Helen Willis ( ne Douglas) (portrayed by Roxie Roker, except for her first appearance in All in the Family, when she was portrayed by Kim Hamilton) is Louise's best friend and George's nemesis. Unfortunately, in the years that followed, Damon soon realized Hollywood had mostly typecast him as the comedic character, Lionel. However, he wanted to prove his diversity. Wow! George, opposed to miscegenation, calls Helen and Tom "zebras" or "chocolate and . He opened up about his drug addiction to a therapist and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous. Sometimes, that is still not enough for some people to differentiate us apart. To get her attention, he called her Weezy, and it stuck. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. 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). or "Lawd almighty, what is we gonna do?"). What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? Trending News In a prior People Magazine article, Damon explained how his lack of jobs, led to depression, then to years of drug addiction. Unfortunately, when Damons work permit in the UK expired, and he returned to the United States, the actor discovered he had been typecast as a comedic character. 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. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. But his big break was his Jeffersons character of Tom Willis, a great foil to George. Damon Evans played Lionel from seasons 2-4, before being replaced by Mike Evans, who left the series to co-produce and develop another Norman Lear series. After the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter asked Lillard how . 22 (AP) Mike Evans, an actor best known for playing Lionel Jefferson on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family and its popular spinoff The Jeffersons, died at his mothers home here on Dec. 14. Online (22 Dec 2006, 02:56:00 PM PST): ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Evans_(actor)&oldid=1125602728, People from San Bernardino County, California, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Main cast (34 episodes) (final appearance), This page was last edited on 4 December 2022, at 22:04. I thought, I cant go on like this anymore, Evans recalls. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home. what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons 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. 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. She has been married to Tom Willis, a white man, for 34 years. 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. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. During a guest appearance on "The Charay Vaughn Show," Harris opened up about the cruel way he used to treat her when she was only a child, revealing that he was never involved in her life. 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. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Mike Evans. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on The Jeffersons as well. target_type: 'mix' Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. KB: Wow. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. And you know but gradually it happened, and of course, theres this whole new world in life. All content, including text, and images contained on. _taboola.push({ TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Biography. Harris said: "I just had to live with the fact that I didn't have an earthly father who wanted me, but the thing with that is it certainly caused me to be closer to my heavenly father and got me to a point where I was content. The nickname came about when Hemsley was still a teenager back in Philadelphia. Maestro cue the outro music! Gibbs was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois. Actor Mike Evans. In 1978, Damon quit "The Jeffersons" to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE. 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? 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 Grand Terrace was located at 317 East 35th Street, on the south side of Chicago. display: block; [citation needed] Evans's body was cremated. In the second half of Wednesday's Live in Front of a The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? She was 86. It happened after a stinging loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Portland coughed up a 25-point lead. Evans was a creator/writer of the series Good Times (197479).[4]. Instead of apologizing for not taking care of her for years, never being there for her when she needed him the most while growing up, or even trying to make amends, the actor kept his distance. I started loving it, I mean, started knowing that I could even write. Lionel was born in New York City on October 18, 1953. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', 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. Evans attended the Interlochen Academy on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. 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What happened to Lionel on The Jeffersons? He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On what advice he would tell others who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue an acting career. Evans was also a real estate investor and owned properties in California's Inland Empire.[5]. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. And things start evolving and I started tutoring. Evans played Lenny in the cast of the 197677 Danny Thomas situation comedy The Practice during its second and final season. } She was 66. I thought, I cant go on like this anymore, Damon recalled, but then another thought crept in that stopped him from ending his life: I was thinking, How am I going to kill myself when I dont even know myself?. Four years after her death, Evans died of throat cancer at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, California, at the age of 57.[5]. He was 57. In 1975, a spin-off of the series titled "The Jeffersons" was created, and Mike kept on portraying Lionel. Damon Evans on never meeting the 1st Lionel.. Damon Evans: Dont forsake their values to their ultimate goal. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in 1970s situation comedy All in the Family.. [2], Evans continued to play the role on the spinoff The Jeffersons, but left after the first season to pursue other aspects of his career. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. Damon Evans took over the role and he stayed for two years in seasons three and fourthis was the dark period. He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. 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For his part, Lionel remains unfazed by Archie's racism and unrelenting condescension. The series lasted eight years and ran for eleven seasons, becoming the #1 comedy series in television with the highest rankings on its summer reruns. A total of 253 episodes aired on CBS over 11 seasons, from January 18, 1975, through July 2, 1985. Are any of the cast of my three sons still alive? The hit show was a spinoff featuring bigoted Archie Bunker's black neighbors in Queens who "move on up to the East Side" of Manhattan. December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM display: none; A special episode is when Tom, Helen, and George get trapped in George's bathroom. Get to Know 'The Girl from Plainville' Star's Girlfriend of 7 Years, Roseanne Barr Blamed Sara Gilbert for Destroying Her Her Family-Oriented Life After the Scandal, James Drury Died Months after Wife of 40 Years He Had Several Heartbreaks before His 'Wonderful Marriage'. When Lionel's father finally shows up, someone apparently has to leave to make room. Its really been pretty phenomenal. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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.". In 1978, Damon quit The Jeffersons to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE. Lear improvised and hired Mel Stewart as a sort of placeholder. In the sitcoms storyline, Stewart posed as George Jefferson when he joined Georges wife, Louise (played by Isabel Sanford), for dinner at the Bunker home. He was 57. Ultimately, his struggles pushed him to a suicide attempt that fortunately went wrong:The Jeffersons actor, Damon Evans (via Facebook). 