Stories
Ron Howard enjoyed living in the 1950s for his Happy Days role
Ron Howard was living in two decades at the same time.
Sally Struthers spent $40,000 trying to leave All in the Family
We almost lost Gloria!
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.
Linda Henning had big plans for her future after Petticoat Junction
That sweet country sound! Here's how Petticoat Junction inspired Linda Henning to go into the music business.
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.
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.
Dick Van Dyke had to be reminded frequently that he was a star
The actor kept humble.
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.
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.
9 fascinating little things you never knew about Florence Henderson
From her Queen of Diamonds crown to her hypnotherapy license, she was one-of-a-kind.
Harry Anderson was essentially playing himself on Night Court
Harry Anderson's acting journey started with a little magic.
Here’s why Happy Days actress Erin Moran enjoyed growing up on television
"It feels great growing up on television," Moran said.
Jean Stapleton vetoed this plot point and changed an All in the Family script
The actress worked hard to shape her character.
In the 1960s, Carol Burnett was bold in comedy, but basic in cooking
Fearless on The Carol Burnett Show, but cautious in the kitchen!
Why Mary Tyler Moore's pants were such a big deal in the 1960s
Laura Petrie's capris paved the way for Mary Richards.
Alan Hale Jr. was focused on becoming a ''working actor'' like his father
The actor wasn't concerned with stardom.
According to Morey Amsterdam, before it became a TV classic, The Dick Van Dyke Show was a slow starter
The series was hilarious, but the ratings were no laughing matter at first.
Some fans thought Vivian Vance and William Frawley were married in real life, not just on I Love Lucy
Fred and Ethel's on-screen marriage had fans fooled!
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!
Henry Winkler: ''I still need much too much public approval''
An important life lesson, courtesy of The Fonz.
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.
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.
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.
Redd Foxx said the key to Sanford and Son's success was honesty
The actor and legendary comedian had faith in the power of humor, and along with honesty, that made the show popular.
Lucille Ball didn't mind sharing her series with farm animals
Lucille Ball took "rural humor" to a new extreme!
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.
Art Carney on the realism of The Honeymooners
"People accepted us that way," said the actor.
Maureen McCormick actually hurt her nose the day that ''The Subject Was Noses'' aired
Sometimes Brady life imitates Brady art.
Here's why Betty White's humor never got old
She proved that laughter really is the golden ticket!
Harry Truman advised The Beverly Hillbillies creator, Paul Henning, to go into politics
You know, the name Paul Henning does have a nice presidential ring to it.
Mama's Family wasn't interested in bringing social issues into its episodes
The series was in the business of entertainment, not teaching.
This was Jill Whelan's real opinion on her on-screen father, Gavin MacLeod
"It's a great show to work on," said Whelan.
Susan Olsen used to get bullied at school because of Cindy Brady
Cindy Brady killed Susan Olsen's playground popularity.
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.
Lucille Ball enjoyed The Lucy Show because her fictional husband wasn't involved
No husband? No problem. Everyone already loved Lucy.
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!
These nine photos of The Monkees show just how cool the band was
Let's hang around with the Monkees! These behind-the-scenes photos are filled with nostalgia.
This episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show is Dick Van Dyke's favorite
"We just looked forward to coming to work every day," said the actor of the hit series.
Cindy Williams explained the secret to a good television series was a bit of stupidity
"We take television to its dumbest," Williams said.
Here's why Norman Lear was the man behind all the hits
Get an inside look into the mind behind the man!
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.
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.
During Cheers, Rhea Perlman was speaking out about childcare needs
She was a mom who could do it all... thanks to her advocacy for childcare!
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.
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.
Audrey Meadows made bank in her role on The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners made Meadows a millionaire.
Irene Ryan was told she was ''too young'' to play Granny in The Beverly Hillbillies
"Do I have to go home and get my grey wig and shawl to convince you I can play Granny?"
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."
This actor was nearly cast as Ethel Mertz in I Love Lucy
One decision could have changed everything.
Mary Frann of Newhart was inspired by Audrey Meadows of The Honeymooners
"Audrey Meadows made Jackie Gleason funnier."
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.
Sally Struthers broke her arm on the set of All in the Family
The cast had to be removed before filming.
At first, Norman Lear was against Sammy Davis Jr. appearing in All in the Family
The popular episode that almost never was.
Buddy Ebsen predicted a ''good future'' for The Beverly Hillbillies
Buddy Ebsen wasn't just the star of the series; he was its biggest fan, too!
How syndication saved Vicki Lawrence and Mama's Family
Syndication saved Mama's Family.
Laverne & Shirley was often compared to I Love Lucy
"It's hard to find two attractive girls who will let themselves seem unattractive."
