In the late 1960s and early 1970s, America was in cultural turmoil, and there was a lot of public discussion about the disintegration of the traditional American family unit. College students were rioting in the streets, women were demanding an equal role in the home and the workplace and after a tumultuous fight over civil rights, it felt as if the only thing certain in the United States was that the old ways were gone forever.
Looking back, it’s easy to see why Craig Gilbert decided he wanted to produce a fly-on-the-wall look at what a seemingly “normal” American family looked like in the early 1970s. And after he interviewed close to two dozen families, he chose to tell the story of the Loud Family.
Bill and Pat Loud lived in Santa Barbara, California, with their five kids - ranging in age from 14 to 20-years-old. They owned a big house with a pool, several cars and seemed to exemplify the perfect American family.
Filming of the documentary began in May 1971 and continued for seven months. Producing more than 100 hours of footage, that was edited down into 12 one-hour episodes of The American Family.
I’m not sure what Gilbert saw in the family or what story he thought would play out for the cameras. But even early in the series, it was clear the Loud Family was battling many of the same familiar issues being face by millions of other American families.
Bill and Pat’s marriage was teetering on divorce, due in part to his excessive drinking and affairs. And yet, when Pat asks him for a divorce late in the season, he responds with the comment “What’s your problem?,” a moment that became a flashpoint for viewers of the series.
All of their children were struggling with their own issues. Most memorable was the transformation of 19-year-old Lance Loud, who is credited with being the first continuing character on television who was openly gay. He had moved to New York City and became part of that city’s gay scene, and the tactful portrayal of that scene introduced America to a lifestyle that they had likely never been exposed to before.
Episode two chronicled Pat Loud's visit to see him and he gives his mother a whirlwind tour of his new world in New York—from an opening of an Andy Warhol retrospective at The Whitney Museum of Art to downtown clubs featuring transvestites Jackie Curtis and Candy Darling in a performance of Vain Victory. Pat and Lance discuss his future life plan and Pat calmly remarks, "He's found himself here."
The series was wildly popular, drawing audiences of around ten million viewers. And it sparked numerous conversations about whether the series was cinema verite or a manipulative exploitation of an emotionally vulnerable family.
The Loud Family on The Dick Cavett Show, February 6th, 1973. (L-R) Lance Loud, Patricia ‘Pat’ Loud, Grant Loud, Kevin Loud, Michelle Loud, Delilah Loud, William ‘Bill’ Loud
During the filming of the series, Gilbert reportedly clashed with cinematographer Alan Raymond and his wife Susan Raymond, who handled sound for the series. They claimed Gilbert manipulated the family to get provocative scenes, while Gilbert claimed everything was filmed without any interference or suggestions.
The aftermath of the series and its popularity had a profound impact on the entire Loud family. Most of them shied away from the press after the series ended, but Lance Loud became an advocate for gay rights and wrote for Interview, American Film, Details and The Advocate. But it wasn’t always an easy legacy. Loud's most famous quote was "Television ate my family," and he spent years fighting substance abuse and bouts of mental illness.
He died of liver failure caused by hepatitis C and AIDS on December 22nd, 2001 at the age of 50. But several months before his death, he reached out to Alan and Susan Raymond when he was in hospice to film a final episode of the Loud story.
Lance Loud! A Death In An American Family, both commemorated the 30th anniversary of the original series broadcast and served as a look at Lance’s life since the show ended. As a last request, Lance Loud asked and convinced everyone — with the exception of his younger brother Grant — to participate in the film.
In a letter Lance wrote to the Raymond’s proposing the project, he explained it this way:
F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that in America there are no second acts... The notion of doing a final "AF" segment might leave some people, notably, we, the Louds, just a tad surprised and/or panic stricken... I must say that I came up with this all on my own. Alan & Susan Raymond did not instigate in any way, shape or form this idea....
There are plenty of reasons to be happy and proud of us Louds instead of being sad of my demise. Things have changed. And for the naysayers that claimed American Family revealed us to be vacant, unloving, uncaring morons of the materialistic ‘70s, this image will be proven wrong when Mom and Dad remarry....
Make no mistake. This is not to emphasize the sadness of my demise but rather emphasize the love of my family and friends. When time comes up, I want to be filmed because life this past year has taught me so much. I also stand as a role model as to what not to do in one's life.
Reality television in 2026 is a million miles away from what viewers saw in The American Family. But it’s success opened the door to a genre of television that is a core part of modern day television.