The series also featured Danielle Brisebois as Stephanie, the young daughter of Ediths step-cousin who had moved in with the Bunkers in the final season of AITF. Brisebois had been a hit in Broadways Annie. (She later became an Oscar-nominated songwriter.). Which makes it curious that its network, CBS, treated it as if the show was in trouble. 7 Spin-offs, In Chronological Order [8] The characters of Lionel's multiracial fiance, Jenny, and her family, all of whom first appeared in the 1974 All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement", were also written into the new series. Situation comediesaka "sitcoms"aren't always noted for their complex writing and deeply-imagined characters. The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." 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. The series is bookended in a very creative way. 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. As New Ravel notes, when his requests for change were ignored he began deliberately flubbing his lines or saying the offensive words too low for the microphones to pick up, forcing the producers to reshoot scenes again and again. Many spinoffs tend to set themselves up for comparison by using the same location as the original show. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. The show's time slot, for example, changed a ridiculous 15 times over those 11 years. 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. The Jeffersons 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. 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. George, Louise, and Lionel continued to appear on All in the Family until 1975, when the spin-off The Jeffersons, also created by Lear, premiered. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Jenny and Lionel became a couple, married on December 24, 1976, and later became the parents of a daughter, Jessica (played by Ebonie Smith). George was introduced in the episode "Henry's Farewell", and Hemsley and Stewart share their only scene together in its final minutes. [15], In 1985, Hemsley and Sanford made a special joint guest appearance in the Canale 5 comedy show Grand Hotel, starring the Italian actors Paolo Villaggio, the comic duo Franco & Ciccio, and Carmen Russo. 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. To make matters worse, when the show finally debuted on CBS, it was largely ignored by the public. [19] The Jeffersons premiered the following week, on January 18, 1975.[8]. The Jeffersons (1975 TV Show Danny Wells played Charlie, the owner and a bartender of a nearby bar to the Jeffersons apartment building. I would like to see this forgotten TV show resurrected on TV Land or Nick at Night, or maybe a special DVD release. 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. Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. This show wasnt very successful, however. Lead actors Rolle and John Amos felt a huge responsibility for that. With the series' cultural relevance and fandom, it'sno surprise All in the Family,TheJeffersons, andGood Timeswere also revived for a live performance special in 2019. 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). But he's actually one of the most complex characters in TV history. Untold Truth Of The Jeffersons 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. A spin-off of All in the Family. Hes mellowed. [2] Lionel, played by Mike Evans, first appeared in "Meet the Bunkers", the premiere episode of All in the Family.[2]. Your subscription to our list has been confirmed. Untold Truth Of The Jeffersons The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. The Jeffersons had many two-part episodes, either over two consecutive weeks, or aired as an hour-long episode. The Jeffersons (1975 TV Show 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. Everybody knows it, and you can't help but sing along. The Jeffersons It's also one of the more thoughtful and meaningful theme songs in TV history. As noted by The Wall Street Journal, that backstory went back to the Jefferson family's roots in Alabama as sharecroppers, a detail that spoke volumes about George Jefferson's obsession with wealth, status, and the visual signs of both. Ernies wife is played byLynnie Godfreyand Goodies girlfriend who is white and Jewish is played byMaura Tierney. Web3. Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs) worked for the Jefferson family on their show, butChecking Infocused on her life as the executive housekeeper of the St. Frederick Hotel in New York City. The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On? 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. 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. In response she showed a picture of her husband, Sy Kravitz, who was white. 1. Ja'Net DuBois and Jeff Barry co-wrote The Jeffersons theme song, "Movin' on Up", which was sung by DuBois with a gospel choir. The Jeffersons Archie was used as a device for commentary on important social issues in the 1970s. Gloria Bunker Stivic became a single mom after Mike left her, so she got a job in a veterinary office. As noted by Ebony, while it's easy to view George Jefferson as a "Black Archie Bunker," that's not accurate. Isabel Sanford on not wanting to do "The Jeffersons" spin off 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. 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. Unlike Arthur and Rolle, who were spun-off quickly, the Jeffersons were onAll In The Familyfor five seasons before they got their own show. Mike Evans and Tolbert returned in the 19791980 season, with Tolbert's character, Jenny, pregnant with a daughter named Jessica. But we dont have those fights on704 Hauser. [5][7] The Jeffersons eventually evolved into more of a traditional sitcom, but episodes occasionally focused on serious issues such as alcoholism, racism, suicide, gun control, being transgender, the KKK, and adult illiteracy. A national phenomenon was born. 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. 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. George Jefferson was, in some ways, a black version of the white anti-hero Archie Bunker. And then there's The Jeffersons. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. [21], It returned to the Top 10 in 197980, and at the end of the 198182 season, The Jeffersons finished third overall, only surpassed by fellow CBS series Dallas and 60 Minutes. RELATED:10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture. 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. Checking In, created by Mike Milligan and Jay Moriarty, only lasted for four episodes, one of the few Tandem/TAT sitcoms that wasnt a success. The 12 Most Unexpected Spinoffs in TV History The show was produced by the T.A.T. All in the Familytook a leaf out of its own book and spawned yet another sitcom afterthe series ended. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Until then, Lear created the character of Henry Jefferson, George's brother. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. Checking In 8 in the summer of 1980. The episode marked the final appearance of Henry throughout the series. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. Simply put, "Movin' On Up" isn't just a great TV show theme song, it's a great song, full stop. 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. 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. Florence misunderstands and thinks an elderly salesman is coming on to her, but he's really trying to make a sales pitch. 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