Norman Lear
- Known For
- Production
- Born
- July 27, 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Died
- December 5, 2023
- Active Years
- 1950–2025 (76 Years)
- Total Credits
- 151 credits in database
Biography
Norman Milton Lear was an American television writer and producer born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 27, 1922, and died on December 5, 2023, at the age of 101. His parents were Enie Jeanette Sokolovsky and Hyman Herman Lear, a traveling salesman, and his grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. His mother inspired the character Edith Bunker, and his father inspired Archie Bunker. Lear attended Emerson College on a one-year scholarship before dropping out. He began as a comedy writer for the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis radio show from 1950 to 1953. Lear produced 1970s sitcoms including All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. In 2017, Netflix rebooted his series One Day at a Time.
Career overview
Norman Milton Lear was an American television writer and producer born in New Haven, Connecticut on July 27, 1922. His career in television includes iconic 1970s sitcoms such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. He also started as a comedy writer for the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis radio show from 1950 to 1953. Lear experienced a late-career comeback in 2017 when Netflix rebooted his series One Day at a Time, which starred an ensemble cast including Justin Machado and Rita.
Beyond his television production work, Lear was a political activist who supported progressive causes and First Amendment rights. He founded the advocacy organization People for the American Way in 1981, with the group also noted as having been founded in 1978 in related records. His life and family background heavily influenced his creative work, as his mother Jeanette served as the inspiration for the character Edith Bunker, and his father Herman served as the inspiration for Archie Bunker. Lear passed away on December 5, 2023, at the age of 101.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
151 titles- Boots (2025) Executive Producer
- Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television (2025) as Self
- Clean Slate (2025) Executive Producer
- Before We Forget (2025) Executive Producer
- Good Times (2024) as Self (voice)
- Good Times (2024) Executive Producer
- Being Mary Tyler Moore (2023) as Self (voice)
- Norman Lear: A Life on Television (2023) as Self
- I Got A Monster (2023) Executive Producer
- JANET JACKSON. (2022) as Self
- Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution (2022) as Self
- "Sr." (2022) as Self
- Lucy and Desi (2022) as Self
- Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter (2022) as Self
- A Case for Kindness (2022) as Self
- Gratitude Revealed (2022) as Himself
- Dean Martin: King of Cool (2021) as Self
- I Carry You with Me (2021) Executive Producer
- The Super Bob Einstein Movie (2021) as Self
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes (2021) as Self - Host
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes (2021) Executive Producer
- Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021) as Self
- Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021) Executive Producer
- Adventures in Christmasing (2021) as Himself
- Stars in the House (2020) as Self
- Visible: Out on Television (2020) as Self
- A Virtual Princess Bride Reunion (2020) as Self
- Pioneers in Skirts (2020) as self
- Find Your Groove (2020) as Self
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" (2019) as Self - Co-Host
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" (2019) Executive Producer
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" (2019) Original Series Creator
- I Want My MTV (2019) as Self
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" (2019) as Self - host
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" (2019) Writer
- Robert Scheer: Above the Fold (2019) as Self
- Viewer Direction Advised (2018) as Self
- One Day at a Time (2017) Executive Producer
- The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee (2017) as Self
- If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017) as Self
- To Tell the Truth (2016) as Self - Panelist
- America Divided (2016) as Self
- Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (2016) as Self
- StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson (2015) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- Playing for Change 3 - Songs Around the World (2014) Executive Producer
- Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption (2013) as Self
- Finding Your Roots (2012) as Self
- Casting By (2012) as Self
- Pablo (2012) as Self
- The Television Revolution Begins: "All in the Family" Is On the Air (2009) as Self
- Those Were the Days: The Birth of "All in the Family" (2009) as Self
- The Brothers Warner (2008) as Self
- Pete Seeger: The Power of Song (2007) Executive Producer
- Iconoclasts (2005) as Self
- A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2005)
- Jack & Bobby (2004)
