Jimmy Kimmel paid tribute to the late Norman Lear, who died Tuesday at age 101, during Wednesday's opening remarks of Kimmel's ABC late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
The pair worked together as producers on "Live In Front Of a Studio Audience" specials recreating episodes from Lear's classic sitcoms, earning them an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Deadline noted.
"Norman was the genius who brought us some of the greatest television shows and characters of all time," Kimmel said, according to Deadline.
"He changed situation comedy in the best possible way — he taught us so much about so many serious things — always making us laugh while he did it — and everyone who works in or even watches television owes him a great debt. Especially me," Kimmel added.
The talk show went on to recount a humorous anecdote about Lear's reaction upon receiving a "Norman f*ckin' Lear" sweatshirt that Kimmel and his wife had gifted him for the holidays.
Kimmel said that Lear had "101 years and somehow, it wasn't enough. We were all lucky to have him. I hope we never forget him — or the many the lessons he taught us."
Concluding his tribute, Kimmel gave a nod to one of Lear's signature lines.
"One of the many, many, sweet things about Norman was — he never said goodbye. He'd say 'to be continued' — and 'over and next,'" Kimmel said, "and so that's how we'll leave it. To be continued … over and next."
Lear was known for his groundbreaking hit comedy shows such as "All in the Family" and "Maude." He also dominated American TV screens in the 1970s and '80s with the situation-comedy shows "Sanford and Son," "The Jeffersons," and the soap-opera spoof "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman."
At one point in the 1970s Lear had eight shows on the air with an estimated 120 million viewers, according to reports.
Other Lear-produced hits included "Diff'rent Strokes," "Fernwood 2 Night," and the "All in the Family" spin-off "Archie Bunker's Place."
But Lear also had flops such as "All That Glitters," "Sunday Dinner" and another "All in the Family" spin-off, "Gloria."'
Reuters contributed to this report.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
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