History Creator / NormanLear

Lear's series are fondly remembered as amongst the best of their era and as revolutionary [[TropeCodifier trope codifiers]] for the socially-conscious sitcom, as they often dealt frankly (even by present-day standards) with social and political issues of the day, in the process breaking all sorts of taboos (everything from ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' having the first audible toilet to ''Series/{{Maude}}'' featuring the first sitcom character to get an abortion) without being overly preachy. Lear's various production companies continued pumping out sitcoms through TheEighties and into TheNineties (''Series/DiffrentStrokes'', ''Series/WhosTheBoss'' and ''Series/TheFactsOfLife'' among them); he also briefly entered the movie business with his acquisition of Embassy Pictures, before hitting a bit of a lull, between having sold his assets to what eventually became Creator/SonyPicturesTelevision, and creating a string of shows that got ScrewedByTheNetwork after only a few episodes and generally aren't as highly regarded (or well remembered) as his early work. He found a surprise new success with the highly popular 2017 Netflix remake of ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|2017}}'', at age 93.

Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922 – December 5, 2023) was an American television writer, producer, screenwriter and occasional voice actor best known for creating, developing, and/or producing a number of [[SitCom sitcom]] megahits in TheSeventies, including ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/SanfordAndSon'', ''Series/{{Maude}}'', ''Series/TheJeffersons'', ''Series/GoodTimes'', and ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}'', among others. During his career Lear was nominated for 17 Primetime UsefulNotes/{{Emmy Award}}s (winning six) and an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward, and received two Peabody Awards.

Lear was also known for being a social and political activist for liberal causes (often of the 1st Amendment variety) having founded the progressive advocacy group People For the American Way and often contributing to Democrat campaigns. He's also credited by Creator/RobReiner (who had acted on Lear's ''All in the Family'') with having helped jump-start his directing career by fronting the money for ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' (having owned Embassy Pictures at the time). He became close friends with Creator/TreyParkerAndMattStone of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' fame, having voice acted in a couple episodes, being credited as a consultant on a few others, and even officiating Trey Parker's wedding.

Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922 – December 5, 2023) was an American television writer, producer, screenwriter and occasional voice actor best known for creating, developing, and/or producing a number of [[SitCom sitcom]] megahits in TheSeventies, including ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/SanfordAndSon'', ''Series/{{Maude}}'', ''Series/TheJeffersons'', ''Series/GoodTimes'', and ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}'', among others. During his career Lear was nominated for 13 Primetime UsefulNotes/{{Emmy Award}}s (winning five) and an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward, and received two Peabody Awards.

Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922 – December 5, 2023) was an American television writer, producer, screenwriter and occasional voice actor best known for creating, developing, and/or producing a number of [[SitCom sitcom]] megahits in TheSeventies, including ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/SanfordAndSon'', ''Series/{{Maude}}'', ''Series/TheJeffersons'', ''Series/GoodTimes'', and ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}'', among others. During his career Lear was nominated for 13 UsefulNotes/{{Emmy Award}}s (winning five) and an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward, and received two Peabody Awards.

Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922 - December 5, 2023) was an American television writer, producer, screenwriter and occasional voice actor best known for creating, developing, and/or producing a number of [[SitCom sitcom]] megahits in TheSeventies, including ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/SanfordAndSon'', ''Series/{{Maude}}'', ''Series/TheJeffersons'', ''Series/GoodTimes'', and ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}'', among others. During his career Lear was nominated for 13 UsefulNotes/{{Emmy Award}}s (winning five) and an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward, and received two Peabody Awards.

Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American television writer, producer, screenwriter and occasional voice actor best known for creating, developing, and/or producing a number of [[SitCom sitcom]] megahits in TheSeventies, including ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/SanfordAndSon'', ''Series/{{Maude}}'', ''Series/TheJeffersons'', ''Series/GoodTimes'', and ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}'', among others. During his career Lear has been nominated for 13 UsefulNotes/{{Emmy Award}}s (winning five) and an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward, and received two Peabody Awards.

Lear is also known for being a social and political activist for liberal causes (often of the 1st Amendment variety) having founded the progressive advocacy group People For the American Way and often contributing to Democrat campaigns. He's also credited by Creator/RobReiner (who had acted on Lear's ''All in the Family'') with having helped jump-start his directing career by fronting the money for ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' (having owned Embassy Pictures at the time). As of late he's become close friends with Creator/TreyParkerAndMattStone of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' fame, having voice acted in a couple episodes, being credited as a consultant on a few others, and even officiating Trey Parker's wedding.

