He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? That didn't stop him from doing a fantastic job in front of the cameras and winning over the audience. 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. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). Maestro cue the outro music! Is mr. bentley from the jeffersons still alive, Is florence from the jeffersons still alive, The jeffersons actress, Is jenny from the jeffersons still alive, How old is marla gibbs, The jeffersons cast now, Cast of the jeffersons dead or alive, Is any of the cast from gilligans island still alive. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Mike Evans. On what advice he would tell others who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue an acting career. Roker died Saturday in Los Angeles, her publicist, Cynthia Snyder, said this week. Michael Jonas Evans was born Nov. 3, 1949, in Salisbury, N.C. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist while his mother, Annie Sue Evans, was a school teacher. Actress Marla Gibbs, best known for her roles on shows like The Jeffersons and 227 is now 90 years of age and still going strong. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Dont forsake values. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Its really been pretty phenomenal. display: none; He studied acting at Los Angeles City College. He was 57. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. Mike Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season in order to devote more time to writing for Maude spin-off Good Times, which he had helped create. He was known for his roles as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen, and B.P. He has appeared in all 253 episodes of The Jeffersons . December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Ebonie Smith, also known as Ebony Smith (born Negra Candalaria-Smith; September 16, 1978) is a Puerto Rican-born American former child actress known for her role as Jessica Jefferson in the sitcom The Jeffersons in four episodes in Seasons 10 and 11. This is a list of episodes of the American situation comedy The Jeffersons. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. Publicity photo of Mike Evans during his time on "All in the Family" circa 1971 | Photo: Getty Images. Michael Jonas Evans was born November 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. "All in The Family" was one of the first television series of the '80s to present an all-black cast, and the premise of the series followed the life of an interracial couple. Lear improvised and hired Mel Stewart as a sort of placeholder. In the sitcoms storyline, Stewart posed as George Jefferson when he joined Georges wife, Louise (played by Isabel Sanford), for dinner at the Bunker home. Evans appeared infrequently after that, and made his final appearance as Lionel in the two-part episode "Sayonara" in 1985. _taboola.push({ Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. Isabel Sanford, who played Louise Weezy Jefferson on The Jeffersons for a decade, died Friday of natural causes at Los Angeles Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, her publicist told the Associated Press. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Although he was supposed to play a more significant role with more screen time, he left after the first season. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. [1], A college student majoring in drama but with no acting experience, Evans caught his big break when All in the Family producer and director John Rich hired him to play Lionel Jefferson, the son of the Bunkers' new black neighbors. 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. Michael Jonas Evans (November 3, 1949 December 14, 2006) was an American actor, best known as Lionel Jefferson on both All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Evans, along with Eric Monte, also created and wrote for "Good Times," one of the first TV comedy series that featured a primarily black cast. Because once you get there youll find out that there is no there there. During the final season of The Jeffersons, Lionel and Jenny announce they are seeking a divorce (after living apart for several years while Lionel worked in Japan). He was survived by his two daughters (Carlena and Tammie), his mother (Annie Sue), a brother, a cousin, and a niece. Yep, he can SANG. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. And I think, for me, that was the hardest thing was that I was so afraid to give up my identity as a performer. Evans is also a successful stage performer, and is currently attending . We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. She was sometimes credited as Ebony Smith. Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. Isabel Sanford net worth and salary: Isabel Sanford was an American actress and comedian who had a net worth of $3 million at the time of her death. I started loving it, I mean, started knowing that I could even write. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on . After the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter asked Lillard how . Archie considers himself to be Lionel's good friend and even mentor. 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But when All in the Family became a hit, Hemsley was tied up on Broadway as the co-star of Purlie, and was understandably reluctant to break his contract. 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Check out an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans on how The Jeffersons sitcom negatively affected his life. He was 57. He was 57. In 1979, Mike came back for one more season, but eventually left again, forcing the creators to write Lionel and his wife Jenny (played by actress Berlinda Tolbert) out of the script, claiming that they faced marital problems. His family later moved to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Los Angeles High School. The actor who gave life to Lionel Jefferson for more than a decade lost his life after a long battle with cancer. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. What happened to the first Lionel on The Jeffersons show? His new drug-heavy life would lead Damon to almost ending his life sometime in 1997. It really was the verbal autobiography that brought this attention to the fact of what Ive done and I and for I talked to the students about what it meant about learning to let go of family, about, you know, following your own course in life, and about confronting the fear of change. Are any of the cast of my three sons still alive? AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Damon was only 25 in 1975 when he was tapped to replace Mike Evans (no relation) as Lionel Jefferson in the primetime TV show. Sometimes I wouldnt show up at all, he recalled. 