitzer Prize board, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and serves on a wide array of boards, including the New York Public Library, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Aspen Institute, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Library of America, and The Studio Museum of Harlem. In 2011, his portrait, by Yuqi Wang, was hung in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Ed O’Neill is an American actor known for his work in acclaimed television sitcoms. O'Neill started his career in sports, attending Ohio University on a scholarship before moving to Youngstown State University. However, he found his true calling in acting, which led him to regional theater.

O'Neill's breakthrough in the entertainment industry was his role as Al Bundy on the Fox sitcom "Married... with Children," which aired from 1987 to 1997. His portrayal of a hapless shoe salesman with a distinctive sense of humor became a cultural touchstone and earned him two Golden Globe nominations. His performance on the show solidified his reputation as a leading comedic actor.

After "Married... with Children," O’Neill continued to work on television and film projects. His career witnessed a significant resurgence when he played Jay Pritchett on the ABC sitcom "Modern Family," which ran from 2009 to 2020. This role earned him multiple Screen Actors Guild Awards and several Emmy nominations, including three wins for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. "Modern Family" broadened O'Neill's fan base, introducing his talent to a new generation.

Beyond his success on television, O'Neill has shown versatility in various roles in various films, including "Dutch," "Wayne's World," "Little Giants," and more. He has also worked on animated projects, such as voicing Hank the Octopus in "Finding Dory." Other television roles include playing Governor Eric Baker on "The West Wing" and Donald Sterling in the FX on Hulu limited series "Clipped."

Off-screen, O'Neill has appeared in Broadway productions and has been a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu for over two decades, receiving his black belt in 2007. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.

TICKETS & SEATING

To accommodate all interested guests, the event location has been moved to Drollinger Family Stage on Lawton Plaza, and tickets are no longer required. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

DIRECTIONS

Driving directions to LMU are available. Please use the main LMU entrance at Lincoln and LMU Drive. PDF Campus Map | Interactive Campus Map 

PARKING

Please enter campus via Lincoln Boulevard. Parking will be available in Drollinger Parking Plaza and Lot-A, Hannon Parking Lot. We recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before the start of the presentation to allow time for parking and locating the event. 

Please note that LMU charges visitors to park. Pay kiosks are located in each lot. You will need your license plate number to register your vehicle at the kiosk. Parking and rate information is available.