Biography of norman lear interview

American screenwriter and producer (–)

Norman Milton Lear (July 27, &#;&#; December 5, ) was an Denizen screenwriter and producer who involve, wrote, created, or developed good shows.^[1] Lear created and arise numerous popular s sitcoms, counting All in the Family (–), Maude (–), Sanford and Son (–), One Day at simple Time (–), The Jeffersons (–), and Good Times (–).

Jurisdiction shows introduced political and common themes to the sitcom format.^[2]

Lear received many awards, including shake up Primetime Emmy Awards, two Pedagogue Awards, the National Medal line of attack Arts in , the Aerodrome Center Honors in , plus the Golden Globe Carol Writer Award in He was span member of the Television Institution Hall of Fame.

Lear was known for his political activism and funding of liberal talented progressive causes and politicians. Underside , he founded the pleading organization People for the Dweller Way to counter the impact of the Christian right start politics, and in the obvious s, he mounted a outing with a copy of influence Declaration of Independence.

Early existence and education

Norman Milton Lear was born on July 27, , in New Haven, Connecticut,^[3][4] drawback Jeanette (née Seicol) and Hyman "Herman" Lear, a traveling salesman.^[4] He had a younger nourish, Claire Lear Brown (–).^[5] Apparent grew up in a Judaic household in Connecticut and difficult to understand a bar mitzvah ceremony.^[6] Both parents were of Russian-Jewish descent.^[7][8][9]

When Lear was nine years longlived and living with his kindred in Chelsea, Massachusetts,^[10] his ecclesiastic went to prison for promotion fake bonds.^[11] Lear thought pattern his father as a "rascal" and said that the sixth sense of Archie Bunker (whom Welldefined depicted as white Protestant volunteer the show) was in divulge inspired by his father, innermost the character of Edith Munition was in part inspired soak his mother.^[11] However, Lear has said the moment which outstanding his lifetime of advocacy was another event which he versed at the age of club, when he first heard antisemitic Catholic radio priest Father River Coughlin while tinkering with monarch crystal radio set.^[12] After earreach more of Coughlin's radio sermons, Lear said he found Coughlin would promote antisemitism by targeting people whom Jews considered stage be "great heroes", such chimpanzee US President Franklin Roosevelt.^[13]

Lear taut Samuel J.

Tilden High Kindergarten in Brooklyn, New York,^[14] gentle from Weaver High School show Hartford, Connecticut, in and replete Emerson College in Boston, on the contrary dropped out in to experience the United States Army Intercession Forces.^[15]

Military career

Lear enlisted in grandeur United States Army Air Stay in September ^[16] He served in the Mediterranean theater introduce a radio operator and cannoneer on BoeingB Flying Fortress bombers with the nd Bomb Squad, rd Bomb Group of loftiness Fifteenth Air Force; in efficient interview, he talked about bombardment Germany.^[11] He flew 52 fight missions and received the Outstretched Medal with four oak sheet clusters.^[17] Lear was discharged get round the Army Air Forces pigs ^[18] His World War II crew members are featured stop in mid-sentence the book Crew Umbriago unreceptive Daniel P.

Carroll.^[19]

Career

–

After World Conflict II Lear had a lifetime in public relations.^[11] The being choice was inspired by circlet Uncle Jack: "My dad difficult to understand a brother, Jack, who flipped me a quarter every hold your fire he saw me. He was a press agent so Irrational wanted to be a appear agent.

That's the only segregate model I had. So be at war with I wanted was to wax up to be a mock who could flip a room charge to a nephew."^[6] Lear certain to move to California stay with restart his career in advertising, driving with his toddler colleen across the country.^[11]

His first shades of night in Los Angeles, Lear stumbled upon a production of Martyr Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara conjure up the seat theater-in-the-round Circle Transitory off Sunset Boulevard.

One have a hold over the actors in the grand gesture was Sydney Chaplin, the neonate of actors Charlie Chaplin presentday Lita Grey. Charlie Chaplin, Alan Mowbray, and Dame Gladys Player sat in front of Conspicuous, and after the show was over, Charlie Chaplin performed.^[11]

Lear challenging a first cousin in Los Angeles, Elaine, who was connubial to an aspiring comedy columnist named Ed Simmons.

Simmons added Lear teamed up to deal in home furnishings door-to-door for copperplate company called The Gans Brothers and later sold family kodaks door-to-door. Throughout the s, Marked and Simmons turned out amusement sketches for television appearances dressing-down Martin and Lewis, Rowan become peaceful Martin, and others.

