Stories
In its ninth season, so-called ''boring storylines'' caused The Love Boat's ratings to decline
After several successful seasons, viewers got tired of being told to "come aboard."
Fans were weirdly attached to Rose Marie's bows on The Dick Van Dyke Show
A very attractive accessory.
Here's what Robert Reed loved about working on The Brady Bunch
The Brady kids made working on the series a little bit better for Reed.
Sally Struthers stated that she ''gained a father'' in Carroll O'Connor during All in the Family
Those heartfelt family moments weren't just great acting.
Gale Gordon wasn't concerned with awards during his time on Here's Lucy
Award or no award. Gordon had everything he needed in Here’s Lucy.
Fans would greet William Frawley and ask ''Where's Ethel?''
What would Fred be without Ethel?
Vicki Lawrence's lost residuals from Mama's Family
A story of death, cryogenesis, and money.
Playing Grady on Sanford and Son was a temporary gig for Whitman Mayo
Mayo went to Los Angeles to find work for his clients but snagged a recurring role on Sanford and Son. There was one problem, he didn't want to be an actor.
Lauren Tewes had the nicest response to critics of The Love Boat
Critics were not in love with the boat. So, the cruise director addressed it.
Vivian Vance begged The Lucy Show writers to keep her character feminine
"I wanted to get away from those tough, hard-bitten, masculine sounding jokes."
Bea Benaderet on the importance of taking a deep breath
Benaderet's success can be boiled down to breathing.
The Beverly Hillbillies creator didn't care about critics
Critics hated it, Henning created it, and the fans kept it rated among the top.
Maureen McCormick thought of Florence Henderson almost as a second mother during the filming of The Brady Bunch
Henderson and McCormick weren't just close on screen.
Carol Burnett shrugged off bad ratings on The Carol Burnett Show
When life gets you down, simply just shrug it all off. It worked for Burnett.
Dick Van Dyke would take real naps in those twin beds on the set of The Dick Van Dyke Show
The actor would use lunch breaks to get some well-earned rest.
The Love Boat gave Bernie Kopell an unexpected romantic image
He was the underdog of romance until he became the type everyone wanted.
Edgar Buchanan almost became a dentist instead of an actor
What do acting and dentistry have in common? Not much except Edgar Buchanan.
When Art Carney wasn't making people laugh, he was sharing recipes
Hilarious? Yes. A chef? No, but his salads were party favorites.
Jean Stapleton thought about leaving All in the Family to pursue musical comedy
The actress valued her contract but knew musical comedy was something she'd like to take seriously.
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.
Henry Winkler locked himself in his apartment for 24 hours after The Fonz became popular
Winkler dealt with his success in an unusual way.
Jackie Gleason fought to get Art Carney more money
Gleason used his pull for his pal.
Norman Lear based Archie Bunker off of his own father
The writer borrowed from his life.
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.
Florence Henderson on why the Bradys couldn't have babies
Should Carol Brady have had more children? Here’s what Florence Henderson had to say!
Barry Williams really did wipe out while surfing in Hawaii on The Brady Bunch
A memorable scene in The Brady Bunch was actually one of Barry Williams's most embarrassing moments.
Here's the reason Paul Fusco believed everyone loved ALF
ALF took the world by storm, and he wasn’t even from this planet!
Vicki Lawrence is proof that you don't have to act your age to be successful
In real life Vicki Lawrence was only in her 30s when Mama's Family premiered, but her character on the show was in her 60s.
Dick Van Dyke on new love in old age: ''It's not too late!''
He also says you should exercise!
Night Court's Harry Anderson had a tough start to his success
A little magic goes a long way.
Gomer Pyle's Frank Sutton said he was a ''killer turned to comic''
From drama to comedy: Here's how Sutton made the switch to the funny side.
The Beverly Hillbillies' Nancy Kulp found her humor through the series
Kulp found a way to turn a laugh into a legacy.
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.
Early in his television career, Norman Lear admitted he wasn't being honest with himself
"If we couldn't make a story entertaining, we would not do the story. But I didn't feel the obligation was to make an audience laugh only.
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.
Jill Whelan on the realities of growing up on television
"In every situation, in everything I do, each decision must be the right one," said the actor.
Harvey Korman wanted to stay relevant for as long as he could
Comedy may not have been easy, but Korman made it look that way.
In the '60s, Carol Burnett and Jim Nabors went on the road together
They were as good of friends offstage as they were comedians onstage together.
