Stories
Irene Ryan was worried she would have tomatoes thrown at her during live performances
Stage fright? No way. Fears of being famous? Nope. Flying tomatoes? Irene Ryan was always looking out for them.
Marlo Thomas was determined to prove critics wrong about her series, That Girl
Thomas said that even if she didn't become a big star, she knew That Girl would be a big hit.
Harvey Korman loved being in the background on The Carol Burnett Show
Korman didn't need to shine bright to be considered a star.
Vicki Lawrence put the meaning of family in Mama's Family
Burnett helped inspire the family members of Mama's Family, and Lawrence wasn't sure she was ready to be head of the household.
All in the Family got rid of ''live laughs'' and the live studio audience
The show changed for its ninth season. Apparently, people in the live audience didn't enjoy the jokes.
John Stamos was haunted by Uncle Jesse's mullet
He has often spoken of his struggles stepping out from under that mullet.
Here's how Betty White described the feeling of leaving Hot in Cleveland behind
Saying goodbye was hard for the hottest trio in Cleveland!
Archie and Edith reminded Jean Stapleton of her own parents
Stapleton saw her family in the Bunkers.
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.
Sammy Davis Jr. gave Archie Bunker the kiss of a lifetime on All in the Family
Archie Bunker doesn't kiss and tell, but his reaction is worth a thousand words.
Vicki Lawrence fought for better scripts on Mama's Family
Having worked under Burnett, she knew not to settle.
The Love Boat bartender picked up some mixology skills for the role
Ted Lange was known for making drinks on The Love Boat, but he could make a mean martini off-screen too.
How Carl Reiner kept The Dick Van Dyke Show relevant years after it aired
The series star argued that the show became so successful because of the cast's chemistry.
Vivian Vance once vowed to never work in television again
Don't worry. She didn't mean it.
Bea Benaderet told Paul Henning he should cast his own daughter in Petticoat Junction
Bea Benaderet, keeping the nepo-baby rumors alive.
George Wendt enjoyed being ''large'' for a living
Wendt was living large and liked it that way.
Here's why Archie was actually missing from two episodes in season five of All in the Family
Archie was getting lost on his way to Buffalo, but Carroll O'Connor knew exactly where he stood.
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.
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.
Robert Reed had a very sensible reason as to why he'd never recommend acting as a career
The actor was stern, but fair.
Bob Saget used to compare Full House to Happy Days
"We kid that I'm Richie Cunningham and we're doing Happy Days," Saget said.
A Dick Van Dyke comedy special made CBS offer Mary Tyler Moore a thirteen-episode deal for the Mary Tyler Moore Show
Looks like the special helped Moore make it after all.
During his career in comedy, Tim Conway found hope in his failures
Conway looked back at his career and his many failures in both television and in real life.
That Girl's Marlo Thomas was tired of talking about her dad in interviews
Her famous father wasn’t her only acting inspiration!
One of Harvey Korman’s biggest worries was time
Time was Korman’s toughest critic!
Norman Lear revealed how Edith was able to tune Archie out
Edith loved Archie but didn't agree with him.
Redd Foxx's connection to Sanford and Son went beyond acting
I love Sanford because that's me. That's just Redd Foxx fifteen years from now," he added.
Cindy Williams would reenact childhood memories during episodes of Laverne & Shirley
Williams called her acting career "a love affair."
Fred MacMurray tried to keep My Three Sons as fresh as possible
MacMurray and his three sons were no strangers to change.
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.
Wives saved The Dick Van Dyke Show from cancellation
The Dick Van Dyke Show received assistance from an unlikely source.
Susan Olsen had some interesting feelings about her Brady brothers
She tells a Florence Henderson story, too!
From son to father: Don Grady on growing up with My Three Sons
One of the sons from My Three Sons became a father himself—of three boys!
Here’s the method Bob Mackie used to design Carol Burnett’s iconic costumes
Carol Burnett and Cher had something in common besides their star power.
Jean Stapleton said that her husband ''had all the qualities Archie doesn't have.''
"He is an enlightened person and smart."
Here's what Lucille Ball had to say about staying young and beautiful
The Lucille Ball method: Castor oil, humor and perfume.
Carroll O'Connor gave the best advice for aspiring actors
The Emmy award-winning actor was all for following your dreams but said it would not come easy.
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?
Harvey Korman saved Mama's Family from a dark place
Korman really brought the family together — and lead them to success.
Lucille Ball explained why the Ricardo family lived an average life
“I...didn’t want us to be a typical Hollywood couple, whatever that is,” said Ball.
Redd Foxx loved his life inside and outside of Sanford and Son
Redd Foxx was both a nightclub comic and a TV star. In the '70s, succeeding in both at the same time was rare.
Danny DeVito's character on Taxi was made just for him
DeVito hatched a plan in order to get the part of Louie on Taxi.
Anson Williams wanted to use television to speak to an audience
Williams saw the medium as a platform.
Fans would stop Marlo Thomas on the street just to call her ''That Girl''
She was "that girl" on TV and "that girl" on the streets.
Here’s what Bernie Kopell had to say about starring on The Love Boat
"I work steadily...What could be wrong with that?”
Please enjoy this pep talk from Florence Henderson
Feeling down? Take a dose of Carol Brady.
