THE FAMILY 7 Spin-Offs From 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. Sherman Hemsley was nominated for Best Actor in 1984. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. A national phenomenon was born. To make matters worse, when the show finally debuted on CBS, it was largely ignored by the public. 0. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. No episode was centered on Mother Jefferson's death, but it was occasionally mentioned that she had died in future episodes. 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 Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. The successful series ran for six seasons and, like its predecessor, dealt with some serious issues during its day. If you loveAll In The Familyand its iconic characters, the concept alone is problematic. Zara Cully played George's mother, Olivia "Mother" Jefferson, who constantly disparaged her daughter-in-law. 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. 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. [42][43], On April 28, 2015, Shout! You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. That's exactly what happened withGood Times. The cast reunited in a stage play based on the sitcom. See production, box office & company info, Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. The song was co-written by Ja'Net DuBois, who portrayed Willona on Norman Lear's other show, Good Times, and Jeff Barry. Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) first appears as Edith Bunker's cousin in a 1971All in the Familyepisode called "Cousin Maude's Visit." The Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. Dont miss on getTV:Lionel Moves Into The Neighborhood(March 2, 1971) for Sanfords first appearance,Henrys Farewell(October 20, 1973) for Hemsleys debut,Lionels Engagement(February 9, 1974) for Mother Jeffersons (Zara Cully) and the Willis familys (played by different actors) first appearances, andThe Jeffersons Move Up(January 11, 1975) for the backdoor pilot. Checking 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. [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. Ratings for the first season were poor, and the network didnt exactly shout about it from the antenna-covered rooftops. 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. "HONKY IN THE HOUSE Writing & Producing The Jeffersons," Antler Publishing, LA, CA, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 18:06. The Jeffersons The show was produced by the T.A.T. The Jeffersons The Jeffersons' Left Lasting Television Legacy All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. A sitcom world must be a good one for a spin-off to spawn another spin-off! The Jeffersons Maude arrives at the Bunker home to help out when the family gets hit with the flu. 10 Unforgettable Black Sitcom Families - cbr.com [8] Damon Evans's last episode was "Lionel Gets the Business". [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. Evans 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. As noted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, this began to change in the 1970s, especially with the work of Norman Lear. It was funny and entertaining. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. It's remarkable that seven shows followed All in the Family and belong to its universe. Your subscription to our list has been confirmed. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. Lyle throws a party at the hotel, but his high school rival (now a pro football coach) and his team decide to crash it. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Isabel Sanford on not wanting to do "The Jeffersons" spin off Members of the Black Panther Party set up a meeting with Lear to discuss Good Times. Affluent and successful, the Jeffersons still had to deal with race, prejudice, and economic pressures, and the show represented a more nuanced and more complex view of the Black American experience. 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. Larry M. Harris won the Emmy for Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Series in 1983. 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. This article is about the 1981 sitcom. The Jeffersons ended up lasting 11 seasons, beating All In The Family's 9 seasons. The Jeffersons Sally Struthers was next to get her own show as Gloria Bunker Stivic, Archie and Edith's daughter. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. Lead actors Rolle and John Amos felt a huge responsibility for that. Evans 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. Five is a lot, but its not a record. 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. 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 show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." The Jeffersons As discussed by critic Robert E. Crafton, an insurance settlement allowed George to quit his job and launch his first dry-cleaning business, which in turn allowed the Jeffersons to move from Harlem to Queens (becoming Archie Bunker's neighbors in the process), and finally to make the move to Manhattan. What is the chronological order of these Norman Lear shows? Communications Company from 19751982 and by Embassy Television from 19821985. Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. 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 Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. In some ways, 1975 doesn't seem so long agobut it was truly a different time in more ways than one. Charlie was also revealed to be an alcoholic in the season 11 episode "A Secret in the Back Room", in which Charlie is in denial, but the Jeffersons eventually get him to admit to his problem and advise him to get some help. