Norman Lear is an American television producer and writer who is best known for creating groundbreaking sitcoms such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time and The Jeffersons. He has been a major force in television for over five decades, and his work has had a profound impact on American culture.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1922, Lear was the son of Jewish immigrants. His father, Herman, was a traveling salesman and his mother, Jeanette, was a homemaker. Lear was the middle child, with an older sister, Claire, and a younger brother, Lester.
Lear’s early education took place in New Haven public schools. He was an average student, but he did have a passion for writing. After high school, he enrolled in Emerson College in Boston, but he dropped out after just one semester.
In 1942, Lear enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served during World War II. He was stationed in England and worked as a mechanic on B-17 bombers. He later said that his time in the military was “the making of [him] as a man.”
After the war, Lear moved to New York City and began working in the advertising industry. He soon found success as a writer and producer of radio and television commercials. In the early 1960s, he began working in television comedy, writing for shows such as The Danny Thomas Show and The Beverly Hillbillies.
In 1971, Lear created All in the Family, which was an instant hit with audiences. The show broke new ground by tackling controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and politics. All in the Family ran for nine seasons and won numerous awards, including four Emmy Awards for Lear himself.
After All in the Family ended, Lear went on to create several other successful sitcoms, including Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, and The Jeffersons. He also produced films such as The Princess Bride and Stand by Me.
In the 1980s, Lear became more involved in politics, and he became an active supporter of liberal causes. He founded People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy group. He also produced several television specials that addressed social issues such as poverty and homelessness.
In recent years, Lear has continued to be active in television and film. He has produced shows such as 8 Simple Rules and Hot in Cleveland. He has also been involved in several documentary films, including An American Family: The Story of Us (2001) and This Is Us (2017).
Lear is now 96 years old and is still working on new projects. He is currently working on a reboot of his classic sitcom One Day at a Time.
Throughout his career, Norman Lear has been a groundbreaking force in television. He has created some of the most iconic sitcoms in American history and has helped to shape the way we think about social issues. He is truly a legend in the world of television.
General Info
Full Name
Norman Lear
Net Worth
$700 million
Date Of Birth
July 27, 1922
Profession
Screenwriter, Television producer, Film producer, Actor, Political activist, Television Director
Education
Emerson College
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Lyn Lear, Frances Lear
Children
Kate Lear, Brianna Lear, Maggie Lear, Ellen Lear, Madeline Lear, Benjamin Lear
Parents
Herman Lear, Jeanette Seicol
Siblings
Claire Lear
Accomplishments
Awards
Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, Peabody Award, International Emmy Founders Award, Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, TCA Career Achievement Award, WGA Award for Best Comedy/Variety - Music, Awards, Tri...
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Variety Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Comedy, Primetime E...
TV Shows
All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Sanford and Son, All That Glitters, Fernwood 2 Night, 704 Hauser, The Deputy, Archie Bunker's Place, a.k.a. Pablo, All's Fair, The Nancy Walker Show, The Facts of Life, America 2-Night, Apple Pie, In the Beginning, Sunday Dinner, Mr. Dugan
Best known for his ground breaking situation comedies that featured families that regularly confronted major political and social issues of the day.
Quotes
#
Quote
1
The best gift I've ever gotten, I've gotten every day of my life, and that's waking up. I love waking up. I'm a morning afternoon and evening person. There are two small words that are the most important words in the English language: 'over' and 'next'.
2
[ on being 90 years old] Suddenly I walk into a room, they're ready to applaud. I'm told how great I look all the time, and they don't mean beautiful. They mean, You're alive.
3
Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of these tiny successes. And big ones come too infrequently. And if you don' t collect all those tiny successes, the big ones don't really mean anything.
Is a brother of the Phi Alpha Tau fraternity based out of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts.
8
In 1980, he founded a public interest group "People For The American Way" which is a liberal group.
9
Supposedly based Archie Bunker, at least in part, on his own father. The elder Lear was a salesman and, by all accounts, a vulgar, reactionary bigot who was constantly railing against women and minorities. He consistantly referred to Afro-Americans as "schwartzes," a Yiddish-American term with racially perjoritive connotations, and once called young Norman "the laziest white kid I ever knew."