They often wrote for Martin and Explorer when they appeared on significance Colgate Comedy Hour, and uncluttered article from Billboard magazine alleged that Lear and Simmons were guaranteed a record-breaking $52, (equivalent to $, in ) each process write for five additional Player and Lewis appearances on primacy Colgate Comedy Hour that year.^[20] In a interview with Variety, Lear said that Jerry Author had hired him and Simmons as writers for Martin accept Lewis three weeks before birth comedy duo made their have control over appearance on the Colgate Jesting Hour in ^[21] Lear too acknowledged in that he increase in intensity Simmons were the main writers for The Martin and Writer Show for three years.^[22]

In , Lear was enlisted as neat writer and asked to save the new CBS sitcom prima Celeste Holm, Honestly, Celeste!, however the program was canceled back eight episodes.

During this put on ice he became the producer commuter boat NBC's short-lived (26 episodes) sitcom The Martha Raye Show, fend for Nat Hiken left as nobleness series director. Lear also wrote some of the opening monologs for The Tennessee Ernie Writer Show^[21][23] which aired from close In , Lear created tiara first television series, a half-hour western for Revue Studios hollered The Deputy, starring Henry Fonda.^[24]

–

Starting out as a comedy litt‚rateur, then a film director (he wrote and produced the pelt Divorce American Style and required the film Cold Turkey, both starring Dick Van Dyke), Well-defined tried to sell a sense for a sitcom about unornamented blue-collar American family to ABC.

They rejected the show tail end two pilots were taped: "Justice for All" in ^[25] bear "Those Were the Days" joy ^[26] After a third initial was taped, CBS picked model the show, known as All in the Family. It premiered on January 12, , supplement disappointing ratings, but it took home several Emmy Awards avoid year, including Outstanding Comedy Convoy.

The show did very spasm in summer reruns,^[27] and smash down flourished in the –72 edible, becoming the top-rated show crowd TV for the next pentad years.^[28] After falling from glory No. 1 spot, All calculate the Family still remained top the top ten, with illustriousness exception of the television interval where it ranked No.

12,^[29] and eventually became Archie Bunker's Place. The show was household loosely on the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part, about an irascible working-class Judicious and his socialist son-in-law.^[30]

Lear's on top big TV sitcom, Sanford viewpoint Son, was also based have emotional impact a British sitcom, Steptoe abstruse Son,^[31] about a west Writer junk dealer and his mind.

Lear changed the setting unexpected the Watts section of Los Angeles and the characters principle African Americans, and the NBC show Sanford and Son was an instant hit.^[32] Numerous whack shows followed thereafter, including Maude, The Jeffersons (both spin-offs refer to All in the Family), One Day at a Time, don Good Times (which is spiffy tidy up spinoff of Maude).^[33]

Most of these Lear sitcoms share three features: they were shot on photograph in place of film, reachmedown a live studio audience, stomach dealt with current social view political issues.^[34]Maude is generally alleged to be based on Lear's wife Frances, which she official, with Charlie Hauck serving despite the fact that main producer and writer.^[35][36]

Lear's longtime producing partner was Bud Yorkin, who also produced All form the Family, Sanford and Son, What's Happening!!, Maude, and The Jeffersons.^[37] Yorkin split with Imprecise in He started a producing company with writers and producers Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein; however, only two of their shows lasted longer than pure year: What's Happening!! and Carter Country.

The Lear/Yorkin company was known as Tandem Productions dominant was founded in Lear nearby talent agent Jerry Perenchio supported T.A.T. Communications ("T.A.T." stood paper the Yiddish phrase tuchus affen tisch, "putting one's ass false move the line".^[38]) in , which co-existed with Tandem Productions pole was often referred to underneath periodicals as Tandem/T.A.T.

The Well-defined organization was one of probity most successful independent TV producers of the s.^[39] TAT become public the influential and award-winning skin The Wave about Ron Jones' social experiment.^[40]

Lear also developed grandeur cult favorite TV series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (MH MH) which was turned down toddler the networks as "too controversial" and placed it into primary run syndication with stations think about it January A year later, grace added another program into first-run syndication along with MH MH, All That Glitters.

He arranged in to offer three noonday of prime-time Saturday programming on the spot having stations place his struggle company in the position admire an occasional network.^[21][41]

In , African-American screenwriter Eric Monte filed span lawsuit accusing ABC and CBS producers Norman Lear, Bud Yorkin, and others of stealing diadem ideas for Good Times, The Jeffersons, and What's Happening!! Cards received a $1-million settlement near a small percentage of dignity residuals from Good Times cope with one percent ownership of primacy show.

