Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, Octavia Spencer to Join ABC’s ‘Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter’ Special

BreAnna Bell
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ABC has enlisted celebrity assistance from Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler and Octavia Spencer as they come together to celebrate TV legend Norman Lear in the upcoming special, “Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter.”

The one-night-only celebration honoring the life and legacy of the famed producer features intimate conversations, special performances and surprise reunions that pay homage to the man behind some of television’s greatest stories in celebration of his 100th birthday.

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“I’ve always believed music and laughter have added time to my life. I’ve seen a lot throughout my 100 years, but I would’ve never imagined America having a front-row seat to my birthday celebration,” said Lear.

Additional talent and performances will be revealed at a later date.

Born in 1922, the Connecticut native has come to be recognized as a screenwriter, award-winning mega-producer and philanthropist. His most recent credits include his time as executive producer to the critically acclaimed reimagining of “One Day at a Time,” which ran for four seasons and was the first Netflix series to be renewed for network television (PopTV and CBS). He also executive produces and co-hosts “Live in Front of a Studio Audience…” alongside Kimmel.

The series set record ratings for ABC and won the Emmy for outstanding variety special for two consecutive years.

As a young adult, Lear attended Emerson College before flying 52 combat missions over Europe during World War II. Upon his return, he began a successful career writing and producing programs like “The Colgate Comedy Hour” and “The Martha Raye Show” — ultimately catapulting his career to stardom by attracting 120 million viewers per week with his iconic shows of the 1970s and ‘80s — “All in the Family,” “Good Times,” “The Jeffersons,” “Maude” and “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”

Lear is a 2017 Kennedy Center Honoree, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts in 1999 and the Peabody Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and a proud member of the inaugural group of inductees to the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1984. He has won six Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe. He is the husband of Lyn Davis Lear and the father to six children and four grandchildren.

Done+Dusted produces, while David Jammy, Brent Miller, Garrett English, Raj Kapoor and Eric Cook will executive produce. James Merryman is set to direct.

“Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter” will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 9 pm EDT on ABC and will be available on Hulu the following day.

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