CBS will air the special Norman Lear: A Life on Television Friday, December 8. Presented by Entertainment Tonight, the special on the late producer goes for an hour. 

Lear’s comedies included All in the Family, Good Times and The Jeffersons. He died December 5 at the age of 101. 

Those who speak in the special include Jimmie Walker from Good Times and Mackenzie Phillips from One Day at a Time. The special also features a sit-down interview between Lear and ET host Kevin Frazier when Lear celebrated his 100th birthday. 

Lear’s shows on CBS include All in the Family (1971-1979), Sanford and Son (1972-1977), Maude (1972-1978), Good Times (1974-1979), One Day at a Time (1975-1984) and The Jeffersons (1975-1985).

A member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame and the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame, Lear won six Primetime Emmys and was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2017. 

CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and The CW simulcast an In Memoriam salute to start off primetime on December 6. 

Sadly, we’ve gotten a little inured to all the “sad news” postings. 

The social internet will do that to a person. It processes and distills all the tragedy, ugliness, humiliation and dread of everyday life, bombarding you every morning with brutal street beatings, racist rants, footage from terrorist body cams, totalitarian campaign messaging … all before the French Roast can slip past the blood-brain barrier. 

And yes, the deaths of wonderful, creative folks who profoundly shaped our culture and world view roll on by every day, their associated tributes lost in a repetitive cacophony.  

For what it’s worth, Wednesday’s passing of sitcom legend Norman Lear felt a little different. It wasn't just because the volume was a little louder — a pioneering television career and life spanning 101 years will touch a lot more fans, friends, peers, mentees and hangers-on merely on the basis of its duration. 

It must have been the narrative arc, perhaps as enduring and coherent as we're ever likely to see from a Hollywood legend. Just so we can stop blathering on about how moved we feel about this, we've assembled a few of the more moving tributes. 

If we were bold enough to add a cutline to any of these Twitter/X tributes culled from around zeitgeist, it certainly would not read, “Some sad news …” 

We’d choose, “This, my friends, is how it’s done.”

Weigel Broadcasting's Me TV and Catchy Comedy will air a block of episodes from several Norman Lear-produced shows, including All in The Family and Good Times in tribute to the iconic TV writer and producer, who died Tuesday at 101 years old.

Me TV on December 10 will air a four-hour block of Lear-created shows, beginning with the 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, hosted by Lear. In addition, the network will feature holiday-themed episodes of All in the Family and Sanford and Son, according to the network.

Catchy Comedy will also air the 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family on December 8. 

Me TV and Catchy join broadcast networks ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox. and The CW, who will pay tribute to Lear tonight (November 6) with a simulcast on an on-air tribute to the iconic TV producer, according to published reports.

Multichannel News interviewed Lear in 2015 to discuss the state of the television industry at the time and how it has changed over the years since he produced such groundbreaking shows as All In The Family, Maude, The Jeffersons and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.  

Norman Lear, who produced an array of hit comedies that frequently touched on key social issues, died at home in Los Angeles December 5. He was 101 and his wife Lyn survives him. 

Lear’s shows included All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Maude and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. 

Lear was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1922 and was raised in Hartford. He attended Emerson College in Boston, then enlisted in the Army Air Forces after the U.S. entered World War II. 

After his military service, he got a job doing publicity, often focusing on theater clients. He was fired after a year for planting untrue stories. 

Lear moved to Los Angeles in 1949 and worked as a door-to-door salesman with Ed Simmons, before the duo began writing comedy routines. They sold a skit to Danny Thomas, and soon began writing for The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Martha Raye Show and The George Gobel Show.

In 1958, Lear and Bud Yorkin formed Tandem Productions and produced singer Andy Williams’s variety show, television specials and movies.

Lear wrote the screenplay for the Tandem film Come Blow Your Horn, reported the NY Times, and Yorkin directed. He also wrote the script for Divorce, American Style, and Yorkin again directed. 

