One of most pivotal shows in television history, Norman Lear's brave Vietnam-era invention put a comedic spotlight on conflicting American ideologies. While most previous comedies were apolitical, Lear's dealt with racism, sexism, labor issues, and, yes, the ideals of the Cold War conservative versus the liberal. As bellicose, blue-collar Archie Bunker, Carroll O'Connor traded one-liners with his liberal son-in-law Mike (Rob Reiner) and daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers). Meanwhile, Edith (Jean Stapleton) ran interference. Lear's creation, which aired in different incarnations for 12 years on CBS, gave one of the first and few non-news television portrayals of the political diversity that characterized the United States during the final years of the Cold War.