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  • History of the Sitcom Escaping Reality (Season 1, Episode 8)
  • TV-14
    TV Episode | 45 min | Documentary, History

History of the Sitcom

Escaping Reality (Season 1, Episode 8)
TV-14
TV Episode | 45 min | Documentary, History

Sitcoms have long been the ultimate comedy comfort food, but what sitcoms offer escape from - and what they offer escape to - reveal a lot about the state of the American mind, and the state of sitcom form itself.
Cinematographer
Editor
Status
Edit Released
Updated Aug 22, 2021

Release date
Aug 22, 2021 (United States)
Awards
Series awards
1 nomination

Contacts

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Cast

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130 cast members
Name Known for
Willie Aames
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
James Ackerman
Self - Producer Self - Producer   See fewer
Don Adams
Maxwell Smart (archive footage) Maxwell Smart (archive footage)   See fewer
Jason Alexander
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Lorraine Ali
Self - TV Critic LA Times Self - TV Critic LA Times   See fewer
Tim Allen
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Harry Anderson
Judge Harold T. 'Harry' Stone (archive footage) Judge Harold T. 'Harry' Stone (archive footage)   See fewer
Loni Anderson
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Jim Backus
Thurton Howell III (archive footage) Thurton Howell III (archive footage)   See fewer
John Banner
Sergeant Hans Shultz (archive footage) Sergeant Hans Shultz (archive footage)   See fewer
Jerry Beck
Self - Author Self - Author   See fewer
Kristen Bell
Eleanor Shellstrop (archive footage) Eleanor Shellstrop (archive footage)   See fewer
Valerie Bertinelli
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Bill Bixby
John Ballard (archive footage) John Ballard (archive footage)   See fewer
Mel Blanc
Barney Rubble (voice) (archive footage) Barney Rubble (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Tom Bosley
Howard Cunningham (archive footage) Howard Cunningham (archive footage)   See fewer
Mel Brooks
Self - Producer / Writer Self - Producer / Writer   See fewer
Betty Buckley
Abby Bradford (archive footage) Abby Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Jim J. Bullock
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
D'Arcy Carden
Janet Della-Denunzio (archive footage) Janet Della-Denunzio (archive footage)   See fewer
Drew Carey
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Bill Carter
Self - Author Self - Author   See fewer
Nancy Cartwright
Bart Simpson (voice) (archive footage) Bart Simpson (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Dan Castellano
Homer Simpson (voice) (archive footage) Homer Simpson (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Cedric The Entertainer
Self - Actor (as Cedric the Entertainer) Self - Actor (as Cedric the Entertainer)   See fewer
Charo
April Lopez (archive footage) April Lopez (archive footage)   See fewer
Margaret Cho
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Jacqueline Coley
Self - Editor Rolling Stone Self - Editor Rolling Stone   See fewer
Jim Colucci
Self - Author Self - Author   See fewer
Bob Crane
Colonel Robert E. Hogan (archive footage) Colonel Robert E. Hogan (archive footage)   See fewer
Walter Cronkite
CBS Newscaster (voice) (archive footage) CBS Newscaster (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Jon Cryer
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Ted Danson
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Richard Dawson
Cpl. Peter Newkirk (archive footage) Cpl. Peter Newkirk (archive footage)   See fewer
Daniel de Vise
Self - Author Self - Author   See fewer
Bob Denver
Gilligan (archive footage) Gilligan (archive footage)   See fewer
Zooey Deschanel
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Ivan Dixon
Sgt. James Kinchloe (archive footage) Sgt. James Kinchloe (archive footage)   See fewer
Anke Engelke
Marge Simpson (voice) (archive footage) Marge Simpson (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Barbara Feldon
Agent 99 (archive footage) Agent 99 (archive footage)   See fewer
Tina Fey
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Sally Field
Sister Bertille (archive footage) Sister Bertille (archive footage)   See fewer
Daniel Fienberg
Self - TV Critic Hollywood Reporter Self - TV Critic Hollywood Reporter   See fewer
Amy Fox
Self - Producer Self - Producer   See fewer
Mary Frann
Joanna Loudon (archive footage) Joanna Loudon (archive footage)   See fewer
Jeff Garlin
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Isabella Gomez
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Patrick Gomez
Self - Editor-in-Chief AV Club Self - Editor-in-Chief AV Club   See fewer
Grant Goodeve
David Bradford (archive footage) David Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Kelsey Grammer
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Andy Greene
Self - Author Self - Author   See fewer
Alan Hale
Captain Jonas 'Skipper' Grumby (archive footage) Captain Jonas 'Skipper' Grumby (archive footage)   See fewer
Alyson Hannigan
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
William Jackson Harper
Chidi Anagonye (archive footage) Chidi Anagonye (archive footage)   See fewer
Brian Henson
Self - Exec Producer Self - Exec Producer   See fewer
Larry Hovis
Technical Sergeant Andrew Carter (archive footage) Technical Sergeant Andrew Carter (archive footage)   See fewer
Mitchell Hurwitz
Self - Exec Producer Self - Exec Producer   See fewer
Jameela Jamil
Tahanni Al-Jamal (archive footage) Tahanni Al-Jamal (archive footage)   See fewer
Al Jean
Self - Exec Producer / Writer Self - Exec Producer / Writer   See fewer
Geri Jewell
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Russell Johnson
Professor Roy Hinkley (archive footage) Professor Roy Hinkley (archive footage)   See fewer
Jane Kaczmarek
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Diane Kay
