Stories
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.
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.
Laverne & Shirley was often compared to I Love Lucy
"It's hard to find two attractive girls who will let themselves seem unattractive."
Lucille Ball on what it was like using stilts, falling down and cracking up on her show
She used props to aid her comedy and Band-Aids to help put her back together.
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.
Here's how Mayberry and Andy Griffith shaped George Lindsey
He treated each day in Mayberry like it was his last.
The Beverly Hillbillies was in desperate need of more writers as the series progressed
For Henning, knowing a thing or two about hillbilly history was just as important as other skills listed on a resume.
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.
John Larroquette said there was ''nothing quite like Night Court''
Order in the court! Here’s why Night Court ruled TV.
Tina Louise would have picked Manhattan over Gilligan's Island
Oops! Looks like Tina Louise would have rather been stranded somewhere else.
Vicki Lawrence called Thelma Harper ''a lonely old lady''
"She parallels many people in everybody's family," Lawrence said.
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.
LaWanda Page didn't allow her success on Sanford and Son to spoil her
LaWanda Page didn't care about fame, cars or money; She just wanted to play the part of Aunt Esther.
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!
Just like The Beverly Hillbillies, Max Baer Jr. went from rags to riches
Max Baer Jr. was the definition of a starving artist. Before The Beverly Hillbillies, he was eating beans out of a can.
Audrey Meadows made bank in her role on The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners made Meadows a millionaire.
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.
Here's why Ted Bessell of That Girl wanted to leave the series
There was a lot of pressure being the guy to That Girl on the hit 1966 series.
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.
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."
Irene Ryan loved show business and credited The Beverly Hillbillies with her success
It was a long road that finally led to Clampett country.
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.
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.
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.
Lucille Ball didn't mind sharing her series with farm animals
Lucille Ball took "rural humor" to a new extreme!
Bob Newhart was the expert of playing himself onscreen
If you ever noticed a similar theme across all of Newhart's series, there's a reason: He put himself into everything he did.
Here's how Ozzie Nelson used his family's age to help his show
Fun and family first, fame and fortune second.
Mama's Family wasn't interested in bringing social issues into its episodes
The series was in the business of entertainment, not teaching.
Don Adams on the secret formula to Get Smart's success
Although he wasn't conducting James Bond-level spy work, his dedication to the job paid off.
Despite their differences, Norman Lear said that having Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker was ''so worth it''
"My entire body felt, 'Oh my god. This is Archie.'"
Ted Knight's character on The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a lot like him
There were some days Ted Knight would look in the mirror and only see Ted Baxter.
Lucy and Desi credited each other when asked who was responsible for their success
"We both believe you have to give a little and take a little to make a go of it."
Maureen McCormick actually hurt her nose the day that ''The Subject Was Noses'' aired
Sometimes Brady life imitates Brady art.
Henry Winkler: ''I still need much too much public approval''
An important life lesson, courtesy of The Fonz.
Dick Van Dyke had to be reminded frequently that he was a star
The actor kept humble.
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.
Success caught Get Smart's Barbara Feldon by surprise
Forget money and fame; being Agent 99 was enough of a ''status symbol'' for Barbara Feldon.
Sally Struthers spent $40,000 trying to leave All in the Family
We almost lost Gloria!
Henry Winkler ensured that The Fonz was a good influence on children
The actor wanted to keep a clean reputation.
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!
Lucille Ball missed I Love Lucy as much as viewers did when it went off the air
Ball never lost any love for her iconic character.
Carroll O'Connor would ask All in the Family writers to rewrite jokes
"They often balked and more than once threatened to quit, but I too more than once threatened to quit."
Lucille Ball: ''I'm not happy unless I'm working.''
Ball was a workaholic — and she loved it.
Carroll O'Connor was a teacher to his costars on the set of All in the Family
O'Connor wasn't just an actor.
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.
Here's the real reason why Laura Petrie wore pants on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Moore put on her pants just like everybody else: One leg at a time...
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.
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.
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."
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.
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."
Fans would greet William Frawley and ask ''Where's Ethel?''
What would Fred be without Ethel?
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.
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.
Vicki Lawrence's lost residuals from Mama's Family
A story of death, cryogenesis, and money.
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.
Fans were weirdly attached to Rose Marie's bows on The Dick Van Dyke Show
A very attractive accessory.
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.
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."
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.
Bea Benaderet on the importance of taking a deep breath
Benaderet's success can be boiled down to breathing.
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.
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.
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.
Edgar Buchanan almost became a dentist instead of an actor
What do acting and dentistry have in common? Not much except Edgar Buchanan.
The Love Boat gave Bernie Kopell an unexpected romantic image
He was the underdog of romance until he became the type everyone wanted.
When Art Carney wasn't making people laugh, he was sharing recipes
Hilarious? Yes. A chef? No, but his salads were party favorites.
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.
Jackie Gleason fought to get Art Carney more money
Gleason used his pull for his pal.
Henry Winkler locked himself in his apartment for 24 hours after The Fonz became popular
Winkler dealt with his success in an unusual way.
Norman Lear based Archie Bunker off of his own father
The writer borrowed from his life.
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!
Taxi's Marilu Henner hailed a cab and rode it all the way to success
Henner would receive high praise, gifts and even a special license from Taxi drivers all over the country.
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.
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.
Dick Van Dyke on new love in old age: ''It's not too late!''
He also says you should exercise!
Night Court's Harry Anderson had a tough start to his success
A little magic goes a long way.
Here's the reason Paul Fusco believed everyone loved ALF
ALF took the world by storm, and he wasn’t even from this planet!
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.
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.
The Beverly Hillbillies' Nancy Kulp found her humor through the series
Kulp found a way to turn a laugh into a legacy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Henry Winkler used some of his popularity as The Fonz to teach kids about Shakespeare
What a duo: The Bard and The Fonz!
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.
Barry Williams on the disastrous Brady Kids concert costumes
Polyester! Bellbottoms! Fringe! Oh my!