Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. Checking In The character of George Jefferson was conceived of as a mirror image in some ways of Archie Bunker. Produced by Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, the working-class sitcom was set in Queens, New York and was based on a British sitcom calledTill Death Do Us Part. [10] Sherman Hemsley guest-starred as George in two episodes of the series, which lasted for one season. Archie and Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) share their home with their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her husband, Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner). Which makes it curious that its network, CBS, treated it as if the show was in trouble. [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. When shows featured Black characters, they were often portrayed as stereotypes, as clownish fools or ominous criminals. The two-part season opener for Maude in 1973 dealt with the alcoholism of her husband Walter (Bill Macy). Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. If you loveAll In The Familyand its iconic characters, the concept alone is problematic. 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. Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. No episode was centered on Mother Jefferson's death, but it was occasionally mentioned that she had died in future episodes. In the season two episodeCousin Maudes Visit, Ediths liberal cousin Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur) comes to help out when the Bunkers are sick with the flu. Florence often teased George, mostly about his short stature and receding hairline. Actor Franklin Cover, who played Tom Willis, also heard about the cancellation while watching Entertainment Tonight. 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. 8 in the summer of 1980. Although this backstory wasn't explicitly referenced, it showed up in the writing. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. [23] Bentley also had a bad back, and frequently needed George to walk on it.
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