The song also adamantly drew from Black culture, styled almost as a spiritualcomplete with 35-member choirthat wouldn't have been out of place in church. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. The actors found out through the media reports or when friends contacted them to ask about it. It's remarkable that seven shows followed All in the Family and belong to its universe. 3. CreatorNorman Learwas just happy the Bunkers were on the air. Hemsley was so good, show creator Norman Lear waited years to be able to hire him. The series also featured Danielle Brisebois as Stephanie, the young daughter of Ediths step-cousin who had moved in with the Bunkers in the final season of AITF. Brisebois had been a hit in Broadways Annie. (She later became an Oscar-nominated songwriter.). THE FAMILY 7 Spin-Offs From This ill-advised spinoff featured Struthers returning as the title character, now a single mom raising her son Joey (Christian Jacobs) after Mike left her and moved to a commune with one of his students. Which makes it curious that its network, CBS, treated it as if the show was in trouble. [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. DuBois infused the song with her own storyCNN reports that DuBois had always dreamed of moving her mother into a "deluxe apartment" when she achieved success. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. [16], Louise Jefferson, played by Isabel Sanford, first appeared in the All in the Family episode "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood", which was broadcast on March 2, 1971. Henry Jefferson was never seen again. Web3. The Jeffersons' Left Lasting Television Legacy J".[25]. 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. Lear said Good Times (created by Mike Evans and Eric Monte) was the first full Black family on television, meaning two parents and more than one kid. 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. Arthur was the only actor seen for the entire half-hour. One of the reasons The Jeffersons remains a pop culture powerhouse when many contemporary TV shows have faded from our collective memory is the theme song. 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. It was funny and entertaining. Florence often teased George, mostly about his short stature and receding hairline. Gloria and Mike are no longer together, so Gloria and her son, Joey, leave California and go home to New York. See Amos in the episodeA Visit From Lena Horne(January 12, 1973) and DuBois inSanford And Son And Sister Makes Three(December 1, 1972). This show wasnt very successful, however. Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. The series follows Florence's misadventures at the hotel with her co-workers: Lyle Block, her stuffy manager; Elena Beltran, her assistant; Earl Bellamy, the inept house detective; Hank Sabatino, the lewd handyman; Betty, the floor supervisor; Dennis, the bellboy; and Mr. Claymore, the hotel owner.[1]. 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. Sherman Hemsley was nominated for Best Actor in 1984. 7 Spin-offs, In Chronological Order Until then, Lear created the character of Henry Jefferson, George's brother. RELATED:10 Sitcom Characters With Supernatural Abilities, Ranked By Power. Spin-off As Smithsonian Magazine notes, when Diahann Carroll debuted in 1968's Julia, portraying a Black woman working as a nurse and raising her son as a widow, it was controversial because it avoided any reference to the racial politics of the time and presented what many felt was a "white" character simply played by a Black actress. 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. All in the Familyis famous for its prejudiced patriarch, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor). ", was added as a bonus feature on The Jeffersons: The Complete Series 33-disc DVD set issued by Shout! In the seventh-season finale episode of The Jeffersons, "Florence's New Job", the Jeffersons' maid, Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs), accepted a job to become the executive housekeeper at the fictional St. Frederick Hotel in New York City. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. One other reason she kept her job despite becoming famous on a top-rate television show? Checking In, created by Mike Milligan and Jay Moriarty, only lasted for four episodes, one of the few Tandem/TAT sitcoms that wasnt a success. 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. As noted by Ebony, many of the actors working on The Jeffersons were serious artists with a lot of training. It was almost totally unlike any other theme song you would hear on TV at the time, and that was the whole point. Zara Cully played George's mother, Olivia "Mother" Jefferson, who constantly disparaged her daughter-in-law. Ned Wertimer played their tip-hungry doorman, Ralph Hart, throughout the series. The third episode, "Whose Side Are You On? [41], On August 8, 2014, it was announced that Shout! The series gave John Amos and Norman Lear another chance to work together after tensions on set led Amos to leaveGood Times. But as BET notes, The Jeffersons was a real departure not only because it was just the second African-American sitcom to hit the top five in ratings, or because Isabel Sanford was just the second Black actress to win an Emmy Award for Best Actress. The sitcom was about the black family who had lived next door to the Bunkers, but Good Times was partly responsible. WebFor her full interview, see http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/isabel-sanford 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. 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. The 12 Most Unexpected Spinoffs in TV History As withMaudeandGood Times, the main character of the new series was a maid onher previousseries. The Jeffersons The Jeffersons Sanford was also the recipient of five of the eight Golden Globe Awards nominations the program received.[48]. Bunker has no reason to hate Blacks or to view them as inferior. While the character was initially conceived as a Black antagonist for Bunkerclearly a racistJefferson was also conceived almost from the very beginning as being beyond Bunker. The Jeffersons 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. Michael J. 1. Thats not just impressive, its historic. "HONKY IN THE HOUSE Writing & Producing The Jeffersons," Antler Publishing, LA, CA, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 18:06. Thanks to Lear and his characters, 70s TV audiences saw and heard things they never had before in primetime. As noted by The New York Times, the ostensible reason given was that he was uncomfortable walking into a white man's house, setting up the character as a foil for Archie Bunker's racism. This show debuted after the wrap of All in the Family. Archie Bunker (Carroll OConnor) and his new partner Murray (Martin Balsam) run a tavern in Queens. All In The Familyis one of the most transformative sitcoms in the history of the medium, if not the most. WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. 