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. It's rare for a television comedy to lead cultural change like this, and it puts The Jeffersons into historical perspective. Dont miss on getTV:While theres no direct Bunker connection,Checking Indoes featureLiz Torresas Florences assistant. 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. On their own show, the Jeffersons interact with new friends and neighbors while inhabiting a new lifestyle. Mike Evans and Tolbert returned in the 19791980 season, with Tolbert's character, Jenny, pregnant with a daughter named Jessica. All In The Familydirectly spun off five situation comedies between 1972 and 1994. Checking Infound Florence as executive housekeeper at a New York City Hotel. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. This was perceived as an act of deep disrespect by many of the cast members, and it also meant that one of the most successful and longest-running comedies of all time didn't get to have a proper series finale. Rather than cast someone else, Lear decided to keep George offscreen until Hemsley was available. Oddly, whenGood Timesbegan in February of 1974, no mention was made of Maude or how the Evanses got from New York to the Chicago. I felt I shouldve been more involved in the development of scripts. Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. Weezy is initially reluctant to hire a housekeeper in the first episode in part because she's had that experience herself. But the real reason was more pragmatic: Norman Lear had created the character for Sherman Hemsley, but Hemsley was under contract for the play Purlie and refused to break his contract. And as The New York Daily news reports, it was the first time in American television history that an interracial marriage was depicted in a regular series with the characters of Helen and Tom Willis. It only Tolbert became a regular guest star throughout the rest of the series. One other reason she kept her job despite becoming famous on a top-rate television show? Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. The show was a spin-off ofThe Jeffersons. The Jeffersons WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." 6. So when shows like Norman Lear's Good Times hit the airwaves in the early 1970s, it was seen as huge progress. Spin-off The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. OConnor didnt like it either, apparently. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Until then, Lear created the character of Henry Jefferson, George's brother. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. They were saying, essentially, We wont have anything to do with this show.. Another sparring partner for Archie is neighbor George Jefferson, and the twocriticize one another's race. Even though it flopped,704 Hauserhas a special place in the heart of many Norman Lear fans. It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. The misadventures of Florence Johnson, a hotel maid who was previously seen serving the Jeffersons. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. Hes mellowed. The cast commonly visited the bar for a drink or to attend a party. 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." Checking In premiered on CBS on April 9, 1981, and lasted for only four episodes in the Thursday, 8:00p.m. EST timeslot. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. The cast was not informed until after the July 2, 1985, episode, "Red Robins"; actor Sherman Hemsley, who portrayed George Jefferson, said he learned that the show was canceled by reading it in the newspaper. Gloria and Mike are no longer together, so Gloria and her son, Joey, leave California and go home to New York. It starred Sherman Hemsley and Isobel Sanford, with Marla Gibbs as the Jeffersons maid Florence and Roxie Roker and Franklin Cover as the racially mixed couple upstairs, a real sitcom innovation. Florence misunderstands and thinks an elderly salesman is coming on to her, but he's really trying to make a sales pitch. Dont miss on getTV: Everything, but especially the first episodeMeet The Bunkers(airdate January 12, 1971) and the lastToo Good Edith(April 8, 1979). The Jeffersons WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." Ja'Net DuBois and Jeff Barry co-wrote The Jeffersons theme song, "Movin' on Up", which was sung by DuBois with a gospel choir. This show wasnt very successful, however. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. CBS quickly pivoted, scheduling rebroadcasts of the first 13 episodes that summer. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. 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. The Jeffersons Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Checking In This CBS spin-off of "All in the Family" featured an African-American couple, George and Louise, who rose from their humble beginnings and moved into an expensive high rise. [40] They subsequently re-released the first two seasons on DVD on May 20, 2014. Only five of the six taped episodes were aired, in April and May 1994. A spin-off of All in the Family. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. Evans Gloria(19821983 21 episodes plus unaired pilot). A spin-off of All in the Family. Here are the shows that make up the Archie Bunker Extended Universe a.k.a. And the series (which co-starred Oscar nomineeBurgess Meredithas a vet) didnt do much to win anybody over. Gibbs then returned to her regular role on The Jeffersons and it was explained that the St. Frederick Hotel had burned down. Lionel is introduced in the pilot, and is a core cast member for season one. 