Norman Lear is an American television writer and film and television producer, celebrating his life "Century" today. He shared a video message for his fans on his birthday, here he says,
The legend, Norman Lear was born on July 27, 1922, in Connecticut. He dropped out of Emerson College in Boston to enlist in the Air Force, fighting in World War II. After he was discharged in 1945, he became a publicist, settling in California.
According to his official bio, Lear began his television writing career in 1950 with business partner Ed Simmons.
Lear struck pop culture gold with the creation of All in the Family, the CBS sitcom that ran for nine seasons beginning in 1971.
Lear's first marriage, to Charlotte Rosen from 1943 to 1956, also ended in divorce and produced one child, daughter Ellen.
From 1956 to 1985, Lear was wed to Frances, with whom he has two daughters, Kate and Maggie. After the pair's split.
In 1987, Lear wed current wife Lyn Davis (pictured with the producer in February 2020). Together they have son Benjamin and twin daughters Madeline and Brianna.
All in the Family led to a string of television mega-hits for Lear, including Sanford and Son, Maude, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time and Good Times.
In 1999, President Bill Clinton (with First Lady Hillary Clinton) presented Lear with the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given to artists by the government.
At the age of 95 in 2018, Lear arrived on the Golden Globe Awards red carpet with Moreno by moped.
At the 2021 Golden Globe Awards, Lear was honored with the third-ever Carol Burnett Award for Achievement in Television.
