RIP, Norman Lear
Dec. 6th, 2023 02:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerNorman Lear, a famed writer, producer, and showrunner in both TV and film, died today. He was aged 101. Example news coverage: Variety article, 6 Dec 2023.
Lear was most famous for creating the TV show All in the Family, which ran for 9 seasons from 1971-1979 and spawned no fewer than 6 spin-offs, including The Jeffersons. It featured "lovable bigot" Archie Bunker, his wife Edith, their daughter Gloria, and Gloria's boyfriend, later husband, Michael "Meathead" (Archie's insulting nickname for him) Stivic. The show was groundbreaking for taking on issues of the day that had been considered too controversial for staid network television, such as racism (part of virtually every story line), women's liberation and equal rights, abortion, and homosexuality. The show spoke to all of these issues with a clear voice of the need for tolerance and acceptance, but did so in a gentle enough fashion that made it one of the most-watched shows on TV during its run. In seasons 2-6 it was actually #1. It's widely regarded as the best TV show ever made in the US.
Lear was no one-trick pony, though. In addition to All in the Family and some of its spinoffs he also created Sanford and Sons, One Day at a Time, and Diff'rent Strokes. These were all influential shows on network television back in the 1970s through mid 1980s.
Lear had writing credits on some popular films, too. I did not know until I read coverage of his death that he has writing credits for Stand By Me and The Princess Bride. I also did not know that he he wrote and directed Cold Turkey, a 1971 dark comedy about the tobacco industry.
RIP, Norman Lear. I wish Hollywood had a dozen more people like you.
Lear was most famous for creating the TV show All in the Family, which ran for 9 seasons from 1971-1979 and spawned no fewer than 6 spin-offs, including The Jeffersons. It featured "lovable bigot" Archie Bunker, his wife Edith, their daughter Gloria, and Gloria's boyfriend, later husband, Michael "Meathead" (Archie's insulting nickname for him) Stivic. The show was groundbreaking for taking on issues of the day that had been considered too controversial for staid network television, such as racism (part of virtually every story line), women's liberation and equal rights, abortion, and homosexuality. The show spoke to all of these issues with a clear voice of the need for tolerance and acceptance, but did so in a gentle enough fashion that made it one of the most-watched shows on TV during its run. In seasons 2-6 it was actually #1. It's widely regarded as the best TV show ever made in the US.
Lear was no one-trick pony, though. In addition to All in the Family and some of its spinoffs he also created Sanford and Sons, One Day at a Time, and Diff'rent Strokes. These were all influential shows on network television back in the 1970s through mid 1980s.
Lear had writing credits on some popular films, too. I did not know until I read coverage of his death that he has writing credits for Stand By Me and The Princess Bride. I also did not know that he he wrote and directed Cold Turkey, a 1971 dark comedy about the tobacco industry.
RIP, Norman Lear. I wish Hollywood had a dozen more people like you.
