John Amos (who played James Evans onGood Times) is the father, Ernie Cumberbatch. Archie and Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) share their home with their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her husband, Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner). According to Encyclopedia.com, Hemsley had built a reputation as a powerhouse performer, and Lear had caught his performance in Purlie in New York in 1970 and knew he wanted him for the character of George. Thats bullshit.. The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." The Bunker-Verse! Situation comediesaka "sitcoms"aren't always noted for their complex writing and deeply-imagined characters. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. 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. [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. 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. Weve both mellowed. 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. Jenny and Lionel became a couple, married on December 24, 1976, and later became the parents of a daughter, Jessica (played by Ebonie Smith). It was funny and entertaining. The 12 Most Unexpected Spinoffs in TV History Maude arrives at the Bunker home to help out when the family gets hit with the flu. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. While many of the shows connected toAll in the Familydid extraordinarily well,Checking Inonly lasted for four episodes. MeTV points out that it was the first situation comedy on prime time television to depict a transgender characterGeorge's old Navy pal Eddie, revealed to now be Edie. 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. 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. As noted by Ebony, many of the actors working on The Jeffersons were serious artists with a lot of training. 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. All in the Familyis famous for its prejudiced patriarch, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor). Lear is more willing to listen nowadays. [8] Damon Evans's last episode was "Lionel Gets the Business". Dont miss on getTV:Both John Amos andJaNet DuBois(neighbor Willona Woods) appeared onSanford And Sonbefore they were cast onGood Times. Danny Wells played Charlie, the owner and a bartender of a nearby bar to the Jeffersons apartment building. 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. She got unlimited passes from the airline. Larry Linville(Frank Burns on MASH) plays her manager. Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." 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). Which makes it curious that its network, CBS, treated it as if the show was in trouble. 1. 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. 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. [5][6] The show was the creation of Norman Lear. After a 1972 backdoor pilot onAll in the Family, Maude got a show of her own. More than 20 years after AITF, Lear created 704 Hauser, the address of the Bunkers former house, again inhabited by two battling generations. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) first appears as Edith Bunker's cousin in a 1971All in the Familyepisode called "Cousin Maude's Visit." The series was created byMike MilliganandJim Moriarity, both longtime writer/producers onThe Jeffersons. A spin-off of All in the Family. The Jeffersons [8] However, the ratings sank below the top 30, and The Jeffersons aired its last episode, "Red Robins", on July 2, 1985.[28]. 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. Gloria works as the assistant to two veterinarians. Only five of the six taped episodes were aired, in April and May 1994. Faced with low ratings, the series was cancelled, and the final episode aired on April 30, 1981. [46], Isabel Sanford was nominated for seven consecutive Best Actress Emmys, from 1979 until 1985. ALL IN THE FAMILY 7 Spin-Offs From TVs Most Spun-Off Sitcom, Charlies Angels: 10 Things You May Not Know (or Do You? Show Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. Archie was used as a device for commentary on important social issues in the 1970s. They were saying, essentially, We wont have anything to do with this show.. 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. 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. 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. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. The Jeffersons(19751984 253 episodes plus pilot onAll In The Family). [2] Lionel, played by Mike Evans, first appeared in "Meet the Bunkers", the premiere episode of All in the Family.[2]. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. 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. 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. [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. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. Lear created this series, which had an inventive concept: an African-American family moves into the house formerly occupied by Archie Bunker. 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. Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. Show Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. The series is bookended in a very creative way. We cant talk about the offspring without a few words about the parent. 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. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. 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 Unlike Arthur and Rolle, who were spun-off quickly, the Jeffersons were onAll In The Familyfor five seasons before they got their own show. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. And in one episode when George is told a white worker should be referred to as a "custodian" he remarks that if he was black, he'd be called a "janitor.". No episode was centered on Mother Jefferson's death, but it was occasionally mentioned that she had died in future episodes. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. "HONKY IN THE HOUSE Writing & Producing The Jeffersons," Antler Publishing, LA, CA, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 18:06. A spin-off of All in the Family. The Jeffersons 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. Stage actressEsther Rolleshows up in the third episode ofMaudeas Florida, an AfricanAmerican housecleaner who has little patience for Maudes political correctness. 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. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. In fact, the parent show would have been completely different without the Jefferson family in the neighborhood. Spin-off George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) doesnt make his debut until season four, because Hemsley was committed to the Broadway showPurlie. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. It brought back the star ofGood Times John Amos in an update ofAll In The Familythat uses a plot point (interracial relationship) ofThe Jeffersons. Marla Gibbs was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series each year from 1981 to 1985. And issues like these were also almost never addressed on televisionuntil The Jeffersons came along. 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. 