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:

1980s | 1970s | family character name as series title | nouveau riche | dry cleaning | 

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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

Several CBS executives tried to get the interracial kiss between Tom and Helen Willis edited out, but Executive Producer Fred Silverman successfully lobbied to keep it in.

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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: This here is the living area, where we does our living, and this is the dining area, where we does our dining, and this is the kitchen area...
Louise Jefferson: Where we does our kitchening.

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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

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Best TV Spin-Offs (2014)

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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

Well, We're Movin On Up.

Movin on up, (moving on up) to the east side, (moving on up)to a deluxe apartment in the sky. We're moving on up to the east side (moving on up) we finally got a piece of the pie. Fish don't burn in the kitchen, beans don't burn on the grill, it took a whole lot of trying just to get up that hill. Now we're up in the big leagues taking our turn at bat and as long as we got you and me baby there ain't nothing wrong with that so we're moving on up, (moving on up) to the east side, (moving on up) to a deluxe apartment in the sky. We're moving on up, (moving on up) to the east side, (moving on up) we finally got a piece of the pie.

Even though the Jeffersons started a year before my time I found it to quite an entertaining little show. The chemistry between Sheryman Helmsley and Isabel Sandford was absolutely magical to me. Roxie Roker's character was one of my favourte characters of all time because at the time an interracial couple on TV was unheard of. I just wish that the Jeffersons had a proper send off than what happened. Maybe we could have seen Lionel and Jenny have kids and grow old gracefully together? The show, I think, had limitless possibilities for it's time and if it hadn't fallen prey to cancellation at the last possible second syndrome I think it might just have lasted a bit longer than it did.