Largely responsible for the explosion of bold American television in the 1970s, writer/producer Norman Lear’s name is synonymous with the sitcom. In this excerpt, television writer and producer Phil Rosenthal shares how impactful Lear’s work was, especially through the narratives of “All In the Family.”
Written Features
Video Features
Clip | Norman Lear – All in The Family Disclaimer
Clip | “Maude” on Tough Issues
Clip | Why Norman Lear is the “Most Influential Producer in the History of Television”
Clip | Norman Lear and Inspiration from The Jeffersons
Clip | Norman Lear on Network Censorship
Clip | Norman Lear on Tough Conversations
Clip | Norman Lear’s Legacy: “There Were a lot of Shoulders That Preceded Me”
Clip | Norman Lear’s Psychiatrist
Clip | Rob Reiner on “All in the Family” Success
TRANSCRIPT
The way I look at it, television can be broken into two parts: B.N. and A.N.
Before Norman and After Norman, right? He's the most influential producer in the history of television because of this gigantic change that happened when All in the Family hit the air. CBS news presents, 'Look Up and Live.' Today, 'Laughter: Hurt or Heal? I have to say, I have to feel that the laughter hurts; that the repetition of these stereotype terms that we thought had died tends to be hurtful and harmful to the public good.
Well, Mr. Lear? I've heard all these epithets. If they had died, where had they gone to? I don't - did - do you really believe that All in the Family resurrected them from from death? So...my mission is to entertain. I chose to entertain with what I consider real people.