The Bunker-Verse! Five is a lot, but its not a record. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. Archie mentions a friend from the old neighborhood named Cumberbatch. Only five of the six taped episodes were aired, in April and May 1994. Web3. This article is about the 1981 sitcom. 3). Florence Johnson returned toThe JeffersonsafterChecking Inended. 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. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. As noted by Ebony, while it's easy to view George Jefferson as a "Black Archie Bunker," that's not accurate. The cast commonly visited the bar for a drink or to attend a party. Thanks to Lear and his characters, 70s TV audiences saw and heard things they never had before in primetime. Early seasons of the show used racial epithets for both Black and white characters fairly often, but as time went on Hemsley thought his character should be evolving and stop using expressions like "honky." 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. The pilot even has the series signature catchphrase, God will get you for that, Walter, which Maude uses to express her displeasure with husband Walter (Bill Macy), owner of an appliance shop. The show was a spin-off ofThe Jeffersons. 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. WebSynopsis. 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. Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) was Maude Findlay's maid in Tuckahoe, New York,andGood Timesmovedon to develop Florida's life with her family in Chicago. NEXT:Younger & 9 Other Shows Or Movies That Couldn't Have Existed Before Social Media, All In The Family And Its 7 Spin-offs, In Chronological Order, shows and movies turn 50 years old in 2021, 10 Sitcom Characters With Supernatural Abilities, Ranked By Power, Mike is usually portrayed as being liberal. Hemsley was so good, show creator Norman Lear waited years to be able to hire him. Evans Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. The Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. The list of firsts achieved by The Jeffersons is impressive. Portrayed by Mel Stewart, Henry got the lines and screen time that would have gone to George. At least stories featuring Black people were being told, and Black actors were getting significant roles on TV. 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. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. Dont miss on getTV:TwoAll In The Familyepisodes set up the circumstances ofGloria:The Stivics Go West(March 19, 1978) where Mike takes a job as a teacher andCalifornia, Here We Are(December 17, 1978) where Mike and Gloria separate (but reconcile). 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 I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. A national phenomenon was born. Sanford was also the recipient of five of the eight Golden Globe Awards nominations the program received.[48]. It's also one of the more thoughtful and meaningful theme songs in TV history. released season 7 on DVD in Region 1. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. Besides being set in the same house, the only directAll In The Familyconnection comes withCasey Siemaszkoplaying grown-up Joey Stivic. It brought back the star ofGood Times John Amos in an update ofAll In The Familythat uses a plot point (interracial relationship) ofThe Jeffersons. Dont miss on getTV:While theres no direct Bunker connection,Checking Indoes featureLiz Torresas Florences assistant. All Rights Reserved. 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. If you include those inAll In The Familys grand total and you must, because they wouldnt exist otherwise All In The Familybegat 7 shows, 860 episodes, and more than 400 hours of network television. Even when shows remain in the popular culture after their cancellation, they're usually relegated to a murky backwater on the cable or streaming menu. [15], In 1985, Hemsley and Sanford made a special joint guest appearance in the Canale 5 comedy show Grand Hotel, starring the Italian actors Paolo Villaggio, the comic duo Franco & Ciccio, and Carmen Russo. [6][20][21] Cully, who had first appeared in the 1974 All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement", reprised her role. 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.. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. As BET reports, it was the first TV show to directly address suicide in an episode where Florence the housekeeper falls into a depression and contemplates ending her life. Hes mellowed. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. As noted by The Baltimore Sun, many Black Americans found aspects of the showfrom George Jefferson's "pimp walk" strut to his general foolishnessto be offensive. [46], Isabel Sanford was nominated for seven consecutive Best Actress Emmys, from 1979 until 1985. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford Amoscontinued in the role of James until the character's death. Russell) who dated the girl down the block (Maura Tierney). I felt I shouldve been more involved in the development of scripts. 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. [23] Bentley also had a bad back, and frequently needed George to walk on it. