Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. ", "The Jeffersons 'The Complete 8th Season' Getting a DVD Release this Summer", "Isabel Sanford, Emmy-Winning Actress Who Created "Weezie" Jefferson on TV and Stage, Dead at 86", "See the star-studded 'All in the Family/The Jeffersons' live cast get into character", The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons, The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Jeffersons&oldid=1141363779, Television series by Sony Pictures Television, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2022, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles needing additional references from January 2017, All articles needing additional references, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ebonie Smith as Jessica Jefferson (season 11), Moriarty, Jay (2020). Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. RELATED:WandaVision& 9 Other Shows That Have Paid Homage To Sitcoms. getTV is a trademark of CPT Holdings, Inc. 2023 CPE US Networks III Inc. All rights reserved. His alcohol problem isn't referenced anymore throughout the series, but it is assumable Charlie overcame it. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. WebThis spinoff from "All in the Family" is about literal upward mobility - African- American couple George and Louise Jefferson move into a swanky high-rise building. See Amos in the episodeA Visit From Lena Horne(January 12, 1973) and DuBois inSanford And Son And Sister Makes Three(December 1, 1972). 3). It became Tandems longest running show, with 11 seasons. It was almost totally unlike any other theme song you would hear on TV at the time, and that was the whole point. In 1975, Norman Lear was possibly the most powerful man working in television. The location is the only concrete link fromAll in the Familyto the series, but it's a strong one despite the fact that704 Hauserwas only on the air for five episodes. The series endured for nine seasons, but the show we think of when we think ofAll In The Familyreally ended in season 8 when Gloria (Sally Struthers) and her husband Meathead (Reiner) moved to California. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. They were saying, essentially, We wont have anything to do with this show.. Normally successful shows are allowed to develop in a specific time slot in order to become an anchor for the network, but for some reason The Jeffersons was moved around constantly, forcing viewers to seek it out and figure out how to re-arrange their viewing schedules to accommodate it. Affluent and successful, the Jeffersons still had to deal with race, prejudice, and economic pressures, and the show represented a more nuanced and more complex view of the Black American experience. According to Encyclopedia.com, Hemsley had built a reputation as a powerhouse performer, and Lear had caught his performance in Purlie in New York in 1970 and knew he wanted him for the character of George. But whatHappy Daysdidnt have were spin-offs of spin-offs. WebThe Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. Amoscontinued in the role of James until the character's death. [1] The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history,[2] the second-longest-running series with a primarily African American cast by episode count behind Tyler Perry's House of Payne[1][3] and the first to prominently feature a married interracial couple. Dont miss on getTV:Lionel Moves Into The Neighborhood(March 2, 1971) for Sanfords first appearance,Henrys Farewell(October 20, 1973) for Hemsleys debut,Lionels Engagement(February 9, 1974) for Mother Jeffersons (Zara Cully) and the Willis familys (played by different actors) first appearances, andThe Jeffersons Move Up(January 11, 1975) for the backdoor pilot. The twist was that the older generation were the liberals (with John Amos again starring, but in a different role, and Lynnie Godfrey) while their son was an arch-conservative (T.E. The series gave John Amos and Norman Lear another chance to work together after tensions on set led Amos to leaveGood Times. As noted by BET, The Jeffersons was a consistently high-rated showonly the second sitcom with a majority Black cast to land in the Top Five of the Nielsen Ratings, in fact. a disclaimer before the first episode said. At least stories featuring Black people were being told, and Black actors were getting significant roles on TV. Web3. Dont miss on getTV:Both John Amos andJaNet DuBois(neighbor Willona Woods) appeared onSanford And Sonbefore they were cast onGood Times. It starred Sherman Hemsley and Isobel Sanford, with Marla Gibbs as the Jeffersons maid Florence and Roxie Roker and Franklin Cover as the racially mixed couple upstairs, a real sitcom innovation. It was a sort-of spin-off of The Jeffersons, as it featured Lynne Moody as Nurse Julie Williams, the niece of George and Louis Jefferson. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. And then there's The Jeffersons. She appeared in seven episodes in 197677, so watch any of those! All in the Familyis famous for its prejudiced patriarch, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor). [18] However, the roles were all recast, with Berlinda Tolbert taking over the role of Jenny, veteran actor Franklin Cover playing her father, Tom Willis, whose first name was changed from Louis, as it was in their first All in the Family appearance, and Roxie Roker as her mother, Helen. Marla Gibbs portrayed the role of Florence Johnston, the Jeffersons' back-talking, tough, wisecracking, and devoutly religious housekeeper. