Stories
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.
Why Gavin MacLeod believed Captain Stuber was the ''antithesis'' of Murray Slaughter
"Some reviewers call me ‘the Handsome Gavin MacLeod,'" said the actor. "Imagine! Nobody described me like that on Mary’s show."
Jean Stapleton pushed All in the Family writers to develop stories about equal rights
Stapleton thought it was important to focus on issues of the time.
Desi Arnaz said there were no ''phony'' laughs on I Love Lucy
"We filmed our shows honestly, in front of an audience."
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.
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.
Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall thought stardom was strange at first
Even though the duo became highly successful, they weren't too excited about stardom at first.
Audrey Meadows made bank in her role on The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners made Meadows a millionaire.
Here's an inside look at the rehearsal process of I Love Lucy
"I Love Lucy completely changed my methods of memorizing," said the actor.
Jean Stapleton said that the cast of All in the Family were invited to add their own ideas to the script
During the episode read-through, the actors were encouraged to share their thoughts on the script.
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!
The cast of The Love Boat reunited for this surprising reason
A Love Boat look-alike contest took place across the United States in 1997.
Irene Ryan loved show business and credited The Beverly Hillbillies with her success
It was a long road that finally led to Clampett country.
Carl Reiner said that this aspect of The Dick Van Dyke Show dated the series
Reiner said this aspect of the show was "sort of embarrassing."
Tina Louise would have picked Manhattan over Gilligan's Island
Oops! Looks like Tina Louise would have rather been stranded somewhere else.
John Larroquette said there was ''nothing quite like Night Court''
Order in the court! Here’s why Night Court ruled TV.
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.
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.
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.
Florence Henderson provided a calming effect on Robert Reed during tense moments on the set of The Brady Bunch
The two were close, on and off the screen.
Buddy Ebsen was the star of Beverly Hillbillies, but Max Baer Jr. had more fan mail
Buddy Ebsen may have won the popular vote, but Max Baer Jr. still had the most fan mail.
Fans would greet William Frawley and ask ''Where's Ethel?''
What would Fred be without Ethel?
Henry Winkler shaped The Fonz, and insisted on showing what was there ''underneath the cool''
Here’s how Winkler expanded The Fonz’s character!
Florence Henderson loved children as much as Carol Brady
Henderson was America's mother.
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.
Here's why Morey Amsterdam was one of the happiest actors on The Dick Van Dyke Show
He had plenty to smile about on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Florence Henderson's children once asked why she wasn't as nice as Carol Brady
Carol Brady was the mom that everyone loved, even Florence Henderson's children.
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.
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."
The Love Boat gave Bernie Kopell an unexpected romantic image
He was the underdog of romance until he became the type everyone wanted.
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.
The Beverly Hillbillies creator didn't care about critics
Critics hated it, Henning created it, and the fans kept it rated among the top.
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?
When Art Carney wasn't making people laugh, he was sharing recipes
Hilarious? Yes. A chef? No, but his salads were party favorites.
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."
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.
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.
Edgar Buchanan almost became a dentist instead of an actor
What do acting and dentistry have in common? Not much except Edgar Buchanan.
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.
Vicki Lawrence's lost residuals from Mama's Family
A story of death, cryogenesis, and money.
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.
Penny Marshall enjoyed drinking milk and Pepsi as a child, long before she starred on Laverne & Shirley
Laverne and Penny shared a drink of choice.
Dick Van Dyke on new love in old age: ''It's not too late!''
He also says you should exercise!
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.
Here's the reason Paul Fusco believed everyone loved ALF
ALF took the world by storm, and he wasn’t even from this planet!
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!
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.
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.
Yes, that was actually Henry Winkler water skiing in Happy Days
Winkler was a talented actor and an adept skier!
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.
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.
Rusty Hamer was a child star who felt disrespected by adults during his time on The Danny Thomas Show
Most adults would have called Hamer "cute," but the child star didn't like being called anything but a professional.
Raymond Bailey was ''the banker's hero'' after his role on The Beverly Hillbillies
His success as The Clampetts' banker was so unexpected, he wouldn't have even put money on it.
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.
Carroll O'Connor was a teacher to his costars on the set of All in the Family
O'Connor wasn't just an actor.
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.
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.
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.
Thanks to the Fonz, Henry Winkler had the freedom to pick and choose his roles
Many people avoid commercials, and back in the 1970s, Winkler felt the same way about appearing in them.
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."
Vicki Lawrence called Thelma Harper ''a lonely old lady''
"She parallels many people in everybody's family," Lawrence said.
Barry Williams on the disastrous Brady Kids concert costumes
Polyester! Bellbottoms! Fringe! Oh my!
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.
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.
Night Court's Harry Anderson had a tough start to his success
A little magic goes a long way.
Frank Sutton didn't like talking about politics during his time on Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C.
Frank Sutton was only an actor, and he wanted both interviewers and his fans to know that.
Henry Winkler used some of his popularity as The Fonz to teach kids about Shakespeare
What a duo: The Bard and The Fonz!
Norman Lear based Archie Bunker off of his own father
The writer borrowed from his life.
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.
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.
The Beverly Hillbillies' Nancy Kulp found her humor through the series
Kulp found a way to turn a laugh into a legacy.
Henry Winkler locked himself in his apartment for 24 hours after The Fonz became popular
Winkler dealt with his success in an unusual way.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How Marlo Thomas gave Danny Thomas the worst Father’s Day gift possible
The decision to act came easily for everyone—except Marlo's parents.
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.
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.
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.
Here's how Betty White described the feeling of leaving Hot in Cleveland behind
Saying goodbye was hard for the hottest trio in Cleveland!
John Stamos was haunted by Uncle Jesse's mullet
He has often spoken of his struggles stepping out from under that mullet.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Robert Reed had a very sensible reason as to why he'd never recommend acting as a career
The actor was stern, but fair.
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.
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.
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.
Vicki Lawrence fought for better scripts on Mama's Family
Having worked under Burnett, she knew not to settle.
Cindy Williams had experience with two decades: Shirley's and her own
Her character resonated with audiences of all generations!
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.