Sherman Hemsley, Mr Jefferson, dies at age 74
Sherman Hemsley, the man who brought George Jefferson to vivid life, has died at age 74. The accomplished stage actor achieved his widest fame in a role he raised to comic greatness: George Jefferson, the egotistical, strutting centerpiece of The Jeffersons.
Hemsley was found dead in his El Paso, Texas home today, according to reports.
The sad news was confirmed by police in El Paso, Texas, where Hemsley lived while not working in Los Angeles. No immediate word on cause of death, which was originally reported by TMZ.
Hemsley was personally picked by All In The Family creator Norman Lear to play George Jefferson alongside Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) as the newly arrived neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker.
Lear eventually spun off the characters in 1975 and created The Jeffersons, about a successful black family who lived in Manhattan.
The show ran 10 years.
Hemsley remained a fixture on TV for the next two decades, most notably as Deacon Earnest Fry on NBC’s hit sitcom Amen, as well as guest turns on The Love Boat, Family Matters, Lois and Clark, Family Guy, and Sister, Sister.
He also voiced B.P. Richfield on ABC’s animated prime-time Dinosarus.