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. Show developer Norman Lear preferred Cleavon Little for the role, but Rich lobbied to cast an actor who would appear less threatening. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. Zara Cully, who played Mother Jefferson, had been absent from the first 17 episodes of Season Three due to a serious case of pneumonia caused by a collapsed lung. He left in 1981 to pursue other projects but returned in 1983. Mike Evans and other cast members of "The Jeffersons" circa 1974 | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. 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. Today Damon Evans is 72 years young and has made great strides in his life. Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in . All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. Mike Evans as Lionel in Season 1 of "The Jeffersons". But they're far from happy; in fact, they're so happy they've agreed to a separation. 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). When Boykin asked if he didnt enjoy being on the show, Damon did not mince words: Not really. Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. 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Ready for Tolkien Battle, How the Landscape of Native-Led Stories Has Changed Between Avatars: Were Flexing Our Sovereignty, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. 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. 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". / AP. Damon sure had all of us fooled. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mothers home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. ", Mike Evans' daughter Carlena Harris | Photo: YouTube/Carlena Harris. Are any of the original little rascals cast still alive? 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. Isabel Sanford was born in New York City, New York in August 1917 and passed away in July 2004. Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. It really was the verbal autobiography that brought this attention to the fact of what Ive done and I and for I talked to the students about what it meant about learning to let go of family, about, you know, following your own course in life, and about confronting the fear of change. 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. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. The next day, Damon began taking steps to make his life better. As Lionel's parents and uncle Henry appear more frequently, Lionel's role becomes less significant. Lionel tells Archie off, but also lets him know that they can remain friends. For the second time in recent months, Sony has screwed up on the episode guide and listed episodes as being on the wrong disc. Getting high was all that matteredI didnt have any pride, Evans admitted. (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?! 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." 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. For other people named Michael Evans, see, "Mike Evans, 57; Lionel in 'Jeffersons' created 'Good Times', E! Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? Remember him? As such, Lionel often enjoys patronizing Archie's attitudes by playing dumb in conversations and adopting a stereotypical speech pattern (saying things like "I'm gon' be a 'lectical engineer!" "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. Although popularly known as one of the actors who portrayed "Lionel Jefferson" on the long-running sitcom The Jeffersons (1975), Damon Evans is an accomplished singer and stage performer. [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. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. Publicity photo of Mike Evans during his time on "All in the Family" circa 1971 | Photo: Getty Images. Losing my anonymity at such a young age was devastating to me. display: none; Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Evans also stated that he never had a chance to meet the first Lionel, played by Mike Evans, who was also the co-creator of the Good Times sitcom: Damon Evans: I was the second Lionel and I never met Mike, although I did meet his mother one Sunday in church during the first year I was doing the show. On the first two seasons of All in the Family, Lionel has an uncle named Henry. Michael Jonas Evans was born November 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. George (front) with wife Louise and son Lionel. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Paul Benedict (September 17, 1938 December 1, 2008) was an American actor who made numerous appearances in television and films, beginning in 1965. 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. His last role was in a 2000 episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger. My family, on the other hand, couldnt have been happier. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. 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. Not wanting to settle, he remained jobless for many years and eventually turned to drugs to deal with his frustration. Via People: A depressed and unemployed Evans came close to ending his own life. Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. I always tell people that I am the one without the fro and the one who married Jenny on TV. Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. Are any of the members of peter, paul and mary still alive? Damon also took a mail-room job that kept him going until he was able to secure roles in several small-time theater productions. His family later moved to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Los Angeles High School. Of those in the Bunker household, Lionel is closest to Archie's son-in-law Michael Stivic. 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. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. I didnt have any pride.. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Evans . I was thinking, How am I going to kill myself when I dont even know myself? he says. I just sort of just said well, let me just see where this goes. Id be late a lot. Early life [ edit] Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. The late star was born in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1949, son to father Theodore Evans Sr., who made a living as a dentist, and to mother Annie Sue Evans, who . Franklin Cover first began acting in 1960 and was on The Jackie Gleason Showa couple of times in 1967 as a police officer. What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. But he was mainly known for his role as Bentley on The Jeffersons, which ran on CBS from 1975 to 1985. She has a career that has included television, movies and live performances. 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. 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. Start Today. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game . To the east si-i-ide!. #inline-recirc-item--id-9e2ec6fa-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Mike Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season in order to devote more time to writing for Maude spinoff Good Times, which he had helped create. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It achieved the record of having topped the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive years. Because once you get there youll find out that there is no there there. Sanford died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said Brad Lemack. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. Berlinda Tolbert was 22 years old when she first stepped onto the scene as "Jenny . But he didn't waste any time finding a new project and found himself working behind the cameras in "Good Times," the show which he helped create and started writing for. While the actor was away from the Jeffersons, Damon Evans, who starred in the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Broadway's "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope," replaced him between the second and fourth seasons. Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. Church and began taking steps to make room he didnt enjoy being on the Jackie Gleason Showa couple Times! 197677 Danny Thomas situation comedy the Practice during its second and final.... 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