The series gave John Amos and Norman Lear another chance to work together after tensions on set led Amos to leaveGood Times. Thanks to Lear and his characters, 70s TV audiences saw and heard things they never had before in primetime. [26] She appeared regularly in the first two seasons, but made sporadic appearances over the next two years, much thinner due to a severe case of pneumonia. 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. A spin-off of All in the Family. Marla Gibbs remains best-known to many people as the sarcastic housekeeper, Florence, on The Jeffersons. Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) first appears as Edith Bunker's cousin in a 1971All in the Familyepisode called "Cousin Maude's Visit." Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. [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. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. 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. And then there's The Jeffersons. When shows featured Black characters, they were often portrayed as stereotypes, as clownish fools or ominous criminals. 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. [23] A frequent sight-gag of the show was George slamming the door in Bentley's face mid-conversation, usually during one of Bentley's stories which George invariably perceived as boring. It's remarkable that seven shows followed All in the Family and belong to its universe. The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." A national phenomenon was born. 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. The episode marked the final appearance of Henry throughout the series. The Jeffersons had many two-part episodes, either over two consecutive weeks, or aired as an hour-long episode. The Jeffersonsis the next spin-off to come directly fromAll in the Family. [8] Damon Evans's last episode was "Lionel Gets the Business". 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). Sherman Hemsley was nominated for Best Actor in 1984. So when shows like Norman Lear's Good Times hit the airwaves in the early 1970s, it was seen as huge progress. In that regard,Good Timesis more like a reboot of Rolle and Amoss characters than a spinoff. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. 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." See Amos in the episodeA Visit From Lena Horne(January 12, 1973) and DuBois inSanford And Son And Sister Makes Three(December 1, 1972). 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WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. Your subscription to our list has been confirmed. Hes mellowed. Archie Bunker's Place extended Archie's role to over twelve years on television. Evans Only five of the six taped episodes were aired, in April and May 1994. Cully was written out in season 4 due to her death in 1978, from lung cancer. Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. The Bunkers and their neighbors, the Jeffersons,developed relationships with other characters, many of whom got spin-offs of their own. [19] The Jeffersons premiered the following week, on January 18, 1975.[8]. That's exactly what happened withGood Times. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. 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. 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You might think this classic situation comedy is a relic of the 1970s, and in some ways you'd be right. Evans Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. 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. All In The Family(19711979 205 episodes plus two un-aired pilots). Evans and Tolbert appeared in the two-part episode together; Evans made his final appearance in two episodes during the series' eleventh and final season. The final spin-off of this world of Norman Lear shows is704 Hauser. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. Gloria(19821983 21 episodes plus unaired pilot). Eventually this tactic worked, and the writers stopped using the offensive terms. 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. In response she showed a picture of her husband, Sy Kravitz, who was white. Lear and associate Al Burton talked about a possible show in which a Black family is moving on up to the East Side. The series was created by Don Nicholl, Michael Ross and Bernie West, and developed by Lear. [44] Season 8 was released on August 11, 2015. Marla Gibbs was the breakout star onThe Jeffersonsas Florence, George and Louises maid, so it made perfect sense to spin her off. 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. 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." 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. As noted by Ebony, while it's easy to view George Jefferson as a "Black Archie Bunker," that's not accurate. Actor Franklin Cover, who played Tom Willis, also heard about the cancellation while watching Entertainment Tonight. He used that power to push the envelope, depicting the first transgender character in a situation comedy and the first recurring interracial marriage. 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. Florence Johnson returned toThe JeffersonsafterChecking Inended. Many great shows and movies turn 50 years old in 2021, andAll in the Familyis one of the most iconic. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. 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. Many people can't help but note that the main difference between The Jeffersons and other successful sitcoms that both enjoyed stable a time slot and received a formal finale episode is the color of the cast's skin. Members of the Black Panther Party set up a meeting with Lear to discuss Good Times. Lear said Good Times (created by Mike Evans and Eric Monte) was the first full Black family on television, meaning two parents and more than one kid. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. [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. [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. 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. 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. Marla Gibbs of The Jeffersons got her own sitcom as Florence, who left her job as a housekeeper to work in a hotel. 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. 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. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." 2023 Variety Media, LLC. For further instructions click the link below to your TV model. Web3. While many of the shows connected toAll in the Familydid extraordinarily well,Checking Inonly lasted for four episodes. 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. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. On one level, The Jeffersons is just a silly sitcom, and George Jefferson is a very silly character, prone to foolish schemes (like buying a piano he doesn't know how to play only to discover there's no way to fit it through his front door) and loud, boorish outbursts. This show wasnt very successful, however. