Stories
Dick Van Dyke on the comedic differences between the older and younger generations
"There's a funny thing that I have noticed some of the young performers lack," said the performer.
Lucille Ball didn't mind sharing her series with farm animals
Lucille Ball took "rural humor" to a new extreme!
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.
There was no bad blood between Carol Burnett and Dick Van Dyke after he left The Carol Burnett Show
The two actors were as close as ever!
Mike Farrell said his shyness almost ruined his chances of becoming a TV star
He was a bit of a shy guy before becoming the charming doctor with the best mustache in the 4077th.
Vicki Lawrence called Thelma Harper ''a lonely old lady''
"She parallels many people in everybody's family," Lawrence said.
LaWanda Page was scared to make mistakes when she first appeared on Sanford and Son
The actress didn't want to disappoint her mom, Redd Foxx and viewers.
Here’s why Leslie Nielsen preferred comedy over drama on television
He went from the serious guy to the guy who was never serious!
Here's how Happy Days helped Ron Howard mature
All Ron Howard wanted was to act his age.
That Girl's Marlo Thomas was tired of talking about her dad in interviews
Her famous father wasn’t her only acting inspiration!
Norman Lear had a special message hidden inside Sanford and Son and All in the Family
Norman Lear did what he wanted and didn't care who saw — even if it was thousands of TV viewers.
At 20, Don Grady was an actor, a writer and composer for My Three Sons
Grady became a triple threat at the age of 20!
Dick Van Dyke did his best to avoid any changes on his hit series
He wanted to change everything about television, but nothing about The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Night Court's Harry Anderson had a tough start to his success
A little magic goes a long way.
Marjorie Lord from The Danny Thomas Show wanted stronger women on TV
Guess the show should’ve been called "Make Room for Mommy!" instead!
Leslie Nielsen landed a role on Police Squad because of his acting in Airplane!
After the '80s movie Airplane!, Leslie Nielsen was flying high in his career.
You'll never guess how many presidents Morey Amsterdam wrote jokes for
He wasn't just a joke writer on TV!
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!
David Rasche said Sledge Hammer reminded him of improv classes
This funny guy took the Sledge Hammer! series very seriously.
Leslie Nielsen found a love for comedy through Police Squad!
He was known for being a serious actor until he went and did something as silly as Airplane! and Police Squad!
Bob Denver and Dawn Wells said Gilligan's Island wasn't just for kids
It didn't matter if you were a kid or an adult, getting stranded on Gilligan's Island was an easy thing to do.
Harry Anderson was essentially playing himself on Night Court
Harry Anderson's acting journey started with a little magic.
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.
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.
Carl Reiner once said that Mary Tyler Moore was like his daughter
"I'm just crazy about the girl."
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.
Forget jumping that shark — Henry Winkler once said that this was the most difficult thing he'd done in his life
Winkler described the experience as "climbing a mountain naked and backwards."
Here's why Dick Van Dyke joined Carol Burnett after Harvey Korman left
It was a long-awaited comedy collision!
The Flying Nun had to convince real nuns that it was worth watching
What was the problem with the series? There was nun.
Here’s why Carol Burnett thought rain brought good luck
It’s raining, it’s pouring—Carol Burnett’s career was soaring.
Henry Winkler: ''I still need much too much public approval''
An important life lesson, courtesy of The Fonz.
How Laverne & Shirley made the ultimate underdog series
"Two girls who work in a brewery, coping with life."
Carol Burnett didn't believe being beautiful would have helped a comedy career
"When somebody is picture perfect, you stare but don't touch," said Burnett.
Mike Farrell helped M*A*S*H mature as a series
Mike Farrell was the new guy for a while, but quickly went up in the ranks as M*A*S*H progressed.
Carol Burnett admitted the reason why she ended The Carol Burnett Show after 11 seasons
The actor wanted to leave on her own terms.