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.
The real reason Natalie Schafer loved playing comedic roles
Schafer viewed comedy as a way to "escape reality."
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.
Here's how Mike Nesmith handled Monkees mania and its screaming fans
It’s clear the band knew how to hit the right note!
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.
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 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!
The Brady Bunch creator wanted to offer viewers a ''people comedy''
What did a stranded island, a family of eight and a housekeeper all have in common? Sherwood Schwartz.
Valerie Bertinelli said the best advice she ever received was from co-star Betty White
Some of the hottest chemistry wasn’t just in Cleveland.
How Vivian Vance became a big Hollywood star by accident
Vivian Vance had the audition of a lifetime in front of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz – and she had no idea.
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.
Here’s the advice Hot in Cleveland star Betty White gave to young actors
She made being over 50 look cool.
Bob Newhart loved to watch Newhart reruns
Newhart didn’t watch it for entertainment—he watched it for research.
Cindy Williams had experience with two decades: Shirley's and her own
Her character resonated with audiences of all generations!
R.I.P. Shelley Fabares, star of ''The Donna Reed Show'', ''Coach'', and frequent Elvis co-star
She had a #1 hit song and was married to M*A*S*H actor Mike Farrell. The actress was 82 years old.
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 an inside look at the lightning-fast rehearsal process that made The Honeymooners so good
"Never in our wildest dreams did we think we were making TV history."
Marion Ross on balancing family and career: ''I'm about 50/50''
It was all happy days for the Happy Days star.
Jean Stapleton partially based Edith off of a ''beloved dingbat'' in her family
Stapleton was able to pull from her family tree to find inspiration for Edith Bunker.
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
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.
Bea Benaderet and her character on Petticoat Junction had some key differences
Benaderet called herself a "slob" (her words, not ours) compared to her hardworking and organized character on Petticoat Junction.
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!
Finding new ways to relate to women was an important job for Hot in Cleveland
This one's for the girls!
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.
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.
Here's how Mayberry and Andy Griffith shaped George Lindsey
He treated each day in Mayberry like it was his last.
Here's how these stars remembered Lucille Ball after her death in 1989
It wasn't just for the cameras. These stars loved Lucy.
About that time Max Baer Jr. played Jethro's twin sister on The Beverly Hillbillies
Max Baer Jr. was a man who looked like a lady, or a man who looked like his twin sister.
Frank Sutton used his real military experience on Gomer Pyle: USMC
Sutton was a real Army veteran with a fictional Marine background.
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.
Carroll O'Connor said that criticism of his shows got to him
Carroll O'Connor had a candid critique of TV critics.
Here's how Happy Days helped Ron Howard mature
All Ron Howard wanted was to act his age.
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.
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!
Jean Stapleton was thankful she didn't have to choose between family and career
One could argue that her career was family.
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.
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.
Tim Conway said that this was one of the most important element of good comedy
The comedy legend shared this secret tip.
Here’s what Dick Van Dyke thought made his series so special
He knew the secret formula but left out one key ingredient.
Critics couldn’t shake Tom Bosley or Happy Days
These critics had seen happier days.
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.
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.
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.
Tom Bosley shared a lot in common with his Happy Days character
Bosley built a career on being a dad.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Marjorie Lord felt she was too critical of herself on television
Even TV stars can get insecure sometimes!
A real experience made Vivian Vance an advocate for mental health
Vivian Vance had a big role to play as Lucille Ball's sidekick.
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.
Bob Newhart used humor to help cope with life's hardest moments
Newhart used humor to get through life's hardships and suggested you do the same.
Here’s why Bob Newhart preferred smart comedy over easy laughs
No tantrums, no toy boxes, and definitely no sitcom baby formula.
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.
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!"
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.
Jean Stapleton considered herself an introvert
Offstage, she was much more reserved.
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.
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!
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.
Jean Stapleton was a true American revolutionary, according to Carroll O'Connor
"Edith helped work a change in America," O'Connor wrote.
Harvey Korman loved The Carol Burnett Show, but hated some of the costumes
After all, fake mustaches, feathers, tutus, and tiaras can only take you so far.
Fred Grandy said he ''reached a plateau'' on The Love Boat, so he pivoted to politics
Gopher was a politician, too!
Penny Marshall didn't care about what the critics had to say
And with a number one show on television, why would she?
Betty White on the emotions of leaving Hot in Cleveland behind
Saying goodbye to Cleveland was no laughing matter for Betty White.
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.
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.
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.
Anson Williams wasn't the only singer on the Happy Days cast
Think of all the musical acts we could have had!
Norman Lear revealed All in the Family's British roots
The producer spilled the beans (and toast!)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here's how Ozzie Nelson used his family's age to help his show
Fun and family first, fame and fortune second.
Marlo Thomas was an inspiration to strong, independent women
Marlo Thomas stood on business.
Here's what the ''drinks'' on The Love Boat were actually made of
Ted Lange, who played Isaac Washington, revealed the truth.
Sally Struthers was worried about how her fame would affect her daughter
"I hate to leave her even for a moment."
Maureen McCormick on why she doesn't like to watch The Brady Bunch
The actor wasn't a fan of reruns.
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."