Norman Lear, the critically acclaimed creator of some of Americans' favorite TV shows, died Tuesday evening at the age of 101 at his home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his family.
"Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather,” his family members said in a statement. "Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity, and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all," Lear's family emphasized. "Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts. We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being."
Norman Lear died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes at 101 years old. A private service for immediate family will be held in the coming days.
— Variety (@Variety) December 6, 2023
“Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather,” Lear’s… pic.twitter.com/AVhm901DwD
While Lear is best known as the mastermind behind shows such as "All in the Family," "Sanford and Son," "Diff’rent Strokes," and "The Jeffersons," he had a distinguished record as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Lear dropped out of Emerson College after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and enlisted, ending up assigned to the 772nd Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group, Fifteenth Air Force.
During his service in the military, Lear flew 52 combat missions aboard Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses in the Mediterranean as well as bombing runs over Nazi Germany — earning him an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters.
NORMAN LEAR: Legendary TV Producer & Army Air Force Veteran, Dies at 101 pic.twitter.com/EcNOssfJLj
— SEGAMI (@segamihcfund) December 6, 2023
Lear returned from war and began working a number of jobs including as a furniture salesman and in public relations, landing him in Los Angeles where he began networking in the TV industry. There he would meet the people who, along with Lear, would go on to create some of the most iconic shows chronicling American life through the 1970s and 1980s.
Even though, in the case of "All in the Family," Lear intended to create characters to lampoon supposedly backward conservative characters, his show made Archie Bunker an icon and gave everyone something to laugh at — essentially created the political sit-com genre in the process.
In addition to creating and writing for shows, Lear hosted and produced other programs including one TV special in 1982 titled "I Love Liberty" that featured, among others, Barry Goldwater, despite Lear's progressive bent that included his founding of People for the American Way (PFAW), created to oppose conservatives in various arenas. Lear opposed Robert Bork's confirmation to the Supreme Court, pushed for a rejection of the "Moral Majority" agenda, and sought to advance secularism.
Norman Lear had an impact on the big and small screen few have has passed away at age 101: All in the Family, Good Times, One Day At A Time, The Jeffersons, Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, Princess Bride... quite the resume.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) December 6, 2023
Lear is credited with developing more than 100 shows in his career, earning him almost countless accolades including multiple Peabody Awards, six Primetime Emmys, the Golden Globe Carol Burnett Award, and landing him a spot in the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
According to Variety, Lear is survived by his third wife, six children, and four grandchildren.
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