Bob Denver said that he and Alan Hale Jr. were like Laurel and Hardy during Gilligan's Island
The actors were two peas in a pod.
Mama's Family gave Harvey Korman the chance to be a director
He put family first on Mama’s Family and fully embraced the shift from acting to directing.
Ted Knight's character on The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a lot like him
There were some days Ted Knight would look in the mirror and only see Ted Baxter.
Ted Lange loved the perks that came along with The Love Boat
Ted Lange fell in love with The Love Boat and all the perks that came with working on a cruise ship.
Harvey Korman had a ton of ideas but said no format fit his style
"I have a million ideas, but am still looking for a good format," Korman said.
The Love Boat helped Bernie Kopell wash away his previous roles
Love Boat fans knew of Adam Bricker, but no one knew the name of the actor who played him.
Danny Thomas said he worked with ''Hollywood's finest child actor'' on The Danny Thomas Show
The fictional father-son duo kept up the act even after the cameras quit rolling.
The Odd Couple changed Tony Randall's outlook on life
He quickly became one of the most successful neat freaks on television!
Vicki Lawrence fought for better scripts on Mama's Family
Having worked under Burnett, she knew not to settle.
Harvey Korman saved Mama's Family from a dark place
Korman really brought the family together — and lead them to success.
Vicki Lawrence wanted Mama to mellow out by season two
Originally, critics slammed the series by saying that Mama was too harsh.
How syndication saved Vicki Lawrence and Mama's Family
Syndication saved Mama's Family.
Lauren Tewes on the similarities between herself and her character on The Love Boat
"There's a lot of me in her, but there's really none of her in me."
Marlo Thomas was a girl who just wanted her privacy
She liked to keep her guard up at all times — sometimes quite literally — as she often had issues with the press.
Jean Stapleton knew that Edith Bunker wasn't stupid
"Edith is the power."
At first, Henry Winkler didn't know the impact The Fonz would have on TV
In the hearts of classic TV fans, he’ll always be The Fonz.
Tina Louise would have picked Manhattan over Gilligan's Island
Oops! Looks like Tina Louise would have rather been stranded somewhere else.
Robert Reed lived in half of a mansion during The Brady Bunch
Robert Reed lived in a giant mansion in the early '70s! Well, he lived in half of one actually.
How Russell Johnson’s WWII experience made Gilligan’s Island more realistic
Before playing the Professor on Gilligan’s Island, Russell Johnson flew 46 combat missions and used that real-life experience to correct a major onscreen mistake!
Tim Conway thought more comedy was needed in TV and film
This funny guy on TV wanted to be a funny guy in the movies, too!
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.
This was Jill Whelan's real opinion on her on-screen father, Gavin MacLeod
"It's a great show to work on," said Whelan.
Sally Field hated being called cute during her time on The Flying Nun
Many words could be used to describe Field and her career, but "cute" is not one of them.
Marion Ross loved the similarities between her Happy Days family and her real one
Marion Ross loved her own family just as much as Marion Cunningham loved Richie and Joanie.
Lauren Tewes credited her Love Boat co-stars with helping her adjust to The Love Boat
"I'm surrounded by a wonderful professional cast," said the actor.
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.
Here was Danny Thomas' advice to his daughter during her time on That Girl
"Like father, like daughter" was never truer than in Marlo's and Danny's father-daughter relationship.
Jean Stapleton said that her husband ''had all the qualities Archie doesn't have.''
"He is an enlightened person and smart."
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.
Sally Struthers had a crush on Rob Reiner during filming of All in the Family
Were sparks flying off-camera?
The guest role that made Dick Van Dyke a star
A last-minute guest-hosting gig helped launch Dick Van Dyke’s iconic career. Learn about the unexpected TV moment that turned him into a household name and set the stage for his legendary roles.
M*A*S*H's McLean Stevenson didn't think kids should watch TV
He wanted kids to give up TV and turn the page to reading—even if it meant fewer kids were watching M*A*S*H.