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. In the spring of 1981, Paul Benedict left the show for a season and a half, returning in the final two seasons of the series. All in the Familyis famous for its prejudiced patriarch, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor). 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 two-part season opener for Maude in 1973 dealt with the alcoholism of her husband Walter (Bill Macy). 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. Stage actressEsther Rolleshows up in the third episode ofMaudeas Florida, an AfricanAmerican housecleaner who has little patience for Maudes political correctness. All In The Familydirectly spun off five situation comedies between 1972 and 1994. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. The show was a spin-off of The Jeffersons. Other NEC graduates include John Amos, Richard Roundtree, Denzel Washington, and Angela Bassett. Shows like Sanford and Son and Good Times had all-Black main casts and made an attempt to depict Black American life more realistically. And then there's The Jeffersons. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. RELATED:10 Sitcom Characters With Supernatural Abilities, Ranked By Power. You might think this classic situation comedy is a relic of the 1970s, and in some ways you'd be right. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. 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. I would like to see this forgotten TV show resurrected on TV Land or Nick at Night, or maybe a special DVD release. 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. Archie Bunkers Place(19791983 97 episodes). 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. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. 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. Lionel is the first Jefferson to be seen onAll in the Family, but his parents become an important part of the show, too. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. Ratings for the first season were poor, and the network didnt exactly shout about it from the antenna-covered rooftops. The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. As withMaudeandGood Times, the main character of the new series was a maid onher previousseries. In that regard,Good Timesis more like a reboot of Rolle and Amoss characters than a spinoff. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. [21], It returned to the Top 10 in 197980, and at the end of the 198182 season, The Jeffersons finished third overall, only surpassed by fellow CBS series Dallas and 60 Minutes. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. 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. is Movin' On Up to a 'Season 7' Separate Release! John Amos (who played James Evans onGood Times) is the father, Ernie Cumberbatch. When shows featured Black characters, they were often portrayed as stereotypes, as clownish fools or ominous criminals. See production, box office & company info, Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Archie Bunker's Placestarted out with both Archie and Edith, but Jean Stapleton left the show and was killed off shortly after the series began. It was funny and entertaining. Checking Infound Florence as executive housekeeper at a New York City Hotel. 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. 704 Hauserflips the Archie/Meathead dynamic by making Ernie Cumberbatch (John Amos) the liberal and his son Thurgood Marshall Cumberbatch (T.E. This ill-advised spinoff featured Struthers returning as the title character, now a single mom raising her son Joey (Christian Jacobs) after Mike left her and moved to a commune with one of his students. Gibbs says that she worked out an adjusted schedule with United that allowed her enough time to film her scenes and then race into work, where she worked the phones in their reservations office. Ralph was also known for making up stories of him struggling to fulfill the Jeffersons request to get more tips. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. They complained that shows featuring Black casts always portrayed Black people as poor, reinforcing some stereotypes even as they undermined others. Happy Daysalso had five spin-offs between 1976 and 1979. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." This CBS spin-off of "All in the Family" featured an African-American couple, George and Louise, who rose from their humble beginnings and moved into an expensive high rise. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. 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. Produced by Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, the working-class sitcom was set in Queens, New York and was based on a British sitcom calledTill Death Do Us Part. Eventually this tactic worked, and the writers stopped using the offensive terms. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. Television historians know that while the character of George Jefferson was introduced on All in the Family in 1971, he didn't actually show up on screen until 1973. ", "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). RELATED:WandaVision& 9 Other Shows That Have Paid Homage To Sitcoms. RELATED:10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture. Thats bullshit.. In reality, Joey (born 1975) would have only been 19, but Siemaszko was 33. But the moment you read the title you heard its iconic theme song in your head, and no matter your age or background you've probably seen an episode or a dozenand maybe not that long ago. [38] The show's ratings for the following two seasons placed it in the Top 30, but during the 197778 and 197879 seasons (the show's fourth and fifth seasons), it fell out of the top 30, ranking 52nd in Season 4 and 49th in Season 5. ), Dueling Detectives: Kojak and Jim Rockford, getTV talks CASEY JONES and 1950s Westerns An Interview with Toby Roan, 10 Times Farrah Fawcett Was an Undercover Angel on CHARLIES ANGELS, 10 Times HART TO HART Was Relationship Goals, TV Like It Used To Be A Guide to Crimetime on getTV, Christmas with the Evans Family Holiday Episodes of GOOD TIMES, Christmas on getTV 10 Holiday Highlights, Alfonso Ribeiro: 10 Facts About the Star of CATCH 21. The series is bookended in a very creative way. 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. Marla Gibbs of The Jeffersons got her own sitcom as Florence, who left her job as a housekeeper to work in a hotel. But the real reason was more pragmatic: Norman Lear had created the character for Sherman Hemsley, but Hemsley was under contract for the play Purlie and refused to break his contract. 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. Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. CBS quickly pivoted, scheduling rebroadcasts of the first 13 episodes that summer. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. [5][7] The Jeffersons eventually evolved into more of a traditional sitcom, but episodes occasionally focused on serious issues such as alcoholism, racism, suicide, gun control, being transgender, the KKK, and adult illiteracy. As a result, the series remained among the Top 20 for the next two seasons. There was one episode that was actually sort of scary, involving a flute-playing ghost that haunted one of the rooms in the old hotel. George Jefferson was, in some ways, a black version of the white anti-hero Archie Bunker. [2][3] Henry played as George when Louise felt embarrassed that George did not want to be in Archie Bunker's house due to prejudice. Gloria and Mike are no longer together, so Gloria and her son, Joey, leave California and go home to New York. Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. It only The epithets nigger and honky were used occasionally, especially during the earlier seasons.[2][4]. 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. Checking In lasted only four episodes, after which Florence returned to The Jeffersons with the story that the hotel had burned down in a fire. 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. Variety said it underscored that sitcoms this year are treading more realistic areas than the dramatic series., Also in the second season, Maude decided to have an abortion. During the January 11, 1975 episode of All in the Family, titled "The Jeffersons Move Up", Edith Bunker gave a tearful good-bye to her neighbor Louise Jefferson as her husband George, their son Lionel, and she moved from a working-class section of Queens, New York, into the luxurious Colby East, a fictitious high-rise apartment complex on East 63rd Street in Manhattan. Florence was only supposed to be a bit part, but audiences loved her, and the character of Florence was promoted to full-time status. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. The characters of Lionel and Jenny were written out by stating that they had marital problems, the result of which became a two-part episode storyline as the series' eighth-season premiere. Actor Franklin Cover, who played Tom Willis, also heard about the cancellation while watching Entertainment Tonight. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Dont miss on getTV:Both John Amos andJaNet DuBois(neighbor Willona Woods) appeared onSanford And Sonbefore they were cast onGood Times. The series follows Florence's misadventures at the hotel with her co-workers: Lyle Block, her stuffy manager; Elena Beltran, her assistant; Earl Bellamy, the inept house detective; Hank Sabatino, the lewd handyman; Betty, the floor supervisor; Dennis, the bellboy; and Mr. Claymore, the hotel owner.[1]. While the character was initially conceived as a Black antagonist for Bunkerclearly a racistJefferson was also conceived almost from the very beginning as being beyond Bunker. Gloria(19821983 21 episodes plus unaired pilot). You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. 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. 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. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. 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. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. Before the 1970s, there hadn't been any TV shows with majority Black casts in decades, and the Black characters that did appear on television were usually not particularly grounded in reality. