the jeffersons was a spinoff of what show
The series was centered on the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence, who takes a job as cleaning management at a hotel. 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. Gloria works as the assistant to two veterinarians. Often, people calling in to book flights would tell her that her voice sounded familiar, and she'd just laugh it off. In the 1984-85 season, CBS aired a forgotten comedy called E/R, starring Elliot Gould. A spin-off of All in the Family. He also used it in a blackmail manner, usually requiring George to pay more in order to keep his mouth shut about something such as a stock tip. The Cumberbatches are a Black family moving into the Bunkers' old house in Queens. Ja'Net DuBois and Jeff Barry co-wrote The Jeffersons theme song, "Movin' on Up", which was sung by DuBois with a gospel choir. Mike Evans would leave The Jeffersons to work behind the camera for another show in the All in the Family family tree Good Times. 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 'The Complete 8th Season' Getting a DVD Release this Summer", "Isabel Sanford, Emmy-Winning Actress Who Created "Weezie" Jefferson on TV and Stage, Dead at 86", "See the star-studded 'All in the Family/The Jeffersons' live cast get into character", The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons, The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Jeffersons&oldid=1141363779, Television series by Sony Pictures Television, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2022, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles needing additional references from January 2017, All articles needing additional references, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ebonie Smith as Jessica Jefferson (season 11), Moriarty, Jay (2020). It took until 1975 until television finally gave Black audiences a family that looked like them and that wasn't struggling. Almost as well known, but less controversial was the Nov. 10, 1975, episode of Maude talking to her psychiatrist. Norman Lear's 1975 spinoff of All in the Family remains a unique show. WebThe Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. a disclaimer before the first episode said. To make matters worse, when the show finally debuted on CBS, it was largely ignored by the public. [45], The Jeffersons received 14 Emmy Award nominations during its time on the air. 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. It was her breakout role; as noted by The History Makers, Gibbs had started taking acting classes when her job with United Airlines transferred her from Detroit to Los Angeles, but prior to being cast as Florence the actress had only appeared in a handful of theater roles and one film, 1973's Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man. The Jeffersons The Jeffersons ended in controversy after CBS abruptly canceled the series without allowing for a proper series finale. [8] The characters of Lionel's multiracial fiance, Jenny, and her family, all of whom first appeared in the 1974 All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement", were also written into the new series. Dont miss on getTV: Everything, but especially the first episodeMeet The Bunkers(airdate January 12, 1971) and the lastToo Good Edith(April 8, 1979). 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) first appears as Edith Bunker's cousin in a 1971All in the Familyepisode called "Cousin Maude's Visit." [5][6] The show was the creation of Norman Lear. Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. 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 Familytook a leaf out of its own book and spawned yet another sitcom afterthe series ended. A top 20 show for most of its 11 seasons, The Jeffersons was canceled abruptly without an official series finale. As Black America Web reports, when the show was canceled in 1985 the network didn't even bother to inform the cast. 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. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates about getTV. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. Eventually this tactic worked, and the writers stopped using the offensive terms. 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. Rather than cast someone else, Lear decided to keep George offscreen until Hemsley was available. Norman Lear created the character of George Jefferson specifically for Hemsley. 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. Sometimes the best, and most intelligent, TV shows never get a chance! The Jeffersons 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. Archie was used as a device for commentary on important social issues in the 1970s. 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. By clicking SIGN UP, I certify that I am a United States resident, I agree to receive email updates from Game Show Network, I acknowledge that my information will be handled and used by Game Show Network in accordance with the Game Show Network Privacy Policy, and I agree to such handling and use by Game Show Network. Its like a Norman Lears Greatest Hits! After his car was rear-ended by a bus, he filed a civil action and won $5000, enough to open his first store in Queens. 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. But the moment you read the title you heard its iconic theme song in your head, and no matter your age or background you've probably seen an episode or a dozenand maybe not that long ago. Stage actressEsther Rolleshows up in the third episode ofMaudeas Florida, an AfricanAmerican housecleaner who has little patience for Maudes political correctness. In his autobiography, Even This I Get to Experience, Lear wrote that a relatively small group of agitators, especially when convinced God is on their side, can move corporate America to quake with fear and make decisions in total disregard of the Constitution.. It was funny and entertaining. Florence misunderstands and thinks an elderly salesman is coming on to her, but he's really trying to make a sales pitch. 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. George's career as a dry-cleaner began in the first season of All in the Family in the third episode "Oh, My Aching Back" (though the character himself did not appear on-camera). The Jeffersons' Left Lasting Television Legacy WebSpun-off from The Jeffersons (1975) This spin-off of The Jeffersons came out about 8 years before Marla Gibbs' second series, "227." Sherman Hemsley even appeared in the premiere. Larry M. Harris won the Emmy for Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Series in 1983. The 12 Most Unexpected Spinoffs in TV History The Jeffersons A national phenomenon was born. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. 7 Spin-offs, In Chronological Order The two-part season opener for Maude in 1973 dealt with the alcoholism of her husband Walter (Bill Macy). [1] The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history,[2] the second-longest-running series with a primarily African American cast by episode count behind Tyler Perry's House of Payne[1][3] and the first to prominently feature a married interracial couple. Even before All in the Familyended, Stapleton expressed a desire to distance herself from the role of Edith. ", "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! She reprised her role several times onArchie Bunker's Placeand then took center stage onGloria, the last series to focus on a member of the Bunker family. [24][25] He also became known for addressing the Jeffersons as "Mr. J" and "Mrs. As with Maude and Good Times , the main character of the new series was a maid on her previous series. The successful series ran for six seasons and, like its predecessor, dealt with some serious issues during its day. 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. Looking back on decades past, it'sremarkable how seven shows followedAll in the Familyand belong to its universe. At least, he did until Hemsley became availableStewart's last appearance as Henry was Hemsley's first appearance as George. And then there's The Jeffersons. Marla Gibbs of The Jeffersons got her own sitcom as Florence, who left her job as a housekeeper to work in a hotel. [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. I remember watching Checking In in the early 80s and even remember the theme song. George was introduced in the episode "Henry's Farewell", and Hemsley and Stewart share their only scene together in its final minutes. It was almost totally unlike any other theme song you would hear on TV at the time, and that was the whole point. CreatorNorman Learwas just happy the Bunkers were on the air. A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants. Marla Gibbs remains best-known to many people as the sarcastic housekeeper, Florence, on The Jeffersons. [8] Damon Evans's last episode was "Lionel Gets the Business". WebSynopsis. All In The Familyfans will recognize Torres as Teresa Betancourt, the hospital worker who rents Mike And Glorias room when they move out. Before the 1970s, there hadn't been any TV shows with majority Black casts in decades, and the Black characters that did appear on television were usually not particularly grounded in reality. I would like to see this forgotten TV show resurrected on TV Land or Nick at Night, or maybe a special DVD release. Over the course of its 11-year run, the series was almost always one of the most-watched on television. 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." Situation comediesaka "sitcoms"aren't always noted for their complex writing and deeply-imagined characters. [38] The show's ratings for the following two seasons placed it in the Top 30, but during the 197778 and 197879 seasons (the show's fourth and fifth seasons), it fell out of the top 30, ranking 52nd in Season 4 and 49th in Season 5. Arthur was such a hit as Maude that Lear developed a series for her, with the second season finale ofAll In The Familyacting as the backdoor pilot for the spinoff. As he had done with Bea Arthur onAll In The Family, Lear immediately recognized a breakout character and quickly began developing a spinoff for Florida with writersEric Monte(Cooley High) andMike Evans(Lionel onAll In The Family).