Dont miss on getTV:Archie Gets The Business(October 2, 1977) for the episode where Archie buys the bar from Kelsey (Frank Maxwell) andLittle Miss Bunker(September 24, 1979) for the introduction of Stephanie. 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. [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. Lear originally intended for George to appear in the first season of the series, however, Hemsley was starring in the Broadway musical Purlie at the time, and Lear decided to postpone introduction of the character until Hemsley was available. Here are the shows that make up the Archie Bunker Extended Universe a.k.a. 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. 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. ), 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.
Checking In George Jefferson was, in some ways, a black version of the white anti-hero Archie Bunker. 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). WebSynopsis. In the seventh-season finale episode of The Jeffersons, "Florence's New Job", the Jeffersons' maid, Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs), accepted a job to become the executive housekeeper at the fictional St. Frederick Hotel in New York City. 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. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. [10] Sherman Hemsley guest-starred as George in two episodes of the series, which lasted for one season. A sitcom world must be a good one for a spin-off to spawn another spin-off! [41], On August 8, 2014, it was announced that Shout! ", "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! Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. What is the chronological order of these Norman Lear shows?
Isabel Sanford on not wanting to do "The Jeffersons" spin off According to The Washington Post, she'd been working for United Airlines for 11 years when she got the job on The Jeffersonsand she kept working there for two more years, not wanting to give up a good job for an acting role that might disappear at any moment. Situation comediesaka "sitcoms"aren't always noted for their complex writing and deeply-imagined characters. It only The idea of the Jeffersons "moving on up" came after three members of the Black Panthers who were fans of Lear's productions visited Lear's CBS office, raising issues with the creator over the portrayal of Black people on television, including his "Maude" spin-off series "Good Times." [42][43], On April 28, 2015, Shout!
Untold Truth Of The Jeffersons Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour.
The Jeffersons 7 Spin-offs, In Chronological Order So when shows like Norman Lear's Good Times hit the airwaves in the early 1970s, it was seen as huge progress. As withMaudeandGood Times, the main character of the new series was a maid onher previousseries. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. Fox tried out for a role on this show but was turned down. Jenny and Lionel became a couple, married on December 24, 1976, and later became the parents of a daughter, Jessica (played by Ebonie Smith). Archie's bigotrywas never meant to be accepted; rather,the entire sitcom wasmeant to "throw a humorous spotlight" on human "frailties, prejudices, and concerns," as a disclaimer before the first episode said. The ninth season feels more like the first ofArchie Bunkers Place, with the introduction of Stephanie (nine-year-oldDanielle Brisebois), less screen time for Jean Stapleton as Edith, and a greater reliance on the bar.
Spin-off The series gave John Amos and Norman Lear another chance to work together after tensions on set led Amos to leaveGood Times. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. Luckily, producer (and future network president) Fred Silverman fought to keep the scene in, and protest was muted. Checking In premiered on CBS on April 9, 1981, and lasted for only four episodes in the Thursday, 8:00p.m. EST timeslot. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. 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. The Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons. Archie mentions a friend from the old neighborhood named Cumberbatch. Jefferson has plenty of reason to distrust white people and the power structures they use to oppress him. J".[25]. 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 253 episodes.
The Jeffersons 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. See production, box office & company info, Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. 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. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. No episode was centered on Mother Jefferson's death, but it was occasionally mentioned that she had died in future episodes. Its like a Norman Lears Greatest Hits! Florence is caught between Lyle and Elena when they have an argument, but she won't take anyone's side.
The Jeffersons Cully was written out in season 4 due to her death in 1978, from lung cancer. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. The series is bookended in a very creative way. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. The epithets nigger and honky were used occasionally, especially during the earlier seasons.[2][4]. As Smithsonian Magazine notes, when Diahann Carroll debuted in 1968's Julia, portraying a Black woman working as a nurse and raising her son as a widow, it was controversial because it avoided any reference to the racial politics of the time and presented what many felt was a "white" character simply played by a Black actress. Dont miss on getTV:Lear got the name Cumberbatch from an early episode of ofAll In The FamilycalledWriting The President(January 19, 1971). Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. All Rights Reserved.
The Jeffersons The 12 Most Unexpected Spinoffs in TV History 1. The show was produced by the T.A.T. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227."
