Stories

One of Florence Henderson’s real-life children had a small role on The Brady Bunch

She took her role as a mother seriously, both on and off screen!

Harvey Korman saved Mama's Family from a dark place

Korman really brought the family together — and lead them to success.

Valerie Bertinelli said the best advice she ever received was from co-star Betty White

Some of the hottest chemistry wasn’t just in Cleveland.

The Love Boat's Fred Grandy preferred to be on land

When Grandy wasn't filming for The Love Boat, he said he would avoid boats altogether.

Vicki Lawrence called Thelma Harper ''a lonely old lady''

"She parallels many people in everybody's family," Lawrence said.

Harvey Korman didn't think acting was fun, but felt he was destined for it

For an actor who didn't like acting, Harvey Korman sure did it well.

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.

Sally Field said high schoolers were the world's hardest audience

Teens loved Sister Bertrille!

The Flying Nun had to convince real nuns that it was worth watching

What was the problem with the series? There was nun.

Susan Olsen used to get bullied at school because of Cindy Brady

Cindy Brady killed Susan Olsen's playground popularity.

How some advice from Paul McCartney helped Ron Howard reconcile his past with his present

Howard got by with a little help from his friend.

How syndication saved Vicki Lawrence and Mama's Family

Syndication saved Mama's Family.

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.

Harvey Korman loved The Carol Burnett Show, but hated some of the costumes

After all, fake mustaches, feathers, tutus, and tiaras can only take you so far.

Bernie Kopell said that he and his Love Boat character shared more than a few qualities

Kopell called his character "jaded."

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

Get an inside look into the mind behind the man!

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!

Lucille Ball enjoyed The Lucy Show because her fictional husband wasn't involved

No husband? No problem. Everyone already loved Lucy.

Audrey Meadows on how she got the role of Alice Kramden

Meadows was rich both in wealth and in her career.

Here's Marlo Thomas' reaction to ending her hit series That Girl

She carried parts of Ann Marie with her long after the cameras stopped rolling.

When Gilligan's Island ended, an exhausted Bob Denver got a boat of his own

The actor had worked a three-year tour with just one day off.

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

It was a long-awaited comedy collision!

Lauren Tewes: ''My focus has always been on acting, not looks.''

“I’ve never been a glamour girl,” said Tewes.

Sally Struthers broke her arm on the set of All in the Family

The cast had to be removed before filming.

Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying successful

It's time to pull up a chair and learn a few lessons from Lucy!

Lauren Tewes said she looked up to Dawn Wells of Gilligan's Island as a young girl

The actor frequently received fan letters from young girls asking for advice.

Morey Amsterdam said that this was what always surprised him about The Dick Van Dyke Show

“People everywhere identify with it because the people in it were real human beings,” said Amsterdam.

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.

Carroll O'Connor gave the best advice for aspiring actors

The Emmy award-winning actor was all for following your dreams but said it would not come easy.

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.

David Birney had faith in Bridget Loves Bernie even before fans did

Birney always had faith in Bernie.

David Birney wanted television to be less controlled during the 1970s

He wanted the freedom of daytime TV on Bridget Loves Bernie!

Love, American Style was called ''Love Impossible'' on the set

Margolin wanted the American public to fall in love with Love, American Style.

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 was a true American revolutionary, according to Carroll O'Connor

"Edith helped work a change in America," O'Connor wrote.

How Lynda Goodfriend won the role of Lori Beth on Happy Days

The actor got her start working odd jobs in New York.

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.

Mary Tyler Moore said she started becoming a ''carbon copy'' of Dick Van Dyke

Life imitates art, and in this case, art imitated Dick Van Dyke

Vincent Gardenia shared a love for cooking with his All in the Family character

Gardenia was more than an actor - he was also a chef!

When she wasn't filming, Vicki Lawrence was a real 'Mama' at home

Not only did Vicki Lawrence play a full-time Mama on Mama's Family, but she also played a full-time mom at home.

Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying young and beautiful

The Lucille Ball method: Castor oil, humor and perfume.

Sebastian Cabot said he developed a ''motherly image'' while on Family Affair

For a character who was all about family, the series became highly rated among families at home.

Anson Williams responded to claims that he was a ''teen idol''

"There's a lot you have to handle besides performing," said Williams.

The Odd Couple helped Jack Klugman overcome his ''gangster'' image

Before he was the lovable odd guy from The Odd Couple, he struggled with being the odd man out.

Here's why the 1972 season was crucial for The Odd Couple's success

The Odd Couple's second and third seasons were titled "the most crucial seasons" for the hit-series.

The Odd Couple changed Tony Randall's outlook on life

He quickly became one of the most successful neat freaks on television!