Nancy Bradford (archive footage) Nancy Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Dianne Kay
Nancy Bradford (archive footage) Nancy Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Werner Klemperer
Colonel Wilhelm Klink (archive footage) Colonel Wilhelm Klink (archive footage)   See fewer
Christopher Knight
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Bernie Kopell
Dr. Adam Bricker (archive footage) Dr. Adam Bricker (archive footage)   See fewer
Lisa Kudrow
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Allan Lane
Mr. Ed (voice) (archive footage) Mr. Ed (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Ted Lange
Issac Washington (archive footage) Issac Washington (archive footage)   See fewer
Vicki Lawrence
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Norman Lear
Self - Producer Self - Producer   See fewer
Dan Levy
Self - Writer / Director / Producer Self - Writer / Director / Producer   See fewer
Tina Louise
Ginger Grant (archive footage) Ginger Grant (archive footage)   See fewer
Gavin MacLeod
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Eric McCormack
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Richard Moll
Nostradamus 'Bull' Shannon (archive footage) Nostradamus 'Bull' Shannon (archive footage)   See fewer
Erin Moran
Joanie Cunningham (archive footage) Joanie Cunningham (archive footage)   See fewer
Tracy Morgan
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Laura Morowitz
Self - Professor of Arts History Self - Professor of Arts History   See fewer
Roger Mudd
Self - CBS Newscaster (archive footage) Self - CBS Newscaster (archive footage)   See fewer
Jim Nabors
Gomer Pyle (archive footage) Gomer Pyle (archive footage)   See fewer
Connie Needham
Elizabeth Bradford (archive footage) Elizabeth Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Tawny Newsome
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Lani O'Grady
Mary Bradford (archive footage) Mary Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Stuart Pankin
Earl Sinclair (archive footage) Earl Sinclair (archive footage)   See fewer
Tony Papenfuss
Darryl #1 (archive footage) Darryl #1 (archive footage)   See fewer
Herbie J. Pilato
Self - Founder Classic TV Preservation Society Self - Founder Classic TV Preservation Society   See fewer
Edward Platt
the Chief (archive footage) the Chief (archive footage)   See fewer
Suzanne Pleshette
Emily Hartley (archive footage) Emily Hartley (archive footage)   See fewer
Eve Plumb
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Markie Post
Christine Sullivan (archive footage) Christine Sullivan (archive footage)   See fewer
Tom Poston
George Utley (archive footage) George Utley (archive footage)   See fewer
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Dan Rather
Self - CBS Newscaster (archive footage) Self - CBS Newscaster (archive footage)   See fewer
Ronald Reagan
Self - 40th US President (archive footage) Self - 40th US President (archive footage)   See fewer
Alan Reed
Fred Flintstone (voice) (archive footage) Fred Flintstone (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Tim Reid
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Adam Rich
Nicholas Bradford (archive footage) Nicholas Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Susan Richardson
Susan Bradford (archive footage) Susan Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
John Ritter
Jack Tripper (archive footage) Jack Tripper (archive footage)   See fewer
Charles Robinson
Mac Robinson (archive footage) Mac Robinson (archive footage)   See fewer
Marion Ross
Marion Cunningham (archive footage) Marion Cunningham (archive footage)   See fewer
Bob Saget
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
William Sanderson
Larry (archive footage) Larry (archive footage)   See fewer
Anita Sarkeesian
Self - Feminist Media Critic Self - Feminist Media Critic   See fewer
Natalie Schafer
Mrs. Eunice 'Lovey' Howell (archive footage) Mrs. Eunice 'Lovey' Howell (archive footage)   See fewer
Bob Schieffer
Self - CBS Newscaster (archive footage) Self - CBS Newscaster (archive footage)   See fewer
Michael Schur
Self - Exec Producer Self - Exec Producer   See fewer
Lloyd J. Schwartz
Self - Son of writer Sherwood Schwartz Self - Son of writer Sherwood Schwartz   See fewer
Peter Scolari
Self - Actor Self - Actor   See fewer
Beretta Smith Shomade
Self - Associate Professor Self - Associate Professor   See fewer
Yeardley Smith
Lisa Simpson (voice) (archive footage) Lisa Simpson (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Suzanne Somers
Chrissy Snow (archive footage) Chrissy Snow (archive footage)   See fewer
Ann Sothern
Gladys 'Mother' Crabtree (voice) (archive footage) Gladys 'Mother' Crabtree (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Candy Spelling
Self - Wife of producer Aaron Spelling Self - Wife of producer Aaron Spelling   See fewer
Emily St. James
Self - Sr. White House Advisor (as Emily VanDerWerff) Self - Sr. White House Advisor (as Emily VanDerWerff)   See fewer
Jerry Stiller
Bud Harrahan (archive footage) Bud Harrahan (archive footage)   See fewer
Frank Sutton
Sgt. Vince Carter (archive footage) Sgt. Vince Carter (archive footage)   See fewer
Aramida Tinubu
Self - Film Critic AV Club Self - Film Critic AV Club   See fewer
Donald Trump
Self - 45th US President Self - 45th US President   See fewer
Jerry Van Dyke
Dave Crabtree (archive footage) Dave Crabtree (archive footage)   See fewer
Dick Van Patten
Tom Bradford (archive footage) Tom Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
John Voldstad
Darryl #2 (archive footage) Darryl #2 (archive footage)   See fewer
Jimmie 'JJ' Walker
Self - Actor (as Jimmie Walker) Self - Actor (as Jimmie Walker)   See fewer
Laurie Walters
Joanie Bradford (archive footage) Joanie Bradford (archive footage)   See fewer
Marsha Warfield
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Dawn Wells
Self - Actress Self - Actress   See fewer
Alan Young
Wilbur Post (archive footage) Wilbur Post (archive footage)   See fewer
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