Stories
Marjorie Lord felt she was too critical of herself on television
Even TV stars can get insecure sometimes!
Valerie Harper's real-life pregnancy depended on her television career
Valerie Harper already had so much going for her, so why not add a baby to the mix?
The Love Boat's Lauren Tewes enjoyed getting fan mail
Lauren Tewes loved acting and the perks that came with it, including fan mail.
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.
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.
Love, American Style was called ''Love Impossible'' on the set
Margolin wanted the American public to fall in love with Love, American Style.
Danny Thomas said he worked with ''Hollywood's finest child actor'' on The Danny Thomas Show
The fictional father-son duo kept up the act even after the cameras quit rolling.
Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying successful
It's time to pull up a chair and learn a few lessons from Lucy!
Dave Coulier was able to show his love for hockey during his time on Full House
Coulier has a successful acting career, but his greatest memory happened in an ice rink with a hockey legend.
Frank Sutton used his real military experience on Gomer Pyle: USMC
Sutton was a real Army veteran with a fictional Marine background.
The Love Boat helped Bernie Kopell wash away his previous roles
Love Boat fans knew of Adam Bricker, but no one knew the name of the actor who played him.
One of Harvey Korman’s biggest worries was time
Time was Korman’s toughest critic!
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.
Donna Douglas was a ''friendly critter'' towards all animals on The Beverly Hillbillies
She had a genuine love for pets of all shapes, sizes, and kinds.
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.
Don Adams used his past roles to build upon his role in Get Smart
Don Adams was clever in his portrayal of Maxwell Smart.
Carroll O'Connor once said that All in the Family could have gone on without Archie Bunker
O'Connor was aware that the success of the series didn't rest solely on his shoulders.
The Love Boat's Ted Lange once wrote a rock musical
Who knew this bartender on The Love Boat was so rock and roll?!
Here's how Mike Nesmith handled Monkees mania and its screaming fans
It’s clear the band knew how to hit the right note!
Finding new ways to relate to women was an important job for Hot in Cleveland
This one's for the girls!
Marjorie Lord from The Danny Thomas Show wanted stronger women on TV
Guess the show should’ve been called "Make Room for Mommy!" instead!
Mary Tyler Moore only had the best things to say about Dick Van Dyke
Find someone who talks about you the way Mary Tyler Moore talked about Dick Van Dyke.
Ted Lange loved the perks that came along with The Love Boat
Ted Lange fell in love with The Love Boat and all the perks that came with working on a cruise ship.
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.
Jean Stapleton was a Hollywood star, but she lived in rural Pennsylvania
Stapleton was a real-life Hollywood Hillbilly. From Los Angeles to Pennsylvania, she liked living two different lifestyles.
Tom Bosley shared a lot in common with his Happy Days character
Bosley built a career on being a dad.
LaWanda Page said Redd Foxx rehearsed with her so she wouldn't get fired
When producers wanted to replace Page, Foxx stood up for his longtime friend and rehearsed lines with her.
Buddy Ebsen believed classic TV viewers needed a father figure
Ebsen thought Jed Clampett could be the dad everyone needed and wanted in the ’60s.
Despite his role in My Three Sons, William Frawley was ''undomesticated''
The character was the authority on cooking, cleaning and caretaking; the actor lacked that skill set.
1971 saw Jean Stapleton bring home the gold to an adoring Pennsylvania crowd
Edith got a warm Chambersburg, PA welcome after winning her first Emmy
Here's the advice Audrey Meadows would get from Honeymooners fans
Meadows received advice from women all over the country on how to handle her fictional husband!
Critics couldn’t shake Tom Bosley or Happy Days
These critics had seen happier days.
Vivian Vance traveled over 3,000 miles to work on The Lucy Show
Vivian Vance was a Hollywood legend who lived in Connecticut. She must have had a lot of frequent flyer miles.
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.
Jean Stapleton was thankful she didn't have to choose between family and career
One could argue that her career was family.
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 what made The Monkees a bunch of millionaires
What happens when a guy in his early 20s becomes a millionaire over night? Michael Nesmith has the answer!
A real experience made Vivian Vance an advocate for mental health
Vivian Vance had a big role to play as Lucille Ball's sidekick.
Here's how Vicki Lawrence really felt about Carol Burnett
"We're a lot alike," said Lawrence.
Robert Reed lived in half of a mansion during The Brady Bunch
Robert Reed lived in a giant mansion in the early '70s! Well, he lived in half of one actually.
Penny Marshall didn't care about what the critics had to say
And with a number one show on television, why would she?
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.
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.
Desi Arnaz Jr. revealed that his superstar parents were actually just like everybody else
"We put them on a pedestal and think of them as being different. Even I bought into that!"
Fred Grandy said he ''reached a plateau'' on The Love Boat, so he pivoted to politics
Gopher was a politician, too!
At first, Henry Winkler didn't know the impact The Fonz would have on TV
In the hearts of classic TV fans, he’ll always be The Fonz.
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!
Jean Stapleton was never interested in the role of the leading lady
"I knew where I belonged," said the actor.
Judd Hirsch wanted Taxi fans to step up after the series was put on hold by NBC
On paper, Taxi had everything it needed to succeed, but in reality, the series had many ups and downs.
Marlo Thomas was a girl who just wanted her privacy
She liked to keep her guard up at all times — sometimes quite literally — as she often had issues with the press.
Norman Lear revealed All in the Family's British roots
The producer spilled the beans (and toast!)
When she wasn't filming, Vicki Lawrence was a real 'Mama' at home
Not only did Vicki Lawrence play a full-time Mama on Mama's Family, but she also played a full-time mom at home.
Lauren Tewes credited her Love Boat co-stars with helping her adjust to The Love Boat
"I'm surrounded by a wonderful professional cast," said the actor.
