The Jeffersons 

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

Creators:

Norman Lear, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross

Stars:

Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs

Nominated for 8 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Isabel Sanford	...	Louise Jefferson 253 episodes, 1975-1985
Sherman Hemsley	...	George Jefferson 253 episodes, 1975-1985
Marla Gibbs	...	Florence Johnston 207 episodes, 1975-1985
Roxie Roker	...	Helen Willis 196 episodes, 1975-1985
Franklin Cover	...	Tom Willis 191 episodes, 1975-1985
Paul Benedict	...	Harry Bentley 155 episodes, 1975-1985

Storyline

"The Jeffersons" was perhaps the most-successful spinoff series to "All in the Family." George Jefferson was the black version of Archie Bunker in many respects, both were loud-mouthed, opinionated and set in their bigoted ways. By 1975, Jefferson's fledging dry-cleaning business, Jefferson Cleaners, had successfully grown into a small chain; his newfound wealth led to moving his family to a "deluxe apartment in the sky" in Manhattan. His family included his wife, Louise, a level-headed and open-minded woman who often had to scold George when his mouth got him into trouble; and Lionel, an engineering major at a local college. He especially disliked Tom and Helen Willis, a mixed couple (he was white, she was black) whose daughter, Jenny, was dating and later married Lionel; Florence, his sharp-tongued maid; and Harry Bentley, the esoteric Englishman who lived next door. George often flaunted his wealth and displayed rude, arrogant, bigoted behavior; however, he often found that money ...

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Plot Keywords:

dry cleaning | apartment | maid | woman | apartment building | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Nick-at-Nite Screen Gems Network

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Jeffersons

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embassy Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The picture on the Jeffersons' desk by the telephone changed in every episode. It alternated between shots of Louise, George, George and Louise together, Lionel, and Mother Jefferson.

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Goofs

Numerous times on and off throughout the course of the series, people make a left when they leave through the exit of the Jeffersons' apartment. The layout of the hallway has Harry Bentley's apartment at the end about a couple feet away at corner on the left side of the Jeffersons' apartment. So it means logically they are just walking right into the door of Bentley's apartment instead of going straight across to the elevator.

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Quotes

George Jefferson: If I paid you to think, you could cash your check at the penny arcade.
Florence Johnston: Where do you think I cash it now?

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Crazy Credits

Series creators Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, and Bernard West are listed as "Nicholl Ross West" during the show's closing credits on numerous episodes.

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Alternate Versions

Syndicated reruns in the US are cut by 2 to 3 minutes. One particularly bad cut is of a key sequence in the first episode: after Helen and Tom leave George's apartment after being insulted, they are talking in the hallway, and the scene ends with them kissing. This was a controversial scene back in 1975, but its editing was so that stations and cable networks airing the show could fit in more commercials.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Jeffersons: A XXX Parody (2009)

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Soundtracks

Movin' On Up
Written by Jeff Barry and Ja'net DuBois
Performed by Ja'net DuBois & Oren Waters

User Reviews

Brilliant spin off to a processor 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 14,1975 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 254 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 five of the show's cast members have passed away but will be fondly remembered. Actor Sherman Hemsley who played businessman/family provider George Jefferson passed away in 2012. Zara Cully,who played Mother Jefferson;Roxie Roker who played Helen Willis;Isabel Sanford who played Louise Jefferson,and most recently Franklin Cover,Paul Benedict and Mike Evans.