Lear then adapted a BBC show called Till Death Us Do Part, about a working-class white man named Alf with a racist mindset, and All in the Family was born. Carroll O’Connor played Archie Bunker. The show debuted on CBS in 1971 and ran for nine seasons. 

Maude and The Jeffersons both featured characters who initially appeared in All in the Family. Maude ran from 1972 to 1978 and The Jeffersons from 1975 to 1985.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman premiered in 1976 and the spinoff talk show parody Fernwood 2-Night followed. 

Other Lear shows included Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, Good Times and All in the Family spinoff Archie Bunker’s Place. 

In 1982, Lear, Yorkin and Jerry Perenchio bought Avco Embassy Pictures, and released This Is Spinal Tap (1984), among other feature films. Spinal Tap was directed by Rob Reiner, who was in the cast of All in the Family. After selling the business to Coca-Cola, Lear founded Act III Communications. Act III productions included the Rob Reiner films Stand By Me and The Princess Bride. 

Reiner shared on X, “I loved Norman Lear with all my heart. He was my second father. Sending my love to Lyn and the whole Lear family.”

Lear entered the music business in 1999, acquiring Concord Music Group with a partner. 

Dedicated to social and political activism, Lear founded the Business Enterprise Trust in 1989 to promote socially responsible corporate behavior, and was among the founders of the Environmental Media Association. In 2003, he founded Declare Yourself, which encourages young people to vote. Among his many honors, he was in the founding class of the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame in 1991.

Lear gave $5 million to the University of Southern California, which set up the Norman Lear Center at the Annenberg School for Communication. 

He published his autobiography, Even This I Get to Experience, in 2014. Former President Bill Clinton wrote, “That Norman Lear can find humor in life’s darkest moments is no surprise. It’s the reason why he’s been so successful throughout his more than nine decades on earth, and why Americans have relied on his wit and wisdom for more than six.”

Still working in recent years, Lear wrote a few episodes of South Park, and was executive producer on a new version of One Day at a Time, which debuted on Netflix in 2017. 

Lear and Jimmy Kimmel hosted Live in Front of a Studio Audience specials on ABC that saw episodes of classic Lear sitcoms, including All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Diff’rent Strokes, performed live by a modern-day cast. Woody Harrelson played Archie and Jamie Foxx portrayed George Jefferson. Lear and Kimmel executive produced the specials as well. 

Live in Front of a Studio Audience got Lear an Emmy at age 97, an Emmy record. 

In 2022, ABC ran the special Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter. 

CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and The CW will simulcast an In Memoriam salute to Lear at 8 p.m. ET/PT December 6. 

Lear summed up his philosophy to B+C in 2016. “A day does not go by where I don’t learn something — something about myself, about the world, about life,” he said. “That’s the most exciting thing. It doesn’t stop.”

“Norman Lear’s commitment to storytelling and social justice made him a pioneer in television. His ability to use humor to combat racism and prejudices showed his sense of decency,” the Writers Guild of America, East said in a statement. “[H]is charitable work exemplified what it means to use your influence to make the world a better place.

“Upon being honored at the 2015 Writers Guild Awards for bringing honor and dignity to writers, Lear said, “Nobody enjoyed a greater, larger, longer collaboration than I with dozens of brilliant writers.’ ”

ABC celebrates Norman Lear when Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter airs Thursday, Sept. 22. The special runs for two hours.

Guests set to celebrate Lear through speeches and comedy performances include Asante Blackk, George Clooney, Laverne Cox, Isabella Gomez, Emily Hampshire, Tom Hanks, Rita Moreno, Ms. Pat, Jay Pharoah, Rob Reiner, Aida Rodriguez and George Wallace. Musical performances paying tribute to iconic sitcom theme songs will be performed by Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Ledisi, Justina Machado, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelly Rowland, Amber Stevens West, Michelle Williams and more.

Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler and Octavia Spencer are also set to appear in the special.

