Norman Lear’s Favorite Moments From His ’70s Sitcoms

Norman Lear was known for his work in classic sitcoms such as All The Family (1972), Maude (1972), The Jeffersons (1975), Good Times (1977), and many more. In fact, at one point he had nine series on the air at the same time. Sadly, and as announced by his representative, Matthew Lawrence, the comedy icon died recently in his sleep at his Los Angeles home at the age of 101.

“Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity, and empathy. Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts,” his family wrote in a statement. “We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being.” The late producer, TV writer, and activist had a unique comedic touch to his movies, earning him accolades and awards, including a Golden Globe, multiple Primetime Emmy awards, and many more. Here are his favorite moments from ’70s sitcom.

‘All In The Family’ (1972)

The “Sammy’s Visit” episode featured Sammy Davis Jr., who intends to retrieve a briefcase he’d forgotten in Archie’s cab. Carroll O’Connor’s racist character refused to drink from a glass with Sammy and was bewildered when Sammy surprised him with a kiss just in time for a photo.

RELATED: Legendary Sitcom Producer Norman Lear Dies At Age 101

Interestingly, the kiss was Sammy’s idea, but production kept it in, and the audience roared with laughter. “He surprised everyone at rehearsal. The writers and I were blown away,” Lear gushed. “The audience’s reaction to it was huge. They loved it. There was something so lovely in the reaction.”

‘Maude’ (1972)

In the “Maude’s Dilemma” episode, Bea Arthur’s Maude decides to have an abortion after learning she is pregnant from her husband, Walter.

“We got one of the longest laughs when Maude tells her friend she’s pregnant,” Lear said, adding that the episode was surprisingly met with calm from viewers until reruns, at which point “the religious right protested and laid in front of CBS founder Mr. Paley’s car in New York and my car in Los Angeles.”

‘The Jeffersons’ (1975)

Isabel Sanford’s Louise compares her marriage to Sherman Hemsley’s George with the interracial couple Tom and Helen in the “A Friend In Need” episode, to which George responds that the other couple are too scared to fight. “That was a great scene, a great moment. They performed it so well,” Lear said. “The problem the network had with that was it was so f—ing funny. Why was it funny? Sherman Hemsley.” He noted that the network’s notes “were louder and fiercer on paper than they were after they saw it.”

“It was a word that nobody was saying, and nobody would dare say. And Sherman didn’t dare— he just did it,” he added, referring to Sherman’s use of the N-word.

‘Good Times’ (1977)

This late ‘70s classic centered on a black family in the projects, and the “The Evans Get Involved” episode caused concern over the child abuse of a ten-year-old named Penny, played by Janet Jackson. “Penny talked about how somebody put a hot iron on her shoulder. The network got tons of calls for information about child abuse,” Lear recalled.

The episode also educates black families about hypertension as the family patriarch, James (John Amos), is encouraged to seek treatment. “One time, a writer came in with a news clipping that said hypertension in black males was way up. It was a great idea for an episode. When it went on, the network got thousands of calls from black families seeking information about hypertension,” Lear proudly said. “That’s when I learned a big lesson: My God, these things really matter.”