Actresses Maureen Stapleton And Jean Stapleton Are Not Sisters

Maureen Stapleton With Van Heflin in Airport

I always thought they were, for some reason. In fact, they aren't even related. Jean Stapleton was, of course, Edith Bunker on All in The Family and more recently was Meg Ryan's aunt in You've Got Mail.

Until recently I had only caught Airport on TV toward the middle of the movie, and missed the really touching scene between Maureen Stapleton and Van Heflin above. They've already pawned their silverware and her wedding ring, their kids are off living with her sister, and she's giving him a few dollars from their rent money for his bus trip to Milwaukee. I don't know if I've ever watched a more poignant scene in any movie anywhere.