The Jeffersons Also worth noting: in the fifth season, Janet Jackson joined the cast. See Amos in the episodeA Visit From Lena Horne(January 12, 1973) and DuBois inSanford And Son And Sister Makes Three(December 1, 1972). Evans Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. Lead actors Rolle and John Amos felt a huge responsibility for that. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Unlike Arthur and Rolle, who were spun-off quickly, the Jeffersons were onAll In The Familyfor five seasons before they got their own show.
Show His mother Louise (Isabel Sanford) showed up seven episodes later when the Jeffersons bought the house next door.
10 Unforgettable Black Sitcom Families - cbr.com 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. And Louises brother-in-law Henry (Mel Stewart) appears for the first time in the last episode of season one. 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. In 1975, Norman Lear was possibly the most powerful man working in television. [5][6] The show was the creation of Norman Lear. Maude(19721978 141 episodes plus pilot onAll In The Family). John Amos (who played James Evans onGood Times) is the father, Ernie Cumberbatch. Maude arrives at the Bunker home to help out when the family gets hit with the flu. Charlie was also revealed to be an alcoholic in the season 11 episode "A Secret in the Back Room", in which Charlie is in denial, but the Jeffersons eventually get him to admit to his problem and advise him to get some help. The actors found out through the media reports or when friends contacted them to ask about it. Hes mellowed. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. As progressive as it was when it came to race relations, it hedged its bets in many ways.
The Jeffersons In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. While Florida's husband onMaudewas a firefighter named Henry (John Amos), her husband onGood Timeswas James, a hard worker often taking on multiple jobs to support the family. The episode, the eighth of the series, centers on Louise, her son Lionel, and her husband George moving next door to Archie and Edith Bunker in the working-class section of Queens. TV shows can be huge, massive hits for yearsand then vanish into near-obscurity (seriously, when was the last time you had a conversation about Lost?). Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. Before we go any further, a few words about math.
Show 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. 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. By clicking SIGN UP, I certify that I am a United States resident, I agree to receive email updates from Game Show Network, I acknowledge that my information will be handled and used by Game Show Network in accordance with the Game Show Network Privacy Policy, and I agree to such handling and use by Game Show Network. The Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons. 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. The show was produced by the T.A.T.
Spin-off Although Archie and George (Sherman Hemsley) argue a lot, Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) is a dear friend to Edith Bunker, and it's hard for the two to say goodbye when the Jeffersons move away. Lear created this series, which had an inventive concept: an African-American family moves into the house formerly occupied by Archie Bunker. 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. The Jeffersons was notable because it depicted a Black family as upper-middle class. She appeared in seven episodes in 197677, so watch any of those! Checking In was the first All in the Family spin-off series that was not successful, unlike The Jeffersons, Maude and Maude spin-off Good Times. Even though it flopped,704 Hauserhas a special place in the heart of many Norman Lear fans. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. Everybody knows it, and you can't help but sing along. [23] Bentley also had a bad back, and frequently needed George to walk on it.
The Jeffersons 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. She got unlimited passes from the airline. 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. It was funny and entertaining. 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.
The Jeffersons' Left Lasting Television Legacy The character of George Jefferson was conceived of as a mirror image in some ways of Archie Bunker. Marla Gibbs of The Jeffersons got her own sitcom as Florence, who left her job as a housekeeper to work in a hotel. All in the Familyprimarily takes place at the Bunker residence on 704 Hauser Street. 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. The Black experience wasn't portrayed muchor at allon television prior to the 1970s. As he had done with Bea Arthur onAll In The Family, Lear immediately recognized a breakout character and quickly began developing a spinoff for Florida with writersEric Monte(Cooley High) andMike Evans(Lionel onAll In The Family). Marla Gibbs remains best-known to many people as the sarcastic housekeeper, Florence, on The Jeffersons.
