127 Fun Facts About Modern Family

On Modern Family, Jay Pritchett's company, which Claire eventually runs as CEO, makes what?

Closets and blinds are the Pritchett trade: Jay built Pritchett's Closets & Blinds and hands Claire the top job when he retires.

In what city is 'Modern Family' primarily set?

Principal photography also took place there.

What is Phil Dunphy's profession?

Real Estate Agent: Phil sells houses with relentless optimism and styles himself the 'cool dad' who is down with the kids' slang and dances.

What is the full name of Mitchell and Cameron's adopted daughter?

Lily Elizabeth Tucker-Pritchett is her full name; Mitchell and Cameron bring her home as an adopted infant in the pilot episode.

Who plays Jay Pritchett, the Pritchett family patriarch?

He was already the highest-paid cast member per episode when five co-stars sued for raises in 2012.

In what year did 'Modern Family' first premiere?

Modern Family premiered on ABC on September 23, 2009, and ran for 11 seasons.

Which Benjamin Bratt character is Gloria's ex-husband?

Javier Delgado, played by Benjamin Bratt, is the charming but unreliable ex, forever making big promises to his son and breaking them.

Which university did Alex Dunphy attend from season 7?

Caltech: Alex starts there in the season 7 premiere, living in the dorms only a short drive from the Dunphy house.

What is Gloria Pritchett's country of origin?

Colombia is Gloria's home country, as it is Sofía Vergara's; the show plays her accent and fierce Colombian pride for running jokes.

How many Primetime Emmy Awards did 'Modern Family' win for Outstanding Comedy Series?

Five straight wins for Outstanding Comedy Series, 2010 through 2014; the streak ended when Veep took the prize in 2015.

What is the name of the dog that becomes a beloved member of the Pritchett family?

Stella is Jay's beloved dog; he dotes on her more than on Gloria, and after retiring he launches a dog-bed business named after her.

What is Cameron's classically trained clown persona called?

Fizbo is Cam's clown alter ego from his youth; he first dons the costume for Luke's birthday party in the season 1 episode named after him.

On Modern Family, Jay and Gloria's son Joe goes by his middle name; what is his first name?

Fulgencio 'Joe' Joseph Pritchett was born in the middle of the fourth season.

What is one of Phil Dunphy's recurring and enthusiastic hobbies or interests?

Magic is Phil's lifelong hobby; the self-styled amateur magician peppers family gatherings with card tricks and illusions, alongside cheerleading and slackline walking.

Where did the family holiday late in Season 1, when Phil and Claire renewed their vows?

Hawaii: the family flies to Maui for Jay's birthday, where Phil tries to give Claire the honeymoon they never had.

Which lifestyle company did Haley Dunphy work for later in the series?

NERP is the wellness brand run by Nicole Rosemary Page, played by Mira Sorvino; Haley lands a job there in season 9.

What was the name of Manny's short-lived pet turtle?

Shell Turtlestein was Manny's pet turtle; when it died on Jay's watch in season 1, Jay staged a break-in to hide his guilt.

Cameron grew up on a farm in which state?

Missouri farm life gave Cam his folksy stories; his parents Merle and Barb Tucker run the family farm, and Barry Corbin plays Merle.

Who was the first actor from 'Modern Family' to win an Emmy Award for their role?

He won in 2010 for an episode inspired by his own past performing as a clown, and won again in 2012.

What does Phil Dunphy call the book of fatherly maxims he gives Haley?

Phil's-osophy is Phil's self-published book of homespun maxims; he hands Haley a copy when she leaves for college in the season 4 episode Schooled.

Alex Dunphy's scientific research later takes her to a posting on which continent?

Antarctica: Alex accepts a research posting there at the end of season 10 and is back with the family early in season 11.

How many biological children do Claire and Phil Dunphy have?

Claire and Phil Dunphy are parents to three distinct children: Haley, Alex, and Luke.

What is the name of Gloria's son from her first marriage?