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. CBS was nervous,Rob Reiner(Mike aka Meathead) told PBS in 2016. In fact, the parent show would have been completely different without the Jefferson family in the neighborhood. Marla Gibbs was the breakout star onThe Jeffersonsas Florence, George and Louises maid, so it made perfect sense to spin her off. Checking In, created by Mike Milligan and Jay Moriarty, only lasted for four episodes, one of the few Tandem/TAT sitcoms that wasnt a success. All In The Family(19711979 205 episodes plus two un-aired pilots). Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. As noted by BET, The Jeffersons was a consistently high-rated showonly the second sitcom with a majority Black cast to land in the Top Five of the Nielsen Ratings, in fact. Archie and Edith travel up to wealthy Tuckahoe, New York for the wedding of Maudes daughter Carol (played in this episode byMarcia Roddand in the series byAdrienne Barbeau). This article is about the 1981 sitcom. But just because Lear could push those characters and storylines onto the screen didn't mean everyone was happy about it. Groundbreaking and performed by some of the most talented actors and actresses of its time, The Jeffersons has remained a cultural touchstone for some very good reasons. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. Ned Wertimer played their tip-hungry doorman, Ralph Hart, throughout the series. The series' eighth season was the first African-American sitcom in years (since Sanford and Son) to peak in the top 5 (the series' eighth season debuted at No. The influential sitcom was controversial when it first aired on 50 years ago on Jan. 12, 1971, and it went on to confront numerous issues that hadnt previously been portrayed on television. Another interesting connection of the sitcom universe is that Mike Evans (who played Lionel Jefferson on All in the FamilyandThe Jeffersons) createdGood Timeswith Eric Monte. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. [24][25] He also became known for addressing the Jeffersons as "Mr. J" and "Mrs. Archie is a working-class man who will never go beyond his working day and his easy chair in his modest house, whereas George and his family are destined to move on upand leave the Bunkers behind in a world they'll never escape. It was funny and entertaining. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. Evans The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. This show wasnt very successful, however. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. This was perceived as an act of deep disrespect by many of the cast members, and it also meant that one of the most successful and longest-running comedies of all time didn't get to have a proper series finale. It's unsurprising then that once The Jeffersons aired, it remained on television for almost a decade.The Jeffersons was a spin-off that took the blueprint provided by All in the Family and made minor changes by making the WebChecking In is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of The Jeffersons that aired for four episodes on CBS from April 9 to April 30, 1981. In his autobiography, Even This I Get to Experience, Lear wrote that a relatively small group of agitators, especially when convinced God is on their side, can move corporate America to quake with fear and make decisions in total disregard of the Constitution.. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. Florence Johnson returned toThe JeffersonsafterChecking Inended. [16], Louise Jefferson, played by Isabel Sanford, first appeared in the All in the Family episode "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood", which was broadcast on March 2, 1971. Other failed spin-off attempts were Gloria in the 1982-1983 season and 704 Hauser in 1994. 8 in the summer of 1980. [8][21] Lionel and Jenny experienced marital issues as evidenced in a two-part season 8 episode "The Separation", and divorced in the final season two-parter "Sayonara".[8]. Gloria was created by Joe Gannon, Patt Shea and Harriett Weiss, developed by Dan Guntzelman and Steve Marshall; all episodes were directed by Dan Claver. In a contemporary review by The New York Daily News, in fact, a scene in which Tom and Helen Willis engage in a long, tender kiss is explicitly noted for being unusual because they are an interracial couple. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. [27] He was known for constantly stalling at the Jeffersons' door with his hand out waiting for a tip. Archie mentions a friend from the old neighborhood named Cumberbatch. Most of the cast usually didn't respond, but George almost always gave in. In the 1996 series finale of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Jeffersons made a guest appearance as the buyers of the Banks family house. [13] Per an article in the May 8, 1985, Los Angeles Times, the series was cancelled by announcement at the CBS network "upfront" presentation the day before, nearly two months before the airing of the final episode. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. Factory. Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs) worked for the Jefferson family on their show, but Checking In focused on her life as the executive housekeeper of the St. Frederick Hotel in New York City. Besides being set in the same house, the only directAll In The Familyconnection comes withCasey Siemaszkoplaying grown-up Joey Stivic. released season 7 on DVD in Region 1. Factory had acquired the rights to the series; they subsequently released the complete series on DVD in a 33-disc collection on December 9, 2014. Which is why it's easy to forget that George Jefferson actually had a fascinating fictional background story that was more thoughtful than your typical sitcom fare. The sitcoms breakout star was Jimmie J.J. Walker, with his trademark phrase Dy-no-mite!. [19] The Jeffersons premiered the following week, on January 18, 1975.[8]. The series is bookended in a very creative way. Florence often teased George, mostly about his short stature and receding hairline. Archie Bunkers Place(19791983 97 episodes). Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. His writers onArchie Bunkers Placewrote a pilot for Struthers that CBS rejected and OConnor had no further involvement, despite the fact that he was still playing Archie Bunker. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. J".[25]. Gloria works as the assistant to two veterinarians. The actors found out through the media reports or when friends contacted them to ask about it. [46] Her victory in 1981 made her the first African-American actress to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy Series,[1][21][47] and the second to win any Emmy Award; Gail Fisher, who played Peggy on the TV show Mannix, preceded her in 1970. He also used it in a blackmail manner, usually requiring George to pay more in order to keep his mouth shut about something such as a stock tip. Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. Other lost, short-lived classics of the late 70s/early 80s I'd like to see--"It's a Living," about the friends who worked on top of the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown LA; "All's Fair," with Bernadette Peters; "On Our Own," with Bess Armstrong; "Best of the West," an amusing big budget comedy/western series. Sherman Hemsley was nominated for Best Actor in 1984. [21], Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first six seasons of The Jeffersons on DVD in Region 1 between 2002 and 2007. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. Even though it flopped,704 Hauserhas a special place in the heart of many Norman Lear fans. "Jeffersons" redirects here. George Jefferson was, in some ways, a black version of the white anti-hero Archie Bunker. [10] Sherman Hemsley guest-starred as George in two episodes of the series, which lasted for one season. Florence and Elena suspect that a ghost is roaming the building, and Florence decides to spend the night alone in a room to prove that it's not haunted. Lear created this series, which had an inventive concept: an African-American family moves into the house formerly occupied by Archie Bunker. It only 10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture, Another interesting connection of the sitcom universe, Lionel is the first Jefferson to be seen on. The Jeffersons (19751984 253 episodes plus pilot on All In The Family) Unlike Arthur and Rolle, who were spun-off quickly, the Jeffersons were on All In The Family for five seasons before they got their own show. Arthur was such a hit as Maude that Lear developed a series for her, with the second season finale ofAll In The Familyacting as the backdoor pilot for the spinoff. See production, box office & company info, Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. On their own show, the Jeffersons interact with new friends and neighbors while inhabiting a new lifestyle. Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. 1. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. This show wasnt very successful, however. [17] Lear consulted with his associate Al Burton on the concept. RELATED:10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture. Paul Benedict arrived as Harry Bentley, an amiable, kind, loyal yet somewhat obtuse British next-door neighbor,[8] who worked as an interpreter at the United Nations. As Black America Web reports, when the show was canceled in 1985 the network didn't even bother to inform the cast. Sometimes the best, and most intelligent, TV shows never get a chance! Dont miss on getTV: Everything, but especially the first episodeMeet The Bunkers(airdate January 12, 1971) and the lastToo Good Edith(April 8, 1979). It was funny and entertaining. The misadventures of Florence Johnson, a hotel maid who was previously seen serving the Jeffersons. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. Maude becomes yet another person for Archie to disagree with politically. Thats not just impressive, its historic. Cully was written out in season 4 due to her death in 1978, from lung cancer. A spin-off of All in the Family. Many people can't help but note that the main difference between The Jeffersons and other successful sitcoms that both enjoyed stable a time slot and received a formal finale episode is the color of the cast's skin. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. As noted by BET, The Jeffersons was a consistently high-rated showonly the second sitcom with a majority Black cast to land in the Top Five of the Nielsen Ratings, in fact. It was a sort-of spin-off of The Jeffersons, as it featured Lynne Moody as Nurse Julie Williams, the niece of George and Louis Jefferson. On May 22, 2019, ABC broadcast Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lears All in the Family and The Jeffersons, produced by Lear and Jimmy Kimmel and starring Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Jamie Foxx, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, Kerry Washington, Ellie Kemper. A sitcom world must be a good one for a spin-off to spawn another spin-off! In a reversal ofAll in the Family, Ernie is liberal while his son is quite conservative. Mike Evans ("Lionel") left the show after the first season; his replacement was Damon Evans (no relation),[6] who took over the role until halfway through the fourth season. [46], Isabel Sanford was nominated for seven consecutive Best Actress Emmys, from 1979 until 1985. WebSynopsis. More importantly, as one of the writers on the show, Jay Moriarty, told The Hollywood Times, Archie Bunker's bigotry is "pure prejudice" while George Jefferson's bigotry is a reaction to that prejudice. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. After his car was rear-ended by a bus, he filed a civil action and won $5000, enough to open his first store in Queens. On one level, The Jeffersons is just a silly sitcom, and George Jefferson is a very silly character, prone to foolish schemes (like buying a piano he doesn't know how to play only to discover there's no way to fit it through his front door) and loud, boorish outbursts. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. [12] Isabel Sanford (Louise Jefferson), who heard about the cancellation through her cousin who read it in the tabloids, has publicly stated that she found the cancellation with no proper finale to be disrespectful on the network's part. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. Portrayed by Mel Stewart, Henry got the lines and screen time that would have gone to George. As noted by The Wall Street Journal, that backstory went back to the Jefferson family's roots in Alabama as sharecroppers, a detail that spoke volumes about George Jefferson's obsession with wealth, status, and the visual signs of both. Sitcom following a successful African-American couple, George and Louise Weezy Jefferson as they move on up from working-class Queens to a ritzy Manhattan apartment. However, Mike Evans appeared for only one more season, along with Tolbert. The Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons. George, Louise, and Lionel continued to appear on All in the Family until 1975, when the spin-off The Jeffersons, also created by Lear, premiered. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. WebThis spinoff from "All in the Family" is about literal upward mobility - African- American couple George and Louise Jefferson move into a swanky high-rise building. Every time you see a Black man on the tube, he is dirt poor, wears shit clothes, cant afford nothing," Lear recalled in his autobiography. s noted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as one of the writers on the show, Jay Moriarty, told The Hollywood Times, In a contemporary review by The New York Daily News. ", was added as a bonus feature on The Jeffersons: The Complete Series 33-disc DVD set issued by Shout! In reality, Joey (born 1975) would have only been 19, but Siemaszko was 33. It's also one of the more thoughtful and meaningful theme songs in TV history. Hemsley was very experienced and took his performance very seriously. Marla Gibbs was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series each year from 1981 to 1985. As noted by MeTV, Barry is something of a legendhe co-wrote (with his wife, Ellie Greenwich) a long list of classic songs, including "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Then He Kissed Me," "Be My Baby," "River DeepMountain High," and "Leader of the Pack.". The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. [23] Bentley also had a bad back, and frequently needed George to walk on it. In the season two episodeCousin Maudes Visit, Ediths liberal cousin Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur) comes to help out when the Bunkers are sick with the flu. As withMaudeandGood Times, the main character of the new series was a maid onher previousseries. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. One other reason she kept her job despite becoming famous on a top-rate television show? Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. George owns a profitable dry-cleaning chain, so he and the family move to a nice apartment on the Upper East Side of New York City in a backdoor pilot onAll in the Family. Gibbs then returned to her regular role on The Jeffersons and it was explained that the St. Frederick Hotel had burned down. Archie and Mike are always butting heads since Archie is politically conservative and Mike is usually portrayed as being liberal. But, if you love Carroll OConnors Archie, its a gift that we got to see more of him (even if the show isnt as good). The Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons.
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