Stories

Here's why Dick Van Dyke joined Carol Burnett after Harvey Korman left

It was a long-awaited comedy collision!

McLean Stevenson wanted M*A*S*H to go by the book

M*A*S*H pulled more inspiration from the book than it did the 1970 movie.

Bob Newhart used humor to help cope with life's hardest moments

Newhart used humor to get through life's hardships and suggested you do the same.

Marlo Thomas was an inspiration to strong, independent women

Marlo Thomas stood on business.

8 of the best questions, answers and interactions from the Q+A sessions on The Carol Burnett Show

Burnett's quick-wit and situational comedy abilities made the Q+A sessions a must-watch for any fan of her variety show.

Don Adams used his past roles to build upon his role in Get Smart

Don Adams was clever in his portrayal of Maxwell Smart.

Before landing her role on Good Times Bern Nadette Stanis wanted to be a dancer

Her role on Good Times was so sudden that it took her out of her classes at Juilliard!

Here's why Norman Lear was the man behind all the hits

Get an inside look into the mind behind the man!

Harvey Korman loved being in the background on The Carol Burnett Show

Korman didn't need to shine bright to be considered a star.

Jean Stapleton reflected on what it was like when Norman Lear left All in the Family

No Norman Lear? No problem. Jean Stapleton knew how to be head of the household on All in the Family.

All in the Family changed Sally Struthers over the course of nine seasons

Sally Struthers changed her attitude because of her role in All in the Family. It also brought her closer to her real-life family.

Jean Stapleton was a Hollywood star, but she lived in rural Pennsylvania

Stapleton was a real-life Hollywood Hillbilly. From Los Angeles to Pennsylvania, she liked living two different lifestyles.

Here's the advice Lucille Ball gave to aspiring actors and entertainers

What's Lucy's secret to success? Grape stomping, bear wrestling, silliness and a lot of hard work.

New York City ''sewer rats'' became an important part of Art Carney's career

Carney loved the New York City sewer system just as much as the real "rats" in the city did.

Jimmie Walker was a stand-up comedian before becoming a star on Good Times

Before Jimmie Walker was cracking jokes on television, he told them onstage as a struggling stand-up comedian.

Adam West didn't have a super life before his superhero role in Batman

This story goes to show that every hero needs an origin story.

When Larry Linville wasn't filming M*A*S*H, he was pursuing a high-flying hobby

Linville had two kinds of highs during his time on M*A*S*H: Working as an actor on a successful TV series and building aircraft.

Redd Foxx loved his life inside and outside of Sanford and Son

Redd Foxx was both a nightclub comic and a TV star. In the '70s, succeeding in both at the same time was rare.

Here’s how Batman executive producer William Dozier prepared for the series

"Batman is a Gotham City boy. If you got him as far as Philadelphia, he’d be a freak," Dozier said.

Lucille Ball's minor injuries on I Love Lucy showed her dedication to performing

Lucille Ball was a bundle of bruises, sprains and scratches.

Harvey Korman on the type of chemistry it took to make The Carol Burnett Show work

Korman was proof that cast chemistry was key to comedy gold!

Sammy Davis Jr. gave Archie Bunker the kiss of a lifetime on All in the Family

Archie Bunker doesn't kiss and tell, but his reaction is worth a thousand words.

Robert Reed wasn't afraid to speak up about his Brady Bunch criticisms

Reed had a few opinions about the writing on The Brady Bunch.

Gavin MacLeod went from playing villains to being considered a comedy hero

When Gavin MacLeod lost his hair, he started getting typecasted as the big, bald, bad guy.

A bald head helped Richard Moll get his part in Night Court

Night Court producers loved Moll's bald-headed look. Richard Moll? Maybe not so much.

Batman creator William Dozier on what makes a good Batman villain

What made these actors so good at being bad?

According to Adam West, everyone on the set of Batman was a big happy Bat-Family

Maybe they were...Super Friends?

Adam West reveals Batman's biggest flaws

Time, it seems, was the greatest villain of all.

