The TV legend picked up a trophy at the Creative Arts Emmys age of 97.
Television legend Norman Lear is no stranger to Emmys—the creator of beloved classic sitcoms like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Maude already had four of the awards under his belt by the time he picked up another one Saturday night at the Creative Arts Emmys. But his win for Outstanding Live Variety Special for ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ made this latest addition historic. At 97 years old, he’s now the oldest Emmy winner in history.
The live special, which featured recreations of episodes of the two shows, was hosted by Lear’s co-executive producer Jimmy Kimmel and starred Jamie Fox, Wanda Sykes, Woody Harrelson, and Marisa Tomei. It was warmly received by critics, and the special was the most-watched program of the night it aired last May.
Though it feels deeply fitting that Norman Lear make Emmys history, it’s hard not to feel a bit glum for another TV legend who had his new record snatched by Lear after just a few hours. 93-year-old Sir David Attenborough won the Outstanding Narrator award—topping a record he’d set just a year prior—for Blue Planet II just before Lear came along and scooped the title. At least Betty White, the most senior winner until Attenborough won last year, had a good long time to savor her record after picking up a trophy as an 88-year-old back in 2010.
