"The Jeffersons" (1975) TV series 1975-1985

Creator:

Bernard West
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Release Date:

18 January 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A nouveau riche, African-American family who move into a luxury apartment building develop close, if occasionally fractious, relationships with other tenants.

Plot Keywords:

Dry Cleaning | Sitcom | New York City | African American | Marriage

Awards:

Nominated for 8 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 22 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Mar. 22	3:30 AM	CW	Laundry Is a Tough Town	#9.1
Mon. Mar. 22	4:00 AM	CW	Laundry Is a Tough Town	#9.2

Cast

Isabel Sanford	...	Louise Jefferson (253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Sherman Hemsley	...	George Jefferson (253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Marla Gibbs	...	Florence Johnston (207 episodes, 1975-1985)
Roxie Roker	...	Helen Willis (193 episodes, 1975-1985)
Franklin Cover	...	Tom Willis (187 episodes, 1975-1985)
Paul Benedict	...	Harry Bentley (144 episodes, 1975-1985)

Series Directed by
Jack Shea		(110 episodes, 1975-1979)
Bob Lally		(97 episodes, 1978-1983)
Oz Scott		(40 episodes, 1983-1985)
Tony Singletary		(3 episodes, 1984)
Arlando Smith		(2 episodes, 1984)

Series Writing credits
Norman Lear		(253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Bernard West		(253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Mike Milligan		(30 episodes, 1975-1981)
Jay Moriarty		(30 episodes, 1975-1981)
Jerry Perzigian		(30 episodes, 1979-1985)
Don Seigel		(30 episodes, 1979-1985)
Peter Casey		(29 episodes, 1979-1985)
David Lee		(29 episodes, 1979-1985)
Michael G. Moye		(23 episodes, 1979-1984)
Gordon Mitchell		(20 episodes, 1975-1977)
Lloyd Turner		(20 episodes, 1975-1977)
Ron Leavitt		(11 episodes, 1980-1984)
Robert Wolterstorff		(10 episodes, 1976-1980)
Paul M. Belous		(9 episodes, 1976-1979)
David W. Duclon		(8 episodes, 1980-1982)
John Baskin		(7 episodes, 1975-1978)
Roger Shulman		(7 episodes, 1975-1978)
Sandy Sprung		(6 episodes, 1983-1984)
Marcy Vosburgh		(6 episodes, 1983-1984)
Bill Steinkellner		(6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Cherie Steinkellner		(6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Don Nicholl		(5 episodes, 1975)
Fred S. Fox		(5 episodes, 1976-1981)
Seaman Jacobs		(5 episodes, 1976-1981)
Bob Baublitz		(5 episodes, 1976-1980)
Bryan Joseph		(5 episodes, 1978-1980)
Dixie Brown Grossman		(4 episodes, 1975-1977)
Michael Ross		(4 episodes, 1975)
Kurt Taylor		(4 episodes, 1976-1984)
Ted Dale		(4 episodes, 1978-1981)
Nancy Vince		(4 episodes, 1978-1981)
Jim Rogers		(4 episodes, 1978)
Neil Lebowitz		(4 episodes, 1979-1983)
Joyce Gittlin		(4 episodes, 1982-1984)
Jeffrey Richman		(4 episodes, 1982-1984)
John Ashby		(3 episodes, 1975-1977)
Howard Albrecht		(3 episodes, 1976-1979)
Sol Weinstein		(3 episodes, 1976-1979)
Richard Freiman		(3 episodes, 1976-1978)
Jack Shea		(3 episodes, 1977-1979)
Stephen Neigher		(3 episodes, 1979-1985)
Bob Bendetson		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Howard Bendetson		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
David Silverman		(3 episodes, 1981)
Stephen Sustarsic		(3 episodes, 1981)
Sara V. Finney		(3 episodes, 1982-1985)
Lewis Goldstein		(3 episodes, 1983-1985)
Hans Kracauer		(3 episodes, 1983-1985)
James Ritz		(2 episodes, 1975-1976)
Erik Tarloff		(2 episodes, 1975)
Frank Tarloff		(2 episodes, 1975)
Ann Gibbs		(2 episodes, 1976-1984)
Joel Kimmel		(2 episodes, 1976-1984)
John Donley		(2 episodes, 1976-1978)
Stephen Young		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Kim Weiskopf		(2 episodes, 1977-1983)
Patt Shea		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Susan Straughn Harris		(2 episodes, 1979)
Bernard Burnell Mack		(2 episodes, 1979)
Arthur Bonaduce		(2 episodes, 1980)
Celia Bonaduce		(2 episodes, 1980)
Al Aidekman		(2 episodes, 1983-1985)
Marty Farrell		(2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Ilene Cooper		(2 episodes, 1983)
Patrick Egan		(2 episodes, 1983)

