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Jeffersons
''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of List of The Jeffersons episodes, 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, the second-longest-running series with a primarily African Americans, African American cast by episode count and the first to prominently feature a married interracial marriage, interracial couple. Show The show focuses on George Jefferson, George and Louise Jefferson, a prosperous African-American couple who have been able to move from Queens, New York, Queens to Manhattan owing to the success of George's dry-cleaning chain, Jefferson Cleaners. The show was launched as the second (and longest running) television spin-off, spin-off of ''All in the Family'', on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie Bunker, Archie and Edith Bunker. The show was the creation of Norman Lear. ''The Jeffersons'' eve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isabel Sanford
Isabel Sanford (born Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford; August 29, 1917 – July 9, 2004) was an American stage, film, and television actress and comedian best known for her role as Louise "Weezy" Mills Jefferson on the CBS sitcoms ''All in the Family'' (1971–1975) and ''The Jeffersons'' (1975–1985). In 1981, she became the second African-American actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award after Gail Fisher, and so far, the only African-American actress to win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Early life Sanford was born Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford in Harlem, New York City, to Josephine ( née Perry) and James Edward Sanford. She was the youngest of seven children and was the only child to survive beyond infancy. Sanford's mother Josephine was devoutly religious and insisted that her daughter attend church every Sunday, and occasionally made her attend on weeknights. As a teenager, Sanford aspired to be an actress, but her mother discouraged her dream, as she felt that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sherman Hemsley
Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as George Jefferson on the CBS television series ''All in the Family'' (1973–1975; 1978) and ''The Jeffersons'' (1975–1985), Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series ''Amen'' (1986–1991), and B. P. Richfield on the ABC series ''Dinosaurs''. Hemsley also played Judge Carl Robertson on the NBC series ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air''. For his work on ''The Jeffersons'', Hemsley was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. Hemsley also won an NAACP Image Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series or Special ("The Jeffersons") in 1982. Biography Early life, education and service Hemsley was born and raised in South Philadelphia by his mother, who worked in a lamp factory. Hemsley did not meet his father until he was 14. Hemsley graduated from Barrat Middle School. For high school, Hemsley attended Central High School for ninth grade and Bok Tech ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zara Cully
Zara Frances Cully (January 26, 1892 – February 28, 1978) was an American actress. Cully was best known for her role as Olivia 'Mother Jefferson' Jefferson on the CBS sitcom ''The Jeffersons'', which she portrayed from the series beginning in 1975 until her death in 1978. Early life and education Zara Frances Cully was the eldest of 10 surviving children born to Ambrose E. and Nora Ann (née' Gilliam) Cully in Worcester, Massachusetts, on January 26, 1892. The Cully family was musical with Ambrose serving as the music director of the church they attended, Zion AME Church. Zara's younger brother, jazz trumpeter Wendell Cully, played with Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. She graduated from the Worcester School of Speech and Music. Career In 1940, after an appearance in New York City, she became known as "one of the world's greatest elocutionists". After moving to Jacksonville, Florida, she began producing, writing, directing, and acting in numerous plays. For 15 years she was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Berlinda Tolbert
Berlinda Tolbert is an American film and television actress. Tolbert is best known for her role as Jenny Willis Jefferson, the daughter of Tom and Helen Willis on the CBS sitcom ''The Jeffersons'', which originally aired from 1975 until 1985. Early life and education Tolbert majored in theater at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. She also studied drama in London. Career In a 2013 interview, Tolbert stated, "I’ve only had one job in my entire life… professional actress." She got her first film part from Martin Scorsese in ''Mean Streets'' in 1973, when she was in acting school. ''The Jeffersons'' On ''The Jeffersons'', Tolbert played Jenny, the daughter of interracial couple Tom and Helen Willis. Jenny had become engaged to Lionel Jefferson, the son of George and Louise, when they were still characters on Norman Lear's "All In The Family". They married and had a daughter. Tolbert played the role of Jenny for the run of the series, from 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer, whose career spans six decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom, ''The Jeffersons'' (1975–1985), for which she received five nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Gibbs also starred in the show's spin-off ''Checking In'' (1981) and the NBC sitcom, '' 227'' (1985–1990); Gibbs co-produced the latter series, played the lead role of Mary Jenkins, and sang the theme song. Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards. In later years, Gibbs played supporting roles in films '' The Meteor Man'' (1993), '' Lost & Found'' (1999), '' The Visit'' (2000), '' The Brothers'' (2001), ''Madea's Witness Protection'' (2012), '' Grantham & Rose'' (2015), and ''Lemon'' (2017) and the Shondaland produced TV shows ''Station 19'' (2018) and ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Franklin Cover
