Sherman Hemsley
Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012) was an American actor, best 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. Richfield on the ABC series Dinosaurs. For his work on The Jeffersons, Hemsley was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. He also won an NAACP Image Award. Hemsley was born and raised in South Philadelphia by his mother, who worked in a lamp factory.[1] He did not meet his father until he was 14. He attended Barrat Middle School, Central High School for 9th grade and Bok Technical High School for 10th, when he dropped out of school and joined the United States Air Force, where he served for four years. On leaving the Air Force, he returned to Philadelphia, where he worked for the United States Postal Service during the day while attending the Academy of Dramatic Arts at night. He then moved to New York, continuing to work for the Post Office during the day while working as an actor at night. He starred as Gitlow in the early 1970s Broadway musical Purlie. While Hemsley was on Broadway with Purlie, Norman Lear called him in 1971 to play the recurring role of George Jefferson in his new sitcom, All in the Family. Hemsley was reluctant to leave his theatre role, but Lear told him that he would hold the role open for him. Hemsley joined the cast two years later. The characters of Hemsley and co-star Isabel Sanford were supporting occasional roles on All in the Family, but were given their own spin-off, The Jeffersons, two years after Hemsley made his debut on the sitcom. The Jeffersons proved to be one of Lear's most successful series, enjoying a run of 11 seasons through 1985. Hemsley was a shy and intensely private man, described by some as reclusive. He avoided the Hollywood limelight and little of his personal life was public knowledge beyond the facts that he never married and he had no children.[9] In 2003, however, Hemsley granted a rare video interview to the Archive of American Television. "It [playing George Jefferson] was hard for me. But he was the character. I had to do it." On July 24, 2012, Hemsley died at his home in El Paso, Texas, at age 74. The cause of death was given as superior vena cava syndrome, a complication associated with lung and bronchial carcinomas. He had had a malignant mass on one of his lungs for which chemotherapy and radiation had been recommended, according to the El Paso County Texas Medical Examiner's report. CLR
Known For
Credits
- 2015 · Clunkers as Boss
- 2009 · American Pie Presents: The Book of Love as Pastor
- 2008 · For the Love of a Dog as George O'Donnell
- 2007 · Back to the Grind as
- 2004 · Living in TV Land as
- 2003 · The Surreal Life as Self
- 2000 · Screwed as Chip Oswald
- 2000 · Up, Up, and Away as Edward Marshall / Steel Condor
- 1999 · Family Guy as Sherman Hemsley (voice)
- 1998 · V.I.P. as Sherman Hemsley
- 1998 · The Hughleys as
- 1998 · Jane Austen's Mafia! as George Jefferson (uncredited)
- 1998 · Senseless as Smythe/Bates Doorman
- 1997 · Casper: A Spirited Beginning as Grocer
- 1997 · City Guys as
- 1997 · Sprung as Brotha #1
- 1996 · A Christmas Journey Home as Homeless Guy
- 1996 · Clueless as
- 1996 · Goode Behavior as Willie Goode
- 1995 · Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as The Miller (voice)
- 1995 · The Wayans Bros. as Mr. Stone
- 1995 · The Misery Brothers as Rev. Scheister
- 1994 · The Secret World of Alex Mack as Professor Lake
- 1994 · The Magic School Bus as Mr. Junkett (voice)
- 1994 · Burke's Law as Judge Powell
- 1994 · Home of Angels as
- 1993 · Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as Mr. Schott
- 1993 · Mr. Nanny as Burt Wilson
- 1992 · The Ben Stiller Show as
- 1992 · Martin as
- 1991 · Dinosaurs as B.P. Richfield (voice)
- 1990 · Camp Cucamonga as Herbert Himmel
- 1990 · The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as George Jefferson
- 1990 · The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Judge Carl Robertson
- 1990 · Club Fed as The Reverend
- 1989 · Who Shrunk Saturday Morning? as The Master Programmer
- 1989 · Family Matters as Captain Savage
- 1989 · Liberian Girl as Sherman Hemsley
- 1987 · Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as Magic Mirror
- 1987 · Ghost Fever as Buford / Jethro
- 1986 · Combat Academy as Judge Daley
- 1986 · Designing Women as
- 1986 · Amen as Deacon Ernest Frye
- 1986 · Stewardess School as Mr. Buttersworth
- 1985 · Alice in Wonderland as Mouse
- 1985 · Alice in Wonderland as The Mouse
- 1985 · The Twilight Zone as Sam
- 1984 · E/R as George Jefferson
- 1981 · Purlie as Gitlow
- 1980 · The Big Show as Self
- 1980 · Pink Lady as Self
- 1980 · The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's as Self
- 1979 · Love at First Bite as Reverend Mike
- 1977 · The Incredible Hulk as Robert
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Maurice Marshall
- 1976 · Battle of the Network Stars as
- 1976 · The Sonny & Cher Show as
- 1976 · Donny & Marie as Self
- 1975 · The Jeffersons as George Jefferson
- 1974 · Tony Orlando and Dawn as Self
- 1974 · Dinah! as Self
- 1973 · The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts as Self
- 1971 · All in the Family as George Jefferson
- 2024 · Mr. Ed as Mr. Ed (voice)