Stories

Jean Stapleton was thankful she didn't have to choose between family and career

One could argue that her career was family.

Harvey Korman once said that being a director was too ''paternal''

“I’m still more like a child myself.”

Penny Marshall didn't care about what the critics had to say

And with a number one show on television, why would she?

Here's why Vicki Lawrence almost refused Mama's Family

Lawrence's fears almost ended the opportunity of a lifetime.

Lucille Ball on what it was like using stilts, falling down and cracking up on her show

She used props to aid her comedy and Band-Aids to help put her back together.

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.

Fashion designer Bob Mackie made over 16,000 outfits for The Carol Burnett Show

Bob Mackie designed around 65 to 70 costumes per week, and that was just for The Carol Burnett Show.

Bob Saget loved working with kids for his role on Full House

He had a daughter in real life and three on the series – that's one busy dad!

Sherwood Schwartz kept an upbeat attitude in the face of poor Gilligan's Island ratings

"All I want is for everybody to have a little fun," said Schwartz.

The Love Boat's Lauren Tewes enjoyed getting fan mail

Lauren Tewes loved acting and the perks that came with it, including fan mail.

Lyle Waggoner had no problem with his modest role on The Carol Burnett Show

“I keep it in perspective,” said the actor.

I Love Lucy fans would write to Desi and Lucy, hoping for marriage advice

You can add "couples counselor" to Lucille Ball's list of talents.

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.

Mary Frann found being Newhart's TV wife challenging

Mary Frann had to follow in the footsteps of Newhart's first onscreen wife.

Bob Newhart loved to watch Newhart reruns

Newhart didn’t watch it for entertainment—he watched it for research.

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

"Audrey Meadows made Jackie Gleason funnier."

Tina Louise would have picked Manhattan over Gilligan's Island

Oops! Looks like Tina Louise would have rather been stranded somewhere else.

Carol Burnett loved a good spoof on The Carol Burnett Show

Carol Burnett was the queen at spoofing, but not everyone wanted to be part of the joke.

The Brady Bunch creator wanted to offer viewers a ''people comedy''

What did a stranded island, a family of eight and a housekeeper all have in common? Sherwood Schwartz.

Jean Stapleton vetoed this plot point and changed an All in the Family script

The actress worked hard to shape her character.

Bob Newhart was hesitant to return to the classic TV wars

Don’t worry—he just needed the right show to showcase his style of comedy.

Ann B. Davis loved to dust on the set of The Brady Bunch

Ann B. Davis never wanted to play a leading lady on 'The Brady Bunch,' she was content with dusting.

Harvey Korman considered himself a variety show survivor

Harvey Korman was one of the many talented actors to be affected by both the rise and decline of variety shows.

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.

Here's why Betty White's humor never got old

She proved that laughter really is the golden ticket!

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.

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.

Mary Tyler Moore's life before The Dick Van Dyke Show

Find out how the famous actress became famous in the first place!

Here's the story about Sally Struthers' short-lived CBS spin-off ''Gloria''

"I grew up as Gloria grew up," said actress Sally Struthers.

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

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

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.

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.

Archie and Edith reminded Jean Stapleton of her own parents

Stapleton saw her family in the Bunkers.

In 1992, Cheers star John Ratzenberger saluted the Cliff Clavins of the world

Ratzenberger said everyone needed a friend like Cliff Clavin in their life.

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

No husband? No problem. Everyone already loved Lucy.

Carol Burnett loved the variety format because it gave her a place to be silly

Carol Burnett could make just about anyone laugh; she just needed the right format to become a star.

Mary Tyler Moore only had the best things to say about Dick Van Dyke

Find someone who talks about you the way Mary Tyler Moore talked about Dick Van Dyke.

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

Teens loved Sister Bertrille!

Fans loved Sarah Jessica Parker in Square Pegs, but the ratings didn’t

Sarah Jessica Parker wanted the series to be as popular as her character hoped to be at school.

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

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

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

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

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.

Don Grady said his My Three Sons fan mail was a work of ''modern art''

His character was so dreamy, it had girls dreaming about him.

Henry Winkler put an end to a common rumor about Happy Days in 1976

Remember when we all thought Henry Winkler was leaving Happy Days? He addressed the rumor in a 1976 interview.

Audrey Meadows on how she got the role of Alice Kramden

Meadows was rich both in wealth and in her career.

''Realism'' was at the center of Square Pegs, according to Sarah Jessica Parker

While her character Patty was still in school, so was she!

John Stamos was haunted by Uncle Jesse's mullet

He has often spoken of his struggles stepping out from under that mullet.

The Love Boat's Gavin MacLeod was almost Archie Bunker

Your Captain, Archie Bunker?

Florence Henderson recalls early career heartbreak

It wasn't always easy for the Brady Bunch star.

Sarah Jessica Parker hoped everyone could identify with Square Pegs

Parker identified with her "Square Pegs" character and hoped that you would do the same.

This Square Pegs character was based on a real nerd

The Square Pegs producer turned her most memorable high school moments into gold.

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.

Eddie Mekka loved doing a little song and dance as a second career

When it comes to singing and dancing, Mekka said he did it better than "The Big Ragoo."

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!

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!

That Girl's Ted Bessell wanted to leave the series with a little dignity

A little dignity goes a long way.

Norman Lear revealed how Edith was able to tune Archie out

Edith loved Archie but didn't agree with him.

The cast of All in the Family had no problem being known as their characters for the rest of their lives

"I've been terribly lucky," said series star Carroll O'Connor.

Gavin MacLeod loved his drama teacher so much, he borrowed her name for his acting career

"Beatrice MacLeod was the most inspirational human being I had ever met," said the Love Boat actor.

Here's why Dick Martin got real serious about silly comedy

This funny guy got real serious about comedy in a 1968 interview!

Carroll O'Connor said he was ''relieved'' when his series was cancelled. Here's why

"If I played King Lear," said the actor, "they'd see Archie Bunker in my performance."

R.I.P. Danielle Spencer, Deadra ''Dee'' Thomas on ''What's Happening!!''

After the sitcom ended, Spencer went to college and became a veterinarian. The former child star was 60 years old.

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

Bosley built a career on being a dad.

Carol Burnett was afraid of being typecast in the early 1970s

Carol Burnett was known for being a queen of comedy, and that was part of her problem.

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.

Vicki Lawrence wanted Mama to mellow out by season two

Originally, critics slammed the series by saying that Mama was too harsh.

Vivian Vance said that ''there was no boss'' on the set of I Love Lucy

Vance also said that she and Lucille Ball balanced each other out.

At the height of success, Rowan and Martin said ''every hero can become a bum''

Despite feeling the success, Martin said they didn't feel secure.

There was a time when no one knew Rowan & Martin

"There was a time when people thought Rowan and Martin was a detergent."

Norman Lear explained the difference between television in the seventies and the eighties

"I think most people are nostalgic for something they've never known."

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.

Alan Hale Jr. was constantly mistaken for his father in the '60s

Everyone thought Alan Hale Jr. was Alan Hale Sr. throughout his acting career. A real like father, like son moment.

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.

Rhea Perlman envied her character's personality on Cheers

Perlman envied her character's quick quips on the series.

The Flying Nun helped Sally Field soar (literally)

Getting Sister Bertrille airborne was no easy task.

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