Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922 – December 5, 2023) was a legendary American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Maude. As a political activist, he founded the advocacy organization People for the American Way in 1981 and has supported First Amendment rights and progressive causes.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, to Enie/Jeanette (Sokolovsky) and Hyman "Herman" Lear, a traveling salesman. His grandparents were all Russian Jewish immigrants. Jeanette was the inspiration for the character Edith Bunker, and Herman for Archie Bunker. Lear won a one year-scholarship to Emerson College. He dropped out when news about Pearl Harbor struck, and decided to enroll in the United States Army. He was nineteen. In the army, Norman was a radio operator. He was discharged in 1945.
Norman landed a press agent job but was not being paid well so decided to pursue another career. In 1954, he was a writer for the CBS sitcom, Honestly, Celeste! Lear then became the producer of NBC's The Martha Raye Show. In 1959, he created his first TV series with Roland Kibbee, The Deputy, on NBC, starring Henry Fonda. In 1967 his comedic writing career began. He wrote and produced the 1967 film, Divorce American Style, and directed the film, Cold Turkey, starring Dick Van Dyke. All In The Family came about when Lear read a British column on the show "Til Death Do Us Part", about a father and a son-in-law who fought about everything politically. He immediately knew it was just like him and his father. Lear tried to sell the "blue" collar sitcom to ABC, and two pilots were filmed and rejected. A third pilot was filmed, and CBS picked up the show. It premiered on January 12, 1971.
When it was first aired, a big warning appeared on the screen stating none of the content being presented should be taken seriously and should only be seen for the purpose of hilarity. Next came Sanford And Son, along with creator Bud Yorkin, in 1972. It was inspired by British sitcom Steptoe and Son. In All In The Family, a guest-star named Bea Arthur appeared in an episode and in 1972 the first spin-off was formed called Maude, starring Arthur. A memorable episode from Maude which struck a degree of controversy was the abortion episode. A spin-off from Maude, Good Times, with the maid character played by Esther Rolle, premiered in 1974, dealing with issues like poverty, crime, welfare and life in low-income African-American housing areas. This wasn't the only sitcom to depict life for African-Americans: in 1975 The Jeffersons, another spin-off from All In The Family, followed. All In The Family received multiple Emmy awards. Good Times ran for five seasons till 1979, with multiple Golden Globe nominations. Maude ran for six seasons, till 1978, receiving multiple Emmy and Golden Globe wins and nominations. Sanford and Son ended in 1977 with a Golden Globe win and several Emmy nominations. All In The Family ended in 1979, after nine seasons. Next came another spin-off of the show called Archie Bunker's Place, with Caroll O'Connor and Danielle Brisebois. Archie Bunker's Place ended in 1983, and was his last successful television show.
Lear made a comeback in 1990 with several short-lived shows, including Sunday Dinner and 704 Hauser.
Fotos
Películas (61)
Before We Forget
2025 · Executive Producer
Norman Lear: A Life on Television
2023 · Self
Being Mary Tyler Moore
2023 · Self (voice)
I Got A Monster
2023 · Executive Producer
A Case for Kindness
2022 · Self
Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter
2022 · Self
Gratitude Revealed
2022 · Himself
"Sr."