“I’ve always believed music and laughter have added time to my life. I’ve seen a lot throughout my 100 years, but I would’ve never imagined America having a front-row seat to my birthday celebration,” said Lear, who turned 100 in July.

Lear’s shows include All in the Family, Sanford and Son and One Day at a Time.

Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter is produced by Done+Dusted. Executive producers are David Jammy, Brent Miller, Garrett English, Raj Kapoor and Eric Cook. James Merryman is set to direct. ■

Amazon’s streaming services, the subscription Prime Video and the free IMDb TV, are adding classic series from producer Norman Lear in a licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television.

“Norman Lear is a national treasure and his impact on television and popular culture is immeasurable,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “We are so honored to bring his classic television series to Prime Video and IMDb TV so new audiences and a new generation can laugh, enjoy and be inspired, like so many of us have been throughout the years.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Amazon Prime Video subscribers will be able to start streaming 227 and Diff’rent Strokes on July 15 as part of their membership. Titles including The Jeffersons, Sanford & Son and Sanford will launch on Prime Video later in 2021.

All in the Family, Good Times, Maude and One Day at a Time will come to IMDb TV on July. Amazon said this is the first time all episodes of Maude and all seasons of All in the Family will be available to stream.

“Life is a collaboration. Writing, directing and producing films and television is perhaps the most collaborative work of all. In 2018, our Act III Productions sat with the team at Sony Pictures Television and formed a partnership to not only produce new content, but to bring a new awareness to my former Embassy library,” said Lear. “That Sony found a home for that library with Prime Video/IMDb TV where new generations could find it, is the best present a man entering his 100th year can have.”

At the ripe age of 99, Lear continues to work. He has been executive producing and co-hosting Live in Front of a Studio Audience alongside Jimmy Kimmel. The show features top actors recreating episodes from Lear’s series life.

He’s also executive producer of two films now in theaters, I Carry You With Me and Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided to Go For It.

Pop TV will bring back comedy series One Day at a Time three months after the series was canceled by Netflix.

Pop in 2020 will air a 13-episode fourth season of the Sony Pictures Television-produced series, which is based on the comedy created by Norman Lear's 1975 series of the same name. 

Netflix canceled the series in March after a three season run. One Day at a Time will also air on CBS Television Network -- which aired the original 1970s series -- following its run on Pop, according to CBS officials.

One Day at a Time stars Justina Machado as a newly single Army veteran and follows her Cuban-American family as they navigate the ups and downs of life. Rita Moreno also stars along with Todd Grinnell, Isabella Gomez and Marcel Ruiz. 

"How amazing it is to be involved with this brilliant and culturally significant series that deals with important themes one minute while making you laugh the next,” said Brad Schwartz, Pop TV president in a statement. “If Schitt’s Creek has taught us anything, it’s that love and kindness always wins. Pop is now the home to two of the most critically praised and fan-adored comedies in all of television, bringing even more premium content to basic cable. We couldn’t be more proud to continue telling heartwarming stories of love, inclusion, acceptance and diversity that pull on your emotions while putting a smile on your face.”

One Day at a Time creator Lear added: “Three months ago, I was heartbroken with the news of our beloved One Day At A Time’s cancellation. Today, I’m overwhelmed with joy to know the Alvarez family will live on.” 

Epix has renewed its documentary series America Divided for a second season, the network announced Tuesday during its Television Critics Association summer press tour session.

Related: Complete Coverage of the 2017 TCA Summer Press Tour

The eight-story first season, executive produced by Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes and Common, featured narratives around inequality in education, housing, healthcare, labor, criminal justice and the political system. It also included celebrities such as America Ferrera, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Poehler, Peter Sarsgaard and Jesse Williams.

“Season two will bring more eye-opening stories to light,” said Epix president and CEO Mark Greenberg. “We look forward to working with that talented team on season two.”