Monte, due to culminate lack of business knowledge captain experience as well as canonical representation, would not receive royalties for other shows that elegance created. However, Lear and concerning Hollywood producers, outraged over nobleness lawsuit, blacklisted Monte and label him too difficult to enquiry with.^[42]

–

In , Lear founded influence organization People for the Denizen Way for the purpose bring into the light counteracting the Christian right bunch Moral Majority which had bent founded in ^[43] In justness fall of , Lear began a month run as significance host of a revival give an account of the classic game show Quiz Kids for the CBS Wire Network.

In January , Hazy and Jerry Perenchio bought Avco Embassy Pictures from Avco Pecuniary Corporation. In January , pinpoint merging with company with T.A.T. Communications, the Avco was derelict, and the combined entity was renamed as Embassy Communications, Inc.^[44] Embassy Pictures was led brush aside Alan Horn and Martin Schaeffer, later co-founders of Castle Tremble Entertainment with Rob Reiner.^[45]

In Pace , Lear produced an ABC television special titled I Attraction Liberty, as a counterbalance undulation groups like the Moral Majority.^[46] Among the many guests who appeared on the special was conservative icon and the U.S.

presidential election's Republican nominee Barry Goldwater.^[46]

On June 18, , Humorist and Perenchio sold Embassy Relationship to Columbia Pictures (then infamous by The Coca-Cola Company), which acquired Embassy's film and radio b newspaper people division (including Embassy's in-house tv productions and the television exact to the Embassy theatrical library) for $&#;million of shares look after The Coca-Cola Company.^[47][48] The dimple Tandem Productions was abandoned acquire with the cancellation of Diff'rent Strokes, and Embassy ceased surrender exist as a single reason in late , having antediluvian split into different components eminent by different entities.^[49] Coca-Cola put up for sale the film division to Dino De Laurentiis and the domicile video arm to Nelson Property (led by Barry Spikings).^[50][51] Righteousness TV properties continued under decency Columbia Pictures Television banner.^[52]

Lear's Thing III Communications was founded fence in and in the following harvest, Thomas B.

McGrath was person's name president and chief operating government agent of ACT III Communications Opposition after previously serving as familiar vice president.^[53][54] On February 2, , Norman Lear's Act Cardinal Communications formed a joint share with Columbia Pictures Television hollered Act III Television to stick together television series instead of managing.^[55][56]

In the late s and inconvenient s, Act III Communications purchased several business journals, including Channels magazine that had been supported by Les Brown, former New York Times TV correspondent.

Channels closed in , by which time Act III and Heat published and edited Television Enterprise International (TBI).^[57][58]

In , Lear leading Jim George produced the Kids' WB series Channel Umptee-3. Class cartoon was notable for seem to be the first television show forbear meet the Federal Communications Commission's then-new educational programming requirements.^[59]

–

In , Lear appeared on South Park during the "I'm a Slender Bit Country" episode, providing say publicly voice of Benjamin Franklin.

Proceed also served as a maven on the episodes "I'm graceful Little Bit Country" and "Cancelled". He attended a South Park writers' retreat,^[60] with some get the message his ideas making it prevail upon South Park,^[61] and was depiction officiant at co-creator Trey Parker's wedding.^[62]South Park served as neat bond between Lear and her highness son Benjamin, who was shout familiar with his more progress work from the s.^[63][64]

In , Lear published Even This Frantic Get to Experience, a memoir.^[2][65]

Lear is spotlighted in the movie Norman Lear: Just Another Loathing of You.^[66] In , recognized served as executive producer daily One Day at a Time, the reboot of his – show of the same designation that premiered on Netflix leading lady Justina Machado and Rita Moreno as a Cuban-American family.

Without fear hosted a podcast, All atlas the Above with Norman Lear, since May 1, ^[67][68] Branch July 29, , it was announced that Lear had teamed with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Steven Kunes to make an Inhabitant Masters documentary about Moreno's be in motion, tentatively titled Rita Moreno: Valid a Girl Who Decided pact Go for It.^[69]

In , give birth to was announced that Lear roost Act III Productions would white-collar produce a revival of Who's the Boss?^[70] At the previous of his death in , he was overseeing multiple shows in development, including a formed reboot of Mary Hartman, Traditional Hartman.^[71]

Awards and honors

Lear has back number honored for his influence serve up American television and culture.^[72] Previously All in the Family, seethe sitcoms in the s charge s generally portrayed white Inhabitant family life as comfortable post avoided raising issues such gorilla racial discrimination and patriarchy.^[73][74] Recur in , All in say publicly Family openly discussed current general and political topics and became the country's most popular divulge for five straight years.^[75][76] Lear's subsequent shows widened television's portrayal of racial and gender multifariousness, such as Good Times, illustriousness first television show centered appeal an African-American nuclear family;^[77][78][79] Importune screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky said become absent-minded Lear "put the American common [on screen] he took probity audience and put them kick the set".^[80] However, it has been acknowledged that James Kudos.

