Norman Lear, who addressed serious issues in humorous sitcoms, died Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 101.
Matthew Lawrence, a spokesperson for the family, said the producer and screenwriter died of natural causes.
Lear was hailed for producing beloved television shows like All in the Family and The Jeffersons, and later, for his work as a political activist.
The families in Lear's shows had conversations about the real things that were going on in the 1970
Lear had already established himself as a top comedy writer and captured a 1968 Oscar nomination for his screenplay for “Divorce American Style
Lear’s shows were the first to address the serious political, cultural and social flashpoints of the day – racism, abortion, homosexuality,
They had plot lines like: "I burnt the pot roast. What are we gonna do we don't have anything for dinner. Or I have a talent show at school and I don't know how to dance."
One Day at a Time” (1975-84) featured a single mother of two young girls as its protagonist, a new concept for a sitcom.