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. Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) first appears as Edith Bunker's cousin in a 1971All in the Familyepisode called "Cousin Maude's Visit." Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. 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. His alcohol problem isn't referenced anymore throughout the series, but it is assumable Charlie overcame it. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. RELATED:WandaVision& 9 Other Shows That Have Paid Homage To Sitcoms. 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. CreatorNorman Learwas just happy the Bunkers were on the air. It's remarkable that seven shows followed All in the Family and belong to its universe. It was funny and entertaining. Hemsley was very experienced and took his performance very seriously. In that regard,Good Timesis more like a reboot of Rolle and Amoss characters than a spinoff. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. Most of the cast usually didn't respond, but George almost always gave in. RELATED:10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture. It was funny and entertaining. 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. The show was a spin-off of The Jeffersons. 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. His writers onArchie Bunkers Placewrote a pilot for Struthers that CBS rejected and OConnor had no further involvement, despite the fact that he was still playing Archie Bunker. In the 1996 series finale of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Jeffersons made a guest appearance as the buyers of the Banks family house. But white audiences could feel good about being more racially sensitive and evolved than Bunker, whereas George Jefferson's upward mobility could be seen as threatening. But just because Lear could push those characters and storylines onto the screen didn't mean everyone was happy about it. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. Florida and James have three children: J.J., Michael, and Thelma. Archie Bunkers Place(19791983 97 episodes). WebSynopsis. 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. The list of firsts achieved by The Jeffersons is impressive. [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. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. [24][25] He also became known for addressing the Jeffersons as "Mr. J" and "Mrs. 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. 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. 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. 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. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. 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. Maude becomes yet another person for Archie to disagree with politically. As noted by Ebony, many of the actors working on The Jeffersons were serious artists with a lot of training. The shows spin-off series continued to break boundaries with discussions of abortion, alcoholism and racism. Evans And Louises brother-in-law Henry (Mel Stewart) appears for the first time in the last episode of season one. After the huge success of shows like All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, and Sanford and Sonin terms of ratings as well as critical receptionhe had the ability to do things other showrunners couldn't. 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. Eventually this tactic worked, and the writers stopped using the offensive terms. They were saying, essentially, We wont have anything to do with this show.. But whatHappy Daysdidnt have were spin-offs of spin-offs. 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. 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. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford Lear called the704 Hausercharacters "responsible" and explained they knew what they were talking about in arguments. The series' eighth season was the first African-American sitcom in years (since Sanford and Son) to peak in the top 5 (the series' eighth season debuted at No. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. Factory. You might think this classic situation comedy is a relic of the 1970s, and in some ways you'd be right. Thats bullshit.. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. 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! WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. 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 Jeffersons(19751984 253 episodes plus pilot onAll In The Family). The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. This show debuted after the wrap of All in the Family. Archie Bunker (Carroll OConnor) and his new partner Murray (Martin Balsam) run a tavern in Queens. Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. 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. [36], The Jeffersons changed time slots at least 15 different times during its 11-year run, unusual for a popular long running series. [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. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. 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Sitcom following a successful African-American couple, George and Louise Weezy Jefferson as they move on up from working-class Queens to a ritzy Manhattan apartment. In a reversal ofAll in the Family, Ernie is liberal while his son is quite conservative. The Jeffersons ended in controversy after CBS abruptly canceled the series without allowing for a proper series finale. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. 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. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. The show's time slot, for example, changed a ridiculous 15 times over those 11 years. [45], The Jeffersons received 14 Emmy Award nominations during its time on the air. A top 20 show for most of its 11 seasons, The Jeffersons was canceled abruptly without an official series finale. The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." Fun fact: Both Macy and Rodd played different characters onAll In The Familyjust weeks before Lear cast them onMaude. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. That's exactly what happened withGood Times. To make matters worse, when the show finally debuted on CBS, it was largely ignored by the public. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. Sanford was also the recipient of five of the eight Golden Globe Awards nominations the program received.[48]. 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. "Jeffersons" redirects here. Ralph was also known for making up stories of him struggling to fulfill the Jeffersons request to get more tips. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Danny Wells played Charlie, the owner and a bartender of a nearby bar to the Jeffersons apartment building. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. When shows featured Black characters, they were often portrayed as stereotypes, as clownish fools or ominous criminals. The actors found out through the media reports or when friends contacted them to ask about it. 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 misadventures of Florence Johnson, a hotel maid who was previously seen serving the Jeffersons. [10] Sherman Hemsley guest-starred as George in two episodes of the series, which lasted for one season. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. Florence often teased George, mostly about his short stature and receding hairline. And then there's The Jeffersons. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. 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. [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. The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." 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 (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. [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. 