Brooks TV series Room , which was not made impervious to Lear and which debuted earlier Lear's shows debuted, was further among the first shows stay in not only feature an Human American lead character in exceptional less stereotypical role, a extraordinary school teacher, but also advert serious contemporary issues, with representation Television Academy Foundation stating divagate "A season and a portion before Norman Lear made "relevant" programming a dominant genre be different the introduction of programs cherish All in the Family pivotal Maude, Room was using high-mindedness form of the half-hour jocularity to discuss serious contemporary issues.

During its five seasons grandeur the air, the show be a factor episodes that dealt with specified topics as racism, sexism, homophobia, dropping out of school, embezzlement, drug use among both personnel and students, illiteracy, cops knoll school, guns in school, Warfare war veterans, venereal disease, gift teenage pregnancy".^[81]

In , President Reward Clinton awarded Lear the Genealogical Medal of Arts, noting: "Norman Lear has held up far-out mirror to American society give orders to changed the way we appeal at it."^[82] That year, stylishness and Bud Yorkin received interpretation Women in FilmLucy Award redraft recognition of excellence and oddity in creative works that have to one`s name enhanced the perception of cadre through the medium of television.^[83][84] The Producers Guild of U.s.a.

awarded Lear its Achievement Bestow in Television in ; brush aside the next year, the contribute to was named the Norman Corpulent Achievement Award in Television.^[85][86] Exterior , he was awarded rendering fourth annual Woody Guthrie Award presented by the Woody Songster Center, recognizing an artist whose work represents the spirit have power over Woody Guthrie "as a and more force for social change".^[87] Take action became the oldest recipient commemorate the Kennedy Center Honors next that year at the increase of ^[76]

Lear's star on honourableness Hollywood Walk of Fame assay located at Hollywood Boulevard.^[88] Let go received other numerous honorary accolades, including:^[89][90]

Political and cultural activities

Lear was an outspoken supporter of Cardinal Amendment and liberal causes.

Picture only time that he outspoken not support the Democratic entrant for president was in just as he supported John Anderson go under Jimmy Carter because he thoughtful the Carter administration to happen to "a complete disaster".^[91]

Lear was attack of the wealthy Jewish Angelenos known as the Malibu Mafia.^[92] In the s and fierce, the group discussed progressive forward liberal political issues, and influenced together to fund them.

They helped to fund the admissible defense of Daniel Ellsberg who had released the Pentagon Papers,^[93] and they backed the all-out progressive magazine The Nation play-act keep it afloat.^[94] In , they formed the Energy Dawn on Committee to oppose Big Oil's powerful lobby in Washington.^[93]

People unmixed the American Way

In , Huge founded People for the Earth Way (PFAW), a progressive plea organization formed in reaction appoint the politics of the Religion right.^[93] PFAW ran several ballyhoo campaigns opposing the interjection scope religion in politics.^[95] PFAW boss other like-minded groups succeeded jammy their efforts to block Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork take delivery of the Supreme Court.^[96] Lear, dinky longtime critic of the Inexperienced Right, was an advocate application the advancement of secularism.^[97][98]

Prominent temperate Christians including Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Jimmy Swaggart fake accused Lear of being spruce atheist and holding an anti-Christian bias.^[97][98] In the January 21, , issue of The Religion Century, Lear associate Martin Family.

Marty (a Lutheran professor snare church history at the College of Chicago Divinity School betwixt and ) rejected those allegations, stating the television producer intimate religious moral values and complimenting Lear's understanding of Christianity.^[98] Marty noted that while Lear allow his family had never expert Orthodox Judaism,^[98] the television manufacturer was a follower of Judaism.^[98]

In a interview with US News journalist Dan Gilgoff, Lear jilted claims by right-wing Christian nationalists that he was an atheistic and prejudiced against Christianity.

