Norman Lear, the television writer and producer who brought political and social commentary to situation comedy with “All in the Family” and other shows, proving that it was possible to be both topical and funny while attracting millions of viewers, died Tuesday at 5 p.m. at his home in Los Angeles. He was 101.
His death was confirmed by Lara Bergthold, a spokeswoman for the family.
Mr. Lear reigned at the top of the television world in the 1970s and early 1980s, leaving a lasting mark with shows that brought the sitcom into the real world.
“The Jeffersons” explored the struggles faced by an aspiring black family; The very different black family in “Good Times” dealt with poverty and discrimination. The protagonist of “Maude” was an outspoken feminist; The heroine of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman has been plagued by all sorts of modern problems, not least her own neurosis.
“You look around on television in those years,” Mr. Lear said in a 2012 interview with The New York Times, referring to the mid- and late-1960s, “and the biggest problem that every family faced was: ‘Mom dented the car, and how are you supposed to keep it?'” Dad didn’t find out’; “The boss comes to dinner and the roast is ruined. The message we sent was that we had no problems.”
A full obituary will be published shortly.
Richard Severo, a Times reporter from 1968 to 2006, died in June. Alex Traub contributed reporting.