David Rasche said Sledge Hammer reminded him of improv classes

This funny guy took the Sledge Hammer! series very seriously.

The Love Boat's Ted Lange once wrote a rock musical

Who knew this bartender on The Love Boat was so rock and roll?!

Cindy Williams had experience with two decades: Shirley's and her own

Williams embraced the nostalgic setting and her goofy kitty-carrying character resonated with audiences of all generations.

Jackie Gleason once hosted a show so bad that it only ran one episode, followed by an on-air apology

Ironically, the apology got better reviews than the show itself.

Night Court's Harry Anderson had a tough start to his success

A little magic goes a long way.

Lucille Ball didn't mind sharing her series with farm animals

Lucille Ball took "rural humor" to a new extreme!

Vivian Vance traveled over 3,000 miles to work on The Lucy Show

Vivian Vance was a Hollywood legend who lived in Connecticut. She must have had a lot of frequent flyer miles.

These nine photos of The Monkees show just how cool the band was

Let's hang around with the Monkees! These behind-the-scenes photos are filled with nostalgia.

Success was the only thing keeping Rob Reiner and Penny Marshall apart

The timeless couple just wanted to have a little more time with each other.

Mary Frann of Newhart was inspired by Audrey Meadows of The Honeymooners

"Audrey Meadows made Jackie Gleason funnier."

Loretta Swit said her role on M*A*S*H was one of the hardest to play

"She's human and humane, and I try to justify her outrageous behavior by being the best nurse in Korea," Loretta Swit said about her M*A*S*H character.

Jimmie Walker said he was nothing like J.J. on Good Times

He was more of a loner in real life than his "Dy-no-mite!" character!

Get Smart's Don Adams was a real-life Maxwell Smart

Before Get Smart he was lying about his age and performing stand-up comedy in dive bars.

Here's why Ted Bessell of That Girl wanted to leave the series

There was a lot of pressure being the guy to That Girl on the hit 1966 series.

Here's what made The Monkees a bunch of millionaires

What happens when a guy in his early 20s becomes a millionaire over night? Michael Nesmith has the answer!

Sally Struthers thought Gloria should have had a job on All in the Family

Sally Struthers had a few ideas for her character on All in the Family. Including one idea that came true.

The Monkees found success to be a little bit frightening

With thousands of screaming and adoring women in their faces per night, we'd be a little afraid too.

Producer Garry Marshall was surprised by Laverne & Shirley's success

The producer said Laverne & Shirley was "all about timing."

William Christopher avoided jokes about religion as much as he could

In real life, the 4077th's Catholic priest actually came from a devoted family of Methodists.

Audrey Meadows made bank in her role on The Honeymooners

The Honeymooners made Meadows a millionaire.

Marilu Henner helped real-life cab drivers when she wasn't acting on Taxi

Marilu Henner took her Taxi fame for a ride straight to the streets of New York!

The cast of Taxi had mixed reactions when the series moved to NBC

When Taxi switched networks, its stars were hoping it would drive higher ratings home.

Danny DeVito's character on Taxi was made just for him

DeVito hatched a plan in order to get the part of Louie on Taxi.

Taxi's Tony Danza traded in his boxing gloves for a yellow cab

Like in boxing, he went with the punches and worked hard on his acting career.

Judd Hirsch wanted Taxi fans to step up after the series was put on hold by NBC

On paper, Taxi had everything it needed to succeed, but in reality, the series had many ups and downs.

Taxi's Marilu Henner hailed a cab and rode it all the way to success

Henner would receive high praise, gifts and even a special license from Taxi drivers all over the country.

Jamie Farr felt like M*A*S*H gave him a new life

Although he had been a character since the beginning, Farr's real breakthrough came later in the series.

Here's what the ''drinks'' on The Love Boat were actually made of

Ted Lange, who played Isaac Washington, revealed the truth.

George Wendt enjoyed being ''large'' for a living

Wendt was living large and liked it that way.

Mary Tyler Moore had this to say on whether the success of The Dick Van Dyke Show had changed her

The series kickstarted Moore's comedy career.