July 27: Movin' On Up: The Best of Sherman Hemsley and Chad Everett

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Note: I will conclude the series on the YesterTube Most Memorable TV Moments next week.

Norman Lear created George Jefferson. Sherman Hemsley, who died this week, perfected him.

Even while Mel Stewart was playing Henry Jefferson (George's brother) on "All In the Family," Lear still had in mind that Hemsley would be playing the role of George. Once he did, the sparks flew between George Jefferson and Archie Bunker:

George & Archie

Like so many memorable Lear characters, George and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) were destined for their own spinoff, to that "deluxe apartment in the sky"

The Announcement

"The Jeffersons" ran for a decade on CBS and established an African-American upwardly mobile family from humble beginnings. Interestingly, the last season of "The Jeffersons" coincided with the first season of NBC's "The Cosby Show," another trailblazer.

Hemsley didn't have to wait too long for another television job. During the fall of 1986, "Amen," produced by Johnny Carson's production company, made its debut on NBC. Hemsley played the often scheming but generally soft-hearted Deacon Ernest Frye:
Amen

During the late 80s, "Amen" was also a very successful part of NBC's lineup.

Hemsley would be featured in various series - even reprising his role as George Jefferson a couple of times - for the rest of his life.

The first six seasons of "The Jeffersons" have been released on DVD. Inexplicably, "Amen" has not yet been released.

Here's another look at George and "Weezy" - through "The Jefferson's" fantastic theme song, "Movin' On Up":

The Jeffersons

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Chad Everett, who also died this week, set plenty of hearts aflutter on the CBS series "Medical Center" as Dr. Joe Gannon:

Medical Center

Like Hemsley, Everett also continued to work until recently. Only the first season of "Medical Center" is available on DVD so far, but Everett fans can catch his work on "Murder She Wrote," the mini-series "Centennial" and many more shows.

See you next week, with a wrap-up of the Most Memorable TV Moments.