Manny Delgado, played by Rico Rodriguez, is Gloria's son with her first husband; old-souled and romantic, he grows up in Jay's house.

Cameron was a starting center on the football team of which university?

Illinois football is the one thing Cam and Jay bond over, much to Mitchell's envy; Cam later becomes a PE teacher and freshman football coach.

What breed is the Pritchetts' dog, introduced in the season 2 episode 'Good Cop Bad Dog'?

Joe's supposed allergy to her turns out to be to Gloria's face cream.

Lily, adopted by Mitchell and Cameron, was born in which country?

The show was noted for portraying a gay couple raising an adopted daughter.

Which Modern Family cast member won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in both 2011 and 2014?

Ty Burrell's Phil took the two wins plus nominations in 2010, 2012 and 2013; Jesse Tyler Ferguson was nominated five years running without a win.

What unique filming style is 'Modern Family' known for?

Mockumentary: single-camera scenes are intercut with talking-head interviews in which the characters address an unseen documentary crew.

How many Primetime Emmy Awards did 'Modern Family' win in total across its run?

22 Primetime Emmys in all, spread across series, acting, writing, directing and casting prizes over its 11 seasons.

On what date did the Modern Family series finale air?

April 8, 2020: the two-part finale, 'Finale Part 1' and 'Finale Part 2', closed the show's 11th and last season on ABC.

Which network aired Modern Family?

ABC aired all 11 seasons, mostly in a Wednesday 9 pm slot, after the creators had pitched the show around the broadcast networks.

What was the show's original working title?

My American Family was the working title; an early draft framed the show as footage shot by Geert Floortje, a Dutch documentarian who had once lived with the Pritchetts.

Why didn't the creators pitch Modern Family to Fox?

They pitched to CBS, NBC and ABC instead.

Why did NBC pass on Modern Family?

NBC already had two mockumentary shows, The Office and Parks and Recreation, on its schedule and passed; CBS turned the pitch down too.

Which neighbourhood is home to the Dunphys' house exterior?

Cheviot Hills, on the city's Westside, is where the real Dunphy house stands, at 10336 Dunleer Drive.

From season 2, how did Lloyd and Levitan divide showrunning duties?

Each supervised half the episodes: from season 2 Lloyd and Levitan ran separate writing teams on alternating episodes, having found that debating every script wasted time.

In 2012, five adult cast members sued the studio citing which California labor provision?

The seven-year rule, California Labor Code section 2855, caps personal-service contracts at seven years; it is nicknamed the De Havilland Law after Olivia de Havilland's 1944 win over Warner Bros.

Which studio did five Modern Family stars sue over pay in 2012?

20th Century Fox Television, the show's producer, was sued in July 2012 by Vergara, Bowen, Burrell, Ferguson and Stonestreet seeking to void their contracts; a pay deal followed within weeks.

Which cable channel bought Modern Family's off-network rerun rights in 2010?

USA Network bought the cable rerun rights in 2010, reportedly for well over a million dollars an episode, while Fox Television Stations led the local broadcast deal.

Which two streaming services carried the full series from February 2021?

Hulu and Peacock both began streaming all 11 seasons in February 2021 under a dual licensing deal; internationally the series went to Disney+.

How many episodes of Modern Family aired in total?

250 episodes aired across the show's 11 seasons, the last of them the second half of the two-part finale.

A Facebook campaign in season 1 demanded that Mitchell and Cameron be allowed to do what?

The season 2 episode 'The Kiss' answered it with a background kiss.

In which year did Modern Family win the Golden Globe for best comedy series?

2012: at the 69th Golden Globes in January 2012 the show beat Glee, which had won the two previous years; Sofía Vergara 'translated' Steven Levitan's speech on stage.

For the 62nd Emmys, the cast all submitted themselves in which categories?

Supporting Actor and Actress: for the 62nd Emmys in 2010 the adult cast all entered as supporting players to present the show as an ensemble, and five of the six were nominated.

