"The Jeffersons" (1975) TV series 1975-1985

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Creators:

Don Nicholl
Michael Ross
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Release Date:

18 January 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants.

Plot Keywords:

Dry Cleaning | Sitcom | New York City | African American | Marriage

Awards:

Nominated for 8 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 22 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 13	10:00 AM	TVLAND	The Visitors	#4.7
Mon. July 13	10:30 AM	TVLAND	The Camp-Out	#4.8

Cast

Sherman Hemsley	...	George Jefferson (253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Isabel Sanford	...	Louise Jefferson (252 episodes, 1975-1985)
Marla Gibbs	...	Florence Johnston (207 episodes, 1975-1985)
Roxie Roker	...	Helen Willis (192 episodes, 1975-1985)
Franklin Cover	...	Tom Willis (186 episodes, 1975-1985)
Paul Benedict	...	Harry Bentley (144 episodes, 1975-1985)

(more)

Series Directed by
Jack Shea		(110 episodes, 1975-1979)
Bob Lally		(97 episodes, 1978-1983)
Oz Scott		(40 episodes, 1983-1985)
Tony Singletary		(3 episodes, 1984)
Arlando Smith		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Writing credits
Mike Milligan		(30 episodes, 1975-1981)
Jay Moriarty		(30 episodes, 1975-1981)
Jerry Perzigian		(30 episodes, 1979-1985)
Don Seigel		(30 episodes, 1979-1985)
Peter Casey		(29 episodes, 1979-1985)
David Lee		(29 episodes, 1979-1985)
Michael G. Moye		(23 episodes, 1979-1984)
Gordon Mitchell		(20 episodes, 1975-1977)
Lloyd Turner		(20 episodes, 1975-1977)
Ron Leavitt		(11 episodes, 1980-1984)
Robert Wolterstorff		(10 episodes, 1976-1980)
Paul M. Belous		(9 episodes, 1976-1979)
David W. Duclon		(8 episodes, 1980-1982)
John Baskin		(7 episodes, 1975-1978)
Roger Shulman		(7 episodes, 1975-1978)
Sandy Sprung		(6 episodes, 1983-1984)
Marcy Vosburgh		(6 episodes, 1983-1984)
Bill Steinkellner		(6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Cherie Steinkellner		(6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Don Nicholl		(5 episodes, 1975)
Fred S. Fox		(5 episodes, 1976-1981)
Seaman Jacobs		(5 episodes, 1976-1981)
Bob Baublitz		(5 episodes, 1976-1980)
Bryan Joseph		(5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Dixie Brown Grossman		(4 episodes, 1975-1977)
Michael Ross		(4 episodes, 1975)
Bernard West		(4 episodes, 1975)
Kurt Taylor		(4 episodes, 1976-1984)
Ted Dale		(4 episodes, 1978-1981)
Nancy Vince		(4 episodes, 1978-1981)
Jim Rogers		(4 episodes, 1978)
Neil Lebowitz		(4 episodes, 1979-1983)
Joyce Gittlin		(4 episodes, 1982-1984)
Jeffrey Richman		(4 episodes, 1982-1984)
John Ashby		(3 episodes, 1975-1977)
Howard Albrecht		(3 episodes, 1976-1979)
Sol Weinstein		(3 episodes, 1976-1979)
Richard Freiman		(3 episodes, 1976-1978)
Jack Shea		(3 episodes, 1977-1979)
Stephen Neigher		(3 episodes, 1979-1985)
Bob Bendetson		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Howard Bendetson		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
David Silverman		(3 episodes, 1981)
Stephen Sustarsic		(3 episodes, 1981)
Sara V. Finney		(3 episodes, 1982-1985)
Lewis Goldstein		(3 episodes, 1983-1985)
Hans Kracauer		(3 episodes, 1983-1985)
James Ritz		(2 episodes, 1975-1976)
Erik Tarloff		(2 episodes, 1975)
Frank Tarloff		(2 episodes, 1975)
Ann Gibbs		(2 episodes, 1976-1984)
Joel Kimmel		(2 episodes, 1976-1984)
John Donley		(2 episodes, 1976-1978)
Stephen Young		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Kim Weiskopf		(2 episodes, 1977-1983)
Patt Shea		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Susan Straughn Harris		(2 episodes, 1979)
Bernard Burnell Mack		(2 episodes, 1979)
Arthur Bonaduce		(2 episodes, 1980)
Celia Bonaduce		(2 episodes, 1980)
Al Aidekman		(2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Marty Farrell		(2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Ilene Cooper		(2 episodes, 1983)
Patrick Egan		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Produced by
John Maxwell Anderson	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
David W. Duclon	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Ron Leavitt	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Mike Milligan	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)
Jay Moriarty	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Michael G. Moye	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Don Nicholl	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Jerry Perzigian	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Sy Rosen	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Michael Ross	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Don Seigel	....	supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Jack Shea	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Ken Stump	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
George Sunga	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Bernard West	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Kelly Sandefur		(4 episodes, 1980)
Tom Klemesrud		(unknown episodes, 1979)
Larry Harris		(unknown episodes)
Barney Robinson		(unknown episodes)
Andy Zall		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Betsey Potter		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Al Burton	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Alan Horn	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Norman Lear	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Glenn Padnick	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Ken Stump	....	executive in charge of production (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Lee Lazarow	....	set dresser (22 episodes, 1983-1984)
Jeffrey Bellamy	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Tim Schultz	....	assistant property master (unknown episodes)
Larry Vigus	....	carpenter (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Tamara Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer (118 episodes, 1980-1985)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Glover	....	lighting director (122 episodes, 1975-1980)
Steven Castaneda	....	dimmer operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandra Henderson	....	head stylist (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Ja'net DuBois	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Fran McConnell	....	production supervisor (253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Mark Miller	....	first video operator (13 episodes, 1975)
Stuart Shostak	....	studio audience warm-up comedian (2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Bernard F. Basley	....	stage manager (unknown episodes, 1980)
Norman Lear	....	development (unknown episodes)
Sylvia Lewis	....	choreographer (unknown episodes)
Dick Woodka	....	technical director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Embassy Television
• Ragamuffin Inc.
• TAT Communications Company
• The NRW Company