Here's what everyone was doing after The Dick Van Dyke Show ended

The Dick Van Dyke Show was a hard series to leave behind, but these stars had future plans!

During his career in comedy, Tim Conway found hope in his failures

Conway looked back at his career and his many failures in both television and in real life.

Ann B. Davis enjoyed teaching students how to succeed in Hollywood

Ann B. Davis is everyone's favorite normal person who just happened to play a version of herself on the small screen.

Here was Esther Rolle's advice to young actors in 1977

Rolle was a seasoned acting veteran with a lot of knowledge to give. Here's some advice she had for young students in '77.

Vivian Vance once vowed to never work in television again

Don't worry. She didn't mean it.

Richard Moll didn't have a lot in common with his character on Night Court

This incredible actor looked like he would "bite the heads off of chickens." His words, not ours.

Henry Winkler didn't want his fans to only remember him as The Fonz

"When somebody calls me Fonzie, I don't let it go by. My name is Henry Winkler."

Square Pegs actress Sarah Jessica Parker was undecided about her future in acting

Sarah Jessica Parker was too cool for school!

Jimmie Walker didn't want people to identify him with his Good Times character

Walker wanted to be a comedian and playing J.J. Evans gave him the needed exposure.

Harvey Korman was Tim Conway's biggest fan on The Carol Burnett Show

No matter the sketch, Tim Conway knew he already had his biggest fan right up there onstage with him.

Tom Bosley shared a lot in common with his Happy Days character

Bosley built a career on being a dad.

Marlo Thomas was determined to prove critics wrong about her series, That Girl

Thomas said that even if she didn't become a big star, she knew That Girl would be a big hit.

All in the Family got rid of ''live laughs'' and the live studio audience

The show changed for its ninth season. Apparently, people in the live audience didn't enjoy the jokes.

Here's the advice Audrey Meadows would get from Honeymooners fans

Meadows received advice from women all over the country on how to handle her fictional husband!

LaWanda Page didn't allow her success on Sanford and Son to spoil her

LaWanda Page didn't care about fame, cars or money; She just wanted to play the part of Aunt Esther.

Here's the real inside scoop on what Art Carney thought about Jackie Gleason

Happy actors, happy show. That was the motto of The Honeymooners.

Audrey Meadows made bank in her role on The Honeymooners

The Honeymooners made Meadows a millionaire.

Jackie Gleason fought to get Art Carney more money

Gleason used his pull for his pal.

Despite earning millions, Jackie Gleason didn't care about money

Money couldn't buy happiness or The Honeymooners star.

Call her Schultzy, call her Alice— Ann B. Davis had no problem being known as her characters

“Any one of those names suits me fine," said the Brady Bunch actor.

Ja'Net DuBois had big love for her small role on Good Times

Somebody’s got to play the small parts, and DuBois was at peace with that.

Here's the real reason why Lucille Ball dyed her hair that iconic red color

The look is legendary, but the steps taken to get there are shrouded in rumors.

Jean Stapleton was never interested in the role of the leading lady

"I knew where I belonged," said the actor.

Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall had two very different reactions to fame and success

Finding success was one of the best—and most confusing—days of their lives.

Ann B. Davis said there was no competition between the children and adults on The Brady Bunch

The actor loved working with her young co-stars.

Please enjoy this pep talk from Florence Henderson

Feeling down? Take a dose of Carol Brady.

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!

Do you remember Jackie Gleason's music career?

Gleason broke records with his records, which he loved recording for lovers.

Jean Stapleton partially based Edith off of a ''beloved dingbat'' in her family

Stapleton was able to pull from her family tree to find inspiration for Edith Bunker.

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.

Dave Coulier was able to show his love for hockey during his time on Full House

Coulier has a successful acting career, but his greatest memory happened in an ice rink with a hockey legend.

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.

Vicki Lawrence got her start through Carol Burnett when she was only 17

Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett's friendship started in one of the most unique ways.

Fans would stop Marlo Thomas on the street just to call her ''That Girl''

She was "that girl" on TV and "that girl" on the streets.

Harry Anderson was essentially playing himself on Night Court

Harry Anderson's acting journey started with a little magic.

Fred MacMurray was ''semi-retired'' while on My Three Sons

MacMurray was such a low-pressure kind of guy that he even "semi-retired" while still working.

Mama's Family gave audiences an opportunity to laugh again

"The fun has gone out of television," Lawrence said.

Robert Reed had a very sensible reason as to why he'd never recommend acting as a career

The actor was stern, but fair.

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!

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.

Fred MacMurray tried to keep My Three Sons as fresh as possible

MacMurray and his three sons were no strangers to change.

Compared to My Three Sons, Fred MacMurray said being a father was harder at home

Fatherhood was so much easier for MacMurray when it was written out in My Three Sons.