In that way, Normans life expanded in concentric circles to include thousands upon thousands of friends.
“Norman lived a life of gratitude.
Am I not the luckiest dude?
Norman Lear.Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
He was grateful for everything that brought him to the moment he was in.
As a husband, father, and grandfather, he was unwaveringly devoted.
He was always transparent and vocal about his love and admiration for each of us, the statement concluded.
Carroll O’Connor with cast of All in the Family.Bettmann / Getty Images
We were adored by him, and we adored him right back.
Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts.
Few people have had as much influence on television, and therefore on American culture, as did Lear.
‘The Jeffersons’.Everett Collection
Lear and Yorkin bought the rights and developedAll in the Family.
In the process, they created one of the most vivid characters ever seen on the screen.
Archie Bunker was loud, unschooled, guiltlessly bigoted, and totally new.
In short order, Lear began to capitalize on his success.
The show was rejected by all three networks, but became a hit in syndication.
“Are people less bigoted than they were beforeAll in the FamilyorSanford and Son?”
he said in an interview withPlayboy.
“And even if they are, am I responsible for it?
Bulls—.”
“I like living in a country where I can speak out,” he told Bill Moyers.
“I like the First Amendment.
And I like the flag; it is not the exclusive property of the far right.
It is more than a symbol of America’s might.
It is a symbol of America’s people.”