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Embassy Telecommunications
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)
• TAT Communications Company

Other Companies

• CBS Television City  taping location
• Metromedia Square  taping location
• Universal City Studios  taping location

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Florence was originally intended to be a recurring cast member, but the character became so popular with fans, that the producers made Marla Gibbs a series regular.

Quotes:

George Jefferson: She's what you call, a domestic.
Louise Jefferson: You make it sound like a disease!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "E! True Hollywood Story: Married... with Children" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Movin' On Up

Brilliant spin off to a precessdor from the golden age of the 1970's TV

If there were a "Sitcom Hall Of Fame",for brilliance, the television series "The Jeffersons" would surely have a cherished spot as one of the best situation comedies of the 1970's. For the eleven and a half years that it ran on television,the series became one of CBS' longest-running shows of all time,right up there with "Frasier","Cheers",and even "M*A*S*H" and "Happy Days" for its longevity. From its premiere episode that aired on January 12,1975 to the final episode of the series on July 23,1986 it is amazing that the show survived during its astounding run on the air. The series cranked out more than 200 episodes during its run. It is also to note that "The Jeffersons" also was nominated for several Golden Globes and Emmys including a historic moment in the history of not only the show,but television itself. The series won the Emmy in 1981 for Isabel Sanford who in fact made history as being the first African-American woman to win for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and also for Sherman Hemsley as Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series as well,and for Marla Gibbs too who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

It is no wonder that "The Jeffersons" is one of television's top fifty all time programs in the history of television and it is right up there with the best of the bunch of classic television shows. Need I say more? This was a spin off to "All In The Family" by the way since the series was created by Norman Lear,the man who was behind some of the greatest shows of that period including "All In The Family","Maude","Good Times", "One Day At A Time","Sanford and Son",and so much more. Out of all the shows that had a predominately African-American cast of that period,the series "The Jeffersons" was the better show out of the entire bunch. Only Norman Lear's other show "Good Times" comes in a close second. The reason? For one you saw a successful black family doing something positive and for the first time in television history a successful African-American with a successful business and living the high life on TV,but at the same time you got to see not only a white side of bigotry but a black side of that too. Sherman Hemsley's character of George Jefferson was just that.....the opposite side of Archie Bunker,a bigot on the opposite side of racial intolerance. It was kind of a reflex towards the opposite The Bunkers,who basically were still living on 704 Hauser Street in Queens while their once neighbors The Jeffersons were living it up in a deluxe apartment complex on New York's upper rich side toward Park Avenue in Manhattan.

However,the set-up of a African-American family living in the high part of town and having a successful business establishment was something totally different and new when it aired back in 1975 since it was very odd to see this and America was paying very close attention to this as well since African-Americans at that time were making strides toward racial equality during that period. You saw a married couple George and Louise Jefferson(Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford)living the good life with their son Lionel(played by Mike Evans and then by Damon Evans)while making the best of any situation that comes at them with ease,but with hilarious results. The next door neighbors Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker)were a interracial couple with their young daughter Jenny(Belinda Tolbert)and also their son Allan(played by Jay Hammer during the 1978-79 season)whom The Jeffersons also had another neighbor across from them as well,like the British neighbor Mr. Bentley(Paul Benedict)and others that were in the same tenant building as well like George's overbearing mother(played by Zara Cully during the 1975-78 season)who comes by for a visit and causes chaos for Louise and others like Mr. Whittington and so forth like the doorman Ralph or Charlie the bartender whose bar is downstairs but in the same building. The best part of this series and basically who could give George a run for his money in a scolding match would be the Jeffersons' housekeeper Florence Johnson(Marla Gibbs). This is what kept the series going strong because of the brilliant comedy chemistry that Sherman Hemsley and Marla Gibbs had and the sparks flew within a funny rapport that kept audiences laughing hard. Oh yeah,I forgot that Isabel Sanford kept the laughs provided too as Louise and George get into one predicament after another. But the series showed its darker side too right along with the laughs and insults as well as the series explored issues that were relevant to the day's topics from interracial relationships,racism, women's rights,and civil rights were the order of the day and other issues were added in that at the time were too intense for television but they were handled with tact and dignity.

Several brilliant episodes of this series come to mind that were memorable including the one where The Jeffersons go to Hawaii;George being a secret Santa to a Harlem family who lived in his building;The night the Jeffersons remember the riots that engulf a nation back in 1968 during the looting of his store over the death of MLK;Louise and Helen opening a health center for a lonely girl who commits suicide;and the marriage of Lionel and Jenny,which George disapproves. The proudest moment of the series came during the arrival of Lionel and Jenny as parents and George & Louise become grandparents to a little baby girl.The saddest moment of the series when George learns the death of his beloved mother.

Speaking of this series,it is to note that four of the show's cast members have passed away but will be fondly remembered. Zara Cully,who played Mother Jefferson;Roxie Roker who played Helen Willis;Isabel Sanford who played Louise Jefferson,and most recently Franklin Cover who played Tom Willis are no longer with us.