Norman Lear Had One Major Regret During His 73-Year TV Career

Norman Lear was a titan in the entertainment industry. He worked in some capacity on numerous television shows over the years, and he shepherded some of the funniest sitcoms in TV history, like "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons," and "Good Times." He accomplished so much, but even someone of Lear's caliber still had regrets.

At 99 years old, Lear spoke with Entertainment Weekly to reflect on his career. When asked if there was anything he would go back to do differently, Lear responded, "I did this show that was called 'The Nancy Walker Show.' And I didn't get it right. It didn't work as well as it should have worked for this great performer. It hurts for me to say this, but since you asked if I have a regret or would like to do something again, I would love to do that again."

Nancy Walker was a TV regular by the time she received her own series. She starred as Ida Morgenstern on "Rhoda" and played the housekeeper Mildred on "McMillan & Wife." It only seemed natural for her to get her own sitcom, but it wasn't meant to be. ABC canceled the show after airing 12 episodes due to low ratings. Walker wasn't pressed for work following the cancelation, as she continued appearing on "Rhoda" until 1978 and went on to star in shows like "The Golden Girls." But it seems Lear never forgot how the show should've been better received than it was.

Even the most legendary TV creators have flops every now and then. Norman Lear's track record more than speaks for itself, even if he thought "The Nancy Walker Show" could've been better. However, even if it was canceled in its first season, the show still made a mark on the television landscape. "The Nancy Walker Show" is notable for including one of the first homosexual characters in a TV show with Terry Folson, played by Ken Olfson. 

Nancy Walker maintained sarcastic, dry wit all the way through. Before the show was canceled, Walker spoke with The New York Times in 1976 about her newest role, and she didn't seem interested in fretting over its ultimate fate. She stated, "I don't waste time washing for things or crying when they don't happen. Because the only thing you can count on is that whatever you've been planning is not going to work out that way. I survive — that's as far as I can go." At the time of publication, only a few episodes had aired, with The New York Times also containing this coincidental line, "So far, 'Nancy' is less than a hit but not in danger of [cancelation]."

While Walker likely took the cancelation in stride, it speaks to Lear's character that he thought the actor and the series deserved better. But even with a premature cancelation, Lear did what he did best — keep going and continue to oversee new shows well into the 21st century.