10
Long a renowned supporter of liberal political causes, he changed his party registration to Republican in 1980 and endorsed John Anderson for President, after calling the administration of Jimmy Carter a "complete disaster."
11
In 1959 Lear produced a pilot for a situation comedy called "Band of Gold" in which James Franciscus and Suzanne Pleshette played a different couple each week. The program was considered too "experimental" and was never broadcast.
TV Series created by - 6 episodes, 1994 story by - 1 episode, 1994 teleplay by - 1 episode, 1994
Sunday Dinner
TV Series created by - 6 episodes, 1991 creator - 1 episode, 1991
Maguy
1985
TV Series sitcom Maude
The Jeffersons
1975-1985
TV Series developed by - 253 episodes
P.O.P.
1984
TV Movie
One Day at a Time
1975-1984
TV Series developed by - 209 episodes
a.k.a. Pablo
TV Series created by - 6 episodes, 1984 creator - 6 episodes, 1984 written by - 1 episode, 1984
I Love Liberty
1982
TV Special
All in the Family
TV Series developed by - 206 episodes, 1971 - 1979 written by - 9 episodes, 1968 - 1979 teleplay by - 3 episodes, 1971 story by - 1 episode, 1972
Good Times
1974-1979
TV Series developed by - 133 episodes
Apple Pie
1978
TV Series creator
Maude
1972-1978
TV Series created by - 141 episodes
Fernwood Tonight
TV Series creator - 48 episodes, 1977 writer - 32 episodes, 1977
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
TV Series developed by - 324 episodes, 1976 - 1977 created by - 1 episode, 1976
Sanford and Son
1972-1977
TV Series developed by - 135 episodes
Sanford Arms
1977
TV Series developed by - 8 episodes
The Little Rascals
1977
TV Movie
Cold Turkey
1971
screen story / screenplay
Justice for All
1968
TV Movie written by
The Night They Raided Minsky's
1968
screenplay
Divorce American Style
1967
screenplay
Come Blow Your Horn
1963
screenplay
The Andy Williams Special
1962
TV Special
Henry Fonda and the Family
1962
TV Special written by
The Danny Kaye Special
1961
TV Special written by
The Deputy
TV Series created by - 76 episodes, 1959 - 1961 written by - 1 episode, 1959
Bobby Darin and Friends
1961
TV Special written by
The George Gobel Show
TV Series 7 episodes, 1958 - 1959 writer - 1 episode, 1958
The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show
TV Series 1 episode, 1958 writer - 3 episodes, 1957 - 1958
The Martha Raye Show
1954-1955
TV Series writer - 3 episodes
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV Series 1 episode, 1950 written by - 5 episodes, 1950 - 1952 writer - 4 episodes, 1952 - 1953 co-writer - 1 episode, 1950
Scared Stiff
1953
additional dialogue
Ford Star Revue
1950
TV Series 1951
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
One Day at a Time
2017
TV Series executive producer - 11 episodes filming
America Divided
2016
TV Mini-Series documentary executive producer pre-production
The Photographs of Your Junk (Will Be Publicized!)
2011
Short executive producer
El Superstar: The Unlikely Rise of Juan Frances
2008
executive producer
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
2007
Documentary executive producer
Declaration of Independence
2003
Video documentary short co-executive producer
Independence Day 2001
2001
TV Movie segment producer
Maggie Bloom
2000
TV Movie executive producer
Way Past Cool
2000
executive producer
The Thing in Bob's Garage
1998
executive producer
Channel Umptee-3
1997
TV Series executive producer
704 Hauser
1994
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
The Powers That Be
1992
TV Series executive producer
Fried Green Tomatoes
1991
executive producer
Sunday Dinner
1991
TV Series executive producer - 6 episodes
All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special
1991
TV Movie documentary executive producer
The Princess Bride
1987
executive producer
Heartsounds
1984
TV Movie executive producer
P.O.P.
