Norman Lear TV Shows And Movies: Complete List And Streaming Details

Hollywood legend Norman Lear passed away at the age of 101 after spending decades bringing countless television shows and movies to screens everywhere.

Lear reportedly died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles.

The television titan began his career in the ’50s writing for The Colgate Comedy Hour. But it wasn’t until 1971 when he helped produce All in the Family that his career really took off. The sitcom was the first to film in front of a live studio audience, according to Variety, and spawned multiple award-winning spin-off series that Lear also worked on.

He continued working well into his old age, stating that he wouldn’t “consider retirement,” even at 100 years old.

“I don’t consider retirement, not so long as there’s something I want to do when I wake up in the morning. And there always is,”  Lear said, per USA Today. “Some people run. I don’t run. I wake up and do the things that please me. That’s my present to myself. That’s my prayer. That’s everything.”

There is no better time to catch up on Lear’s greatest work, which includes many classics, ranging from One Day At A Time to The Princess Bride. Scroll down to see how you can stream some of his greatest work.

• All in the Family (1971)

  Lear created and executive produced All in the Family, a CBS sitcom about a working class father who constantly argues with his family over timely topics. The series inspired multiple spin-off shows, including Maude and The Jeffersons, many of which received critical acclaim for Lear’s ability to create “comedy with a social conscience.”

  All in the Family can be streamed on Freevee on Amazon Prime Video and PlutoTV.

• Maude (1972)

  Maude is the first spinoff to stem from All in the Family, focusing on Edith’s cousin Maude Findlay, who is described as “a liberal, independent woman living in Tuckahoe, New York” in the logline. Starring a young Bea Arthur of Golden Girls fame, Maude openly spoke in favor of democratic and progressive values. Arthur later won an Emmy Award for her portrayal of this spunky character.

  Maude is now streaming on Pluto TV and Prime Video.

• The Jeffersons (1975)

  Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley star as the titular Jeffersons in Lear’s next All in the Family spin-off series. George and Louise Jefferson are a wealthy Black couple who move to a luxury building in Manhattan, where they meet an eclectic mix of neighbors. The series ran for a whopping 11 seasons on CBS, one of Lear’s longest-running shows.

  The Jeffersons is streaming on Tubi, Pluto TV, and Prime Video.

• One Day At A Time (1975)

  This 1975 hit series focused on divorced mother Ann, who is raising her two teenage daughters alone in Indianapolis. Lear co-created the series with Allan Mannings and Whitney Blake, who based it off of her own life as a divorcee raising three children.

  The original series, along with its 2017 reboot, are both streaming on Netflix.

• The Princess Bride (1987)

  The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner, tells the fantastical story of a farmer who sets out to save the love of his life. Throughout his quest, Westley crosses paths with numerous characters and obstacles who try to stand in his way. According to Variety, Lear helped bring the film to life by offering financial support to Reiner, who he knew from his time starring on All in the Family.

  This timeless classic is streaming on Disney+.

  • Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

    Lear also executive produced Fried Green Tomatoes, the 1991 drama starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy. Bates plays a housewife named Evelyn Couch, who becomes enthralled by the life of an old woman living in a nursing home.

    Fried Green Tomatoes in streaming on Prime Video.

• One Day at a Time (2017)

  The hit sitcom was later revived with a whole new cast on Netflix in 2017. Starring Justine Machado and Rita Moreno, the reboot focused on three generations of a Cuban-American family now living under the same roof.

  One Day at a Time (2017) can be streamed on Netflix.

• America Divided (2016)

  Lear executive produced and appeared in a couple of episodes of America Divided, a documentary miniseries that used its star-studded cast of celebs to discuss topics of racial injustice and inequality leading up to the 2016 election, and then again in 2018. Starring America Ferrera, Rosario Dawson, Amy Poehler, and more, the documentary series showcased the activists fighting to overcome inequality.

  America Divided can be streamed on Prime Video.