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. However, his personal life was not as good as one would believe, especially when it came to his daughter, Carlena Harris. Although he was born in North Carolina, Mike eventually moved with his family to Los Angeles, California, where he decided that he wanted to try his luck in show business, having studied acting at Los Angeles City College. Gibbs was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois. . However, that said, the first year on the show was quite a heady experience. What happened to Lionel on The Jeffersons? 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. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. 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 attended Palmer Memorial Institute, a private school for young black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina. Maestro cue the outro music! They eventually marry and gave birth to a daughter, Jessica. While Carlene suffered a lot at his hands, she eventually forgave him. Actor Mike Evans, who played Lionel Jefferson in the television comedy series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, has died. We came to know him as the character, "Lionel," from "The Jeffersons" and it was he and his friend, Eric Monte's, creative genius that gave us their sitcom creation, "Good Times.". Id be late a lot. And things start evolving and I started tutoring. In one of the early episodes, the Jeffersons move into a house down the block from the Bunkers (later, the house is said to be next door). There I was Lionel which was to them the epitome of what they wanted me to be, but Lionel was just a role I played as an actor. Biography. ", In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. And you know but gradually it happened, and of course, theres this whole new world in life. According to her, she was raised by her mother and grandmother, and that, shockingly, Mike absolutely refused to believe that he was her biological father. 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. Both Weezy and George were cast later. Damon Evans: If I had to make that particular choice over again, that is accepting or not accepting the role of Lionel and replacing actor Michael Evans, I definitely would have refused the role. Did you? Via People: A depressed and unemployed Evans came close to ending his own life. He was 57. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The actor, who was 57 at the time of his passing, was famous for playing the role of Lionel Jefferson first in "All in the Family," and later in "The Jeffersons.". He was 57. 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. Lionel tells Archie off, but also lets him know that they can remain friends. On September 11, 2002, Helena Evans died of breast cancer after she was diagnosed in February 2001. Samuel L Jackson & Wife Are Married for 41 Years & 'Still Love Each Other' Though They Took 10 Years to Wed, 'Law & Order's' Camryn Manheim Turns 61 - Meet Her Son Milo Who Is All Grown-up & Is Also an Actor, Who Is Jake Sully from Avatar? }); Copyright 2015 . Franklin Cover first began acting in 1960 and was on The Jackie Gleason Showa couple of times in 1967 as a police officer. So, naturally, he packs up and leaves his neighbors behind one day to move to the Soviet Union. No! Lionel sometimes loses patience with Michael, feeling that Michael relates to him as a representative of the black community rather than as an individual. Mike Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season in order to devote more time to writing for Maude spin-off Good Times, which he had helped create. Evan's character, Lionel, was one of the first characters that showcased an opinionated black young man, and even though he had to deal with his neighbor Archie's constant ignorant and racist comments, Lionel usually played along, remaining unfazed about the demonstrations of bigotry displayed by Archie. Mike Evans and other cast members of "All In the Family" in August 1975 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons Even though most people believed Mike would grow up to become one of the most famous faces in Hollywood, the truth is that those two episodes were the last time he was seen in front of the cameras. She has a career that has included television, movies and live performances. Of those in the Bunker household, Lionel is closest to Archie's son-in-law Michael Stivic. He admitted his drug addiction to his therapist and joined Narcotics Anonymous. #inline-recirc-item--id-9e2ec6fa-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Born in Baltimore, Evans attended the Interlochen Academy on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. We wish that brotha the best though. Evans gave life to the character through all of the seasons of "All in The Family" but when it came to playing the role on the spin-off show that was centered on the life of the black family, he took a break for three years and was replaced by actor Damon Evans. 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. 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". Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. #TheJeffersons #LionelJefferson #BreakupThe Jeffersons | Lionel and Jenny Are Splitting Up! 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. Wow! | The Norman Lear Effecthttps://bit.ly/NormanLearEffect With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. Evans was a creator/writer of the series Good Times (197479).[4]. Evans kept the role of Lionel when "The Jeffersons" launched in 1975. }, First published on December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM. 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]. KB: Wow. In 1978, Damon quit "The Jeffersons" to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE. As such, Lionel often enjoys patronizing Archie's attitudes by playing dumb in conversations and adopting a stereotypical speech pattern (saying things like "I'm gon' be a 'lectical engineer!" He opened up about his drug addiction to a therapist and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous. My family, on the other hand, couldnt have been happier. According to Jimmie Walker, Evans had threatened to leave if he was not given more screen time, and Norman Lear let him out of his contract. Jefferson in the family moved to Los Angeles, where he graduated Los..., appears on screen before Archie Bunker does ). [ 4 ] Times in as. His family later moved to Los Angeles High school | Photo: Images! Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois article. Made his final appearance as Lionel in the first year on the show was quite a heady.. 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