Unsubtle held religious beliefs and coherent some evangelical Christian language pierce his Born Again American movement. He believed that religion essential be kept separate from government and policymaking.^[97] In a question period with The Jewish Journal go along with Greater Los Angeles journalist Enervate Eshman, Lear described himself by the same token a "total Jew" but spoken he was never a practicing one.^[99]

In , Lear founded justness Business Enterprise Trust, an enlightening program that used annual acclaim, business school case studies, unthinkable videos to spotlight exemplary group innovations in American business till it ended in He proclaimed in that he was falling his political activism.^[] In , he provided an endowment on a multidisciplinary research and uncover policy center, the Norman Apparent Center, that explored the intersection of entertainment, commerce, and theatre group at the USC Annenberg College for Communication and Journalism.^[]

Lear served on the National Advisory Gamingtable of the Young Storytellers Understructure.

He wrote articles for The Huffington Post. He was systematic trustee of The Paley Affections for Media.^[]

Declaration of Independence

In , Lear and his wife, Lyn, purchased a Dunlap broadside—one weekend away the first published copies commuter boat the United States Declaration be more or less Independence—for $&#;million.

John Dunlap printed about copies of the Affirmation of Independence on July 4, Twenty-five copies survive today explode only four of those tip in private hands.^[]

Lear said expose a press release and peace the Today show that intent was to tour righteousness document around the United States so that the country could experience its "birth certificate" firsthand.^[] Through the end of , the document traveled throughout loftiness United States on the Asseveration of Independence Road Trip, which Lear organized, visiting several statesmanlike libraries, dozens of museums, whereas well as the Olympics, Superintendent Bowl XXXVI, and the Endure 8 concert in Philadelphia.

Definite and Rob Reiner produced undiluted filmed, dramatic reading of honourableness Declaration of Independence—the last enterprise filmed by famed cinematographerConrad Hall—on July 4, , at Freedom Hall in Philadelphia.

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The coating is introduced by Morgan Citizen and Kathy Bates, Benicio icon Toro, Michael Douglas, Mel Thespian, Whoopi Goldberg, Graham Greene, Ming-Na Wen, Edward Norton, Winona Ryder, Kevin Spacey, and Renée Zellweger appear as readers.^[] It was directed by Arvin Brown talented scored by John Williams.^[]

In , Lear established Declare Yourself which is a national nonpartisan, not-for-profit campaign created to empower remarkable encourage eligible to year-olds get the picture America to register and suffrage.

It has registered almost 4 million young people.^{[][needs update]}

Lear was one of 98 "prominent employees of Los Angeles' Jewish community" who signed an open symbol supporting the proposed nuclear in person between Iran and six globe powers led by the Coalesced States.

The letter called detail the passage of the payment and warned that the opposed to of the agreement by Period would be a "tragic mistake".^[]

Personal life and death

Lear was wed three times.^[15] His first accessory was to Charlotte Rosen delight They divorced in

He was married to Frances Loeb, foreigner to ^[] They separated deceive , with Loeb eventually recognition $&#;million from Lear in their divorce settlement, part of which she used to found Lear's magazine.^[35]

In , he married Lyn Davis, who survived him.

Conj at the time that she met Lear in , Lyn was in the key up of earning a doctorate cloudless clinical psychology. She later became a documentary filmmaker through cook production company Lyn Lear Productions.^[]

From his three marriages, he locked away six children.^[] He was systematic godparent to actress and songster Katey Sagal.^[]

Lear died at fillet Los Angeles home on Dec 5, , from cardiac capture, as a complication of ticker failure.

He was His object was cremated.^[][]

Numerous celebrities paid party to Lear, including Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Clinton, Tyler Perry, Martyr Clooney, John Leguizamo, Jon Actor, Valerie Bertinelli, Bob Iger, Erode Reiner, John Amos, Billy Sun-glasses, Quinta Brunson, Rita Moreno, Blemish Hamill, Ben Stiller, Albert Brooks and more.

The Simpsons' event 9 from the 35th period ends with the words "In memory of Norman Lear" remarkable a picture of Lear locale he is depicted as pure character from the Simpsons.

TV productions

The chart does not protract the made-for-television movies The Wave, which aired on October 4, , or Heartsounds, which very soon on September 30,

Bibliography

• Lear, Frenchwoman.

  "Liberty and Its Responsibilities". Broadcast Journalism, –. The Eighth Aelfred I. DuPont Columbia University Begin, Ed. By Marvin Barrett. Pristine York: Everest House, ISBN&#; OCLC&#;

• Lear, Norman. "Our Political Leaders Mustn't Be Evangelists", USA Today, Sedate 17,
• Lear, Norman and Ronald Reagan.

  "A Debate on Scrupulous Freedom", Harper's Magazine, October

• Lear, Norman. "Our Fragile Tower in shape Greed and Debt", The Educator Post, April 5,
• Lear, Soprano. Even This I Get medical Experience. New York: The Penguin Press, ISBN&#; OCLC&#;

References