2022 · Self
Lucy and Desi
2022 · Self
The Super Bob Einstein Movie
2021 · Self
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes
2021 · Self - Host, Executive Producer
Adventures in Christmasing
2021 · Himself
Dean Martin: King of Cool
2021 · Self
I Carry You with Me
2021 · Executive Producer
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It
2021 · Self, Executive Producer
A Virtual Princess Bride Reunion
2020 · Self
Pioneers in Skirts
2020 · self
Find Your Groove
2020 · Self
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019 · Self - Co-Host, Original Series Creator, Executive Producer
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
2019 · Self - host, Writer
I Want My MTV
2019 · Self
Robert Scheer: Above the Fold
2019 · Self
Norman Lear, A Mini Documentary
2018 · Self
Viewer Direction Advised
2018 · Self
The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee
2017 · Self
If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast
2017 · Self
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016 · Self
Playing for Change 3 - Songs Around the World
2014 · Executive Producer
Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption
2013 · Self
Casting By
2012 · Self
Pablo
2012 · Self
The Television Revolution Begins: "All in the Family" Is On the Air
2009 · Self
Those Were the Days: The Birth of "All in the Family"
2009 · Self
The Brothers Warner
2008 · Self
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
2007 · Executive Producer
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin
2005 · Self
Way Past Cool
2003 · Executive Producer
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
2003 · Self
Funny Is Money
1999 · Self
Perfect Moment
1997 · Self
Corwin
1996 · Self
Color Adjustment
1992 · Self
Fried Green Tomatoes
1991 · Executive Producer
All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special
1991 · Self - Host, Executive Producer
The Princess Bride
1987 · Executive Producer
Video Shock: The Revolution in Your Living Room
1985 · Self
Heartsounds
1984 · Executive Producer
P.O.P.
1984 · Writer
I Love Liberty
1982 · Executive Producer, Writer
Traveling Hopefully
1982 · Self - Television Producer
A Different Approach
1978
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976 · Self
The Thief Who Came to Dinner
1973 · Producer
Cold Turkey
1971 · Crying Man (uncredited), Director, Screenplay, Producer
Start the Revolution Without Me
1970 · Executive Producer
The Night They Raided Minsky's
1968 · Screenplay, Producer
Divorce American Style
1967 · Producer, Screenplay
Never Too Late
1965 · Producer
Come Blow Your Horn
1963 · Party Guest (uncredited), Screenplay, Producer
Scared Stiff
1953 · Additional Dialogue
Television: The Ultimate Drug
· Self - Producer
Series (56)
Boots
2025 · Executive Producer
Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television
2025 · Self
Clean Slate
2025 · Executive Producer
Good Times
2024 · Self (voice), Executive Producer
Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution
2022 · Self
JANET JACKSON.
2022 · Self
Stars in the House
2020 · Self
Visible: Out on Television
2020 · Self
One Day at a Time
2017 · Executive Producer
America Divided
2016 · Self
To Tell the Truth
2016 · Self - Panelist
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
2015 · Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014 · Self
Finding Your Roots
2012 · Self
Iconoclasts
2005 · Self
Jack & Bobby
2004
TV Revolution
2004
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · Self - Guest
Chappelle's Show
2003 · Writer
Channel Umptee-3
1997 · Producer, Creator
South Park
1997
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
The Daily Show
1996 · Self
704 Hauser
1994 · Writer, Director, Creator
Intimate Portrait
1993 · Self
The Powers That Be
1992 · Director, Producer
Sunday Dinner
1991 · Writer, Producer, Creator
Los Simpson
1989 · Norman Lear (voice)
a.k.a. Pablo
1984 · Writer, Producer, Creator
Late Night with David Letterman
1982 · Self - Guest
Palmerstown, U.S.A.
1980 · Producer
Archie Bunker's Place
1979 · Creator
The Facts of Life
1979 · Creator
Hanging In
1979 · Producer
Apple Pie
1978 · Creator
America 2-Night
1978 · Creator
A Year at the Top
1977 · Producer
Fernwood 2 Night
1977 · Creator
All That Glitters
1977 · Creator
The Nancy Walker Show
1976 · Producer, Creator
All's Fair
1976 · Creator
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
1976 · Self, Producer, Creator
One Day at a Time
1975 · Producer
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Host
Hot l Baltimore
1975 · Producer
The Jeffersons
1975 · Creator
Dinah!
1974 · Self
Good Times
1974 · Producer
Maude
1972 · Executive Producer, Creator
Sanford and Son
1972 · Producer, Creator
All in the Family
1971 · Writer, Director, Executive Producer, Producer, Creator
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 · Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self
The Deputy
1959 · Writer, Creator
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950 · Writer