1984
TV Movie executive producer
Good Evening, He Lied
1984
TV Movie executive producer
a.k.a. Pablo
1984
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
I Love Liberty
1982
TV Special executive producer
Palmerstown, U.S.A.
TV Series co-executive producer - 16 episodes, 1980 - 1981 executive producer - 1 episode, 1980
Hanging In
1979
TV Series executive producer
Mr. Dugan
1979
TV Series executive producer
The Baxters
1979
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
Forever Fernwood
1977
TV Series executive producer
A Year at the Top
1977
TV Series executive producer
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
1976-1977
TV Series executive producer - 325 episodes
All That Glitters
1977
TV Series producer
Sanford and Son
1972-1977
TV Series executive producer - 135 episodes
The Little Rascals
1977
TV Movie executive producer
The Nancy Walker Show
1976
TV Series executive producer
All in the Family
TV Series executive producer - 63 episodes, 1972 - 1976 producer - 37 episodes, 1971 - 1972
Hot L Baltimore
1975
TV Series executive producer - 13 episodes
Good Times
1974-1975
TV Series executive producer - 37 episodes
Maude
1972-1974
TV Series executive producer - 46 episodes
The Thief Who Came to Dinner
1973
producer
Robert Young and the Family
1971
TV Special producer
Cold Turkey
1971
producer
Start the Revolution Without Me
1970
executive producer
Justice for All
1968
TV Movie executive producer
The Night They Raided Minsky's
1968
producer
Divorce American Style
1967
producer
Never Too Late
1965
producer
Barnaby
1965
TV Movie executive producer
Come Blow Your Horn
1963
producer
The Andy Williams Show
1962
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
The Andy Williams Special
1962
TV Special producer
Henry Fonda and the Family
1962
TV Special producer
The Danny Kaye Special
1961
TV Special producer
General Electric Theater
1961
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Bobby Darin and Friends
1961
TV Special producer
The Martha Raye Show
1954-1956
TV Series producer - 15 episodes
Production Manager
Title
Year
Status
Character
Good Times
1975-1978
TV Series production supervisor - 72 episodes
All in the Family
1974-1978
TV Series production supervisor - 95 episodes
The Jeffersons
1975-1978
TV Series production supervisor - 86 episodes
Maude
1975-1977
TV Series production supervisor - 7 episodes
Forever Fernwood
1977
TV Series production supervisor
All That Glitters
1977
TV Series production supervisor
The Nancy Walker Show
1976
TV Series production supervisor
All's Fair
1976
TV Series production supervisor
The Dumplings
1976
TV Series production supervisor
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
1976
TV Series production supervisor
Grady
1975
TV Series production supervisor
Hot L Baltimore
1975
TV Series production supervisor
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
South Park
2003
TV Series consultant - 2 episodes
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
1998
Documentary funding generously provided by
There Were Times, Dear
1985
TV Movie funding source
All in the Family
TV Series developed for television by - 82 episodes, 1971 - 1975 developer - 69 episodes, 1975 - 1979 script supervisor - 34 episodes, 1971 - 1972 development - 14 episodes, 1975 - 1976
Good Times
TV Series developer - 14 episodes, 1975 - 1977 developed for television by - 6 episodes, 1974 - 1976
All That Glitters
1977
TV Series developer
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Maggie Bloom
2000
TV Movie
704 Hauser
1994
TV Series 1 episode
The Powers That Be
1992
TV Series 1 episode
Cold Turkey
1971
All in the Family
1968-1969
TV Series 2 episodes
Justice for All
1968
TV Movie
The George Gobel Show
1958-1959
TV Series 5 episodes
The Martha Raye Show
1954-1956
TV Series 6 episodes
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Stand Up Planet Comedy Showcase
2014
TV Movie
Ghetto Physics
2010
Jack & Bobby
2005
TV Series
Future Peter Benedict
South Park
2003
TV Series
Benjamin Franklin
Quiz Kids
1981
TV Series
Host
Cold Turkey
1971
Crying Man (uncredited)
Come Blow Your Horn
1963
Party Guest (uncredited)
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
This Is It
2009
Documentary additional thanks
Small Town Gay Bar
2006
Documentary special thanks
Dear Jesse
1998
Documentary thanks
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
1998
Documentary very special thanks
The Earth Day Special
1990
TV Special special thanks
Mergers & Acquisitions
1989
Short thanks
Halal in the Family
2015
TV Series special thanks - 4 episodes
P.O.V.
