So what if I told you about a failed TV pilot from 1979 directed by #PeterBonerz with #CharlesMartinSmith and the guy who played #Seinfeld's dad on said show and it involved actors in dog costumes like a bizarro equivalent to _Cats_ only non-musical but just as horny? And #NormanLear was involved? I give you a minute-long taste of #McGurkADogsLife. I'm sorry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxcjvXHWdgk

#Emmy Predictions 2023 - Which Program Will and Should Win in Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)?

http://www.tv-recaps-reviews.com/2023/08/emmy-predictions-variety-special-pre-recorded.html #Emmys #Emmys2023 #CarolBurnett #NormanLear #Lizzo #JohnMulaney #TrevorNoah #WandaSykes

Sitcom-Revolutionär Norman Lear feiert 101. Geburtstag #NormanLear
https://www.serienjunkies.de/news/sitcom-revolutionaer-norman-lear-feiert-119394.html?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=News%20(119394)#sjnews

Happiest of birthdays to a television icon, #NormanLear. Celebrating his 101st birthday today.

#Tweeter: An insider explains how behavior psychology is used, basically as a weapon against the population. This is what we know about the #NormanLear foundation.
https://twitter.com/wideawake_media/status/1683433919264313346?s=20

Norman Lear & the Power of #Television
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctf1rVu6MNU
44 min,
CW: #politics, historical discussion of queerphobia & antisemitism, including short clips of hate speech.

After fighting in WWII, a guy tells ONE joke that starts a career that changed #TV, maybe even the United States, for decades to come. Featuring and defending #queer characters, and ridiculing hatred. With the power of #comedy.
#MattBaume #NormanLear #VideoEssay

"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" is a song written by #NeilDiamond with #AlanAndMarilynBergman for the daily TV sitcom #AllThatGlitters. The song was intended to be the theme song, but #NormanLear, the show's creator, changed the concept of the show and the song was no longer appropriate. Diamond then expanded the track from 45 seconds to 3:17, adding instrumental sections and an additional verse. The Bergmans contributed to the song's lyrics.
https://youtu.be/UbvxP08FlMs

Tonight in 1978 — MAUDE ended its run on CBS.

"The writing was wonderful. The acting. And everyone contributed. There were never any egos involved. It was hard work but...damnit, we were good.”
— #BeaArthur

#ClassicTV #OnThisDay #NormanLear #1970s #1970sTV

“The purpose was to make people laugh, but we’re also going to make them think.”
— #BudYorkin (1926–2015)

#NormanLear’s producing partner on groundbreaking 1970s sitcoms like #AllInTheFamily would have been 97 today.

#BornOnThisDay #ClassicTV #1970s #1970sTV

Tonight in 1972 — #SanfordAndSon debuted on NBC.

Despite being a midseason replacement, the #NormanLear-produced sitcom starring #ReddFoxx and #DemondWilson ended the 1971-72 season as the sixth-highest-rated show on TV!

#OnThisDay #ClassicTV #1970s #1970sTV #Nostalgia

Tonight in 1971 — #AllInTheFamily debuted on CBS.

#CarrollOConnor and #JeanStapleton Bunker first played Archie and Edith in 1968!

It took producer #NormanLear 3 years (and 3 pilot episodes) to sell the show.

#OnThisDay #ClassicTV #1970s #1970sTV #Nostalgia

#Tonight in 1976 — #MaryHartmanMaryHartman debuted in first-run syndication.

#LouiseLasser starred in this satirical #SoapOpera from producer #NormanLear.

#OnThisDay #ClassicTV #1970s #1970sTV #Nostalgia #MaryHartman #ClassicSoaps

TODAY IN QUEER TV HISTORY

ALL IN THE FAMILY: "Edith's Crisis of Faith - Part 2" - 12/25/1977, CBS

In this episode of the controversial 1970s sitcom, Edith is in mourning and questions her faith in God after the murder of her friend Beverly LaSalle, who was killed by queerbashers in the previous episode.

Beverly (a drag performer played by drag artiste Lori Shannon) appeared on ALL IN THE FAMILY in 1975-77 and the scripts were vague about Beverly's identity. Originally written as an implicitly gay "female impersonator," by 1977 Beverly seemed really uncomfortable in men's clothes and many viewers read the character as a trans woman, though he preferred male pronouns. It was all rather muddy.

ALL IN THE FAMILY was based on the popular British sitcom TILL DEATH US DO PART.

#LGBTQ #queer #AllInTheFamily #NormanLear #MediaStudies

Tonight in 1975 — #OneDayAtATime debuted on CBS.

The Emmy-winning sitcom was developed by #NormanLear and created by the husband-and-wife duo of #AllanMannings and #WhitneyBlake (who had been a divorced single mother of 3 kids, including future actress #MeredithBaxter).

#OnThisDay #ClassicTV #1970s #1970sTV #Nostalgia

Tonight in 1971 — #BeaArthur made her debut as Maude on #AllInTheFamily.

“We were three days into rehearsal when I knew I would hear from [CBS Head of Programming] Fred Silverman ‘Let’s do a show with this woman.’” — #NormanLear

#ClassicTV #OnThisDay #1970s #1970sTV #Nostalgia

How can you not admire this man? #NormanLear on #CBSSundayMorning: https://youtu.be/jSiQjx2oR8Y