- TV Revolution (2004)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- Chappelle's Show (2003) Writer
- The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series (2003) as Self
- Way Past Cool (2003) Executive Producer
- Funny Is Money (1999) as Self
- South Park (1997)
- Channel Umptee-3 (1997) Producer
- Channel Umptee-3 (1997) Creator
- Perfect Moment (1997) as Self
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
- Corwin (1996) as Self
- 704 Hauser (1994) Writer
- 704 Hauser (1994) Director
- 704 Hauser (1994) Creator
- Intimate Portrait (1993) as Self
- The Powers That Be (1992) Producer
- The Powers That Be (1992) Director
- Color Adjustment (1992) as Self
- Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) Executive Producer
- Sunday Dinner (1991) Producer
- Sunday Dinner (1991) Writer
- Sunday Dinner (1991) Creator
- All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special (1991) as Self - Host
- All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special (1991) Executive Producer
- The Simpsons (1989) as Norman Lear (voice)
- The Princess Bride (1987) Executive Producer
- Video Shock: The Revolution in Your Living Room (1985) as Self
- a.k.a. Pablo (1984) Writer
- a.k.a. Pablo (1984) Producer
- a.k.a. Pablo (1984) Creator
- Heartsounds (1984) Executive Producer
- P.O.P. (1984) Writer
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982) as Self - Guest
- Traveling Hopefully (1982) as Self - Television Producer
- I Love Liberty (1982) Executive Producer
- I Love Liberty (1982) Writer
- Palmerstown, U.S.A. (1980) Producer
- The Facts of Life (1979) Creator
- Archie Bunker's Place (1979) Creator
- Hanging In (1979) Producer
- America 2-Night (1978) Creator
- Apple Pie (1978) Creator
- A Different Approach (1978)
- All That Glitters (1977) Creator
- Fernwood 2 Night (1977) Creator
- A Year at the Top (1977) Producer
- Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) as Self
- Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) Producer
- Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) Creator
- All's Fair (1976) Creator
- The Nancy Walker Show (1976) Producer
- The Nancy Walker Show (1976) Creator
- Bob Hope's World of Comedy (1976) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- One Day at a Time (1975) Producer
- The Jeffersons (1975) Creator
- Hot l Baltimore (1975) Producer
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- Good Times (1974) Producer
- The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) Producer
- Maude (1972) Executive Producer
- Maude (1972) Creator
- Sanford and Son (1972) Producer
- Sanford and Son (1972) Creator
- All in the Family (1971) Director
- All in the Family (1971) Writer
- All in the Family (1971) Executive Producer
- All in the Family (1971) Producer
- All in the Family (1971) Creator
- Cold Turkey (1971) as Crying Man (uncredited)
- Cold Turkey (1971) Director
- Cold Turkey (1971) Screenplay
- Cold Turkey (1971) Producer
- Start the Revolution Without Me (1970) Executive Producer
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) Screenplay
- The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) Producer
- Divorce American Style (1967) Producer
- Divorce American Style (1967) Screenplay
- Never Too Late (1965) Producer
- Come Blow Your Horn (1963) as Party Guest (uncredited)
- Come Blow Your Horn (1963) Screenplay
- Come Blow Your Horn (1963) Producer
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Deputy (1959) Writer
- The Deputy (1959) Creator
- Scared Stiff (1953) Additional Dialogue
- The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) Writer
- Television: The Ultimate Drug as Self - Producer
- Justice for All Creator
- Those Were the Days Creator
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Norman Lear best known for?
Norman Lear is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Boots (2025), Lucy and Desi (2022), Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021), Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021).
When and where was Norman Lear born?
Norman Lear was born on July 27, 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. They passed away on December 5, 2023.
How many credits does Norman Lear have?
Norman Lear has accumulated over 151 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1950 to 2025.
What is Norman Lear's background in cinema and television?
Norman Milton Lear was an American television writer and producer born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 27, 1922, and died on December 5, 2023, at the age of 101. His parents were Enie Jeanette Sokolovsky and Hyman Herman Lear, a traveling salesman, and his grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. His mother insp...
Norman Lear by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Pioneers in Skirts (2020) as self — aged about 97
- South Park (1997) — aged about 74
- The Simpsons (1989) as Norman Lear (voice) — aged about 66
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self — aged about 39
- Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021) as Self — aged about 98
- Jack & Bobby (2004) — aged about 81
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