Franklin Edward Cover (November 20, 1928 – February 5, 2006) was an American actor best known for starring in the sitcom ''The Jeffersons''. His character, Tom Willis, was half of one of the first interracial marriages to be seen on prime-time television. Life and career Cover was born on November 20, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Britta (Schreck) and Franklin Held Cover. He graduated from John Marshall High School in 1947. Cover graduated from Denison University in 1951, and he received his MA in Theater in 1954 and MFA in Theater in 1955 both from Case Western Reserve University. His career started on the stage acting in '' Henry IV, Part 1'' and ''Hamlet''. He also appeared in ''Forty Carats'' with Julie Harris. He made his television debut on '' Naked City'' and later appeared on ''The Jackie Gleason Show''. In 1965, he married Mary Bradford Stone. His first starring role was on ''The Jeffersons'' as Tom Willis (a Caucasian man) who was married to an African-American w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning ''All in the Family'' as well as ''Maude (TV series), Maude'', ''Sanford and Son'', ''One Day at a Time (1975 TV series), One Day at a Time,'' ''The Jeffersons'', and ''Good Times''. Lear has continued to actively produce television, including the One Day at a Time (2017 TV series), 2017 remake of ''One Day at a Time'' and the Netflix revival of ''Good Times'' in 2022. Lear has received many awards, including five Emmy Awards, Emmys, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He is a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Lear is also known for his political activism and funding of Modern liberalism in the United States, liberal and Progressivism in the United States, progressive causes and politicians. In 1980, he founded the advo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Evans (actor)
Michael Jonas Evans (November 3, 1949 – December 14, 2006) was an American actor, best known as Lionel Jefferson on both ''All in the Family'' and ''The Jeffersons''. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show ''Match Game''. Early life Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a teacher. He attended Palmer Memorial Institute, a private school for young black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina. His family later moved to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Los Angeles High School. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College."Mike Evans" Biography Resource Center Online. Gale, 2007. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2009. Updated June 1, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2009. Document Number: K1650005 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Benedict
Paul Benedict (September 17, 1938 – December 1, 2008) was an American actor who made numerous appearances in television and films, beginning in 1965. He was known for his roles as The Number Painter on the PBS children's show ''Sesame Street'' and as the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom ''The Jeffersons''. Early life Benedict was born in Silver City, New Mexico, the son of Alma Marie (née Loring), a journalist, and Mitchell M. Benedict, a doctor, and grew up in Massachusetts, where he graduated from Boston College High School and Suffolk University. Benedict served a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps. His oversized jaw and large nose were partially attributed to acromegaly; he was first diagnosed with it by an endocrinologist who saw Benedict in a theatrical production. Film and TV work Norman Lear cast Benedict as a Zen Buddhist in ''Cold Turkey'', which was completed in late fall 1969 but not released until February 1971. Benedict would go ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roxie Roker
Roxie Albertha Roker (August 28, 1929 – December 2, 1995) was an American actress who portrayed Helen Willis on the CBS sitcom ''The Jeffersons'' (1975–1985), half of the first interracial couple to be shown on regular prime time television. Roker is the mother of rock musician Lenny Kravitz and paternal grandmother of actress Zoë Kravitz. Early life Roker was born in Miami, Florida. Her mother, Bessie Roker (née Mitchell), was from Georgia and worked as a domestic. Her father, Albert Roker, was a porter and a native of Andros, The Bahamas. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Career She began her professional career with the Negro Ensemble Company and became a successful stage actress. She won an Obie Award in 1974 and was nominated for a Tony Award for her portrayal of Mattie Williams in ''The River Niger''. She was a reporter on WNEW-TV in New York in the 1970s and hosted a public affairs show for the station known as ''Inside Bed-Stuy'', dealing with events in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bernie West
Bernie West (May 30, 1918 – July 29, 2010) was an American television writer and actor best known for his work in situation comedies such as ''All in the Family'', its spinoff ''The Jeffersons'', and ''Three's Company''. Biography Born on May 30, 1918, in the Bronx as Bernard Wessler, to Russian-Jewish immigrants; he earned his undergraduate degree from Baruch College, earning a Bachelor of Business Science in advertising. West worked as a nightclub comedian, and performed on tour with the U.S.O. in the Pacific Theatre after being rejected from the military based on medical issues. As part of the comedy duo Ross & West, he toured the hotel circuit in the Catskills and Poconos with Ross Martin, quipping, "Everything we did may not have been original, but what we stole was good!" After Martin left, he was replaced by Mickey Ross, a college friend of West's who changed his name from Isadore Rovinsky so that the comedy duo could retain the Ross & West name. Broadway and film ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Embassy Television
ELP Communications (formerly known as T.A.T. Communications Company, Embassy Television, Embassy Telecommunications, and Embassy Communications) was an American television production company that originally began in 1974. History Beginning ELP Communications was originally formed in 1974 as T.A.T. Communications Company when Norman Lear joined up with former talent agent Jerry Perenchio, a year before Bud Yorkin ended his partnership with Lear. "T.A.T." stood for the Yiddish phrase "Tuchus Affen Tisch", which meant "Putting one's ass on the line." The first sitcom to be produced by T.A.T. Communications was ''The Jeffersons'', which was spun off from the sitcom ''All in the Family'' in 1975. Acquisition of Avco Embassy and rename Television producer Norman Lear and his business partner Jerry Perenchio bought Avco Embassy Pictures Corporation in January 1982 and decided to drop the name "Avco" from the name to bring back the name Embassy Pictures and T.A.T. Communications Co. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
