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. Sherman Hemsley, for example, came out of the revered Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), as did Roxie Roker (Helen Willis). 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. Dont miss on getTV:Cousin Maudes Visit(December 11, 1971) andMaude(March 11, 1972). Gloria Bunker Stivic became a single mom after Mike left her, so she got a job in a veterinary office. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. All in the Familyis famous for its prejudiced patriarch, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor). Before we go any further, a few words about math. Many great shows and movies turn 50 years old in 2021, andAll in the Familyis one of the most iconic. But as Variety reports, this didn't satisfy everybody. Happy Daysalso had five spin-offs between 1976 and 1979. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. Only five of the six taped episodes were aired, in April and May 1994. The successful series ran for six seasons and, like its predecessor, dealt with some serious issues during its day. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. The Jeffersons was notable because it depicted a Black family as upper-middle class. 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. 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. Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. Archie and Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) share their home with their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her husband, Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner). Shows like Sanford and Son and Good Times had all-Black main casts and made an attempt to depict Black American life more realistically. [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. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. Mike Evans and Tolbert returned in the 19791980 season, with Tolbert's character, Jenny, pregnant with a daughter named Jessica. John Amos (who played James Evans onGood Times) is the father, Ernie Cumberbatch. A spin-off of All in the Family. 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. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. At least stories featuring Black people were being told, and Black actors were getting significant roles on TV. Fame10 notes that executives worried depicting an interracial kiss would lead to violenceand, worse, to affiliate stations dropping the show. Florence misunderstands and thinks an elderly salesman is coming on to her, but he's really trying to make a sales pitch. But as BET notes, The Jeffersons was a real departure not only because it was just the second African-American sitcom to hit the top five in ratings, or because Isabel Sanford was just the second Black actress to win an Emmy Award for Best Actress. Maudealso introducedJohn Amosas Floridas husband Henry later changed to James and established their marital dynamic in preparation for the spinoff. 704 Hauserflips the Archie/Meathead dynamic by making Ernie Cumberbatch (John Amos) the liberal and his son Thurgood Marshall Cumberbatch (T.E. The show was a spin-off ofThe Jeffersons. A national phenomenon was born. Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. Weezy is initially reluctant to hire a housekeeper in the first episode in part because she's had that experience herself. And Louises brother-in-law Henry (Mel Stewart) appears for the first time in the last episode of season one. 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. As Black America Web reports, when the show was canceled in 1985 the network didn't even bother to inform the cast. [3] At the beginning of The Jeffersons, he was operating five stores throughout New York City, with another two opening during the following seasons. ", "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). Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. 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 They were saying, essentially, We wont have anything to do with this show.. 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 noted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, this began to change in the 1970s, especially with the work of Norman Lear. This article is about the 1981 sitcom. The actors found out through the media reports or when friends contacted them to ask about it. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. The sitcoms breakout star was Jimmie J.J. Walker, with his trademark phrase Dy-no-mite!. Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. 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. Factory. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. It was her breakout role; as noted by The History Makers, Gibbs had started taking acting classes when her job with United Airlines transferred her from Detroit to Los Angeles, but prior to being cast as Florence the actress had only appeared in a handful of theater roles and one film, 1973's Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man. WhenAll In The Familydebuted in 1971, few people suspected it would be responsible for more spin-offs than any other sitcom in television history. 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. Until then, Lear created the character of Henry Jefferson, George's brother. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. Thanks to Lear and his characters, 70s TV audiences saw and heard things they never had before in primetime. 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. 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. [39], On August 27, 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library including The Jeffersons. Gloria and Mike are no longer together, so Gloria and her son, Joey, leave California and go home to New York. 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I felt I shouldve been more involved in the development of scripts. 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.. The Jeffersons(19751984 253 episodes plus pilot onAll In The Family). While many of the shows connected toAll in the Familydid extraordinarily well,Checking Inonly lasted for four episodes. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." Fox tried out for a role on this show but was turned down. Ratings for the first season were poor, and the network didnt exactly shout about it from the antenna-covered rooftops. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. It's also one of the more thoughtful and meaningful theme songs in TV history. 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. The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. If you loveAll In The Familyand its iconic characters, the concept alone is problematic. It's rare for a television comedy to lead cultural change like this, and it puts The Jeffersons into historical perspective. The show was launched as the second (and longest running) spin-off of All in the Family, on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. Gibbs then returned to her regular role on The Jeffersons and it was explained that the St. Frederick Hotel had burned down. 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. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. 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. 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! It brought back the star ofGood Times John Amos in an update ofAll In The Familythat uses a plot point (interracial relationship) ofThe Jeffersons. 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. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. RELATED:WandaVision& 9 Other Shows That Have Paid Homage To Sitcoms. On their own show, the Jeffersons interact with new friends and neighbors while inhabiting a new lifestyle. The Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. ", was added as a bonus feature on The Jeffersons: The Complete Series 33-disc DVD set issued by Shout! 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. ALL IN THE FAMILY 7 Spin-Offs From TVs Most Spun-Off Sitcom, Charlies Angels: 10 Things You May Not Know (or Do You? 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.". And then there's The Jeffersons. They complained that shows featuring Black casts always portrayed Black people as poor, reinforcing some stereotypes even as they undermined others. But whatHappy Daysdidnt have were spin-offs of spin-offs. All In The Familyis one of the most transformative sitcoms in the history of the medium, if not the most. The cast reunited in a stage play based on the sitcom. 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 series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. Marla Gibbs was the breakout star onThe Jeffersonsas Florence, George and Louises maid, so it made perfect sense to spin her off. Lyle throws a party at the hotel, but his high school rival (now a pro football coach) and his team decide to crash it. 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. Danny Wells played Charlie, the owner and a bartender of a nearby bar to the Jeffersons apartment building. The show's time slot, for example, changed a ridiculous 15 times over those 11 years. All In The Familyfans will recognize Torres as Teresa Betancourt, the hospital worker who rents Mike And Glorias room when they move out. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. 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. Rather than cast someone else, Lear decided to keep George offscreen until Hemsley was available. Sometimes the best, and most intelligent, TV shows never get a chance! Florida and James have three children: J.J., Michael, and Thelma. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. The show was a spin-off of The Jeffersons. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. In his autobiography, Lear wrote that three members of the Black Panther Party came to his office at CBS, complaining about Good Times: Every time you see a Black man on the tube, he is dirt poor, wears shit clothes, cant afford nothing. In fact, the parent show would have been completely different without the Jefferson family in the neighborhood. [8] Damon Evans's last episode was "Lionel Gets the Business". It was a spinoff of a spinoff, centering on Maudes maid Florida (Esther Rolle) and her family. All in the Family was notable for many things including the fact that it spawned seven other TV series. 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). Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. His mother Louise (Isabel Sanford) showed up seven episodes later when the Jeffersons bought the house next door. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." 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). [14] In season 5 episode 17 of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, titled "Will Is from Mars" (1995), the Jeffersons made a guest appearance as a couple in therapy class. 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). 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). 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. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford 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. Fun fact: Both Macy and Rodd played different characters onAll In The Familyjust weeks before Lear cast them onMaude. It only 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. The conversation resonated with Lear, and he began to conceive of The Jeffersons as an effort to show a Black family having real economic success and living the American Dream. 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. 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. As progressive as it was when it came to race relations, it hedged its bets in many ways. 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. This show wasnt very successful, however. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. Similar to its parent sitcom, All in the Family, the Jeffersons explored controversial issues such as alcoholism, racism, suicide, being transgender, and much more, certainly making it one of the most importantsitcoms of all time. [8] However, the ratings sank below the top 30, and The Jeffersons aired its last episode, "Red Robins", on July 2, 1985.[28]. 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. And issues like these were also almost never addressed on televisionuntil The Jeffersons came along. 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. 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. Russell) who dated the girl down the block (Maura Tierney). The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. [45], The Jeffersons received 14 Emmy Award nominations during its time on the air. 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. 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. Hes mellowed. 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. 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. To make matters worse, when the show finally debuted on CBS, it was largely ignored by the public. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. She appeared in seven episodes in 197677, so watch any of those! Edith and Gloria appeared occasionally at first, then Jean Stapleton wanted to make a clean break and Sally Struthers got her own show. DuBois infused the song with her own storyCNN reports that DuBois had always dreamed of moving her mother into a "deluxe apartment" when she achieved success. 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?