Norman Lear’s first—and ultimately only—feature-film directing effort became a troubled studio investment long before audiences saw it. Cold Turkey was produced in 1969, with Lear writing, producing, and directing the satirical black comedy, but its distributor, United Artists, held the picture for roughly two years because executives feared that its anti-smoking premise and distinctly American small-town humor would not translate into a major box-office success. By the time the film finally premiered in January 1971, Lear’s television career had suddenly become much more prominent through All in the Family, creating the awkward impression that the movie was arriving late, after its creator’s public identity had shifted toward television.
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AI concept artworkArchive Record · 1970s
Norman Lear’s Overpriced Directorial Debut Was Shelved for Two Years
Cold Turkey / 1970s
Norman Lear’s first—and ultimately only—feature-film directing effort became a troubled studio investment long before audiences saw it. Cold Turkey was produced in 1969, with Lear writing, producing, and directing the satirical black comedy, but its distributor, United Artists, held the picture for roughly two years because executives feared that its anti-smoking premise and distinctly American small-town humor would not translate into a major box-office success. By the time the film finally premiered in January 1971, Lear’s television career had suddenly become much more prominent through All in the Family, creating the awkward impression that the movie was arriving late, after its creator’s public identity had shifted toward television.
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