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. Television historians know that while the character of George Jefferson was introduced on All in the Family in 1971, he didn't actually show up on screen until 1973. The character of George Jefferson was conceived of as a mirror image in some ways of Archie Bunker. Dont miss on getTV:Archie Gets The Business(October 2, 1977) for the episode where Archie buys the bar from Kelsey (Frank Maxwell) andLittle Miss Bunker(September 24, 1979) for the introduction of Stephanie. Both men are bigoted, and both use sarcasm and insults as weapons. 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. So when he flubbed lines during episode tapings, it's safe to assume it wasn't due to nerves or incompetenceas reported by Fame10, it was a form of passive resistance. 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. Florence is caught between Lyle and Elena when they have an argument, but she won't take anyone's side. WebThe Jeffersons: Created by Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, Bernard West. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. Dont miss on getTV:Cousin Maudes Visit(December 11, 1971) andMaude(March 11, 1972). The epithets nigger and honky were used occasionally, especially during the earlier seasons.[2][4]. At least, he did until Hemsley became availableStewart's last appearance as Henry was Hemsley's first appearance as George. The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On? 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. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. 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. Eventually this tactic worked, and the writers stopped using the offensive terms. When it flopped, Florence returned to work for George and Louise. 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. Today were heading back to Manhattan, to revisit our favorite family, The Jeffersons. The twist was that the older generation were the liberals (with John Amos again starring, but in a different role, and Lynnie Godfrey) while their son was an arch-conservative (T.E. And then there's The Jeffersons. 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. Spin-off Its like a Norman Lears Greatest Hits! [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. Fun fact: Both Macy and Rodd played different characters onAll In The Familyjust weeks before Lear cast them onMaude. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. 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. 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. released season 7 on DVD in Region 1. In reality, Joey (born 1975) would have only been 19, but Siemaszko was 33. We actually enjoy working together." 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). [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 of The Jeffersons got her own sitcom as Florence, who left her job as a housekeeper to work in a hotel. [41], On August 8, 2014, it was announced that Shout! Spin-off While many of the shows connected toAll in the Familydid extraordinarily well,Checking Inonly lasted for four episodes. Archie mentions a friend from the old neighborhood named Cumberbatch. After eight seasons, Lear thoughtAll In The Familyhad run its course, but OConnor didnt agree. The Jeffersons If you include those inAll In The Familys grand total and you must, because they wouldnt exist otherwise All In The Familybegat 7 shows, 860 episodes, and more than 400 hours of network television. All In The Familyis one of the most transformative sitcoms in the history of the medium, if not the most. Weve both mellowed. "Jeffersons" redirects here. 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. Checking In In response she showed a picture of her husband, Sy Kravitz, who was white. Norman Lear created the character of George Jefferson specifically for Hemsley. Checking In [23] Bentley also had a bad back, and frequently needed George to walk on it. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. The Jeffersons avoided that by making the titular characters move to a different neighborhood. This show wasnt very successful, however. [6][20][21] Cully, who had first appeared in the 1974 All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement", reprised her role. In 1975, Norman Lear was possibly the most powerful man working in 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. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. 10 Unforgettable Black Sitcom Families - cbr.com The show was a spinoff from "All in the Family." WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." The Jeffersons George is an obstreperous, often rude guy who thinks his wealth should get him anywhere he wants to go. WhenAll In The Familydebuted in 1971, few people suspected it would be responsible for more spin-offs than any other sitcom in television history. Happy Daysalso had five spin-offs between 1976 and 1979. Groundbreaking and performed by some of the most talented actors and actresses of its time, The Jeffersons has remained a cultural touchstone for some very good reasons. All in the Familyprimarily takes place at the Bunker residence on 704 Hauser Street. After 25 episodes, Lear had finally found someone who could go toe-to-toe withCarroll OConnors Archie. The series was created byMike MilliganandJim Moriarity, both longtime writer/producers onThe Jeffersons. [49] Marla Gibbs reprised her role as Florence Johnston. 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