Which two political spouses both named Modern Family their favourite show in 2012?

Michelle Obama and Ann Romney, the rival candidates' wives, each named Modern Family their favourite show during the 2012 presidential campaign.

How many consecutive Emmy nominations did Ty Burrell earn, the most of any cast member?

Eight: Ty Burrell was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series every year from 2010 through 2017, more than any castmate.

How many Emmy nominations did Julie Bowen receive for Modern Family?

She won in 2011 and 2012.

Which guest star was nominated for an Emmy for playing Pepper Saltzman three times?

Nathan Lane plays Pepper Saltzman, Mitch and Cam's flamboyant friend and eventual wedding planner, earning three Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nominations for the role.

Which Family Guy instalment parodied Modern Family with cast voices?

Emmy-Winning Episode, the 2015 Family Guy season 14 opener, has Peter chase an Emmy with a Modern Family parody, with Julie Bowen and Sofía Vergara voicing guest roles.

Which Marvel series paid tribute to Modern Family in an episode titled 'Breaking the Fourth Wall'?

WandaVision's seventh episode, Breaking the Fourth Wall, apes Modern Family's talking-head style, with Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda delivering Claire's deadpan stares into the camera.

Which country's channel Mega produced the 2015 remake Familia moderna?

Chile's Mega channel made Familia moderna, the Spanish-language remake that premiered in December 2015.

In Iran's scene-by-scene remake Haft Sang, what replaced the gay pairing of Cam and Mitchell?

A heterosexual couple replaced Cam and Mitchell in the Iranian remake, and Haley was replaced by a teenage boy.

A cancelled 2013 spin-off was to centre on which Rob Riggle character?

Gil is Phil's obnoxious realtor rival.

In the pilot, Luke gets his head stuck in what?

The stair banister: the pilot opens at the Dunphys' with Luke's head wedged between the spindles and Phil reaching for the baby oil to free him.

What business does Gloria launch based on a family recipe?

Hot sauce: in season 7 Gloria bottles her family's fiery recipe and gets it into stores, before later becoming a realtor under Phil's mentorship.

Mitchell's legal career later shifts to what role?

Prosecutor: after years in environmental law and private practice, Mitchell joins the district attorney's office in the later seasons and tries cases in court.

Who played Lily in the first two seasons?

Jaden and Ella Hiller, twins, shared the role of Lily for seasons 1 and 2; their parents said the girls did not enjoy acting, and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons took over in season 3.

What career does Dylan eventually pursue?

Nurse: Dylan Marshall, Haley's longtime boyfriend and eventual husband, goes to nursing school in season 10 and qualifies as a nurse.

Which Cheers star played Jay's ex-wife DeDe?

Shelley Long, Cheers' Diane Chambers, plays DeDe Pritchett, Jay's flighty ex-wife, who dies off screen in the season 10 episode Good Grief.

Which actress plays Sal, the party-animal friend who officiates Mitch and Cam's wedding?

Elizabeth Banks plays Sal, the hard-partying friend who officiates Mitch and Cam's wedding; her water breaks mid-ceremony, forcing a restart.

Andy Bailey, the 'manny' who dates Haley, is from which state?

Utah is Andy's home state; Adam DeVine's earnest 'manny' keeps a long-distance girlfriend, Beth, back there before falling for Haley.

Nathan Fillion's character Rainer Shine has what job?

Weather forecaster: Rainer Shine is a local TV weatherman and Phil's pal who dates Haley in season 8, briefly proposing before they split.

Haley's wellness-guru boss Nicole Rosemary Page parodies which celebrity?

Gwyneth Paltrow: Mira Sorvino's Nicole Rosemary Page runs a Goop-style lifestyle empire that spoofs Paltrow's brand.

Alex's boyfriend Bill, played by Jimmy Tatro, has what job?

Firefighter: Jimmy Tatro's Bill is the sweet, not-too-bright firefighter Alex dates in season 10, a match the brainy family keeps being surprised by.