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. As groundbreaking as The Jeffersons was in terms of depicting Black America on the small screen, it still earns criticism for some of its choices. ", "How 'All in the Family' Spawned the Most Spinoffs of Any Sitcom", "All in the Family Season 5, Episode 16 The Jeffersons Move Up", "Actor Paul Benedict, 70, Leaves the Stage", "Zara Cully: Known for Role as 'Mother Jefferson' on the Jeffersons", "Ned Wertimer, character actor known as 'The Jeffersons' doorman, dies at 89", "The Jeffersons Season 10 Episode 16: My Guy, George", https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/78-OCR/1978-05-01-BC-OCR-Page-0036.pdf, https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/79-OCR/BC-1979-06-18-OCR-Page-0056.pdf#search=%22rounding%20up%20the%20ratings%22, "The Norman Lear Experience: His Shows, His Honesty and One Thing He Wanted to Do", "Mill Creek Entertainment Signs Deals With Sony Pictures Home Entertainment To Expand Their Distribution Partnership", "Mill Creek's Re-Releases for Next Month Get Great DVD Package Art", "The Jeffersons CORRECT DATE, Packaging for 'The Complete Series: The Deee-luxe Edition', "Great Extras Revealed for 'The Complete Series: The Deee-luxe Edition', "The Jeffersons Shout! [8] Checking In lasted only four episodes, after which Florence returned to The Jeffersons with the story that the hotel had burned down in a fire. 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. 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 Edith's death in the context of the spin-offmade Archie a widow, and though he missed Edith terribly, he continued on with his pub and focused on taking care of Edith's young relative, Stephanie Mills (Danielle Brisebois). 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Checking In lasted only four episodes, after which Florence returned to The Jeffersons with the story that the hotel had burned down in a fire. 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. Here are the shows that make up the Archie Bunker Extended Universe a.k.a. By what name was Checking In (1981) officially released in Canada in English? The Jeffersons was notable because it depicted a Black family as upper-middle class. For further instructions click the link below to your TV model. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. More than 20 years after AITF, Lear created 704 Hauser, the address of the Bunkers former house, again inhabited by two battling generations. [1] In an episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne in 2011, Sherman Hemsley and Marla Gibbs reprised their roles of George Jefferson and Florence Johnston. Norman Lear created the character of George Jefferson specifically for Hemsley. [1][4], The show focuses on George and Louise Jefferson, a prosperous African-American couple who have been able to move from Queens to Manhattan owing to the success of George's dry-cleaning chain, Jefferson Cleaners. [19] The Jeffersons premiered the following week, on January 18, 1975.[8]. As progressive as it was when it came to race relations, it hedged its bets in many ways. All in the Familyprimarily takes place at the Bunker residence on 704 Hauser Street. The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On? WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. Florence is caught between Lyle and Elena when they have an argument, but she won't take anyone's side. It was almost totally unlike any other theme song you would hear on TV at the time, and that was the whole point. Archie Bunker's Place extended Archie's role to over twelve years on television. The final spin-off of this world of Norman Lear shows is704 Hauser. [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. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. 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. Tolbert became a regular guest star throughout the rest of the series. It became Tandems longest running show, with 11 seasons. [11] The cancellation of The Jeffersons cleared the way for Marla Gibbs, who played Florence Johnston on the series, to move on to the NBC sitcom 227 in the fall of 1985, a year earlier than scheduled. The Cumberbatches are a Black family moving into the Bunkers' old house in Queens. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. 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. The song was co-written by Ja'Net DuBois, who portrayed Willona on Norman Lear's other show, Good Times, and Jeff Barry. Other failed spin-off attempts were Gloria in the 1982-1983 season and 704 Hauser in 1994. Back in 1975, issues like these were much more shockingas noted by The Hollywood Times, interracial marriage had only become legal throughout the country in 1967! The shows spin-off series continued to break boundaries with discussions of abortion, alcoholism and racism. Gibbs then returned to The Jeffersons.. George Jefferson was, in some ways, a black version of the white anti-hero Archie Bunker. The show's time slot, for example, changed a ridiculous 15 times over those 11 years. [36], The Jeffersons changed time slots at least 15 different times during its 11-year run, unusual for a popular long running series. Many great shows and movies turn 50 years old in 2021, andAll in the Familyis one of the most iconic. Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. For other uses, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of awards and nominations received by The Jeffersons, "The Jeffersons: A look at life on black America's new 'Striver's Row', "Sherman Hemsley dies: Watch George Jefferson at his finest", "The Jeffersons and Happy Days and Valerie Bertinelli Bio", "Tyler Perry's House of Payne: Paying Homage to Sherman Hemsley", "Are Any of 'The Jeffersons' Cast Members Still Alive Today? CBS was nervous,Rob Reiner(Mike aka Meathead) told PBS in 2016.