Norman Lear, an award-winning and impactful director, actor, and producer, died in his sleep and of natural causes on December 5 in his home in Los Angeles. He was 101.
Norman Lear was born in New Heaven, Connecticut on July 27, 1922. According to WCVB, Lear attended Emerson College, but he dropped out to help out in World War II in the Air Force in September of 1942. Lear made such a big impact at Emerson College that there is a colossal statue of him on campus. Both of his parents were of Russian-Jewish descent, but his relationship with his father was questionable at best. His father went to prison because he was caught selling fake bonds and his mother was the person who mainly raised him. His parents later on became an inspiration for the characters Archie Bunker (father) and Edith Bunker (mother) for the TV show All in the Family. He attended Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn, New York, but graduated from Weaver High School in Hartford, Connecticut.
Lear started his career by writing comedy. Among his most famous comedic films are Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons. However, his most famous TV sitcom was All in the Family, which aired for nine seasons and is thought by many to be his signature show. Another famous movie of his is Divorce American Style, which got him an Oscar nomination.
In addition to all of his many accomplishments, Lear produced a show called Good Times, starring an all-black cast. “In September 2020, it was announced that the series would receive an animated sitcom revival produced with Norman Lear… alongside Seth MacFarlane and Steph Curry for Netflix,” according to encyclopedia.com. The original Good Times “stretched the boundaries of television comedy and provided a different view not only of black family life but of the social fabric of 1970s American society in general.”
Lear lived a long, happy life. “Life is made up of small pleasures,” Lear said. “Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don’t collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don’t really mean anything.”
Throughout his life, he received many different awards for his skills in movie directing and comedy writing. In 1977 and 2017, he received the Peabody Award, which is a lifetime achievement. The award is given out by the National Association of Broadcasters to the most influential people in online media, TV shows, radio, and any other influential story authors. He also received the Humanist Art Award by the American Humanist Society, which is only given to the top philanthropists. Lear was also known for setting up charities and giving donations to people in need, especially in his later years. In 2007, he won the Britannia Awards for Excellence in Television for his creation of a film for many people all over the world.
His comedies inspired us and will continue to make us laugh for years to come. According to Tighten Casket, “Following Lear’s passing at the age of 101 on December 6, 2023, a private funeral was held in Los Angeles.”
