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". Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Born in Baltimore, Evans attended the Interlochen Academy on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. Mike Evans, the actor who portrayed Lionel Jefferson on the TV series "All In The Family" and "The Jeffersons," passed away at the age of 57 years old following a short-lived career. The nickname came about when Hemsley was still a teenager back in Philadelphia. October 11, 2022September 27, 2022by John Groove 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 reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. Roker died Saturday in Los Angeles, her publicist, Cynthia Snyder, said this week. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Franklin Cover first began acting in 1960 and was on The Jackie Gleason Showa couple of times in 1967 as a police officer. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons, has died. Lets just say this, Ive taken detours but I always come back home. He opened up about his drug addiction to a therapist and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous. He was 57. 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, the actor confessed during an interview with Keith Boykin, per ILOSM. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Maestro cue the outro music! 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. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mothers home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. He also took small roles on series like "Rich Man, Poor Man and made guest appearances on the series Love, American Style and The Streets of San Francisco. His last role was in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger in 2000. The Jeffersons (Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley) get the news that Lionel and Jenny (Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert) are separating, so they team up with the Willises (Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker) to try and get the couple back together.From Season 8, Episode 1 'The Separation: Part 1' - With a young daughter and a job offer waiting in Japan, times should be happy for Lionel and Jenny Jefferson. Damon Evans took over the role and he stayed for two years in seasons three and fourthis was the dark period. 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.". Remember him? Publicity photo of Mike Evans during his time on "The Jeffersons" circa 1975 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. When the series ended, Gibbs took on other TV roles including portraying Mary Jenkins on the sitcom 227. https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/sherman-hemsley-net-worth/, https://the-jeffersons.fandom.com/wiki/Florence_Johnston, Georges Weezy nickname was based off on a real-life romance. He was survived by his two daughters (Carlena and Tammie), his mother (Annie Sue), a brother, a cousin, and a niece. Under the influence, the actor walked to the George Washington Bridge, intending to jump into the Hudson River. Talk about stress and adjustment issues. 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. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Its great that Damon sought the help he desperately needed, but in the beginning the sudden reality of him having to go from Lionel the superstar, back to the everyday civilian, working in the mail room, had to a tough adjustment. Lionel Jefferson, who appeared in seasons 1-5 of All In The Family is the son of George and Louise Jefferson, On the AITF series, the part was played by Mike Evans, who would go on to co-create another Norman Lear produced sitcom, Good Times in 1975, the same season his character Lionel, George and Louise were spun off themselves into a series, titled The Jeffersons. My family, on the other hand, couldnt have been happier. In 2007 (at age 56) he earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx College in New York. Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. Evans kept the role of Lionel when The Jeffersons launched in 1975. In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. I didnt have any pride.. Posted On : May 14, 2015. 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. 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. 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). Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). display: none; His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. Roxie Roker, the elegant and beautiful actress best known for her role as Helen Willis on the long-running hit CBS television series The Jeffersons, has died. To support himself, he took a job in the mail room of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, where he gamely replied Yes whenever coworkers asked, Werent you Lionel? Evans also joined a church and began taking singing lessons. We all remember "Jenny Willis," "Tom's" and "Helen's" daughter on The Jeffersons, but many of us didn't hear much from her outside of a few other roles in films like Harlem Knights, Goodfellas, and such. Unfortunately, that didn't make their relationship any better. 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. display: block; His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a teacher. On the show, Bentleys disappearance is explained away like this: Bentley works as a Russian interpreter for the United Nations. Mike drew his last breath at his home his mothers home in Twentynine Palms in 2006, as announced by his niece, Chrystal Evans, following a battle with throat cancer. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game . 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. [3] Actor and opera singer Damon Evans (no relation to Michael) then took the role of Lionel, but Mike Evans returned in the role for the sixth through eighth seasons. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. 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. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', iloveoldschoolmusic.com. On what advice he would tell others who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue an acting career. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. Lionel was born in New York City on October 18, 1953. Early life [ edit] Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Because once you get there youll find out that there is no there there. Lionel is generally amused, rather than angered or irritated, by Archie's frequent displays of ignorance and bigotry, often seeing Archie's comments as well-meaning, albeit ignorant, rather than outright malicious. Start Today. In 1975, a spin-off of the series titled "The Jeffersons" was created, and Mike kept on portraying Lionel. What happened to the first Lionel on The Jeffersons show? Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. That didn't stop him from doing a fantastic job in front of the cameras and winning over the audience. For his part, Lionel remains unfazed by Archie's racism and unrelenting condescension. Check out an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans on how The Jeffersons sitcom negatively affected his life. George (front) with wife Louise and son Lionel. According to him, he wanted to educate America in the sense that Lionel was a black married man who was working on his masters and was ready to have a family, which was something America hadn't seen yet. } 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? 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. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Mike EvansAll in the Family He was later played by Damon Evans, while Mike was working with Monte co-creator of Good Times writing scripts for the series. For other people named Michael Evans, see, "Mike Evans, 57; Lionel in 'Jeffersons' created 'Good Times', E! Mike Evans and other cast members of "All In the Family" in August 1975 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. 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). target_type: 'mix' All Rights Reserved. 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. There was such a marked difference in our interpretations of the role. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. "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. 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. #TheJeffersons #LionelJefferson #BreakupThe Jeffersons | Lionel and Jenny Are Splitting Up! Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on . 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. After the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter asked Lillard how . 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. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). 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. It was later revealed that he was actually "Henry Jefferson," "George's" brother. What happened to Hines during that decade is the stuff legends are made of. Both Weezy and George were cast later. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. 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. 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