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.
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.
Here's what the ''drinks'' on The Love Boat were actually made of
Ted Lange, who played Isaac Washington, revealed the truth.
Marilu Henner helped real-life cab drivers when she wasn't acting on Taxi
Marilu Henner took her Taxi fame for a ride straight to the streets of New York!
Anson Williams wasn't the only singer on the Happy Days cast
Think of all the musical acts we could have had!
Maureen McCormick on why she doesn't like to watch The Brady Bunch
The actor wasn't a fan of reruns.
Alan Hale Jr. was focused on becoming a ''working actor'' like his father
The actor wasn't concerned with stardom.
Here's why Betty White's humor never got old
She proved that laughter really is the golden ticket!
Carol Burnett was afraid of being typecast in the early 1970s
Carol Burnett was known for being a queen of comedy, and that was part of her problem.
Demond Wilson recalled the moment he and Redd Foxx became friends
The Sanford and Son stars' friendship began with a hilarious story about Wilson being asked to stick his head in a tire!
Here's what everyone was doing after The Dick Van Dyke Show ended
The Dick Van Dyke Show was a hard series to leave behind, but these stars had future plans!
Ron Howard enjoyed living in the 1950s for his Happy Days role
Ron Howard was living in two decades at the same time.
Lauren Tewes on the similarities between herself and her character on The Love Boat
"There's a lot of me in her, but there's really none of her in me."
Harvey Korman said that he didn't look for ''comedy'' in sketches on The Carol Burnett Show
Korman was a professional.
Jean Stapleton was a true American revolutionary, according to Carroll O'Connor
"Edith helped work a change in America," O'Connor wrote.
Vicki Lawrence got her start through Carol Burnett when she was only 17
Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett's friendship started in one of the most unique ways.
How Marlo Thomas gave Danny Thomas the worst Father’s Day gift possible
The decision to act came easily for everyone—except Marlo's parents.
Cindy Williams loved playing the role of Shirley on Laverne & Shirley
Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall were surprised when Laverne & Shirley became one of the most-watched TV series in the country.
Lucille Ball's minor injuries on I Love Lucy showed her dedication to performing
Lucille Ball was a bundle of bruises, sprains and scratches.
Harvey Korman on the type of chemistry it took to make The Carol Burnett Show work
Korman was proof that cast chemistry was key to comedy gold!
The Love Boat's Fred Grandy preferred to be on land
When Grandy wasn't filming for The Love Boat, he said he would avoid boats altogether.
At first, Norman Lear was against Sammy Davis Jr. appearing in All in the Family
The popular episode that almost never was.
R.I.P. Demond Wilson, Lamont on Sanford and Son
The Sanford and Son star known for playing Lamont has passed away at 79.
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.
This was Carol Burnett's favorite sketch on The Carol Burnett Show
"We were over the top. "
Vicki Lawrence called Thelma Harper ''a lonely old lady''
"She parallels many people in everybody's family," Lawrence said.
Art Carney on the realism of The Honeymooners
"People accepted us that way," said the actor.
Marlo Thomas was an inspiration to strong, independent women
Marlo Thomas stood on business.
Gavin MacLeod went from playing villains to being considered a comedy hero
When Gavin MacLeod lost his hair, he started getting typecasted as the big, bald, bad guy.
Jean Stapleton considered herself an introvert
Offstage, she was much more reserved.
When Gilligan's Island ended, an exhausted Bob Denver got a boat of his own
The actor had worked a three-year tour with just one day off.
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.
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.
Here's the advice Lucille Ball gave to aspiring actors and entertainers
What's Lucy's secret to success? Grape stomping, bear wrestling, silliness and a lot of hard work.
Richard Moll was once called himself ''The Midwest Mr. T''
A bald, seemingly intimidating actor who overcame many obstacles in life — textbook Mr. T and Mr. Moll.
This was Jill Whelan's real opinion on her on-screen father, Gavin MacLeod
"It's a great show to work on," said Whelan.
The role of The Fonz almost went to a Monkee
It came down to him and Henry Winkler.
Lucille Ball helped Carol Burnett early in her career
These two ladies had a powerful bond.
Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence shared an unforgettable reunion during the second season of Palm Royale
Burnett said that seeing her friend was "like old times."
That Girl's Ted Bessell wanted to leave the series with a little dignity
A little dignity goes a long way.
Jean Stapleton vetoed this plot point and changed an All in the Family script
The actress worked hard to shape her character.
Taxi's Tony Danza traded in his boxing gloves for a yellow cab
Like in boxing, he went with the punches and worked hard on his acting career.
Carl Reiner once said that Mary Tyler Moore was like his daughter
"I'm just crazy about the girl."
Success was the only thing keeping Rob Reiner and Penny Marshall apart
The timeless couple just wanted to have a little more time with each other.
Despite his stardom, Desi Arnaz said that he was a ''family man'' at heart
"The public does not think of me as a homebody," said the actor.
The Love Boat's Lauren Tewes was said to be the next Mary Tyler Moore
Lauren Tewes had a few things in common with Mary Tyler Moore, including her love for acting.
Susan Olsen used to get bullied at school because of Cindy Brady
Cindy Brady killed Susan Olsen's playground popularity.
Anne Schedeen thanked ALF for bringing her up to star status
All she needed was a working spaceship to help her land her star status.
Harvey Korman considered himself a variety show survivor
Harvey Korman was one of the many talented actors to be affected by both the rise and decline of variety shows.
Richard Moll didn't have a lot in common with his character on Night Court
This incredible actor looked like he would "bite the heads off of chickens." His words, not ours.
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.
Lucille Ball enjoyed The Lucy Show because her fictional husband wasn't involved
No husband? No problem. Everyone already loved Lucy.