50 Trivia Tidbits About 'The Jeffersons' on Its 50th Anniversary
The Jeffersons debuted on CBS on January 18, 1975. Starring Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley, the show was a spin-off of TV’s number one show at the time: All in the Family. But while Louise and George Jefferson began as Archie’s Black neighbors on All in the Family, The Jeffersons saw the upwardly mobile family move to the Upper East Side of Manhattan, making them the first TV show to star a Black family that wasn’t poor. The show broke down a number of barriers and was applauded — and sometimes reviled — for dealing with the issue of race.
Fifty years later, The Jeffersons is still widely recognized as one of the best, most important and funniest shows in TV history, which is why we dug up these 50 tidbits to celebrate its golden anniversary.
Hell of a Run
The Jeffersons lasted for 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes.
First in Lionel
The first member of the fictional Jefferson family to appear on screen was Lionel Jefferson, the son of George and Louise. He appeared in the first episode of All in the Family, coming on screen even before Carroll O’Connor’s Archie Bunker.
Lionel Who?
Lionel was played by three different actors. The first was D’Urville Martin in two unaired test pilots for All in the Family. The second was Mike Evans, who played him for five years on All in the Family until The Jeffersons debuted in 1975. Evans then played the character for one season of The Jeffersons, before leaving to focus on writing Good Times, which he co-created. When Evans left, Damon Evans (no relation) took over the part in Seasons Two, Three and Four. Mike Evans then returned to the role in Season Five and remained in it until The Jeffersons concluded.
Sheriff Bart Was Too Threatening
Originally, showrunner Norman Lear wanted Blazing Saddles star Cleavon Little to play Lionel Jefferson, but casting director John Rich said Little was too “threatening.” Rich thought the character needed to be more “neutral,” giving him the ability to tease the racist Archie Bunker without too much edge.
Evans’ Lucky Break
According to MeTV, Mike Evans “didn't have any real acting experience before he landed the role of Lionel. He was a drama major, and he was hitchhiking his way to class when a talent agent happened to pick him up. A few days later, that agent secured Evans the part on All in the Family.”
Last Stop for Lionel
After The Jeffersons, Evans retired from acting, going into real estate.
Lionel, Then Louise
The character of Louise “Weezy” Jefferson, portrayed by Sanford, began as a recurring character on All in the Family. While she didn’t appear until several episodes into Season One, she was mentioned as far back as Episode Three.
Sanford’s Other ‘All in the Family’ Role
Technically, Sanford portrayed two different characters on All in the Family. She was originally cast as Loinel’s aunt (Louise’s sister), but they liked her so much that they asked her back as Louise a few episodes later.
Sanford’s Thoughts on ‘All in the Family’
Sanford was wildly offended the first time she watched the show due to Archie Bunker’s use of racial slurs. When she tuned in the next week, however, she said she “fell down laughing.”
Weezy’s Origin Story
The nickname “Weezy” was something Hemsley came up with. He’d used it for a woman he dated named Louise, and he suggested to All in the Family executive producer Don Nicholl that George call Louise that. Nicholl agreed, and Sanford liked it, so it stuck.
Her Real Nickname
Behind the scenes, Sanford’s nicknames were “The Queen” and “Queen Bee.”
Gold for Sanford
In 1981, Sanford became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for a leading role. She was only the second Black woman to ever win an Emmy (the first being Gail Fisher for her supporting role on Mannix). When she won, she thanked only two people by name: God and Norman Lear.
Sanford Didn’t Think She’d Win
Sanford had been nominated twice before and lost. In an effort to look casual while someone else’s name was called, she began eating cheese during the announcement. But when Hemsley told Sanford that her name had been called, she threw her cheese back in surprise and it was caught by nearby WKRP in Cincinnati star Loni Anderson. Sanford was still chewing cheese during her acceptance speech.
The Other Emmy
The only other Emmy The Jeffersons won was for Outstanding Video Tape Editing in 1983.
‘The Jeffersons’ Many Snubs
Hemsley was nominated once for the role of George Jefferson, and Marla Gibbs, who played the Jeffersons’ housekeeper Florence Johnston, was nominated five times. Sanford was nominated a total of seven times, but again, she only won the one time.