* ''Hot L Baltimore'' (1975)

* TropeCodifier: Lear's shows, especially ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', were this for socially conscious sitcoms.

* TransAtlanticEquivalent: His first two hit sitcoms, ''All in the Family'' and ''Sanford and Son'', were both Americanized remakes of [[British Series/TillDeathUsDoPart]] [[Series/SteptoeAndSon sitcoms]].

* TransAtlanticEquivalent: His first two hit sitcoms, ''All in the Family'' and ''Sanford and Son'', were both Americanized remakes of British sitcoms.

** ''Series/AllInTheFamily'', ''Series/GoodTimes'', ''Series/OneDayAtATime'' (both original and reboot), and ''Series/TheJeffersons'' were all more idealistic.

* AfterShow[=/=]FromTheAshes:
** ''All in the Family'' had one in the form of ''Series/ArchieBunkersPlace''. ''[[Series/SevenHundredFourHauser 704 Hauser]]'' could count as it takes place in the same house previously owned by the Bunkers, though the connections are minimal aside from a cameo of a grown-up Joey Stivic in the first episode.
** ''Sanford and Son'' had ''two'' in the form of ''Series/TheSanfordArms'' and ''Series/{{Sanford}}'', but Lear wasn't involved with either of them.

* AfterShow[=/=]FromTheAshes: ''All in the Family'' had one in the form of ''Series/ArchieBunkersPlace'', and ''Sanford and Son'' had ''two'' in the form of ''Series/TheSanfordArms'' and ''Series/{{Sanford}}'', but Lear wasn't involved with either of them.
** ''704 Hauser'' could count as it takes place in the same house previously owned by the Bunkers, though the connections are minimal aside from a cameo of a grown-up Joey Stivic in the first episode.

* ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' (1971-1979)
* ''Series/SanfordAndSon'' (1972-1977)
* ''Series/{{Maude}}'' (1972-1978)
* ''Series/GoodTimes'' (1974-1979)
* ''Series/TheJeffersons'' (1975-1985)

* ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}'' (1975-1984)

* ''Series/MaryHartmanMaryHartman'' (1976-1977)

* ''The Powers That Be'' (1992)

* ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|2017}}'' (2017-2020)

* CulturalTranslation: ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' and ''Sanford And Son'' were adaptations of the {{Brit Com}}s ''Series/TillDeathUsDoPart'' and ''Series/SteptoeAndSon'', respectively.

* CulturalTranslation: ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' and ''Sanford And Son'' were adaptations of the {{Brit Com}}s ''Series/TillDeathDoUsPart'' and ''Series/SteptoeAndSon'', respectively.

* CulturalTranslation: ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' and ''Sanford And Son'' were adaptations of the {{Brit Com}}s ''Series/TilDeathDoUsPart'' and ''Series/SteptoeAndSon'', respectively.

[[AC: Films Written]]

[[AC: TV Shows Created or Produced]]

* ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|2017}}'' (2017-)

Lear's series are fondly remembered as amongst the best of their era and as revolutionary [[TropeCodifier trope codifiers]] for the socially-conscious sitcom, as they often dealt frankly (even by present-day standards) with social and political issues of the day, in the process breaking all sorts of taboos (everything from ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' having the first audible toilet to ''Series/{{Maude}}'' featuring the first sitcom character to get an abortion) without being overly preachy. Lear's various production companies continued pumping out sitcoms through TheEighties and into TheNineties (''Series/DiffrentStrokes'', ''Series/WhosTheBoss'' and ''Series/TheFactsOfLife'' among them); he also briefly entered the movie business with his acquisition of Embassy Pictures, before hitting a bit of a lull, between having sold his assets to what eventually became Creator/SonyPicturesTelevision, and creating a string of shows that got ScrewedByTheNetwork after only a few episodes and generally aren't as highly regarded (or well remembered) as his early work. He found a surprise new success with the highly popular 2017 Netflix remake of ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|2017}}'', at age 93. In May 2018, Nickelodeon announced the greenlit of an animated project by Norman Lear currently entitled ''Man of the House''. The new series will center around a 11 year old boy Jose as he helps his mother, Maria, raise his younger siblings while also trying to start a hip hop group with his eccentric "neighbor" from downstairs, Wilbur.