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.
The Odd Couple changed Tony Randall's outlook on life
He quickly became one of the most successful neat freaks on television!
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.
Anson Williams responded to claims that he was a ''teen idol''
"There's a lot you have to handle besides performing," said Williams.
Producer Garry Marshall was surprised by Laverne & Shirley's success
The producer said Laverne & Shirley was "all about timing."
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!
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.
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."
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.
John Larroquette said there was ''nothing quite like Night Court''
Order in the court! Here’s why Night Court ruled TV.
Here's the reason Paul Fusco believed everyone loved ALF
ALF took the world by storm, and he wasn’t even from this planet!
Gavin MacLeod addresses rumors that the Love Boat cast didn't get along
This is your captain speaking.
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!
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.
Tina Louise would have picked Manhattan over Gilligan's Island
Oops! Looks like Tina Louise would have rather been stranded somewhere else.
Here's why Buddy Ebsen called The Beverly Hillbillies a ''pure comic strip''
When the critics called it corny, Ebsen called their bluff.
When Art Carney wasn't making people laugh, he was sharing recipes
Hilarious? Yes. A chef? No, but his salads were party favorites.
Yes, that was actually Henry Winkler water skiing in Happy Days
Winkler was a talented actor and an adept skier!
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.
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.
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.
Florence Henderson's children once asked why she wasn't as nice as Carol Brady
Carol Brady was the mom that everyone loved, even Florence Henderson's children.
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.
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!
Here's an inside look at the rehearsal process of I Love Lucy
"I Love Lucy completely changed my methods of memorizing," said the actor.
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.
Rhea Perlman envied her character's personality on Cheers
Perlman envied her character's quick quips on the series.
Irene Ryan loved show business and credited The Beverly Hillbillies with her success
It was a long road that finally led to Clampett country.
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.
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.
Vicki Lawrence's lost residuals from Mama's Family
A story of death, cryogenesis, and money.
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.
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 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.
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.
There was a time when no one knew what Ozzie's career was on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
He was family first and questions later. Can anyone recall what Ozzie did for a living in his 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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Fans were weirdly attached to Rose Marie's bows on The Dick Van Dyke Show
A very attractive accessory.
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."
Sherwood Schwartz claimed that some of the Professor's experiments in Gilligan's Island were actually feasible
"A touch of reality, however, is very important," said Schwartz.
Henry Winkler shaped The Fonz, and insisted on showing what was there ''underneath the cool''
Here’s how Winkler expanded The Fonz’s character!
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.
Fans would greet William Frawley and ask ''Where's Ethel?''
What would Fred be without Ethel?
Here's why Morey Amsterdam was one of the happiest actors on The Dick Van Dyke Show
He had plenty to smile about on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Carroll O'Connor said that criticism of his shows got to him
Carroll O'Connor had a candid critique of TV critics.
Florence Henderson loved children as much as Carol Brady
Henderson was America's mother.
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.
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."
Rusty Hamer was a child star who felt disrespected by adults during his time on The Danny Thomas Show
Most adults would have called Hamer "cute," but the child star didn't like being called anything but a professional.
The Love Boat gave Bernie Kopell an unexpected romantic image
He was the underdog of romance until he became the type everyone wanted.
Carroll O'Connor's nine-year-old son responded to a hate letter his father received
O'Connor didn't even know about the letter until he found a copy of his son's reply.
The Beverly Hillbillies creator didn't care about critics
Critics hated it, Henning created it, and the fans kept it rated among the top.
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."
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.
Jean Stapleton knew that Edith Bunker wasn't stupid
"Edith is the power."
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.
Edgar Buchanan almost became a dentist instead of an actor
What do acting and dentistry have in common? Not much except Edgar Buchanan.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
Barry Williams on the disastrous Brady Kids concert costumes
Polyester! Bellbottoms! Fringe! Oh my!
Vicki Lawrence called Thelma Harper ''a lonely old lady''
"She parallels many people in everybody's family," Lawrence said.
A network executive wanted the castaways to escape Gilligan's Island after the first episode
Creator Sherwood Schwartz knew the island was the star of the show as much as any of the actors.
Night Court's Harry Anderson had a tough start to his success
A little magic goes a long way.
Raymond Bailey was ''the banker's hero'' after his role on The Beverly Hillbillies
His success as The Clampetts' banker was so unexpected, he wouldn't have even put money on it.
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.
Norman Lear based Archie Bunker off of his own father
The writer borrowed from his life.
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.
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.
Henry Winkler used some of his popularity as The Fonz to teach kids about Shakespeare
What a duo: The Bard and The Fonz!