The Sitcoms of Norman LearArchie Bunker, George Jefferson, Maude--the television sitcom world of the 1970s was peopled by the creations of Norman Lear. Beginning in 1971 with the premier of All in the Family, Lear's work gave sitcoms a new face and a new style. No longer were families perfect and lives in order. Mostly blue-collar workers and their families, Lear's characters argued, struggled, uttered sometimes shocking opinions and had no problem contributing to--or at least, acknowledging--the turmoil so shunned by 1960s television. Significantly, not only did Lear address difficult issues, but he did so through successful programming. Week after week, Americans tuned in to see the family adventures of the Bunkers, the Jeffersons, and Sanford and Son. With a thorough analysis of his sitcoms, this volume explores Norman Lear's memorable production career during the 1970s. It emphasizes how Lear's shows reflected the political and cultural milieu, and how they addressed societal issues including racism, child abuse and gun control. The casting, production and behind-the-screen difficulties of All in the Family, Sanford & Son, Maude, Good Times, The Jeffersons and One Day at a Time are discussed. Each show is examined from inception through series finale. Interviews with some of the actors and actresses such as Rue McClanahan of Maude and Marla Gibbs from The Jeffersons are included. |
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... Archie's statement was demeaning towards African - Americans . Mike would always put up a fight after Archie made an ... Archie's prejudice with despondence . “ It's nicer than when he called them coons , " she muttered , sipping her ...
... Archie on . The audience saw the look , and immediately saw how Lionel truly felt about Archie's comments , getting a good laugh at the same time . In these cases , All in the Family made both Archie and bigotry look stupid . Throughout ...
... Archie and then left through the front door . Archie's face turned from very happy to completely stunned . Instantly , his entire face changed ; his eyebrows slanting , mouth gap- ing , eyes twitching . It was almost as if Archie had a ...
Contents
Acknowledgments | 1 |
The Greatest Show in Watts | 51 |
Lady Godiva | 66 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown