Norman Lear, who died today at 101, had been in the TV business for more than 70 years. Along the way, he’d written and created some of the most iconic and groundbreaking shows in television history and worked with some of the biggest of Hollywood’s stars.
After World War II, where he was decorated for his service in a B-52 bomber, Lear broke into show biz in 1950 as a writer on All Star Revue, where he worked with such legendary comedians as Jimmy Durante, Danny Thomas, Martha Raye and George Jessel. He followed that by working on the Colgate Comedy Hour with the likes of Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello and Eddie Cantor.
Those gigs led to Lear working on The Martha Raye Show, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, Henry Fonda and Family and the film The Night They Raided Minsky’s.
But it was the ’70s when Lear’s name became a household word for any American household that watched TV. In 1971, All in the Family, with Carroll O’Conner as the bombastic Archie Bunker, changed TV forever. The show tackled issues like racism, homosexuality, women’s rights, rape, religion, abortion and the Vietnam War in ways never seen before in a sitcom, or on TV for that matter. The show ran until 1979.
He followed that up with a string of shows that pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable on the small screen, Maude (1972-’78), Sanford and Son (1972-’77), Good Times (1974-’79), One Day at a Time (1975-’84) and The Jeffersons (1975-’85). He brought back an updated One Day at a Time in 2017 that ran for three seasons.
He also delivered the cult classics Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-’78) and Fernwood 2-Night (1977), which introduced Martin Mull and Fred Willard to the U.S. mainstream.
Since 2000, Lear has worked a executive producer on a host of projects including I Got A Monster (2023), which tells the story of the corrupt Guns Trace Task Force police unit in Baltimore. He’s also working on a Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman remake, and a new version of Good Times, among other projects.
Take a stroll with us through the highlights of Lear’s 72 years or making people laugh, think and question the status quo.
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‘All Star Revue’ (1951)
From left, Bunny Lewbel and Danny Thomas.
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‘The Colgate Comedy Hour’ (1950)
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left, Jeanne Mahoney, Donald O’Connor (host) and Peggy Gordon.
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‘Ford Star Revue’ (1951)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Jackie Gleason
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The Martha Raye Show’ (1954)
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left, Art Carney and Martha Raye.
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‘The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show’ (1956-’61)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Tennessee Ernie Ford and Molly Bee.
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‘The George Gobel Show’ (1954-’60)
Image Credit: Everett Collection George Gobel and Jeff Donnell.
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‘The Deputy’ (1959-’61)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Betty Lou Keim and Henry Fonda.
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The Danny Kaye Special’ (1961)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Danny Kaye with mimes on the TV special that aired on Nov. 6, 1961.
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‘Henry Fonda the Family’ (1961-’62)
Image Credit: TV Guide/CBS/Everett collection Clockwise from bottom left: Carol Lynley, Michael J. Pollard, Paul Lynde, Verna Felton, Flip Mark, co-writers, producers, and directors Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, unknown woman, Henry Fonda, Cara Williams, Dick Van Dyke and Dan Blocker.
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‘Come Blow Your Horn’ (1963)
Image Credit: Everett Collections Frank Sinatra and Barbara Rush.
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Divorce American Style’ (1967)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Dick Van Dyke and Debbie Reynolds.
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‘The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968)
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left, Jason Robards, Jr., Britt Ekland and Norman Wisdom.
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‘All in the Family’ (1971-’79)
Image Credit: Gene Trindl/TV Guide/CBS/Everett collection Writer, producer, and show creator Norman Lear on set during Season 1.
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‘All in the Family’ (1971-’79)
Image Credit: CBS/Everett collection From left, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Carroll O’Connor
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‘Cold Turkey’ (1971)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Bob Newhart
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‘Maude’ (1972)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Bea Arthur and Bill Macy.
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‘Sanford and Son’ (1972-’77)
Image Credit: Gene Trindl/TV Guide/Everett Collection From left: Raymond Allen, LaWanda Page, Redd Foxx, Marlene Clark and Demond Wilson.
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‘Good Times’ (1974-’79)
Image Credit: CBS/Everett Collection From left, Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle and John Amos.
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‘One Day at a Time’ (1975-’84)
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left, Mackenzie Phillips, Bonnie Franklin and Valerie Bertinelli.
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‘The Jeffersons’ (1975-’85)
Image Credit: CBS/Everett Collection From left, Isabel Sanford, Mike Evans and Sherman Hemsley.
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‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman’ (1976-’78)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Louise Lasser and Greg Mullavey.
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‘The Dumplings’ (1976)
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left, James Coco, George S. Irving and Geraldine Brooks.
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‘All That Glitters’ (1977)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Linda Gray and David Dukes.
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‘All’s Fair’ (1976-’77)
Image Credit: CBS/Everett Collection From left, Michael Keaton, Judith Kahan, Richard Crenna and Bernadette Peters.
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‘Apple Pie’ (1978)
Image Credit: TAT Communications/Everett Collection From left, Caitlin O’Heaney, Derrel Maury, Rue McClanahan and Jack Gilford.
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‘Fernwood 2-Night’ (1977-’78)
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left, Martin Mull and Fred Willard.
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‘I Love Liberty’ (1982)
Image Credit: ABC/Everett Collection Hal Linden and Michele Lee on an ABC special.
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‘704 Hauser’ (1994)
Image Credit: CBS/Everett Collection From left, T.E. Russell, John Amos and Lynnie Godfrey.
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‘Chappelle’s Show’ (2003-’06)
Image Credit: Danielle Levitt/Comedy Central/Everett Collection Dave Chappelle
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‘One Day at the Time’ (2017-’20)
Image Credit: Mike Yarish/Netflix/Everett Collection From left: Sheridan Pierce, Marcel Ruiz and Isabella Gomez.
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‘I Got A Monster’ (2023)
Image Credit: Greenwich Entertainment/Everett Collection Baltimore Police Sgt. Wayne Jenkins, who ran the department’s Gun Trace Task Force and was the subject of the film.