Norman Lear's Children Kept Him Young at Heart! All About the TV Legend's Six Kids
Norman Lear died on Dec. 4, 2023. He celebrated his 101st birthday on July 27, 2023, and the only people luckier to have him in their lives than seven decades of television audiences are his own kids.
Norman Lear's children are from three marriages: He was married to Charlotte Rosen from 1943 to 1956, to Frances Loeb from 1965 to 1985, and to Lyn Davis from 1985 until his death. Get to know the late TV icon's brood!
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Who is Norman Lear's wife?
Norman Lear's most recent wife was Lyn Davis Lear, who he married in 1987. He was previously married to Charlotte Rosen from 1943 to 1956 and to Frances Loeb from 1965 to 1985.
What happened to Norman Lear's first wife?
Norman Lear's first wife, Charlotte Rosen, divorced Lear when he wanted to move to New York City to advance in his career and she preferred to stay in California.
Related: Norman Lear's Best TV Projects of All Time
What is Norman Lear's net worth?
Norman Lear's net worth was estimated to be about $200 million. It's hard-earned from 70 years of work! He also gave ex-wife Frances Loeb a massive $100 million settlement when they divorced, or else his net worth would likely be even higher still.
Does Norman Lear have kids?
Norman Lear had six children born from his three marriages. They are:
Ellen Lear
Norman Lear and Ellen Lear attend 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards presented by American Airlines and Jaguar Land Rover at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Oct. 25, 2019.
Ellen Lear is Norman Lear's oldest child. Born to Lear and Rosen in 1947, Ellen reportedly worked as a sex therapist in New York.
Kate Lear
Honoree Kate Lear and CBS News correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook attend the Ballet Hispanico 40th Anniversary Spring Gala at Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom on April 11, 2011, in New York City.
Kate Lear, Norman Lear's second-eldest daughter, is his first from ex-wife Frances Loeb. Kate is a Broadway producer for projects including Catch Me If You Can and Of Mice and Men. She is married to physician and CBS News correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook.
Maggie Lear
Norman Lear and Maggie Lear attend the 11th Annual Television Academy Honors at NeueHouse Hollywood on May 31, 2018, in Los Angeles.
Maggie Lear is Norman Lear and Frances Loeb's second daughter together. She is president of the Frances Lear Foundation, which focuses on criminal justice reform, arts education, social justice, and other progressive causes.
Related: Norman Lear's Experience and What He's Always Wanted to Do
Benjamin Lear
Ben Lear and Norman Lear appear on day 3 of Ebertfest 2017 on April 22, 2017, in Champaign, Illinois.
Born in 1988 to Norman Lear and Lyn Davis, Benjamin Lear is following in the icon's footsteps into the entertainment industry. Benjamin studied music at New York University and released his first film, They Call Us Monsters, in 2016. The heartbreaking and critically acclaimed documentary was a fixture on the 2016 festival circuit and focuses on juvenile offenders and their struggles adapting to their incarceration, as well as to normal life once they leave detention.
Benjamin Lear, often credited as Ben Lear, has worked on a number of other film and TV projects as a director, composer, writer, and editor.
He speaks highly of his father's TV work, even though the bulk of it came before Ben's time.
"I knew he was a pretty big-time guy from very early on, but it had already been a whole generation since those shows were filling the airwaves," Ben told The Los Angeles Times in 2015. "I knew the characters. I had seen scenes of them. I could feel his humor and perspective in them. But I hadn't really dug in." He added that he and Norman bonded over South Park, explaining, "That was the All in the Family for us."
Brianna Lear and Madelaine Lear
Madeline Lear, Norman Lear, Ben Lear, Brianna Lear and Lyn (Davis) Lear attend the premiere of "They Call Us Monsters" during the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival at LACMA on June 6, 2016, in Los Angeles.
Brianna Lear and Madelaine Lear are Norman Lear's twin daughters with Lyn Davis. While Madelaine flies under the radar, Brianna has spoken about her father's legacy.
Brianna, who studied social work at USC, told Good in 2018, “I wrote my undergraduate thesis on music and emotion and the power of music in healing, and so immediately going into this program, I knew that I wanted to get involved in the arts and healing in some capacity ... Through discussing the symposium, I brought up the fact that my father has worked in the creative field and has been so prolific, and I think is such a great role model for the power of the arts in healing and health. I know he believes that laughter is so important to health.”
Brianna said that her parents assumed she'd go into acting or music, which she initially thought she'd like to do, but that she pivoted her career plans.
"I ultimately shifted gears, but [artistic expression is] still something that's really important to me. I am constantly reminded of the power of music and art in my own self-care. It's something I definitely miss," she said. "I want to find ways of incorporating it more. I think part of my motivation is definitely ensuring that everyone has access to the time and an opportunity to engage in art—especially children—because for me it's been my saving grace. For me, it's been my method of healing.”
Related: Norman Lear Reveals His Celebrity Crush
Does Norman Lear have children?
Norman Lear had six adult children: Ellen, Kate, Maggie, Ben, Madeleine, and Brianna.
Does Norman Lear have a daughter?
Norman Lear had five daughters and one son. His daughter Ellen is with his first wife, Charlotte Rosen; Kate and Maggie are his daughters by his late second wife Frances Loeb; and twin daughters Brianna and Madeleine are with his last wife Lyn Davis.
Is Norman Lear still married?
Norman Lear and Lyn Davis were happily married from 1987 until his death on Dec. 4, 2023.
How many grandkids does Norman Lear have?
Norman Lear had six grandchildren. Though they're largely kept private, we knoe four of their names are Daniel, Noah, Griffin and Zoe.
Next, check out the best sitcoms of all time—and see how many of Norman Lear's TV shows made the list!