Which pair play Phil and Claire's obnoxious neighbours, the LaFontaines?

Steve Zahn and Andrea Anders play Ronnie and Amber LaFontaine, the loud, boat-owning neighbours who move in next to the Dunphys in season 6.

What does Phil call his signature approach to raising Haley, Alex and Luke?

Peerenting, coined in the pilot: Phil talks like a peer and acts like a parent, which is why Claire calls him the kid she is married to.

What phobia does Phil suffer from?

Fear of clowns, coulrophobia, is the problem; he may have found a dead clown in the woods as a child.

Phil's ongoing home-repair project throughout season 1 is what?

'Gotta fix that step!' becomes a running gag.

In college, Phil was a cheerleader at which university?

Fresno State: Phil was a college cheerleader there, and in the season 3 episode Go Bulldogs! he drags the kids to a game at his alma mater.

In 'Dude Ranch', Phil shows surprising skill at what?

Horseback riding and shooting: at the Wyoming dude ranch Phil rides well and impresses on the skeet range, finally earning some respect from Jay.

In 2016 Ty Burrell appeared as Phil in commercials for which organisation?

National Association of Realtors: in 2016 the trade group ran ads with Ty Burrell in character as realtor Phil Dunphy, urging buyers to use a Realtor.

Which of these does Claire treat as her 'crazy lady holiday', terrifying the neighbours?

Halloween is Claire's obsession; she turns the Dunphy house into a haunted house each year, with decorations gory enough to scare the neighbours.

What terrible anniversary gift did Claire make Phil in return for a bracelet?

Coupons for five free hugs was Claire's season 1 gift; Phil, who had given her a bracelet, could not hide his disappointment.

What grade is Haley in when the series starts?

High school sophomore: Haley is 15 in the pilot and graduates in the season 3 finale, three school years later.

Which fashion designer hires Haley as his assistant in season 6?

Gavin Sinclair, the imperious fashion designer, takes Haley on as his assistant in season 6, her first real foothold in fashion.

In which episode does Haley marry Dylan?

Can't Elope: in season 10 Haley and Dylan try to sneak off and elope and end up married; the twins arrive in the finale A Year of Birthdays.

Which instrument did Alex choose because it was more in demand in university orchestras?

She reasoned cellos were scarcer than violins.

Which university rejected Alex in season 6, to her shock?

Harvard turned Alex down in the season 6 episode Integrity, a crushing blow for the family's overachiever, who had banked on it.

Where does Alex move at the end of the series for a research project?

Switzerland: in the two-part finale Alex leaves for a research project there, just as she rekindles things with her old professor Arvin.

How did Luke garble Claire's insult that Gloria was only after Jay's money?

The episode is titled 'Coal Digger'.

Where does Luke enrol as a student in the series finale?

University of Oregon: in the finale Luke, after drifting through community college and a country-club job, reveals he has been accepted there.

What is the title of the sexually suggestive song Dylan writes for Haley?

In the Moonlight (Do Me) is Dylan's ode to Haley, performed to the mortified family in the season 1 episode The Incident; Reid Ewing wrote it himself.

After losing his ranch job, Dylan takes what job at Disneyland?

Dapper Dan: Dylan, fresh from the Wyoming dude ranch, turns up in the season 3 Disneyland episode singing with the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet on Main Street.

Jay served in which branch of the US military during the Vietnam War?

Navy: Jay enlisted and served in the Navy during the Vietnam era, a past he invokes when lecturing Manny and Phil about toughness.

Besides sports, what hobby of Jay's is highlighted as a masculine trait?

Model airplanes: Jay's remote-control flying is a prized manly pastime he tries to share with Manny in the season 1 episode The Bicycle Thief.

Which city is Gloria's hometown, one she shares with actress Sofía Vergara?

Barranquilla, on the Caribbean coast, is Sofía Vergara's real birthplace and was written in as Gloria's hometown.

Gloria's character was based on Rosie Perez's role in which film?