Series Produced by
George Sunga	....	associate producer (111 episodes, 1975-1979)
Don Nicholl	....	producer (87 episodes, 1975-1978)
Michael Ross	....	producer (87 episodes, 1975-1978)
Bernard West	....	producer (87 episodes, 1975-1978)
Ken Stump	....	associate producer (44 episodes, 1979-1981)
Mike Milligan	....	producer (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jay Moriarty	....	producer (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jack Shea	....	producer (24 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jerry Perzigian	....	executive producer (24 episodes, 1984-1985)
Don Seigel	....	executive producer (24 episodes, 1984-1985)
John Maxwell Anderson	....	associate producer (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
Michael G. Moye	....	producer (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
David W. Duclon	....	producer (20 episodes, 1980-1981)
Ron Leavitt	....	producer (20 episodes, 1980-1981)
Sy Rosen	....	producer (14 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Film Editing by
Kelly Sandefur		(4 episodes, 1980)

Series Art Direction by
Don Roberts		(5 episodes, 1975-1979)

Series Set Decoration by
Earl Carlson		(1 episode, 1975)

Series Makeup Department
Jim Kail	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1976-1977)

Series Production Management
Norman Lear	....	production supervisor (4 episodes, 1975-1977)
Nikki Content	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1976)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bob Lally	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Art Department
Lee Lazarow	....	set dresser (22 episodes, 1983-1984)

Series Sound Department
Tamara Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer (118 episodes, 1980-1985)
Ralph L. Davis	....	sound (73 episodes, 1982-1985)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Glover	....	lighting director (120 episodes, 1975-1980)
Keeth Lawrence	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1975)
Tom Schamp	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1976-1979)

Series Casting Department
Jane Murray	....	casting / casting executive (5 episodes, 1975-1979)
Pat Kirkland	....	casting (2 episodes, 1977-1979)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rita Riggs	....	costumes / wardrobe (4 episodes, 1975-1977)

Series Music Department
Jeff Barry	....	composer: theme music (253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Ja'net DuBois	....	composer: theme music (253 episodes, 1975-1985)

Series Other crew
Fran McConnell	....	production supervisor (253 episodes, 1975-1985)
Mark Miller	....	first video operator (13 episodes, 1975)
Don Nicholl	....	script supervisor (4 episodes, 1975-1977)
Michael Ross	....	script supervisor (4 episodes, 1975-1977)
Bernard West	....	script supervisor (4 episodes, 1975-1977)
John Westbrook	....	technical director (4 episodes, 1976-1979)
Gordon Mitchell	....	executive story editor / story editor (3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Ellis Toney	....	stage manager (3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Lloyd Turner	....	executive story editor / story editor (3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Mike Milligan	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jay Moriarty	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Stuart Shostak	....	studio audience warm-up comedian (2 episodes, 1983-1985)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Embassy Television
• Ragamuffin Inc.
• TAT Communications Company
• The NRW Company

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Embassy Telecommunications
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)
• TAT Communications Company

Other Companies

• CBS Television City  taping location
• Metromedia Square  taping location
• Universal City Studios  taping location

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

Spin off from "All In the Family" (1971).

