Oscar-nominated comedy writer Norman Lear has died of heart problems.
According to his death certificate obtained by TMZ on Monday, the official cause of death was listed as “cardiac arrest.”
The document also listed “heart failure as the underlying cause of death.”
The television legend, who was behind iconic series such as All in the Family, was 101 years old at the time of his death.
The screenwriter and producer died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on December 3rd.
Cause of death: Oscar-nominated comedy writer Norman Lear died of heart problems; Seen in 2017
Lear's family said in a statement: “Thank you for the moving love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father and grandfather.”
“Norman lived a life full of creativity, tenacity and empathy. He loved our country deeply and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all.
“Knowing and loving him was the greatest gift. We ask for your understanding as we privately mourn this remarkable person.”
Lear's family said he died surrounded by his loved ones as they told stories and sang songs.
Over a career that spanned more than six decades, Lear created or helped develop some of the most popular comedians in the history of American television.
These included works such as “All in the Family,” “Sanford and Son,” “Good Times” and “The Jeffersons.”
Lear, who won six Emmy awards for his work on television, was known for supporting liberal causes, including voting rights, and worked well into his 90s.
Among his milestones was the creation of the first African-American nuclear family to appear regularly on television: the Evans clan in Good Times, starting in 1974.
Beloved: According to his death certificate, obtained by TMZ on Monday, his official cause of death was “cardiac arrest” (a look at the Hollywood Walk of Fame star for the late TV legend on Dec. 6).
In this post on his Twitter in October, Lear is seen playing a harmonica next to his grandson Noah
Bringing the sensitive issues of race, sexuality, class, inequality and politics such as the anti-war movement into his work, Lear broke the sitcom mold and beamed modern visions of family life into millions of U.S. households.
At one point in the 1970s, Lear had eight shows on the air with an estimated 120 million viewers, Time magazine said.
By incorporating material from social issues of the time, Lear's broadcasts made network executives nervous because they exuded a depth and air of controversy.
Lear and producing partner Bud Yorkin brought All in the Family to the air in January 1971, and the show won four Emmys for best comedy over its nine seasons.
It was based on the British show 'Til Death Do Us Part and gave US television one of its most memorable and controversial characters – Archie Bunker.
Carroll O'Connor portrayed Archie as a rough, loud New York worker who made racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic comments.
He was cast opposite a distracted woman he called Dingbat, a liberal daughter and an even more liberal son-in-law he called Meathead, played by Rob Reiner.
Lear, seen here in 1972, was known for his commitment to liberal causes, including suffrage, and worked well into his 90s
In a post on his social media, Reiner paid tribute to Lear, saying: “I loved Norman Lear with all my heart.”
“He was my second father. “I send my love to Lyn and the entire Lear family.”
ABC twice opted out of airing “All in the Family,” and CBS was initially hesitant to pick up the show.
When All in Family finally aired, it began with a disclaimer that said, “The show you are about to watch is All in the Family.”
“It attempts to shine a humorous light on our weaknesses, prejudices and worries. By making them a source of laughter, we hope to show in an adult way how absurd they are.”
By the end of 1971, All In the Family was No. 1 in the ratings and Archie Bunker was a pop culture staple whose fans included President Richard Nixon
According to CBS, it was the highest-rated show on U.S. television for five consecutive years, and TV Guide ranked it fourth on its list of the best television shows of all time.
“The Jeffersons” was another spinoff of “All in the Family” and featured an up-and-coming black couple who moved to Manhattan’s glitzy Upper Eastside neighborhood.
Lear's other hits included “Sanford and Son,” a sitcom about a black junkyard owner in a Los Angeles neighborhood, and “Good Times,” a portrayal of a black working-class family in a Chicago housing project.
Former President Bill Clinton is seen here alongside Hillary Clinton, who presented Lear with the National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award in 1999
Loved ones: Lear (l.) and his family above at the charity premiere of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones in 2002
Born on July 27, 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut, Norman Milton Lear's most enduring creation was based in part on fact.
Many of the harsh words that came out of Archie Bunker's mouth had first been spoken by Lear's own father, Herman Lear, who was imprisoned for selling counterfeit bonds, frequently told his wife to “keep it down,” and described his son as “the laziest one.” ” referred to “Whitest child I have ever seen.”
“I grew up in a family that was crazy and pushed to the limits of their nerves,” Lear told Esquire magazine.
During World War II, Lear dropped out of college to join the Army and flew 52 combat missions.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1950 with the intention of becoming a publicist, but began writing for television stars such as Danny Thomas, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin and Andy Williams.
Lear and Robert Downey Jr. attend Netflix's “Sr.” Reception on December 11, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Lear and actress Rita Moreno attend the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in 2018
Lear shifted his focus in 1981 and founded the liberal activist group People for the American Way to strengthen voting rights and combat right-wing extremism.
He also founded the Norman Lear Center at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California.
In 2001, he and a partner purchased an original copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and sent it on a three-year tour of U.S. schools, libraries and events.
Lear remained a youthful presence for most of his life and continued to create television well into his 90s, rebooting One Day at a Time for Netflix in 2017.
He also appeared in two documentaries: 2016's “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” and HBO's 2017 film “If You're Not in the Obit,” about active nonagenarians like Lear and Rob Reiner's father Carl Reiner, eat breakfast.
In 1984, he was one of the first seven people inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame and was hailed as an “innovative writer who brought realism to television.”
He later received a National Medal of Arts and was honored at the Kennedy Center for his contributions.
In 2020, he won an Emmy as executive producer of Live In Front of a Studio Audience: All In the Family and Good Times.
Lear is survived by his third wife, Lyn, and his six children.