Night on Earth: the creators modelled Gloria on Angela, the loud-mouthed Brooklyn passenger Rosie Perez plays in Jim Jarmusch's 1991 taxi film.

In which episode does Gloria become a US citizen?

Patriot Games: Gloria passes her citizenship test and is sworn in as an American in this season 6 episode, with Jay bursting with pride.

Manny is terrified of what?

Butterflies: Manny, otherwise a fearless old soul, panics around them, a phobia the show returns to for laughs.

What garment is Manny often seen wearing?

A burgundy dinner jacket is Manny's signature look, worn for grand romantic gestures as early as season 1, to Jay's bafflement.

Cameron was born on which unusual date?

February 29, 1972: Cam is a leap-day baby, and the season 3 episode Leap Day marks his 40th birthday, only his tenth 'real' one.

Cameron guessed which film during charades the night he met Mitchell?

Casablanca: at one of Pepper Saltzman's game nights a stranger named Cam blurted out the answer to Mitchell's charade, and the two became a couple.

Which classic film is Cameron's lifelong favourite?

The Wizard of Oz is Cam's obsession; Mitchell's Oz-themed surprise birthday party for him in season 3 shows how deep the fandom runs.

Which instrument does Cameron play well enough to fill in with Dylan's band?

Drums: Cam sits in as drummer with Dylan's band in season 1's Great Expectations, surprising Mitchell with yet another hidden talent.

What is the name of Mitch, Cam and Lily's pet cat?

Larry is the cat; Mitch and Cam bring him home in season 4 after a planned adoption of a baby boy falls through.

An animatronic exhibit of which figure inspired Jay to stay married to DeDe until the kids grew up?

Abraham Lincoln: in the season 3 Disneyland episode Jay recalls that the park's animatronic Lincoln show talked him out of leaving DeDe while the kids were young.

Whom does Frank marry in season 8?

Phil's childhood babysitter, Lorraine, marries Frank in season 8, which unsettles Phil, who had a boyhood crush on her.

Which Breaking Bad actor played Jay's brother Donnie?

Jonathan Banks, Breaking Bad's Mike Ehrmantraut, plays Jay's brother Donnie in the season 2 episode The Musical Man, in which Donnie reveals he has cancer.

Who directed the Modern Family pilot?

Jason Winer directed the pilot and won the 2010 Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for it; the script won the writing Emmy too.

The episode 'Connection Lost' is presented entirely through what?

Claire's laptop screen: the whole episode plays out on her MacBook as she FaceTimes and messages the family from an airport; Apple supplied the devices unpaid.

Which screenlife film inspired the 'Connection Lost' concept?

Noah, a 2013 Canadian short film told entirely on a teenager's computer screen, gave Steven Levitan the template for the episode.

At which airport is Claire waiting during 'Connection Lost'?

O'Hare: Claire is stuck at Chicago's airport with a delayed flight, running the whole episode from her laptop at the gate.

In the finale, where do Phil and Claire move to escape their overcrowded house?

Frank's RV in the driveway: with Haley's family, Alex and Luke all crammed into the house, Phil and Claire retreat to the camper Phil inherited from his late father.

As child figure skaters, Claire and Mitchell competed under what duo name?

Fire and Nice: Claire was the fiery one and Mitchell the nice one in their childhood pairs figure-skating act, a story the siblings tell in season 1.

What animal does Haley release at Luke's birthday party, sending the family to the ER?

A scorpion: Haley lets it out of animal handler Jungle Tanya's kit at Luke's birthday party, setting off the chain of mishaps that ends in the ER.

Which NBA legend guest-starred in the season 1 finale 'Family Portrait'?

Kobe Bryant appears as himself at the Lakers game in the season 1 finale Family Portrait, where Phil and Gloria land on the kiss cam.

In 'Family Portrait', what does Mitchell battle while Cameron sings 'Ave Maria' at a wedding?

A pigeon: Mitchell's frantic fight with a bird loose in the house is intercut with Cam's serene Ave Maria, a sequence critics singled out for praise.