2012
TV Series documentary special thanks - 1 episode
The Revisionaries
2012
Documentary thanks
The Adventures of Dugg & Lemmy
2012
TV Series very special thanks - 1 episode
Pablo
2012
thanks
I'm Carolyn Parker
2011
Documentary special thanks
The After Party: The Last Party 3
2011
Documentary very special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
My Next Breath
2018
Documentary filming rumored
Find Your Groove
2017
Documentary filming
Himself
America Divided
2016
TV Mini-Series documentary pre-production
Himself
Access Hollywood
2016
TV Series
Himself
Tavis Smiley
2009-2016
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself
WGN Morning News
2016
TV Series
Himself
CBS This Morning
2014-2016
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest
Harmontown
2016
TV Series
Himself
TV Land Icon Awards 2016
2016
TV Movie
Himself - Impact Icon Award Honoree
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2016
TV Series documentary
Himself
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016
Documentary
Himself
CBS News Sunday Morning
2016
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
2015
TV Series
Himself - Panelist
StarTalk
2015
TV Series
Himself
Sinatra: All or Nothing at All
2015
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Unsung Hollywood
2014-2015
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Dr. Oz Show
2014
TV Series
Himself
The Daily Show
2014
TV Series
Himself
The View
2014
TV Series
Himself
Late Show with David Letterman
2014
TV Series
Himself
Larry King Now
2014
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Good Morning America
1979-2014
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself
Stand Up Planet
2013
TV Series
Himself
Casting By
2012
Documentary
Himself
Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption
2012
Documentary
Himself
Pablo
2012
Himself
America in Primetime
2011
TV Series documentary
Himself - Creator, All in the Family
The After Party: The Last Party 3
2011
Documentary
Himself
Ray Charles America
2010
Documentary
Himself
The 1st Annual Noble Awards
2009
TV Movie
Himself - Recipient
Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg
2009
Documentary
Himself
Entertainment Tonight
2009
TV Series
Himself
TV's 50 Funniest Catch Phrases
2009
TV Movie
Himself
TV Land Moguls
2009
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America
2009
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Florence Henderson Show
2009
TV Series
Himself - guest
Biography
2001-2007
TV Series documentary
Himself
Iconoclasts
2007
TV Series documentary
The Brothers Warner
2007
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Producer
The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord & Conflict
2007
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Square Off
2006
TV Series
Himself
Now
2006
TV Series documentary
Himself
Real Time with Bill Maher
2006
TV Series
Himself
The 4th Annual TV Land Awards
2006
TV Special
Himself
Slam Planet
2006
Documentary
Himself
TV Land's Top Ten
2006
TV Series documentary
Himself
The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments
2005
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin
2005
Documentary short
Himself
The Evolution Will Be Televised
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Funniest Families of Television Comedy: A Museum of Television & Radio Special
2004
TV Movie
Himself
The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments
2004
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
The Oprah Winfrey Show
2004
TV Series
Himself
Imagine
2003
TV Series documentary
Himself
Texas Monthly Talks
2003
TV Series
Himself - Interviewee
Intimate Portrait
2000-2003
TV Series documentary
Himself / Himself - Interviewee
Inside TV Land: Taboo TV
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself
She Turned the World on with Her Smile: The Making of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'
2002
Video documentary
Himself
TV Tales
2002
TV Series
Himself
TV's Most Censored Moments
2002
TV Special documentary
Himself
Everybody Loves Raymond
2002
TV Series
Himself
Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Inside TV Land: The Dick Van Dyke Show
2000
TV Special documentary
Himself
The 70s: The Decade That Changed Television
2000
TV Movie documentary
Himself
E! True Hollywood Story
2000
TV Series documentary
Himself
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
Video documentary
Himself / Interviewee
The Roseanne Show
1998
TV Series
Himself
CBS: The First 50 Years
1998
TV Movie documentary
Himself
League of Legends
1998
TV Movie
Himself
New Passages
1996
TV Movie
Himself
Corwin
1996
TV Movie
Himself
Color Adjustment
1992
Documentary
Himself
One on One with John Tesh
1992
TV Series
Himself
All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special
1991
TV Movie documentary
Host
50 Years of Television: A Golden Celebration
1989
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 1st Annual American Comedy Awards
1987
TV Special
Himself
One Voice
1986
TV Special documentary
Himself - Audience Member (uncredited)
The 1st TV Academy Hall of Fame
1984
Himself - Winner
This Is Your Life
1984
TV Series
Himself
The 35th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1983
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
TV Series
Himself
Creativity with Bill Moyers
1982
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Alan Thicke Show
1981
TV Series
Himself
Today
1980
TV Series
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1977-1979
TV Series
Himself - Producer / Himself - TV Producer
All in the Family
1974-1979
TV Series
Himself - Host / Himself
A Different Approach
1978
Short
Himself
The 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1978
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Outstanding Comedy Series
Hollywood & Vine
1977
Documentary short
Himself
Dinah!
