Stories
How Sally Field unexpectedly landed Gidget, and how it was much more than a career-launcher
Though her first show only lasted one season, it certainly wasn't the precedent of things to come.
Art Carney: ''I never got tired of The Honeymooners''
"I always looked forward to going down to the show on Saturday nights."
Jean Stapleton believed that Edith Bunker was a reflection of women everywhere in the 1970s
"I knew Edith had to move fast to be real," said Stapleton.
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.
John Stamos rocking with The Beach Boys goes far beyond a couple Full House episodes
This actor-band relationship has been playing together for over 35 years.
Vivian Vance said that ''there was no boss'' on the set of I Love Lucy
Vance also said that she and Lucille Ball balanced each other out.
Jean Stapleton was never interested in the role of the leading lady
"I knew where I belonged," said the actor.
Jean Stapleton credited her mother for her strong work ethic
"I was raised that way," said the actor.
Marjorie Lord from The Danny Thomas Show wanted stronger women on TV
Guess the show should’ve been called "Make Room for Mommy!" instead!
Archie and Edith reminded Jean Stapleton of her own parents
Stapleton saw her family in the Bunkers.
Mike Lookinland loved talking about The Brady Bunch with fans
"People call up all the time and ask if I'm Bobby Brady," said the actor.
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.
Ja'Net DuBois sometimes felt insecure in her role on Good Times
Anyone can feel insecure standing next to a seasoned actress like Esther Rolle.
Audrey Meadows' surprising first impressions of Jackie Gleason
Alice Kramden shared her thoughts about her onscreen husband in her autobiography
The role of The Fonz almost went to a Monkee
It came down to him and Henry Winkler.
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.
Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall had two very different reactions to fame and success
Finding success was one of the best—and most confusing—days of their lives.
Tom Bosley shared a lot in common with his Happy Days character
Bosley built a career on being a dad.
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!
Tina Louise said that her break from acting made her a better performer
"If Marilyn Monroe could do it, so could I," said the actor.
Fred MacMurray was ''semi-retired'' while on My Three Sons
MacMurray was such a low-pressure kind of guy that he even "semi-retired" while still working.
Fred MacMurray tried to keep My Three Sons as fresh as possible
MacMurray and his three sons were no strangers to change.
This M*A*S*H episode came as a surprise for fans watching
"Abyssinia, Henry" was a serious episode for the comedy series.
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.
At first, Norman Lear was against Sammy Davis Jr. appearing in All in the Family
The popular episode that almost never was.
That Girl's Ted Bessell wanted to leave the series with a little dignity
A little dignity goes a long way.
Mary Tyler Moore said she started becoming a ''carbon copy'' of Dick Van Dyke
Life imitates art, and in this case, art imitated Dick Van Dyke
Here's why Family Affair's Sebastian Cabot didn't like working with dogs
No dog? No problem. Cabot didn't like working with dogs for one big reason.
Ron Howard used Happy Days as a chance to shed his ''Opie'' image
His role as Richie helped him grow up and grow out of his "Opie" character.
Frank Sutton used his real military experience on Gomer Pyle: USMC
Sutton was a real Army veteran with a fictional Marine background.
Ja'Net DuBois had big love for her small role on Good Times
Somebody’s got to play the small parts, and DuBois was at peace with that.
Ron Howard's daughter got some powerful love advice from Henry Winkler when she met her future husband
Who knows more about romance than The Fonz?
Alan Hale Jr. was focused on becoming a ''working actor'' like his father
The actor wasn't concerned with stardom.
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.
Marines loved Frank Sutton and he loved the Marines
Sutton's popularity in the role of Sgt. Carter had people running to sign up for the Marine Corps.
Henry Winkler put an end to a common rumor about Happy Days in 1976
Remember when we all thought Henry Winkler was leaving Happy Days? He addressed the rumor in a 1976 interview.
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.
The producer and Jim Nabors spent a lot of time perfecting Gomer Pyle: USMC
Jim Nabors and Gomer Pyle were both small-town boys with a lot of optimism.
R.I.P. Loretta Swit, Maj. Margaret ''Hot Lips'' Houlihan on M*A*S*H
She took pride in playing a strong, yet flawed woman onscreen. In her personal life, she advocated for ending animal cruelty. The Emmy Award-winning actress was 87 years old.
Sherwood Schwartz kept an upbeat attitude in the face of poor Gilligan's Island ratings
"All I want is for everybody to have a little fun," said Schwartz.
Harry Anderson was essentially playing himself on Night Court
Harry Anderson's acting journey started with a little magic.
Barry Williams chose The Brady Bunch over his social life
Barry Williams didn't need a girlfriend as a young man, he was already in love with The Brady Bunch.
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.
LaWanda Page was scared to make mistakes when she first appeared on Sanford and Son
The actress didn't want to disappoint her mom, Redd Foxx and viewers.
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.
Natalie Schafer was typecast as a wealthy woman but didn’t care about money
She had a very rich career — in more ways than one!
Alan Hale Jr. was constantly mistaken for his father in the '60s
Everyone thought Alan Hale Jr. was Alan Hale Sr. throughout his acting career. A real like father, like son moment.
Here's how Happy Days helped Ron Howard mature
All Ron Howard wanted was to act his age.
Henry Winkler didn't want his fans to only remember him as The Fonz
"When somebody calls me Fonzie, I don't let it go by. My name is Henry Winkler."
The Flying Nun helped Sally Field soar (literally)
Getting Sister Bertrille airborne was no easy task.
M*A*S*H’s Loretta Swit kept her real name to make a point
Loretta Swit is a name we all know and love today—but it wasn’t always that way.
R.I.P. George Wendt, Norm from ''Cheers'' and comedy familiar face
Raise a frosty glass of beer to the actor, who also appeared several times as one of the Chicago Superfans on SNL talking about "da Bears". Wendt was 76 years old.
The Dick Van Dyke Show: How Carl Reiner's innovations redefined TV comedy
The production used some innovative techniques to keep the show fresh.
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.
There was nothing in the norm when it came to George Wendt's success on Cheers
George Wendt loved many things about playing the role of Norm, but surprisingly, drinking beer wasn't one of them.
Norman Lear revealed how Edith was able to tune Archie out
Edith loved Archie but didn't agree with him.
Laverne & Shirley was often compared to I Love Lucy
"It's hard to find two attractive girls who will let themselves seem unattractive."
Here’s what Marion Ross liked best about Brooklyn Bridge
Here’s what Marion Ross loved most about Sophie Berger.
Dick Van Dyke did his best to avoid any changes on his hit series
He wanted to change everything about television, but nothing about The Dick Van Dyke Show.
How syndication saved Vicki Lawrence and Mama's Family
Syndication saved Mama's Family.
Dick Van Dyke discovered a love for comedy while starring in a Christmas pageant as a child
Van Dyke could make people laugh in the most unexpected places, even as a child.
That Girl's Marlo Thomas was tired of talking about her dad in interviews
Her famous father wasn’t her only acting inspiration!
Jean Stapleton was a true American revolutionary, according to Carroll O'Connor
"Edith helped work a change in America," O'Connor wrote.
The future was ripped out from under the Brady Bunch kids
Here's the story... of how one of TV's most beloved sitcoms was unceremoniously canceled, with no care shown to its child stars.
Gavin MacLeod addresses rumors that the Love Boat cast didn't get along
This is your captain speaking.
Marion Ross aged up a few years for her role in Brooklyn Bridge
Although the role was short-lived, her role as Sophie Berger will live on.
R.I.P. Charles Strouse, composer of ''All in the Family'' theme song and Broadway classics ''Annie'' and ''Bye Bye Birdie''
"Those Were the Days" reached 43 on the Billboard Charts and joined many of Strouse's other successful songs, like "Tomorrow", "Put on a Happy Face", and "You've Got Possibilities". The composer was 96.
The Odd Couple helped Jack Klugman overcome his ''gangster'' image
Before he was the lovable odd guy from The Odd Couple, he struggled with being the odd man out.
Penny Marshall was afraid of stardom during her time on Laverne & Shirley
Penny Marshall dealt with different degrees of pressure during her time on the show. One of those pressures came from herself.
One of Florence Henderson’s real-life children had a small role on The Brady Bunch
She took her role as a mother seriously, both on and off screen!
Norman Lear had a special message hidden inside Sanford and Son and All in the Family
Norman Lear did what he wanted and didn't care who saw — even if it was thousands of TV viewers.
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.
Mike Farrell helped M*A*S*H mature as a series
Mike Farrell was the new guy for a while, but quickly went up in the ranks as M*A*S*H progressed.