Epix also announced premiere dates for the spohomore seasons of drama/thriller series Berlin Station (Oct. 15) and comedy series Graves (Oct. 22).

Pasadena, Calif. -- Television may be in its Golden Age given the multitude of quality programming, but veteran actors speaking Tuesday at the Television Critics Association Winter tour said content on the small screen is far from perfect.

Cable TV outlets  -- and to a certain extent digital streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon – have opened up numerous opportunities for writers with diverse backgrounds and stories to create more quality shows and series than ever before, according to veteran producer Norman Lear.

Lear, the producer of such classic series as All In The Family and The Jeffersons, who will make a guest appearance on Ovation’s new talk show Rough Draft with Reza Aslan, added that he has a hard time keeping up with all the great shows.

“I live a life, and probably you all do, where people are constantly saying, `You mean you haven’t seen …?’ and they mention a show that’s been on for 10 years,” he said.

But Lear also cautioned that today’s TV environment is too politically correct to fully grasp the complexities of today’s world. “I don’t think the narrow point of view serves the American people well,” he said. “I don’t think the bumper sticker quality of news and discussion helps us understand.”

Roles for women in today’s TV environment have also expanded to include superheroes like CBS’ Supergirl, but Lindsay Wagner -- star of the 1970s series The Bionic Woman -- says she’s concerned about whether those characters are sending the right message.

“I am concerned when I see … that a lot of the modern day ideas of a female superhero is just yesterday’s male hero in some tights and maybe a pushup bra,” said Wagner, who is starring in UP network’s original movie Love Finds You In Valentine.

“The whole point of having a woman in a leadership position of any kind is to hopefully bring the feminine wisdom to whatever they are attempting to do, the feminine aspect of intelligence,” she added.

Other highlights from Tuesday’s TCA panel sessions:

--ESPN will ramp up its 30 For 30 series of documentaries with an five- part series chronicling the life and ultimate downfall of O.J. Simpson, according to ESPN senior vice president and executive producer Connor Schell. The development of the series -- which will air on ESPN in June after first airing later this month at the Sundance Film Festival -- comes amid FX’s February scripted series about the Simpson’s murder trial dubbed The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

Schell said OJ: Made In America provides additional context about what outside racial and social-economic issues impacted Simpson's life as well as his infamous murder trial.

“One of the things that [producer Ezra Edelman] does masterfully here is give you context with this story,” he said. “Over the five parts, you really understand the social history of the City of Los Angeles in the period that we’re talking about, the relationship between the black community in L.A. and the police department. The context that Ezra is able to provide allows you to view the events of 1994 through an entirely new lens, and I think it’s what makes this film that he’s created really extraordinary.”

--Outdoor Sportsman Group networks CEO Jim Liberatore defended the network’s hunting-themed programming from critics who questioned whether the network glorifies the killing of animals. The network last month debuted Carter’s W.A.R., which follows hunter/conservationist Ivan Carter as he looks to protect Africa’s wildlife from poachers.

“Hunters and poachers are two completely different animals ... but hunting and conservation are the same. If you understand the principles of game management, you understand what is going to happen if there isn’t hunting managing the number of animals versus the number of people in these African nations,” Liberatore said. “It’s easy to think that we’re killing endangered species. Hunters are not killing endangered species.”

Keep up with all the happenings from the TCA tour at our TCA news site.

Television industry icon Norman Lear will serve as a guest speaker at NAMIC’s annual conference in September.

Lear, who produced such groundbreaking TV series as All In The Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Maude and Sanford & Son, will speak at the The L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program luncheon Sept. 29, said NAMIC officials.

The 29th annual NAMIC Conference is scheduled to take place Sept. 29-30 in New York City.

“Mr. Lear is among our industry's foremost visionaries and a trailblazing champion of television diversity," said Eglon Simons, president and CEO of NAMIC in a statement. "It is an honor to have the opportunity to celebrate his pioneering genius and career achievements in creating landmark programming while addressing complex and sensitive social issues."