8 in the summer of 1980. As reported by New Ravel, network executives weren't happy about taking things that far, and pressured the producers to remove the scene. The Jeffersons Just fifteen months after Hemsley debuted onAll In The Family, George and Wheezy moved on up from Queens to the East Side of Manhattan. 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. With the series' cultural relevance and fandom, it'sno surprise All in the Family,TheJeffersons, andGood Timeswere also revived for a live performance special in 2019. RELATED:10 Iconic Black TV Shows That Defined The Culture. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. 1. It only 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. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Maude becomes yet another person for Archie to disagree with politically. 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. The show was launched as the second (and longest running) spin-off of All in the Family, on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. At least stories featuring Black people were being told, and Black actors were getting significant roles on TV. In some ways, 1975 doesn't seem so long agobut it was truly a different time in more ways than one. In reality, Joey (born 1975) would have only been 19, but Siemaszko was 33. But we dont have those fights on704 Hauser. Checking In premiered on CBS on April 9, 1981, and lasted for only four episodes in the Thursday, 8:00p.m. EST timeslot. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. As groundbreaking as The Jeffersons was in terms of depicting Black America on the small screen, it still earns criticism for some of its choices. 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. [8] However, the ratings sank below the top 30, and The Jeffersons aired its last episode, "Red Robins", on July 2, 1985.[28]. In that regard,Good Timesis more like a reboot of Rolle and Amoss characters than a spinoff. Gibbs says that she worked out an adjusted schedule with United that allowed her enough time to film her scenes and then race into work, where she worked the phones in their reservations office. [5][7] The Jeffersons eventually evolved into more of a traditional sitcom, but episodes occasionally focused on serious issues such as alcoholism, racism, suicide, gun control, being transgender, the KKK, and adult illiteracy. 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 A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. The Bunker-Verse! Both men are bigoted, and both use sarcasm and insults as weapons. 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. [42][43], On April 28, 2015, Shout! Lesa Kite, Cindy Begel, Howard Bendetson & Bob Bendetson. is Movin' On Up to a 'Season 7' Separate Release! [36], The Jeffersons changed time slots at least 15 different times during its 11-year run, unusual for a popular long running series. CBS quickly pivoted, scheduling rebroadcasts of the first 13 episodes that summer. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. 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. While Florida's husband onMaudewas a firefighter named Henry (John Amos), her husband onGood Timeswas James, a hard worker often taking on multiple jobs to support the family. It brought back the star ofGood Times John Amos in an update ofAll In The Familythat uses a plot point (interracial relationship) ofThe Jeffersons. The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. The Jeffersons was notable because it depicted a Black family as upper-middle class. The Jeffersons WebIn 1975, George Jefferson was eager to move out of Queens. The Jeffersons The Jeffersons ended in controversy after CBS abruptly canceled the series without allowing for a proper series finale. A sitcom world must be a good one for a spin-off to spawn another spin-off! It was a spinoff of a spinoff, centering on Maudes maid Florida (Esther Rolle) and her family. You would be, too, if your neighbor was Archie Bunker. ", "How 'All in the Family' Spawned the Most Spinoffs of Any Sitcom", "All in the Family Season 5, Episode 16 The Jeffersons Move Up", "Actor Paul Benedict, 70, Leaves the Stage", "Zara Cully: Known for Role as 'Mother Jefferson' on the Jeffersons", "Ned Wertimer, character actor known as 'The Jeffersons' doorman, dies at 89", "The Jeffersons Season 10 Episode 16: My Guy, George", https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/78-OCR/1978-05-01-BC-OCR-Page-0036.pdf, https://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/79-OCR/BC-1979-06-18-OCR-Page-0056.pdf#search=%22rounding%20up%20the%20ratings%22, "The Norman Lear Experience: His Shows, His Honesty and One Thing He Wanted to Do", "Mill Creek Entertainment Signs Deals With Sony Pictures Home Entertainment To Expand Their Distribution Partnership", "Mill Creek's Re-Releases for Next Month Get Great DVD Package Art", "The Jeffersons CORRECT DATE, Packaging for 'The Complete Series: The Deee-luxe Edition', "Great Extras Revealed for 'The Complete Series: The Deee-luxe Edition', "The Jeffersons Shout! [17] Lear consulted with his associate Al Burton on the concept. 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 song was co-written by Ja'Net DuBois, who portrayed Willona on Norman Lear's other show, Good Times, and Jeff Barry. 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. Spin-off Ralph was also known for making up stories of him struggling to fulfill the Jeffersons request to get more tips. And The Jeffersons was in many ways a broad, superficial comedy that relied on racially-charged jokes and physical comedy to get laughs. 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." As the Atlanta Black Star notes, the Panthers told Lear that there were successful Black people in the world whose stories could be compelling and funny. 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. Lionel is the first Jefferson to be seen onAll in the Family, but his parents become an important part of the show, too.