What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? Posted On : May 14, 2015. Lionel sometimes loses patience with Michael, feeling that Michael relates to him as a representative of the black community rather than as an individual. 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. 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.". Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in . Getting high was all that mattered, Damon shared. On the first two seasons of All in the Family, Lionel has an uncle named Henry. He was known for his roles as The Number Painter on the PBS childrens show Sesame Street and as the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. 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. 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 studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in the 1970s situation comedy "All in the Family.". George (front) with wife Louise and son Lionel. 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. Then came the help he needed, but also a very humbling experience: The next day Damon Evans started getting to know Damon Evans. 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. (L) Damon Evans, the actor who played Lionel Jefferson on The Jeffersons sitcom; (inset photo) The Jeffersons stars, Isabel Sanford (Weezy Jefferson) and Sherman Hemsley (George Jefferson) When most of us first saw actor, Damon Evans, pop up on The Jeffersons as Weezys and Georges son, we were like, Who dat?! Born in Baltimore, he graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, USA on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. I was thinking, How am I going to kill myself when I dont even know myself? he says. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. 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. Publicity photo of Mike Evans during his time on "The Jeffersons" circa 1975 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. He also acted in the 1976 TV miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man and made guest appearances on the TV series Love, American Style and The Streets of San Francisco. His last role was in a 2000 episode of Walker, Texas Ranger.. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a teacher. 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. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. 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. 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. #inline-recirc-item--id-9e2ec6fa-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { On the PBS childrens show Sesame Street, Benedict was the Mad Painter who painted numbers everywhere. Damon sure had all of us fooled. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', 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. Justin Bieber concerts canceled on ticket sales sites AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. But while we were getting to know Mike Evans, the actor, his daughter, Carlena Harris, was apparently getting to know him as her dad, whom she says . Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. . news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Did you? He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game . It sounds like you didnt enjoy doing the show. Under the influence, the actor walked to the George Washington Bridge, intending to jump into the Hudson River. He has appeared in all 253 episodes of The Jeffersons . Mike EvansAll in the Family Maestro cue the outro music! No! He was 57. }); Copyright 2015 . He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. His new drug-heavy life would lead Damon to almost ending his life sometime in 1997. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? 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. 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).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. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. He was 57. _taboola.push({ He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM target_type: 'mix' High on crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, he walked from his upper Manhattan apartment to the George Washington Bridge and contemplated leaping into the Hudson River 250 feet below. He opened up about his drug addiction to a therapist and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous. ! After the original Lionel Jefferson actor, Mike Evans (no relation to Damon), left the show, Damon replaced him in 1975. He was 57. target_type: 'mix' Not only that, but she believes that she felt his spirit asking her to save his house, which was bound to be foreclosed. Although he was supposed to play a more significant role with more screen time, he left after the first season. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? Yep, he can SANG. He also acted in the 1976 TV miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man" and made guest appearances on the TV series "Love, American Style" and "The Streets of San Francisco." AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. ", Mike Evans' daughter Carlena Harris | Photo: YouTube/Carlena Harris. Damon Evans, one of two actors who played Lionel Jefferson on the '70s sitcom The Jeffersons, talks with Michel Martin. ", In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. 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. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Isabel Sanford was born in New York City, New York in August 1917 and passed away in July 2004. She was 86. Gibbs, who played the Jeffersons housekeeper Florence, is still alive today. Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict, Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs, Ned Wertimer, Berlinda Tolbert, Roxie Roker, Isabel Sanford, and Mike Evans from "The Jeffersons" in 1975 in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. George, opposed to miscegenation, calls Helen and Tom "zebras" or "chocolate and . In 2007 (at age 56) he earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx College in New York. 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. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). 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. To get her attention, he called her Weezy, and it stuck. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. display: none; It's really been pretty phenomenal., Although Damon has been out of the spotlight for a long time, the actor/opera singer is remembered for his works in productions like Operas Porgy And Bess, Broadways Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, and Jesus Christ Superstar, and as a young Alex Haley in the ABC TV miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. display: none; On September 11, 2002, Helena Evans died of breast cancer after she was diagnosed in February 2001. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. 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. _taboola.push({ 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. 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. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College. Are any of the original little rascals cast still alive? The nickname came about when Hemsley was still a teenager back in Philadelphia. Little did fans know back then though, Damon was unhappy and would soon be headed down a years long battle with himself and drug addiction. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. 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