Sherman Hemsley (second interview)
PMP Network Presents
Sherman Hemsley discusses the enduring legacy of The Jeffersons, a landmark African American sitcom that ran for ten years. He reflects on the show's origins as a spin-off from All in the Family and its return to primetime on Nick at Nite.
Sherman Hemsley (second interview)
Actor, The Jeffersons
About Sherman Hemsley (second interview)
Sherman Hemsley was an American actor and comedian who became a television icon portraying George Jefferson, first on All in the Family (1973–1975; 1978) and then on the landmark spin-off The Jeffersons (1975–1985), which ran for ten seasons. He later starred as Deacon Ernest Frye on the sitcom Amen (1986–1991) and provided voice work for the series Dinosaurs. His performance on The Jeffersons earned him Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, and he won an NAACP Image Award in 1982.
In this interview
- Discussed The Jeffersons' return to primetime on Nick at Nite in 1999.
- Recalled the show's uncertain early days before it found Sunday night success.
- Reflected on Norman Lear's All in the Family spin-off lasting ten years.
- Expressed surprise that a new generation would discover the landmark sitcom.
“Who would have thought that it would have lasted ten years too? Really? I mean it was really a landmark show.”— Sherman Hemsley (second interview), in this interview
Since this interview
Sherman Hemsley died on July 24, 2012, at the age of 74 at his home in El Paso, Texas.
