Norman Lear made an indelible imprint on American television, creating beloved shows such as All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons, all of which were breakthroughs not only for the medium but also for American culture at large. His stories used humor take on hot-button issues such as racism, feminism, and the shifting mores of generations. He went on to create the advocacy organization People for the American Way to combat threats to freedom of speech and other civil liberties.

Now in his nineties, Lear remains as sharp and witty as ever—as is evidenced in this insightful, absorbing profile. Oscar-nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, Detropia) draw upon stories from Lear’s memoir Even This I Get to Experience and conduct lively new interviews with Lear and colleagues such as George Clooney, Rob Reiner, and Russell Simmons. They sample a rich array of clips from his classic shows, featuring brilliant comic actors like Carroll O’Connor, Beatrice Arthur, and Sherman Hemsley, while tracing the struggles and triumphs of this singular career. – Thom Powers