At which resort does the family stay for Jay's birthday trip in season 1?

Four Seasons Resort Maui, at Wailea, hosted the cast for the two-part season 1 trip, and the hotel grounds are seen throughout the episode.

In 'Airport 2010', why is Manny detained for questioning?

His name matches a no-fly list: Manny is pulled aside at security in Airport 2010 because a Manuel Delgado is flagged, delaying the family's flight for Jay's birthday trip.

What is unusual about the season 5 episode 'Las Vegas'?

Only the parent cast appears: the six adults head to Vegas without the kids, and Gail Mancuso won the 2014 Emmy for directing the episode.

Which SNL alum played Mitchell's ex-boyfriend Langham in 'Las Vegas'?

Fred Armisen plays Langham, the ex whose bachelor weekend collides with Mitchell's Vegas trip; Stephen Merchant also appears as an officious butler.

In 'Baby on Board', Mitch and Cam rush to which town for a failed adoption?

Calexico, on the Mexican border, is where Mitch and Cam race in the season 3 finale to adopt a baby boy, with Gloria along to translate; the adoption falls through.

Who plays Claire Dunphy?

Julie Bowen plays Claire, the type-A Dunphy matriarch, and won back-to-back Emmys for the role in 2011 and 2012.

In season 5 the family travels to which country to honour Phil's late mother?

Australia: in the season 5 episode of that name the family visits the country where Phil was conceived, fulfilling his mother's wish.

Which gadget does Phil crave for his birthday in the season 1 episode Game Changer?

iPad: Phil's birthday falls on the tablet's April 3, 2010 launch day, and Claire's failure to queue for one drives the episode.

Who plays Mitchell Pritchett?

Jesse Tyler Ferguson plays Mitchell, Jay's uptight lawyer son, and was Emmy-nominated five times for the role without a win.

Which comedian played Duane Bailey, the councilman Claire ran against in season 3?

David Cross plays Duane Bailey, the smug incumbent who beats Claire in the season 3 town-council race.

In the pilot, Jay and Gloria watch Manny play which sport?

Soccer: the pilot introduces Gloria screaming from the sidelines of Manny's soccer game while Jay grumbles about the other parents.

According to Phil in the pilot, what does the text abbreviation WTF stand for?

'Why the face?' is Phil's reading of WTF in the pilot, one of the ways he proves he knows the kids' texting lingo.

Who plays Alex Dunphy?

Ariel Winter plays Alex, the brainy middle Dunphy child, for the show's entire run; she was 11 when it began.

In the pilot, Phil must punish Luke for shooting Alex with what?

A BB gun: Luke shoots Alex with it, and under the family's rule Phil has to shoot Luke with it in turn, a sentence he keeps rescheduling.

Which award did four-year-old Aubrey Anderson-Emmons share with the Modern Family cast in 2012?

A Screen Actors Guild Award: the cast won the ensemble-in-a-comedy prize in January 2012, making four-year-old Anderson-Emmons the youngest SAG winner at the time.

In the pilot, Cam presents baby Lily to the family to music from which film?

The Lion King: Cam hoists Lily aloft like Simba to 'Circle of Life', a reveal that stuns the family and mortifies Mitchell.

Who plays Haley Dunphy?

Sarah Hyland plays Haley, the fashion-minded eldest Dunphy child, across all 11 seasons; she was 18 when the show began.

In season 11 the family joins Jay in which city as he accepts a closet-industry award?

Paris: in the season 11 episode of that name the whole family tags along as Jay is honoured for his closet career in the French capital.

Who plays Luke Dunphy?

Nolan Gould plays Luke, the youngest Dunphy, across all 11 seasons; off screen the actor is a Mensa member.

How does Gloria mangle the phrase 'dog-eat-dog world'?

Doggy dog world is Gloria's version, one of her signature mangled idioms, which Jay wearily corrects to 'dog eat dog'.