Barney Hefner (played by Allan Melvin) is the neighbor and best friend of Archie Bunker (played by Carroll O'Connor) on the TV series All In The Family . The character of Barney was originally just a recurring character but by season 9 of the series, he was appearing quite frequently. When All In The Family was retitled Archie Bunker's Place in 1979, Allan Melvin became a regular cast member. Barney Hefner is a regular patron at Archie's bar and the two men frequently have arguments and disputes over a variety of subjects. Archie and Barney also served together in the army during World War II.