Quotes:

Louise Jefferson: Lionel, you'd better go to your room. I don't want you to get hit by your father.
Lionel Jefferson: Why would Dad hit me?
Louise Jefferson: Because I'm not sure just where I'm going to throw him!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Married with Children: Dances with Weezy (#8.10)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Movin' On Up

The Jeffersons- Another 70's CBS Classic, But Are George and Archie Twins?

If the Television Hall of Fame selected television programs as a whole to win a gold plaque similar to Cooperstown N.Y. for MLB, or Canton Ohio for the NFL, "The Jeffersons" would be there front and center.

The long running CBS sitcom which aired from 1975 through 1985, won several Emmys, including Isabel Sanford for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. To me "The Jeffersons" is one of television's top fifty All-Time Programs, and the best one with a predominately African American cast, better than "The Cosby Show" and "Sanford and Son". As a child it was a thrill to be able to watch this program when schoolwork or bedtime did not get in the way.

I now own the first two seasons of "The Jeffersons" on DVD, and I enjoy the performances of all the characters. The show is of course centered around bigoted and avaricious George (Sherman Helmsley), and his long suffering wife Louise "Weezy" Jefferson (Isabel Sanford), but the performances of the character actors are also well above par. Paul Benedict as George's goofy, bizarre neighbor, Ned Wertimer as the not so modest or polite (when it comes to tips) doorman, Mike Evans as wisecracking son Lionel, and Marla Gibbs as wisecracking live-in-maid Florence, and of course the interracial couple who are usually the butt of George's racist jokes, Tom and Helen Willis played by Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker. And of course don't forget going way back in the day when people born in the 1890's were alive, well and entertaining us all, Zara Cully as George Jefferson's quick witted Mother, Olivia. She was hilarious when seeking attention from George and Weezy she intentionally tackles herself to the ground in a season 2 episode.

But "The Jeffersons" at least the first two seasons centers around George and his vices, which often outweigh his virtues, similar to the Archie Bunker character introduced in the early 1970's. Like Archie George is set in his ways, avaricious, sometimes crude, and often bigoted. Like Archie he is a bigot without a mean streak. He is a lovable bigot, and his racist views are played out for laughs, but George is not a carbon copy of Archie. They're not twins. Archie makes fun of everyone that is not his race, religion creed, or sexual orientation. George sticks to the basics. Just make fun of whitey, and those whites that don't offer him anything in return for his efforts.

There are some whites like Wittendale, the banker who holds the key to George's future of a dry cleaning monopoly. George always wants to pander to this guy. However George has no use for "honkies" like Tom Willis and his black wife Helen. Like Archie Bunker he despises mixed marriages. (Although Archie is all for Irish marrying Italian). Mostly because Weezy has him on a short leash, George reluctantly accepts Tom and Helen Willis as neighbors and in-laws.

One major reason why Archie's ethnic and racial slurs often spiral out of control and George's doesn't is the nature of the women they're married to. Edith is tolerant, dingbatty, and naive, while Weezy is sharp, quick witted, and as shrewd as George. She puts her foot down faster on George, than Edith does on Archie. Edith tends to push Archie in the direction he's going, with some first class dingbat punchlines added in.

George is a little bit of a thing, with an obsession for power and control, much like Danny DeVito in the movies. He lusts for money and power, and he's got it, a wife a family and a full chain of cleaning stores. Archie doesn't have all this. Archie needs to shut other people down to better his own situation. George doesn't. George has money and power. However, like Archie he is set in his ways, and his lack of modesty always gets him into trouble.

What this show was missing was a crossover appearance by Archie and Edith from the slums of Flushing to the penthouses in Manhattan. Carroll O' Connor and Jean Stapleton never appeared on "The Jeffersons." "The Jeffersons" was not the greatest TV sitcom. "All in the Family" along with "Seinfeld", "The Honeymooners" and "Cheers" were better. However there was a certain charm with this show that lasted from the Gerald Ford through the second half of the Ronald Reagan presidency. This was one fine show.