Norman Lear was already one of the most honored personalities in television history, but now has another distinction to add to his long career: at age 97 and 49, he is the oldest person to have never won an Emmy Award.
Asked about this achievement, he told Saturday behind the scenes of Creative Arts Emmys: "I do not think much," he added jokingly: "I like to get up in the morning."
Lear set the record Saturday as one of the producers of Live in front of a studio audience: "All in the Family" by Norman Lear and "The Jeffersons." The ABC show, which included Live performances of two episodes of Lear original comedies from the 1970s, won in the category Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
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Jimmy Kimmel, who produced the show with Lear, was asked how it was to make a show with the television legend.
"It's the best thing you can imagine. It's like dancing with Fred Astaire, "said Kimmel.
"That makes me Ginger Rogers," joked Lear.
Lear and Kimmel also announced that they were planning another special live show later in the year, but they refused to provide details.
Lear was also asked how he wrote to many African-American characters embraced by black viewers, especially on "The Jefferson". He had another little joke: "Obviously, you did not notice that I'm black."
Read also: After Emmy nominations, Norman Lear teases more remakes live from his classic sitcoms
He then added that he was trying to focus on the universal similarities between all peoples.
The former record holder as the oldest winner was David Attenborough, who set a new record Saturday night about half an hour before Lear's victory. Attenborough, who is 93, won for telling "Our Planet".
With his nomination for "Live in front of a studio audience," Lear had already preceded Carl Reiner to become the oldest Emmy candidate.
Lear's victory comes 48 years after winning the Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Series – Comedy" in the category "All in the family". He won four Emmy for the show and was inducted into the Emmy Hall of Fame in 1984. He also won two Peabody Awards, the Kennedy Center Honor, the Woody Guthrie Prize and the National Medal of Arts.
The award was announced Saturday at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the first of two non-televised ceremonies that will precede the September 22 Primetime Emmy Awards. The ceremony took place at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
10 stars who just need an Emmy for EGOT, from Elton John to Stephen Sondheim (Photos)
EGOT – an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony – is one of the biggest and most elusive honors of entertainment. These stars are (or were) close to reaching it.
Henry Fonda, actor (1905-82) Grammy: Best Spoken Word Album, "Great Documents" (1977) Oscar: Best Actor, "On Golden Pond" (1981) Tony: Best Actor, "Mister Roberts" (1948); Best Actor, "Clarence Darrow" (1975)
Elton John, composer and musician (1947-) Grammy: Best pop performance of a duo or group, "That's what friends do" (1986); Best instrumental composition, "Basque" (1991); Best male pop vocal performance, "Can you feel love tonight" (1994); Best pop male vocal performance, "Candle in the Wind" (1997); Best performance album, "Aida" (2000) Oscar: Best Original Son, "Can You Feel Love Tonight" from "The Lion King" (1994) Tony: Best score, "Aida" (2000)
Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist and producer (1895-1960) Grammy: Best original casting album, "The Sound of Music" (1960) Oscar: Best Original Song, "The Last Time I Saw Paris" from "Lady Be Good" (1941); "It might as well be the spring" of "State Fair" (1945) Tony: Three awards for "South Pacific" (1950); Best Musical, "The King and Me" (1952); Best Musical, "The Sound of Music" (1960)
Stephen Sondheim, composer and lyricist (1930-) Grammy: Best Performance Album, "Company" (1970); Best performance album, "A Little Night Music" (1973); Song of the Year "Send in the Clowns" (1975); Best performance album, "Sweeney Todd" (1979); Best performance album, "Sunday in the Park With George" (1984); Best casting album, "Into the Woods" (1988); Best performance album, "Passion" (1994); Oscar: Best Original Song, "Sooner Or Later (I'm still getting my man)" in "Dick Tracy" (1990) Tony: Best musical, "A funny thing is happening on the way to the forum" (1963); Best Score and Best Lyrics, "Company" (1971); Best score, "Follies" (1972); Best Score, "A Little Night Music" (1973); Best result, "Sweeney Todd" (1979); Best result, "Into the Woods" (1988); Best score, "Passion" (1994)
Alan Jay Lerner, lyricist and writer (1918-1986) Grammy: Best Original Album, "On a Clear Day" (1965) Oscar: Best Original Screenplay, "An American in Paris" (1951); Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Song, "Gigi" (1958) Tony: Best musical, "My Fair Lady" (1957); Best Original Score, "Gigi" (1974)
Frank Loesser, composer (1910-69) Grammy: Best album: "How to succeed …" (1961) Oscar: Best song, "Baby, it's cold outside" in "The daughter of Neptune" (1949) Tony: Best Musical, "Guys and Dolls" (1951); Best Musical, "How to Succeed …" (1962)
Alan Menken, composer (1949-) Grammy: Best Children's Recording and Television or Movie Song, "The Little Mermaid" (1990); Best children's record, TV or movie song, TV or movie instrument, "Beauty and the Beast" (1992); Song of the Year, "A New World", Best Recording for Children, Song for Television or Film, Instrument for Television or Film, "Aladdin" (1993); Best song for television or cinema, "Colors of the Wind" (1995); Best Song for Visual Medium, "I see the light" (2011) Oscar: Best Score and Song, "The Little Mermaid" (1989); Best Score and Song, "Beauty and the Beast" (1991); Best Score and Song, "Aladdin" (1992); Best Score and Song, "Pocahontas" (1995) Tony: Best score, "Newsies" (2012)
Jule Styne, composer and composer (1905-94) Grammy: Best casting album, "Funny Girl" (1964) Oscar: Best Song, "Three Pieces in the Fountain" (1954) Tony: Best Music and Best Score "Hallelujah Baby" (1968)
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, composers (both since 1985) Grammy: Best musical theater album, "Dear Evan Hansen" (2018) Oscar: Best Original Song, "The Land" (2017) Tony: Best Original Score, "Dear Evan Hansen" (2017)
Selected group of artists can complete trophy cases with competitive TV win
EGOT – an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony – is one of the biggest and most elusive honors of entertainment. These stars are (or were) close to reaching it.