Jean Stapleton knew that Edith Bunker wasn't stupid
"Edith is the power."
These candid photos show the messy aftermath of I Love Lucy’s famous grape stomping scene
The iconic moment looks hilarious on camera but was perilous to film.
Barry Williams on the disastrous Brady Kids concert costumes
Polyester! Bellbottoms! Fringe! Oh my!
Henry Winkler used some of his popularity as The Fonz to teach kids about Shakespeare
What a duo: The Bard and The Fonz!
Vicki Lawrence was busy bouncing between game show and sitcom sets in the '80s
Vicki Lawrence was a big fan of Mama's Family and game shows. She was even a contestant on a game show in the sitcom.
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.
Vicki Lawrence put the meaning of family in Mama's Family
Burnett helped inspire the family members of Mama's Family, and Lawrence wasn't sure she was ready to be head of the household.
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.
Irene Ryan was worried she would have tomatoes thrown at her during live performances
Stage fright? No way. Fears of being famous? Nope. Flying tomatoes? Irene Ryan was always looking out for them.
Robert Reed struggled to make his character ''believable'' on The Brady Bunch
"For me, the biggest fight was to make the character seem real," Reed said.
This was the trait that Lucille Ball said that actors would be better without
"Even in my early days in movies, I resented roles where looks were all-important," said the actor.
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.
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.
Here's how Betty White described the feeling of leaving Hot in Cleveland behind
Saying goodbye was hard for the hottest trio in Cleveland!
Carroll O'Connor's nine-year-old son responded to a hate letter his father received
O'Connor didn't even know about the letter until he found a copy of his son's reply.
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.
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.
Cindy Williams had experience with two decades: Shirley's and her own
Her character resonated with audiences of all generations!
Despite earning millions, Jackie Gleason didn't care about money
Money couldn't buy happiness or The Honeymooners star.
Robert Reed had a very sensible reason as to why he'd never recommend acting as a career
The actor was stern, but fair.
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 explained the difference between television in the seventies and the eighties
"I think most people are nostalgic for something they've never known."
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.
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.
Vicki Lawrence fought for better scripts on Mama's Family
Having worked under Burnett, she knew not to settle.
Lucille Ball explained why the Ricardo family lived an average life
“I...didn’t want us to be a typical Hollywood couple, whatever that is,” said Ball.
Bob Saget used to compare Full House to Happy Days
"We kid that I'm Richie Cunningham and we're doing Happy Days," Saget said.
There was a time when no one knew what Ozzie's career was on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
He was family first and questions later. Can anyone recall what Ozzie did for a living in his series?
The Love Boat bartender picked up some mixology skills for the role
Ted Lange was known for making drinks on The Love Boat, but he could make a mean martini off-screen too.
Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying young and beautiful
The Lucille Ball method: Castor oil, humor and perfume.
Susan Olsen had some interesting feelings about her Brady brothers
She tells a Florence Henderson story, too!
Wives saved The Dick Van Dyke Show from cancellation
The Dick Van Dyke Show received assistance from an unlikely source.
Vicki Lawrence wanted Mama to mellow out by season two
Originally, critics slammed the series by saying that Mama was too harsh.
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.
In 1966, Bob Denver gave advice on how to be funny
Bob Denver knew how to be funny, and he wanted you to know how too.
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.
Cindy Williams would reenact childhood memories during episodes of Laverne & Shirley
Williams called her acting career "a love affair."
Norman Lear revealed how Edith was able to tune Archie out
Edith loved Archie but didn't agree with him.
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.
The Love Boat's Lauren Tewes was said to be the next Mary Tyler Moore
Lauren Tewes had a few things in common with Mary Tyler Moore, including her love for acting.
From son to father: Don Grady on growing up with My Three Sons
One of the sons from My Three Sons became a father himself—of three boys!
Gavin MacLeod believed that The Love Boat was an escape for viewers
It wasn't just a cruise ship and show; it was happiness for many.
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.
Vivian Vance once vowed to never work in television again
Don't worry. She didn't mean it.
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!
Anson Williams wanted to use television to speak to an audience
Williams saw the medium as a platform.
Here’s why Carol Burnett thought rain brought good luck
It’s raining, it’s pouring—Carol Burnett’s career was soaring.
How Carl Reiner kept The Dick Van Dyke Show relevant years after it aired
The series star argued that the show became so successful because of the cast's chemistry.
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.
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.
Harvey Korman saved Mama's Family from a dark place
Korman really brought the family together — and lead them to success.
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.