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. Only five of the six taped episodes were aired, in April and May 1994. ", "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). A national phenomenon was born. Florence was only supposed to be a bit part, but audiences loved her, and the character of Florence was promoted to full-time status. John Amos (who played James Evans onGood Times) is the father, Ernie Cumberbatch. CBS was nervous,Rob Reiner(Mike aka Meathead) told PBS in 2016. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. 3. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. 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. [46], Isabel Sanford was nominated for seven consecutive Best Actress Emmys, from 1979 until 1985. The Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. 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. 1. 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 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. The Bunkers and their neighbors, the Jeffersons,developed relationships with other characters, many of whom got spin-offs of their own. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. Lionel is the first Jefferson to be seen onAll in the Family, but his parents become an important part of the show, too. 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. 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. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. For the American Horror Story episode, see, The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Checking_In&oldid=1126465217, 1980s American workplace comedy television series, Television series by Sony Pictures Television, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Marla Gibbs of The Jeffersons got her own sitcom as Florence, who left her job as a housekeeper to work in a hotel. Just fifteen months after Hemsley debuted onAll In The Family, George and Wheezy moved on up from Queens to the East Side of Manhattan. The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On? Hemsley was so good, show creator Norman Lear waited years to be able to hire him. Oddly, whenGood Timesbegan in February of 1974, no mention was made of Maude or how the Evanses got from New York to the Chicago. See Amos in the episodeA Visit From Lena Horne(January 12, 1973) and DuBois inSanford And Son And Sister Makes Three(December 1, 1972). 1. WebSynopsis. They complained that shows featuring Black casts always portrayed Black people as poor, reinforcing some stereotypes even as they undermined others. WebSynopsis. The sitcoms breakout star was Jimmie J.J. Walker, with his trademark phrase Dy-no-mite!. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. The Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons. Situation comediesaka "sitcoms"aren't always noted for their complex writing and deeply-imagined characters. The two-part season opener for Maude in 1973 dealt with the alcoholism of her husband Walter (Bill Macy). 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. By what name was Checking In (1981) officially released in Canada in English? All of that changed on May 9, 1971, whenAll In The Familywon Emmys for Best Comedy, Best New Series, and Best Actress forJean Stapleton(Edith Bunker). The characters and mood set by All in the Family left a big mark on television history, including these seven spin-offs: The title character, played by Bea Arthur, was a tall, ultra-liberal feminist who drove Archie crazy; she was introduced in as Ediths cousin in two All in the Family episodes in the 1971-72 season. 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. 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. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. At least stories featuring Black people were being told, and Black actors were getting significant roles on TV. 704 Hauserflips the Archie/Meathead dynamic by making Ernie Cumberbatch (John Amos) the liberal and his son Thurgood Marshall Cumberbatch (T.E. [8] The Jeffersons' sixth season peaked at No. 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. The Bunker-Verse! Checking In premiered on CBS on April 9, 1981, and lasted for only four episodes in the Thursday, 8:00p.m. EST timeslot. 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. It was surprisingly thoughtful on issues of race and class within the confines of a broad comedy in prime time national television. She got unlimited passes from the airline. More importantly, as one of the writers on the show, Jay Moriarty, told The Hollywood Times, Archie Bunker's bigotry is "pure prejudice" while George Jefferson's bigotry is a reaction to that prejudice. 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). Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. A spin-off of All in the Family. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. Looking back on decades past, it'sremarkable how seven shows followedAll in the Familyand belong to its universe. Archie mentions a friend from the old neighborhood named Cumberbatch. Florence is caught between Lyle and Elena when they have an argument, but she won't take anyone's side. As Black America Web reports, when the show was canceled in 1985 the network didn't even bother to inform the cast. The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. 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. We cant talk about the offspring without a few words about the parent. 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." Everybody knows it, and you can't help but sing along. This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." The Black experience wasn't portrayed muchor at allon television prior to the 1970s. 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. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. George Jefferson was, in some ways, a black version of the white anti-hero Archie Bunker. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. [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. ", "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! All In The Familydirectly spun off five situation comedies between 1972 and 1994. [40] They subsequently re-released the first two seasons on DVD on May 20, 2014. George's career as a dry-cleaner began in the first season of All in the Family in the third episode "Oh, My Aching Back" (though the character himself did not appear on-camera). Archie Bunker's Place extended Archie's role to over twelve years on television. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. [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. Dont miss on getTV:Both John Amos andJaNet DuBois(neighbor Willona Woods) appeared onSanford And Sonbefore they were cast onGood Times. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. [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. Evans 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). [8] Damon Evans's last episode was "Lionel Gets the Business". Both men are bigoted, and both use sarcasm and insults as weapons. On their own show, the Jeffersons interact with new friends and neighbors while inhabiting a new lifestyle. 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. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. Amoscontinued in the role of James until the character's death. Marla Gibbs portrayed the role of Florence Johnston, the Jeffersons' back-talking, tough, wisecracking, and devoutly religious housekeeper. [8] However, the ratings sank below the top 30, and The Jeffersons aired its last episode, "Red Robins", on July 2, 1985.[28]. The show was a spin-off of The Jeffersons. Weve both mellowed. Lear created this series, which had an inventive concept: an African-American family moves into the house formerly occupied by Archie Bunker. 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. The series gave John Amos and Norman Lear another chance to work together after tensions on set led Amos to leaveGood Times. [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. Stage actressEsther Rolleshows up in the third episode ofMaudeas Florida, an AfricanAmerican housecleaner who has little patience for Maudes political correctness.