Stories

Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying young and beautiful

The Lucille Ball method: Castor oil, humor and perfume.

Esther Rolle said Good Times proves that you can be happy anywhere

The Evans family proved that true happiness was still possible without much money.

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.

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.

A bald head helped Richard Moll get his part in Night Court

Night Court producers loved Moll's bald-headed look. Richard Moll? Maybe not so much.

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.

Sally Struthers thought Gloria should have had a job on All in the Family

Sally Struthers had a few ideas for her character on All in the Family. Including one idea that came true.

Tim Conway shared the reason he had no interest in starring in another sitcom

Though Conway was a stellar comedic performer, there was one aspect of television he tended to avoid.

The cast of Taxi had mixed reactions when the series moved to NBC

When Taxi switched networks, its stars were hoping it would drive higher ratings home.

Cindy Williams explained the secret to a good television series was a bit of stupidity

"We take television to its dumbest," said the actor.

Harvey Korman had a ton of ideas but said no format fit his style

"I have a million ideas, but am still looking for a good format," Korman said.

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.

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

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.

Dick Van Dyke on new love in old age: ''It's not too late!''

He also says you should exercise!

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!

Wives saved The Dick Van Dyke Show from cancellation

The Dick Van Dyke Show received assistance from an unlikely source.

Art Carney was the perfect Santa Claus

Art Carney was a three-time Santa Claus.

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.

That Girl's Marlo Thomas was tired of talking about her dad in interviews

Her famous father wasn’t her only acting inspiration!

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.

Lucille Ball enjoyed The Lucy Show because her fictional husband wasn't involved

No husband? No problem. Everyone already loved Lucy.

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.

Sarah Jessica Parker hoped everyone could identify with Square Pegs

Parker identified with her "Square Pegs" character and hoped that you would do the same.

Bob Denver said that he and Alan Hale Jr. were like Laurel and Hardy during Gilligan's Island

The actors were two peas in a pod.

Tom Bosley shared a lot in common with his Happy Days character

Bosley built a career on being a dad.

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.

Sally Struthers was worried about how her fame would affect her daughter

"I hate to leave her even for a moment."

ALF's Paul Fusco enjoyed creating shows for families and kids

ALF gave us an out of this world look into a planet he wasn't even from.

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.

Cindy Williams would reenact childhood memories during episodes of Laverne & Shirley

Williams called her acting career "a love affair."

10 behind-the-scenes photos of Christmas on classic TV to get you in the holiday spirit

Get into the holiday spirit with your favorite classic TV stars!

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.

At first, Norman Lear was against Sammy Davis Jr. appearing in All in the Family

The popular episode that almost never was.

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.

Theresa Merritt based her That's My Mama character on her aunt

Mama Curtis always felt like a real person. Turns out, it's because Mama Curtis was actually Aunt Gertie.

Theresa Merritt faced an identity crisis during her time on That's My Mama

She was Mama Curtis to everyone, even in real life.

Jimmie Walker didn't want people to identify him with his Good Times character

Walker wanted to be a comedian and playing J.J. Evans gave him the needed exposure.

Ted Lange used That's My Mama as a chance to prove himself

Before he boarded The Love Boat, he was just trying to stay afloat on That's My Mama.

Esther Rolle wanted Good Times writers to eliminate some of J.J. Evans' ''foolishness''

"Rather than get rid of Jimmie, I would like to see them eliminate some of the flippant things he does and make the character responsible."

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.

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.

Jimmie Walker said he was nothing like J.J. on Good Times

He was more of a loner in real life than his "Dy-no-mite!" character!

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.

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.

Sally Struthers had a crush on Rob Reiner during filming of All in the Family

Were sparks flying off-camera?

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.

Ann B. Davis loved to dust on the set of The Brady Bunch

Ann B. Davis never wanted to play a leading lady on 'The Brady Bunch,' she was content with dusting.

Jean Stapleton vetoed this plot point and changed an All in the Family script

The actress worked hard to shape her character.

Tim Conway said that this was one of the most important element of good comedy

The comedy legend shared this secret tip.

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.

This Square Pegs character was based on a real nerd

The Square Pegs producer turned her most memorable high school moments into gold.

Ja'Net DuBois admitted that John Amos' departure from Good Times ''left such a big hole''

Fans weren't the only ones who felt the pain of James Evans' scripted passing.

Anson Williams wanted to use television to speak to an audience

Williams saw the medium as a platform.

Tim Conway didn't take a technical approach to comedy

Conway was an off-the-cuff comedian.

The essential role the parents played on Everybody Loves Raymond

There was a lot of love underneath the banter and battling of the Barones.

Mama's Family gave Harvey Korman the chance to be a director

He put family first on Mama’s Family and fully embraced the shift from acting to directing.

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.

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 Newhart did comedy to ''keep him from crying''

"I guess I laugh to keep from crying," Newhart said.

Everybody Loves Raymond's Doris Roberts broke TV's age barrier

She could steal a scene, even when the spotlight wasn’t on her.

The stars of ''Everybody Loves Raymond'' pick their favorite episodes

Plus, series creator Phil Rosenthal chimes in!

Ray Romano: ''I need to be a loser.''

Romano demonstrated that sometimes, losing can feel like a big win.

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.

No actors were fighting for superiority on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond

“It’s a joy to come to work in the morning," said actor Doris Roberts.

Penny Marshall enjoyed drinking milk and Pepsi as a child, long before she starred on Laverne & Shirley

Laverne and Penny shared a drink of choice.

Jimmie Walker was a stand-up comedian before becoming a star on Good Times

Before Jimmie Walker was cracking jokes on television, he told them onstage as a struggling stand-up comedian.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vivian Vance's acting career had a parallel in mental health

She was much more than just Ethel Mertz.

In 1966, Bob Denver gave advice on how to be funny

Bob Denver knew how to be funny, and he wanted you to know how too.

Harry Anderson was essentially playing himself on Night Court

Harry Anderson's acting journey started with a little magic.

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.

Bob Saget loved working with kids for his role on Full House

He had a daughter in real life and three on the series – that's one busy dad!

Yes, that was actually Henry Winkler water skiing in Happy Days

Winkler was a talented actor and an adept skier!

Before landing her role on Good Times Bern Nadette Stanis wanted to be a dancer

Her role on Good Times was so sudden that it took her out of her classes at Juilliard!

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.

Carol Burnett, Buddy Hackett, Lucille Ball and other stars gave up their privacy for fame

Stars, like everyone else, just want some peace and quiet from time to time.

Art Carney on the realism of The Honeymooners

"People accepted us that way," said the actor.

The younger cast members of Happy Days would often go to Tom Bosley for advice

Bosley's costars often turned to the actor for wisdom.