The Jeffersons (1975 TV Show The final spin-off of this world of Norman Lear shows is704 Hauser. 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. Looking back on decades past, it'sremarkable how seven shows followedAll in the Familyand belong to its universe. Besides being set in the same house, the only directAll In The Familyconnection comes withCasey Siemaszkoplaying grown-up Joey Stivic. All in the Familytook a leaf out of its own book and spawned yet another sitcom afterthe series ended. In reality, Joey (born 1975) would have only been 19, but Siemaszko was 33. 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. As New Ravel notes, when his requests for change were ignored he began deliberately flubbing his lines or saying the offensive words too low for the microphones to pick up, forcing the producers to reshoot scenes again and again. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. [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. 0. Dont miss on getTV:Cousin Maudes Visit(December 11, 1971) andMaude(March 11, 1972). The Bunker-Verse! Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. 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. Lear agreed to let OConnor continue the series without him, but under one condition: he couldnt call itAll In The Family. [21], Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first six seasons of The Jeffersons on DVD in Region 1 between 2002 and 2007. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. [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. Sherman Hemsley, for example, came out of the revered Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), as did Roxie Roker (Helen Willis). As reported by New Ravel, network executives weren't happy about taking things that far, and pressured the producers to remove the scene. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford 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. CreatorNorman Learwas just happy the Bunkers were on the air. It only
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. Checking Infound Florence as executive housekeeper at a New York City Hotel. It became Tandems longest running show, with 11 seasons. Many great shows and movies turn 50 years old in 2021, andAll in the Familyis one of the most iconic.
Show Lyle throws a party at the hotel, but his high school rival (now a pro football coach) and his team decide to crash it. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. It only Five is a lot, but its not a record. Archie Bunkers Place(19791983 97 episodes). 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. RELATED:10 Sitcom Characters With Supernatural Abilities, Ranked By Power. Archie and Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) share their home with their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her husband, Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner). [19] The Jeffersons premiered the following week, on January 18, 1975.[8]. [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. This article is about the 1981 sitcom. 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. Archie and Mike are always butting heads since Archie is politically conservative and Mike is usually portrayed as being liberal. It was funny and entertaining. [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.
The Jeffersons 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. Web3. It was almost totally unlike any other theme song you would hear on TV at the time, and that was the whole point. It was funny and entertaining. [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. They complained that shows featuring Black casts always portrayed Black people as poor, reinforcing some stereotypes even as they undermined others. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I would like to see this forgotten TV show resurrected on TV Land or Nick at Night, or maybe a special DVD release. DuBois wanted to do more than just act, and when she approached Lear about branching out he suggested she write the theme song for his new show. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227."
Show Checking In With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. She reprised her role several times onArchie Bunker's Placeand then took center stage onGloria, the last series to focus on a member of the Bunker family.
The Jeffersons It's rare for a television comedy to lead cultural change like this, and it puts The Jeffersons into historical perspective. WebSynopsis. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. Ja'Net DuBois and Jeff Barry co-wrote The Jeffersons theme song, "Movin' on Up", which was sung by DuBois with a gospel choir. 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. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. Portrayed by Mel Stewart, Henry got the lines and screen time that would have gone to George. [7], In its first season (197475), the show ranked at number four, surpassed by its parent series All in the Family (which landed at number one for the fifth year in a row). 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. As the Atlanta Black Star notes, the Panthers told Lear that there were successful Black people in the world whose stories could be compelling and funny. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. On their own show, the Jeffersons interact with new friends and neighbors while inhabiting a new lifestyle. 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. [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. CBS was nervous,Rob Reiner(Mike aka Meathead) told PBS in 2016. Louise made friends with Tom and Helen Willis, an interracial couple with two adult children of their own[8] (whom George derided as "zebras"):[1][20] son Allan (played by Andrew Rubin in the first-season finale, and by Jay Hammer throughout season 5), a white-passing college drop-out; and daughter Jenny, an aspiring fashion designer. The episode marked the final appearance of Henry throughout the series. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. A national phenomenon was born. Theres certainly no human alive who believesArchie Bunkers Placeis better thanAll In The Family,and theres probably a few of us who would rather it didnt exist at all. Norman Lear created the character of George Jefferson specifically for Hemsley. The Jeffersonsis the next spin-off to come directly fromAll in the Family. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. As noted by Ebony, many of the actors working on The Jeffersons were serious artists with a lot of training.
The series was created byMike MilliganandJim Moriarity, both longtime writer/producers onThe Jeffersons. Happy Daysalso had five spin-offs between 1976 and 1979. The successful series ran for six seasons and, like its predecessor, dealt with some serious issues during its day. For airdates and times, visit theAll In The Familyshow page. It was surprisingly thoughtful on issues of race and class within the confines of a broad comedy in prime time national television. As noted by The New York Times, the ostensible reason given was that he was uncomfortable walking into a white man's house, setting up the character as a foil for Archie Bunker's racism. 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. As The NWI Times notes, George worked as a janitor for a large apartment building while his wife, Louise "Weezy" Jefferson, worked as a housekeeper. The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan.