Norman Lear died on Tuesday, December 5 at the age of 101, Variety confirmed. The TV legend celebrated what turned out to be his last birthday on July 27 with an Instagram video where he talked about “living in the moment.”
“I have just turned 101, and that is, they tell me, my second childhood,” Norman said. “It feels like that, in terms of the care I am getting. I get the kind of care at this age that I see children getting. And so, I am now a 101-year-old toddler, and I am thinking about two little words that we don’t think about often enough: over and next.”
Norman had a multi-decade career, as it spanned throughout the Golden Age of TV and even went into the modern streaming era. Norman was most known for his work behind the scenes as a producer, screenwriter, and show developer. Some of his most popular work included the shows All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times, and Live in Front of a Studio Audience.
At the age of 92, Norman released his memoir titled Even This I Get to Experience, in which he wrote about his “front-row seat at the birth of television.” Over his lifetime he was able to write, produce, and create/develop more than a hundred shows! At one point, Norman even had nine TV shows on the air at the same time, according to his website.
He also earned many accolades during his century-long life, including being honored with the National Medal of the Arts by former President Clinton in 1999. Norman had even made it onto Richard Nixon‘s “Enemies List” during the 1970s! Despite having massive success in entertainment, the legend even faced possibly losing his home at one point. “Having heard that we’d fallen into such dire straits, my son-in-law phoned me and asked how I was feeling. My answer was, ‘Terrible, of course,’ but then I added, ‘but I must be crazy, because despite all that’s happened, I keep hearing this inner voice saying, ‘Even this I get to experience'”, he wrote on his website prior to his death.
Over the years, Norman created TV shows with some of the most iconic actors in Hollywood. Some of the stars in his many shows include Sally Struthers, Rob Reiner, Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Lisa Whelchel, George Clooney, and many more. Ahead of his death, ABC released a birthday special for Norman’s 100th birthday on Sept. 22, 2022. “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,” he said in a statement at the time.
Aside from his work, Norman was a father and devoted husband for many years. The producer, who was born on July 27, 1922, welcomed a total of six kids with multiple women into his life: Kate, Madeline, Benjamin, Ellen, Brianna, and Maggie Lear. He was married a total of three times: to Charlotte Rosen, from 1943 until 1956; to Frances Loeb, from 1965 to 1985; and his third wife, Lyn Davis, whom he married in 1987.