Sanford Didn’t Want a Spin-Off
In a 1992 interview, Sanford revealed that she didn’t want to leave All in the Family for The Jeffersons because All in the Family was a hit, whereas The Jeffersons meant an uncertain future. “I’m a Virgo, I wanted to stick with the sure thing,” she told Rosie O’Donnell. But when it was explained to Sanford that The Jeffersons would happen with or without her and that Louise Jefferson wouldn’t be on All in the Family regardless, she changed her mind.
‘How Can You Stand That Man?’
People would sometimes ask Sanford how she — or her character — could stand being married to George Jefferson. Her reply? “If you were getting the money I’m getting, you’d stand him too.”
‘I Should Slap You’
Hemsley would get approached on the street as well. In 1998, he recalled an encounter in Texas where a woman came up to him and said, “I should slap you in the face for the way you treat your wife.”
How the Jeffersons Stayed Together
In describing the relationship between George and Louise, Sanford said, “Louise kept George in tow. That’s how it lasted that long. He listened to her and what she said was the last word. Whether he thought he had the last word or not, she had the last word. That’s how that marriage lasted as long as it did.”
George Was ‘Not Completely a Fool’
Hemsley explained that, “By me loving Louise — like Archie loving Edith — you get away with being goofy and stupid because people say, ‘At least he loves something, at least you have that human feeling, that human thing happening inside,’ which is about love, which we all come from. If you show that, we know he’s not completely a fool.”
‘The Jeffersons’ Could Be Serious (Occasionally)
“We showed a lot of love and concern and compassion,” Hemsley added. “We had a few more serious bits every once in a while, which was hard for us because we were so used to doing the crazy stuff.”
George Was ‘All Neck’
At just 5-foot-6, 130 pounds, Hemsley wasn’t what Sanford had in mind for Louise’s husband. “I was thinking someone like Roy Glenn — a big guy,” Sanford explained. She described Hemsley as being “all neck.”
What That Neck Had to Say for Himself
“They were looking for a thin, feisty guy, and I was thin and feisty,” Hemsley explained.
One Source of Inspiration
“Pompous and feisty” was another guideline given for George, so Hemsley based him a little bit on the actor Clifton Webb.
The Key Episode
Hemsley said that the episode where he and Sanford finally started clicking was in the Season Four All in the Family episode “Lionel’s Engagement,” where it was revealed that Lionel was about to marry a woman who is of mixed race, which bothers George.
Lear Discovered Hemsley on Broadway
“Norman saw me on Broadway way before All in the Family started, and he just kept me in mind,” Hemsley once explained in an interview.
Where’s George?
When they wanted to cast the part of George in Season One of All in the Family, Hemsley was doing a play in San Francisco, and they couldn’t locate him.
George (Finally) Arrives
When they finally found Hemsley, he was unavailable thanks to his stage commitments. But instead of recasting the role, Lear held it open for three-and-a-half seasons, keeping George unseen until Hemsley’s Broadway contract had run out.
Henry Who?
While they waited for Hemsley, Henry Jefferson, George’s brother, served as a placeholder. He appeared in the first four seasons of All in the Family, but never on The Jeffersons (though he was mentioned occasionally).
The Jeffersons Had a Big Age Difference
Hemsley was 21 years younger than Sanford, who was 58 when The Jeffersons began (Hemsley was just 37). The characters, however, were the same age.
Movin’ On Up (Very Quickly)
After just three or four appearances as George, discussion of a spin-off for the Jefferson family began.
George’s Walk
George’s iconic walk was informed by Hemsley’s upbringing. Hemsley explained in an interview that that was “the way we walked in South Philly when you think you’re bad or you’ve got to be important.”
George’s Evolution (Part One)
“For the first five years (of The Jeffersons), I would hardly ever smile,” Hemsley said in an interview. “One day I said, ‘Could I stop being so grumpy?’” After that, the writers loosened up the character and made him more of a “prankster.”
George’s Evolution (Part Two)
Much like All in the Family, racial slurs were commonplace on The Jeffersons, mostly uttered by George. Over time, though, Hemsley grew tired of this and thought his character should evolve. Hemsley was rebuffed, but he protested by purposefully flubbing his lines and saying some of them so low that they couldn’t be heard. In time, the writers caved and such epithets were far less common.
Movin’ On Up to the Majors
According to Lear, “The Jeffersons came about because, after Good Times was on the air for a year, after the Black press had trumpeted it, they began to ask, ‘Why is there no upwardly mobile Black family on television?” The Jeffersons, Lear explained, “was a chance to answer that with players that we already wanted to bring into the major leagues.”
