NORMAN LEAR: `ARCHIE BUNKER IS BASED ON MY DAD'

NORMAN LEAR: `ARCHIE BUNKER IS BASED ON MY DAD'

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- Talk about keeping it all in the family: Sitcom creator Norman Lear admits he based his crotchety Archie Bunker character on his dad. Lear says that when he was growing up, his dad would yell at him and call him "...the laziest white man in America." When that happened, Lear says he would respond, like Meathead, "Gee, it's pretty terrible you have to insult a whole race just to tell me how lazy I am." However, Lear got the last laugh when he created "All In The Family," which, although partially based on a British sitcom, featured much of his father's persona in the Archie Bunker character. By the way, this week, the Nick At Nite cable network is featuring an "All In The Family" marathon.