1975-1977
TV Series
Himself
The 29th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1977
TV Special
Himself
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
TV Movie
Himself
Saturday Night Live
1976
TV Series
Himself - Host / Charles W. Robinson / Various
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
1976
TV Series
Himself
Day at Night
1974
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Dick Cavett Show
1972
TV Series
Himself
The 23rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1971
TV Special
Himself - Winner: Outstanding New Series and Outstanding Series - Comedy
The David Frost Show
1971
TV Series
Himself
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1952
TV Series
Himself - Technician / Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
MSNBC Live
2014
TV Series
Himself
Showtime Looks at 1981
1981
TV Movie documentary
Himself - TV Producer
Awards
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2016
All Def Movie Award
All Def Movie Awards
Vanguard Award
2015
Evelyn F. Burkey Award
Writers Guild of America, USA
2014
Pioneer Award
GLAAD Media Awards
2008
Gold Derby TV Award
Gold Derby Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award (Other)
2006
Lifetime Achievement Award in Television
PGA Awards
1999
OFTA TV Hall of Fame
Online Film & Television Association
Behind the Scenes
1999
Career Achievement Award
Television Critics Association Awards
1999
Lucy Award
Women in Film Lucy Awards
1993
Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement
Writers Guild of America, USA
1992
Wise Owl Award
Retirement Research Foundation, USA
Television and Theatrical Film Fiction
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
1991
Lifetime Achievement Award
Casting Society of America, USA
1987
Creative Achievement Award
American Comedy Awards, USA
1984
Michael Landon Award
Young Artist Awards
1983
WGA Award (TV)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Variety, Musical or Comedy
I Love Liberty (1982)
1978
Personal Award
Peabody Awards
All in the Family (1971)
1978
Showmanship Award
Publicists Guild of America
Television
1978
Valentine Davies Award
Writers Guild of America, USA
1975
Star on the Walk of Fame
Walk of Fame
Television
Awarded on July 16, 1975 at 6615 Hollywood Blvd.
1973
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Comedy Series
All in the Family (1971)
1973
Showmanship Award
Publicists Guild of America
Television
1972
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Series - Comedy
All in the Family (1971)
1971
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Series - Comedy
All in the Family (1971)
1971
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding New Series
All in the Family (1971)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2008
IDA Award
International Documentary Association
Continuing Series
American Masters (1985)
2007
Gold Derby TV Award
Gold Derby Awards
Life Achievement (Other)
1991
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Informational Special
All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special (1991)
1985
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special
Heartsounds (1984)
1982
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
I Love Liberty (1982)
1976
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Comedy Series
All in the Family (1971)
1976
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976)
1974
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Comedy Series
All in the Family (1971)
1973
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Comedy Series
Maude (1972)
1973
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding New Series
Maude (1972)
1972
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Single Program - Drama or Comedy
All in the Family (1971)
1972
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy
All in the Family (1971)
1971
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy
All in the Family (1971)
1968
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen