This year marks the 100th birthday of famed television producer Norman Lear, who will be honored with an ABC special for his fans. This article examines the screenwriter’s net worth.
The television legend, born in a Jewish family in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1922, turned 100 on July 27 this year. His ABC special, Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter, has now been released nearly two months later.
The special aired on Thursday, September 22nd at 9:00 PM PT, left viewers emotional and nostalgic. Norman has had a legendary television career, producing shows such as The Jeffersons and All in the Family. Throughout his long career, the star has amassed enormous wealth.
Norman Lear’s Net Worth In 2022
Norman Lear is a $200 million net worth American television writer and producer. Norman Lear created some of the most popular 1970s sitcoms, including “All in the Family,” “Sanford and Son,” “One Day at a Time,” and “Good Times.” He is also a well-known political activist who has made significant financial contributions to progressive causes and politicians. Lear founded the advocacy group People for the American Way to combat the conservative Christian agenda in 1980.
| Net Worth: | $200 Million |
| Date of Birth: | Jul 27, 1922 (100 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Screenwriter, Film Producer, Television producer, Television Director, Actor, Political activist |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
Norman Lear Career
Lear attempted to sell a sitcom concept about a blue-collar family to ABC after writing and producing the 1967 comedy film “Divorce American Style” and directing the 1971 comedy “Cold Turkey.” Following two pilot episodes, the network rejected the show; after a third pilot, CBS picked up the show, titled “All in the Family.
” Although the show debuted with low ratings in 1971, it went on to win several Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series. Ratings increased during summer reruns, and the show thrived by the following season. “All in the Family” was the most watched television show from 1972 to 1977. After the show ended in 1979, it was replaced by the spinoff series “Archie Bunker’s Place.”
In 1981, Lear began a 14-month stint hosting a revival of “Quiz Kids,” a 1940s game show. The following year, he produced “I Love Liberty,” a television special intended to challenge right-wing groups. Act III Communications, founded by Lear in 1986, produced numerous films, including Rob Reiner’s “The Sure Thing,” “Stand By Me,” and “The Princess Bride.”
Lear returned to television production in the 1990s with the sitcoms “Sunday Dinner,” “The Powers That Be,” and “704 Hauser,” but none of the shows were successful. Lear co-created the Saturday morning animated series “Channel Umptee-3” with Jim George in 1997. Despite receiving positive feedback, it was canceled after one season due to low ratings.
In his later years, Lear continued to contribute to the media. He executive-produced the Netflix reboot of his show “One Day at a Time” in 2017. He also started a podcast called “All of the Above with Norman Lear” that year.
Norman Lear Early Life
Norman Lear was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1922 to a Jewish family. His mother’s name was Jeanette, and his father was a traveling salesman named Hyman. He had a younger sister named Claire as his only sibling.
When Lear was nine, his father was arrested for selling forged bonds, and he met anti-Semitic Catholic radio priest, Father Charles Coughlin while tinkering with his radio. The former inspired the character of Archie Bunker, while the latter inspired Lear’s lifelong commitment to advocacy.
Lear graduated from Weaver High School in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1940, and then attended Emerson College in Boston. He did, however, leave in 1942 to join the United States Army Air Forces. He flew 52 combat missions as a radio operator and gunner in the Mediterranean theater and was awarded the Air Medal.
Following the war, Lear worked in public relations before relocating to Los Angeles, California, to live with his cousin Elaine. Lear sold home furnishings door-to-door with Elaine’s husband, aspiring comedy writer Ed Simmons.
Throughout the 1950s, the duo wrote comedy sketches for Rowan and Martin, Martin and Lewis, and others. In 1953, Norman and Ed were paid a record-breaking $52,000 each (equivalent to $500,000 today) to write for three Martin and Lewis comedy specials.
Norman Lear’s Personal Life
President Bill Clinton awarded him the National Medal of Arts in 1999. In 2001, he paid $8.1 million for one of the first copies of the United States Declaration of Independence. People For the American Way was founded in 1981 by Norman Lear, a political activist.
He believes in free speech and founded the nonpartisan nonprofit campaign Declare Yourself in 2004 and BornAgainAmerican.org in 2009. Lear has been credited with providing many African Americans with opportunities in television. Lear received the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors.
He has six children and has been married three times. From 1944 to 1956, he was married to Charlotte Rosen. From 1956 to 1986, he was married to Frances Loeb. Since 1987, he has been married to Lyn Davis.
Real Estate By Norman Lear
Norman and his third wife Lyn spent $6.5 million in 1995 on a large mansion in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. The property has a 14,000 square-foot main home, a guest house, a pool, gym, spa, tennis, security offices, and a 35-car garage on 8 acres.
He listed the house for $55 million in 2015. He listed the house again in November 2019, this time for slightly less than $40 million. Norman and Lyn also own a two-bedroom condo in New York City near Central Park, which they purchased in 2008 for $10.2 million.
Lear and his wife paid $8.1 million for one of the first published copies of the US Declaration of Independence in 2001. In the years since, Lear has taken the document on a cross-country road trip, visiting presidential libraries and museums, as well as the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl.
Settlement Of Divorce
After 28 years of marriage, Norman and his second wife Frances filed for divorce in 1985. Norman was ordered to pay Francis an unprecedented $112 million divorce settlement, which is equivalent to approximately $270 million today.
Frances then used $30 million of her settlement money (roughly $70 million with inflation) to launch Lear’s, a magazine aimed at women over the age of 45. Six years later, the magazine folded.
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