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. 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. Archie and Mike are always butting heads since Archie is politically conservative and Mike is usually portrayed as being liberal. The Black experience wasn't portrayed muchor at allon television prior to the 1970s. All In The Familyis one of the most transformative sitcoms in the history of the medium, if not the most. Ratings for the first season were poor, and the network didnt exactly shout about it from the antenna-covered rooftops. Sometimes the best, and most intelligent, TV shows never get a chance! [22] One episode featured George requesting Florence to insult him, in order to get to a prospective business partner who was fond of her wisecracks. In 1975, Norman Lear was possibly the most powerful man working in television. Evans Another sparring partner for Archie is neighbor George Jefferson, and the twocriticize one another's race. Rather than cast someone else, Lear decided to keep George offscreen until Hemsley was available. 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. [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. Marla Gibbs remains best-known to many people as the sarcastic housekeeper, Florence, on The Jeffersons. As noted by Ebony, while it's easy to view George Jefferson as a "Black Archie Bunker," that's not accurate. The Jeffersons The show was a spin-off of The Jeffersons. As of 2022[update], the members still alive from the main cast include Marla Gibbs, Berlinda Tolbert, and Damon Evans. The show was a spin-off ofThe Jeffersons. 3. 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. A spin-off of All in the Family. Dont miss on getTV: Everything, but especially the first episodeMeet The Bunkers(airdate January 12, 1971) and the lastToo Good Edith(April 8, 1979). See production, box office & company info, Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Checking In The 12 Most Unexpected Spinoffs in TV History The Jeffersons spawned the television show Checking In. This show followed the Jeffersons maid Florence Johnston as she worked at a hotel in Manhattan. 3). The pilot even has the series signature catchphrase, God will get you for that, Walter, which Maude uses to express her displeasure with husband Walter (Bill Macy), owner of an appliance shop. Gibbs then returned to 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. This show wasnt very successful, however. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. The misadventures of Florence Johnson, a hotel maid who was previously seen serving the Jeffersons. 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. Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. Here are the shows that make up the Archie Bunker Extended Universe a.k.a. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. 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. For further instructions click the link below to your TV model. Thanks to Lear and his characters, 70s TV audiences saw and heard things they never had before in primetime. Amoscontinued in the role of James until the character's death. 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 Happy Daysalso had five spin-offs between 1976 and 1979. [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. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford If you loveAll In The Familyand its iconic characters, the concept alone is problematic. Dont miss on getTV:Cousin Maudes Visit(December 11, 1971) andMaude(March 11, 1972). 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.". Archie Bunkers Place(19791983 97 episodes). Checking In Show Archie mentions a friend from the old neighborhood named Cumberbatch. The Jeffersons Ned Wertimer played their tip-hungry doorman, Ralph Hart, throughout the series. The Jeffersons 10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture, Another interesting connection of the sitcom universe, Lionel is the first Jefferson to be seen on. George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. 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. 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. [1][4], The show focuses on George and Louise Jefferson, a prosperous African-American couple who have been able to move from Queens to Manhattan owing to the success of George's dry-cleaning chain, Jefferson Cleaners. CBS was nervous,Rob Reiner(Mike aka Meathead) told PBS in 2016. Ralph was also known for making up stories of him struggling to fulfill the Jeffersons request to get more tips. The Jeffersons Lear agreed to let OConnor continue the series without him, but under one condition: he couldnt call itAll In The Family. After eight seasons, Lear thoughtAll In The Familyhad run its course, but OConnor didnt agree. Untold Truth Of The Jeffersons [3] At the beginning of The Jeffersons, he was operating five stores throughout New York City, with another two opening during the following seasons. [45], The Jeffersons received 14 Emmy Award nominations during its time on the air. Actor Franklin Cover, who played Tom Willis, also heard about the cancellation while watching Entertainment Tonight. The Jeffersons is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. All in the Familyprimarily takes place at the Bunker residence on 704 Hauser Street. Marla Gibbs portrayed the role of Florence Johnston, the Jeffersons' back-talking, tough, wisecracking, and devoutly religious housekeeper. 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. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. 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. The cast commonly visited the bar for a drink or to attend a party. Dont miss on getTV:While theres no direct Bunker connection,Checking Indoes featureLiz Torresas Florences assistant. Dont miss on getTV:Lear got the name Cumberbatch from an early episode of ofAll In The FamilycalledWriting The President(January 19, 1971). 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. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. [37] The most common time slot was on Sunday night. Mike Evans and Tolbert returned in the 19791980 season, with Tolbert's character, Jenny, pregnant with a daughter named Jessica. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. 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. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. 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). 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. 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. [7], In its first season (197475), the show ranked at number four, surpassed by its parent series All in the Family (which landed at number one for the fifth year in a row). Untold Truth Of The Jeffersons 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 FAMILY 7 Spin-Offs From The show was a spin-off of The Jeffersons. By what name was Checking In (1981) officially released in Canada in English? And Louises brother-in-law Henry (Mel Stewart) appears for the first time in the last episode of season one. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. 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. 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 Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons.