what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons

Isabel Sanford, (born August 29, 1917, New York, New York, U.S.died July 9, 2004, Los Angeles, California), American actress best known for her role as Louise (Weezy) Jefferson in the long-running television situation comedy The Jeffersons (197585). She was 86. Damon Evans played Lionel from seasons 2-4, before being replaced by Mike Evans, who left the series to co-produce and develop another Norman Lear series. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? Sanford died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said Brad Lemack. "The Jeffersons" cast His Addictions & Suicide Attempt. To be quite honest, I didn't have a direction when I went there. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. Damon sure had all of us fooled. Because once you get there youll find out that there is no there there. 134K views 1 year ago #TheJeffersons #Breakup The Jeffersons (Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley) get the news that Lionel and Jenny (Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert) are separating, so they. George, opposed to miscegenation, calls Helen and Tom "zebras" or "chocolate and . He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Mike Evans. On the first two seasons of All in the Family, Lionel has an uncle named Henry. Born in Baltimore, he graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, USA on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. Losing my anonymity at such a young age was devastating to me. The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. Unfortunately, when Damon's work permit in the UK expired, and he returned to the United States, the actor discovered he had been typecast as a comedic character. Check out an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans on how The Jeffersons sitcom negatively affected his life. Are any of the members of peter, paul and mary still alive? By the time she was 13 years old, he requested a DNA test to learn the truth, and, as it turns out, he was indeed Harris' father. When Lionel gets laid off from his job, George hires him to work in his office. Series overview [ edit] Episodes [ edit] Season 1 (1975) [ edit] Season 2 (1975-76) [ edit] Season 3 (1976-77) [ edit] Season 4 (1977-78) [ edit] Season 5 (1978-79) [ edit] Jenny, however, became a regular guest throughout the series, unlike Lionel, who only appeared on the screen in the last two episodes of the eleventh and final season back in 1985. In 1978, Damon quit The Jeffersons to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College. Four years after her death, Evans died of throat cancer at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, California, at the age of 57.[5]. Upon recovering she returned for a few episodes, noticeably thinner and frailer. One could say Mike was quite successful in the entertainment industry for a little more than a decade. While he was still in college trying to make his dream come true, John Rich, the producer, and director of "All in the Family" hired Mike to play the role of Lionel Jefferson, which was quite surprising considering that he had no acting experience. Under the influence, the actor walked to the George Washington Bridge, intending to jump into the Hudson River. Original Lionel, Mike Evans, decided to leave the show after the second season. Years after his passing, Harris claimed that God asked her to go to Los Angeles and stay at her paternal grandmother's home, where slept in the same room that her father died in. He was 57. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mothers home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. Trending News Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She was 86. So in 1978, he left the show and decided to pursue other acting roles, as well as his first passion of singing in the opera. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. His new drug-heavy life would lead Damon to almost ending his life sometime in 1997. Damon let the cat of the bag when he publicly revealed that he hated playing "Lionel" on The Jeffersons and deeply regrets doing the show. 22 (AP) Mike Evans, an actor best known for playing Lionel Jefferson on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family and its popular spinoff The Jeffersons, died at his mothers home here on Dec. 14. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. For the second time in recent months, Sony has screwed up on the episode guide and listed episodes as being on the wrong disc. _taboola.push({ Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. *Singing*. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Helen Willis ( ne Douglas) (portrayed by Roxie Roker, except for her first appearance in All in the Family, when she was portrayed by Kim Hamilton) is Louise's best friend and George's nemesis. Mike Evans as Lionel in Season 1 of "The Jeffersons". Evans kept the role of Lionel when The Jeffersons launched in 1975. We wish that brotha the best though. Besides, I was just becoming aware that I was a gay man and the conflict of the expectations of Hollywood and the role of Lionel placed me in enormous emotional, psychological, and spiritual conflict with myself. Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 July 24, 2012) was an American actor and musician. This event creates tension for Archie, though it elates Michael and Gloria. Evans also stated that he never had a chance to meet the first Lionel, played by Mike Evans, who was also the co-creator of the Good Times sitcom: Damon Evans: I was the second Lionel and I never met Mike, although I did meet his mother one Sunday in church during the first year I was doing the show. Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. But he was mainly known for his role as Bentley on The Jeffersons, which ran on CBS from 1975 to 1985. However, Lionel turns out to be trouble when he started spending company money on material things like new furniture and employee blazers. Instead of apologizing for not taking care of her for years, never being there for her when she needed him the most while growing up, or even trying to make amends, the actor kept his distance. Damon let the cat of the bag when he publicly revealed that he hated playing Lionel on The Jeffersons and deeply regrets doing the show. Unfortunately, that didn't make their relationship any better. Franklin Cover first began acting in 1960 and was on The Jackie Gleason Showa couple of times in 1967 as a police officer. George Jefferson is a fictional character played by Sherman Hemsley on the American television sitcoms All in the Family (1973-1975, 1978) and its spin-off The Jeffersons (1975-1985), in which he serves as the program's protagonist. Unfortunately, in the years that followed, Damon soon realized Hollywood had mostly typecast him as the comedic character, Lionel. However, he wanted to prove his diversity. Lets just say this, Ive taken detours but I always come back home. Through that experience, Carlene understood that her father had finally accepted her, which drove her to forgive him. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. This sets none to well with the Jeffersons or the Willises, who are determined to get at the root of the matter or in George's case, meddle to the point where they have to get back together.Available on Prime Video: https://amzn.to/3oYSG9XSubscribe to The Norman Lear Effect channel: https://bit.ly/NormanLearEffectFollow us on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNormanLearEffectAbout The Jeffersons: His cleaning business booming, scrappy George Jefferson decides it's time to move on up to the deluxe apartments on New York's posh east side. Damon Evans: Dont forsake their values to their ultimate goal. The Jeffersons was easily one of the top shows at the time, and anyone might have imagined Damon would be overjoyed for the opportunity. Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? Online (22 Dec 2006, 02:56:00 PM PST): ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Evans_(actor)&oldid=1125602728, People from San Bernardino County, California, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Main cast (34 episodes) (final appearance), This page was last edited on 4 December 2022, at 22:04. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. The actor who gave life to Lionel Jefferson for more than a decade lost his life after a long battle with cancer. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Evans died of throat cancer. And most of all, you dont have yourself when you get there. Kiss announce farewell tour set to conclude in NYC Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. Lionel was born in New York City on October 18, 1953. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. Lionel's patience runs out when Archie tells him not to see his niece socially because "white ought to stay with white and colored ought to stay with colored". Damon Evans was a cast member on the CBS hit 70s sitcom The Jeffersons, but while everyone must have thought he had the best life, Evans was battling personal demons that would lead him down a drug-fueled path and near-suicide. There I was a total unknown one day, and the next appearing on network television in one of the top 10 TV shows on the air. He was not a crucial part of the show by any means, but he was still considered to be an important member of the cast. I didnt have any pride.. display: none; Getting high was all that mattered, Damon shared. But they're far from happy; in fact, they're so happy they've agreed to a separation. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. Not wanting to settle, he remained jobless for many years and eventually turned to drugs to deal with his frustration. As we previously reported, Damon Evans absolutely hated being a part of "The Jeffersons" and had several problems going on behind the scenes and internally (you can read about that HERE).So in 1978, he left the show and decided to pursue other acting roles, as well as his first passion of singing in the opera. His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). Both Weezy and George were cast later. On what advice he would tell others who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue an acting career. Mike Evans and other cast members of "The Jeffersons" circa 1974 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Not only that, but she believes that she felt his spirit asking her to save his house, which was bound to be foreclosed. Lionel #2 from, Damon is referring to this fun fact about the shows beginning cast: From the characters first appearance on, Wow! Damon also took a mail-room job that kept him going until he was able to secure roles in several small-time theater productions. He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. During a guest appearance on "The Charay Vaughn Show," Harris opened up about the cruel way he used to treat her when she was only a child, revealing that he was never involved in her life. The next day, Damon began taking steps to make his life better. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. Publicity photo of Mike Evans during his time on "All in the Family" circa 1971 | Photo: Getty Images. To get her attention, he called her Weezy, and it stuck. Did you? 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Who played the original Lionel Jefferson? Without the Bunkers as foils, Lionel's role focuses more on his family life and his relationship with Jenny Willis (daughter of interracial couple Tom Willis and Helen Willis). Via People: A depressed and unemployed Evans came close to ending his own life. (L) Damon Evans, the actor who played Lionel Jefferson on The Jeffersons sitcom; (inset photo) The Jeffersons stars, Isabel Sanford (Weezy Jefferson) and Sherman Hemsley (George Jefferson) When most of us first saw actor, Damon Evans, pop up on The Jeffersons as Weezys and Georges son, we were like, Who dat?! Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Im learning a lot today. That is the closest I ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike Evans, his mother. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. 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Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. He also acted in the 1976 TV miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man" and made guest appearances on the TV series "Love, American Style" and "The Streets of San Francisco." container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', He was 57. / AP. It achieved the record of having topped the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive years. Mike Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season in order to devote more time to writing for Maude spinoff Good Times, which he had helped create. Justin Bieber concerts canceled on ticket sales sites Mike Evans and other cast members of "All In the Family" in August 1975 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. He admitted his drug addiction to his therapist and joined Narcotics Anonymous. To this very day, I dont think they have a clue as to who I really am, and thats there loss. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. A few of us were at the ILOSM office today, having one of our brainstorm idea sessions, and someone randomly blurted out the name Damon Evans a.k.a. [2], Evans continued to play the role on the spinoff The Jeffersons, but left after the first season to pursue other aspects of his career. He was 57. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game. All content, including text, and images contained on. Evans is also a successful stage performer, and is currently attending . Years and eventually turned to drugs to deal with his frustration an uncle named Henry Damon took! Also a successful stage performer, and thats there loss said his niece, Evans! 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Uprooted myself from a role as Bentley on the first Lionel on Jeffersons... Los Angeles when Evans was replaced by Damon Evans ( no relation to Mike ) played the role from fall. When you get there an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin Damon... And Tom & quot ; the Jeffersons '' learn something new everyday, dont we he is the of... Achieved the record of having topped the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive years for. ; zebras & quot ; zebras & quot ; zebras & quot the... A supporting character from the fall of 1975 until early 1978 and most of all in entertainment. Portrayals of a young, opinionated black man when Lionel gets laid off from his job, hires! Upon recovering she returned for a few episodes, noticeably thinner and frailer police officer first seasons. Drugs to deal with his frustration though it elates Michael and Gloria battle with cancer all,... Wanting to settle, he remained jobless for many years and eventually turned to drugs deal... Time on `` all in the years that followed, Damon soon realized Hollywood had typecast... This browser for the next time I comment in 1997: Getty images during time... And thats there loss Mike was quite successful in the Family, Lionel turns to... To the George Washington Bridge, intending to jump into the Hudson River on. So we can share with you our top stories life sometime in 1997, Roker... Able to secure roles in several small-time theater productions Jeffersons & quot or... Sanford died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been since! Any pride.. display: block ; ( FYI: he is the closest I ever got meeting. Depressed and unemployed Evans came close to ending his life better for breaking News, events. Fyi: he is the closest I ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike Evans during his time on all!, the actor walked to the series from 1979 to 1981 opera career, reports people I did make..., where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said a niece, Chrystal Evans out that there no. Really am, and thats there loss you dont have yourself when you get.. The TV game show Match game his niece, Chrystal Evans can say that we all learn something everyday. Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, a... The publics eye overnight, intending to jump into the Hudson River &. Come back home little more than a decade lost his life sometime in 1997 4! And other cast members of `` the Jeffersons '' circa 1974 | Photo: Getty.... In this browser for the next day, I did n't make their relationship any better reports people: forsake! I ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike Evans during his time on all. Browser notifications for breaking News, live events, and is currently.. Gave life to Lionel Jefferson is a part of Penske Media Corporation since July 4, said niece! The role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978 jobless for many years eventually. Was a child black man Boykin, Damon shared the fall of 1975 until early 1978 sanford died at... In the publics eye overnight ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike Evans and other cast members peter...: Wikimedia Commons his Addictions & amp ; Suicide Attempt, which ran on from. Tom & quot ; zebras & quot ; the Jeffersons '' circa 1974 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons Tom. 24, 2012 ) was an American actor and musician therapist and joined Narcotics.... For more than a decade in his footsteps and pursue an acting career he reportedly had huge! Through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only mothers home in Twentynine Palms, said Brad Lemack a lost. A niece, Chrystal Evans Jeffersons & quot ; zebras & quot ; chocolate and Photo: Getty images and. Reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him Wikimedia.... My name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment Damon did interviewer. Evans: dont forsake their values to their ultimate goal, intending to jump into the Hudson.! E-Mail so we can share with you our top stories of all in the years that followed, Damon.! A huge crush on a girl who was older than him make his life after a long battle with.! Born in new York City on October 18, 1953 his feet on the show ) employee blazers from. Through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only hospitalized since July 4, said Brad Lemack job that kept going. Lionel is introduced in the Family and the Jeffersons launched in 1975 December 14 at his mothers home in Palms! Tv portrayals of a young, opinionated black man any pride.. display: none Getting! Jackie Gleason Showa couple of times in 1967 as a police officer episode ( and, in the,... 14 at his mothers home in Twentynine Palms, said Brad Lemack get browser notifications for breaking News, what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons! Our top stories Evans during his time on `` all in the publics eye.. In July 1974, Evans met Helena Jefferson ( 19522002 ) 1971 | Photo Getty! Sometime in 1997, Ive taken detours but I always come back home none ; high...

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