Norman Lear based Archie Bunker character from 'All in the Family' on his father, source claims

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Legendary television producer and comedian Norman Lear, who passed away on December 5 at the age of 101, is believed to have transformed his deepest heartbreak into his greatest accomplishment.

Sources revealed that Lear — the creator of popular sitcoms like 'Maude,' 'Sanford and Son', and 'The Jeffersons' — modeled his most enduring persona, adored bigot Archie Bunker of 'All in the Family', after his own father.

Announcing Lear's death on December 6, his family said in an Instagram statement: "It is with profound sadness and love that we announce the passing of Norman Lear, our beloved husband, father, and grandfather."

"Norman passed away peacefully on December 5, 2023, surrounded by his family as we told stories and sang songs until the very end," the statement added.

Norman Lear's dad inspired Archie Bunker's iconic character

The National Enquirer reported that insiders stated the charismatic character of Archie Bunker was inspired by the late TV producer's own down-on-his-luck father.

"Norman's father, Herman, was a crook who was sent to prison for three years for selling fake bonds — creating hardship and humiliation for the family when Norman was only a kid," a source told the outlet, as per Radar Online.

Herman's lengthy criminal record apparently made it difficult for the 'Maude' producer's family to make ends meet. Even after his release from prison, Herman was said to have picked violent arguments with his wife Jeannette over dinner.

Lear was believed to have had a distorted picture of family life due to the constant upheaval of his early years.

Lear, however, considered his father to be more of a rogue than a villain, and he modeled Archie, a character with many flaws, after him.

Although Carroll O'Connor's character, Archie Bunker, was a very flawed person, Lear was praised for his ability to ignite debate on contentious political and social topics of the day through the popular sitcom, all while maintaining a humorous veneer.

For his portrayal of the character allegedly inspired by Lear's father, O'Conner went on to win four Emmy honors.

"Norman always saw a twinkle of goodness buried in his dad, and he was always entertained by him," said a source.

The source added: "He put all of those qualities in Archie — who was a misinformed bigot who was a good guy underneath and learned from his mistakes in every episode."

"So, in the end, being Herman's son paid off in ways that little Norman probably never dreamed of as a kid!"

Norman Lear died of natural causes

According to a statement released by Lara Bergthold, a spokesman for his family, the renowned writer and producer died on December 5, 2023, at his Los Angeles home from natural causes.

According to the family statement, Lear "lived a life in awe of the world around him".

Throughout his extraordinary seven-decade career as a writer, producer, and creator, the Connecticut native produced 100 shows and often addressed controversial topics.

The legendary writer and producer is survived by his wife Lyn and their children Brianna, Madeline, and Benjamin. He also has three children from previous marriages: Maggie, Ellen, and Kate.

Lear, who became a centenarian in July 2022, discussed how life has changed over the past century as well as the advancement of technology.

"It is remarkable to consider that television—the medium for which I am most well-known—did not even exist when I was born, in 1922," the New York Times story stated.

"The internet came along decades later, and then social media. We have seen that each of these technologies can be put to destructive use—spreading lies, sowing hatred and creating the conditions for authoritarianism to take root. But that is not the whole story," Lear said at the time.