Not-So-Good Times
Good Times co-creator Eric Monte would claim that Lear used many of his ideas for The Jeffersons without being given credit.
It Began as a Hit
In its first season, The Jeffersons was the fourth most watched show on TV, not far behind All in the Family, which was number one.
The Ups and Downs of ‘The Jeffersons’
But after its first season, The Jeffersons fluctuated in the ratings quite a bit. During Seasons Two and Three, it moved down into the twenties. It then was around the fiftieth biggest show for Seasons Four and Five. However, it rebounded in Season Six at number eight, climbed to number six in Season Seven and hit a high-water mark of number three in Season Eight. Much of The Jeffersons’ struggles in the ratings can be attributed to CBS moving the show around. In its 11-season run, it had 15 different time slots.
About That Famous Theme Song
“Movin’ On Up” was written and performed by actress and singer Ja’net DuBois. She had a small role on Good Times, and she asked Lear if she could do something bigger. He tasked her with writing a theme song for The Jeffersons, and the result was one of the greatest theme songs in the history of television.
Where’s Harry?
Paul Benedict played the Jeffersons’ white neighbor, Harry Bentley. Per MeTV, he was absent for Season Nine so that he could pursue other roles, but he rejoined the cast for Seasons 10 and 11.
A Breakout Star
Marla Gibbs’ role of Florence was originally a recurring role, not a regular one, and so, Gibbs kept her day job as a flight attendant for the first three seasons. Beginning in Season Four, she became a regular.
A Spin-Off of a Spin-Off
After Season Seven, Gibbs’ character was spun off into her own series, Checking In, which focused on Florence working in a hotel. The show did poorly in the ratings and lasted just four episodes. Florence then returned to the Jeffersons’ home, explaining that the hotel had burned down.
Mother Jefferson
Years before Zara Cully played Louise’s mother-in-law, Mother Jefferson, she suggested to Sanford that she should play her mother in something. “When we finally got her, she was my mother-in-law. That was close,” explained Sanford. She played Mother Jefferson until she died about a third of the way through The Jeffersons’ run. The character was written out of the show and not recast, though there were mentions of her death.
The Two Jennys
Berlinda Tolbert played Jenny Jefferson, wife of Lionel. She played the part for the entirety of The Jeffersons, yet she was the second actress to portray the character. In Jenny’s only appearance on All in the Family, she was played by Lynne Moody of Roots and Knots Landing.
Meet the Willises
Roxie Roker and Franklin Cover played the neighbors of the Jeffersons, Helen and Tom Willis. They were the first interracial couple to appear as regulars on a TV series. This earned CBS a great deal of hate mail.
A Baby Rock Star
Roker was the mother of Lenny Kravitz, who often visited the set of The Jeffersons as a kid.
It Was Abruptly Canceled by CBS
The Jeffersons never got a proper finale. Decades later, Sanford said she was still upset about it. She also wasn’t directly told that the show was done. Instead, she heard the news from her cousin, who had read about it in a tabloid. The same for Hemsley.
Of the cancellation, Sanford said, “I thought they could have at least called us back and maybe we had like, an hour closing show. You see, the other sitcoms, they had a closing show. Mary Tyler Moore, M*A*S*H and the others that were playing along with us at the same time, they all had closure. I thought we should at least have that respect. We had been running as long as they had.”
No Finale, No Reunion
Because they never got a proper finale, Sanford didn’t want to do a reunion show. At one point, a one-hour reunion was written and ready to go, but Sanford scrapped it. As she explained to Rosie O’Donnell, “If we can’t come back as good as we were, or even better, I don’t want to come back.”
Unofficial Reunions
Over the years, Sanford and Hemsley would pop up as their Jeffersons’ characters several times including on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in Old Navy commercials and for the 1995 MTV Movie Awards in a Dumb and Dumber parody.
Still in That Deluxe Apartment in the Sky
In 2019, The Jeffersons was honored by ABC as part of the Live in Front of a Studio Audience series of TV specials. Each of the specials reenacted an episode of a classic sitcom with modern-day stars. For The Jeffersons, Jamie Foxx played George while Wanda Sykes played Louise. Jennifer Hudson performed the theme song, and most impressively, an 87-year-old Marla Gibbs returned as Florence in a surprise appearance.