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Archie and Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) share their home with their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her husband, Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner). It's also one of the more thoughtful and meaningful theme songs in TV history. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Dont miss on getTV:Lear got the name Cumberbatch from an early episode of ofAll In The FamilycalledWriting The President(January 19, 1971). [2] Lionel, played by Mike Evans, first appeared in "Meet the Bunkers", the premiere episode of All in the Family.[2]. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. As progressive as it was when it came to race relations, it hedged its bets in many ways. The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. Everybody knows it, and you can't help but sing along. They were saying, essentially, We wont have anything to do with this show.. The Jeffersons(19751984 253 episodes plus pilot onAll In The Family). Jenny and Lionel became a couple, married on December 24, 1976, and later became the parents of a daughter, Jessica (played by Ebonie Smith). But whatHappy Daysdidnt have were spin-offs of spin-offs. And The Jeffersons was in many ways a broad, superficial comedy that relied on racially-charged jokes and physical comedy to get laughs. 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. 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. Dont miss on getTV: Everything, but especially the first episodeMeet The Bunkers(airdate January 12, 1971) and the lastToo Good Edith(April 8, 1979). 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. No episode was centered on Mother Jefferson's death, but it was occasionally mentioned that she had died in future episodes. John Amos (who played James Evans onGood Times) is the father, Ernie Cumberbatch. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Russell) the conservative. Bunker has no reason to hate Blacks or to view them as inferior. In 1975, Norman Lear was possibly the most powerful man working in television. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. Making George a little ridiculous softened the blow, because it made it clear that no matter how successful he and his family might be, they would always be second-class. J".[25]. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. 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. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. 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 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.". Florence and Elena suspect that a ghost is roaming the building, and Florence decides to spend the night alone in a room to prove that it's not haunted. It became Tandems longest running show, with 11 seasons. Lear called the704 Hausercharacters "responsible" and explained they knew what they were talking about in arguments. It was funny and entertaining. 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.. Mike Evans ("Lionel") left the show after the first season; his replacement was Damon Evans (no relation),[6] who took over the role until halfway through the fourth season. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. It was surprisingly thoughtful on issues of race and class within the confines of a broad comedy in prime time national television. The patriarch of the Evans family, they noted, had to work several jobs to support his large family, and they noted that Black characters in general were often depicted in cheap clothing and in other negative ways. The Black experience wasn't portrayed muchor at allon television prior to the 1970s. But as Ebony writes, this was a deliberate calibration by the show's creators to make the show and the character of George Jefferson more palatable to audiences not quite ready to accept Blacks as their equals. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. ), 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. 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. [1] The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history,[2] the second-longest-running series with a primarily African American cast by episode count behind Tyler Perry's House of Payne[1][3] and the first to prominently feature a married interracial couple. 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. As a result, the series remained among the Top 20 for the next two seasons. Maude becomes yet another person for Archie to disagree with politically. In fact, the parent show would have been completely different without the Jefferson family in the neighborhood. 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. Gibbs then returned to her regular role on The Jeffersons and it was explained that the St. Frederick Hotel had burned down. 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. [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. Happy Daysalso had five spin-offs between 1976 and 1979. Ernies wife is played byLynnie Godfreyand Goodies girlfriend who is white and Jewish is played byMaura Tierney. 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. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. The show was a spin-off ofThe Jeffersons. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. Larry M. Harris won the Emmy for Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Series in 1983. is Movin' On Up to a 'Season 7' Separate Release! Fun fact: Both Macy and Rodd played different characters onAll In The Familyjust weeks before Lear cast them onMaude. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. 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. Amoscontinued in the role of James until the character's death. He had endured a tortured development process that included two pilots rejected by ABC and multiple recasts. RELATED:10 Sitcom Characters With Supernatural Abilities, Ranked By Power. However, Mike Evans appeared for only one more season, along with Tolbert. Russell) who dated the girl down the block (Maura Tierney). 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. [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. The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On? George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) doesnt make his debut until season four, because Hemsley was committed to the Broadway showPurlie. 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. Web3. At least, he did until Hemsley became availableStewart's last appearance as Henry was Hemsley's first appearance as George. [6][20][21] Cully, who had first appeared in the 1974 All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement", reprised her role. 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.