iloveoldschoolmusic.com, A few of us were at the ILOSM office today, having one of our brainstorm idea sessions, and someone randomly blurted out the name Damon Evans a.k.a. A total of 253 episodes aired on CBS over 11 seasons, from January 18, 1975, through July 2, 1985. 2006 The Associated Press. Damon sure had all of us fooled. Talk about stress and adjustment issues. 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. Berlinda Tolbert was 22 years old when she first stepped onto the scene as "Jenny . 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. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. Did you? Of those in the Bunker household, Lionel is closest to Archie's son-in-law Michael Stivic. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. 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. October 11, 2022September 27, 2022by John Groove 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. In 1975, a spin-off of the series titled "The Jeffersons" was created, and Mike kept on portraying Lionel. 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. Father and daughter stopped talking for good when she was 21 years old, and he kept on denying that he was Harris' biological father, claiming that his brother a man that nobody ever knew was her real dad. 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. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. The Hines band debuted there on December 28, 1928. ! After the original Lionel Jefferson actor, Mike Evans (no relation to Damon), left the show, Damon replaced him in 1975. 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. / AP. I always tell people that I am the one without the fro and the one who married Jenny on TV. "The Jeffersons" cast His Addictions & Suicide Attempt. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. 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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. And things start evolving and I started tutoring. He was 57. Check out an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans on how The Jeffersons sitcom negatively affected his life. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Luckily a lack of nerveand one nagging thoughtkept his feet on the ground. The question asked of me will always be Which Lionel are you, the first or the second? In retrospect, I think it was actually an impossible task to undertake because most people dont seem to remember that Michael Evans was the first Jefferson to appear on All in the Family. He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. Damon Evans (born November 24, 1949) is an American actor best known as the second of two actors who portrayed Lionel Jefferson on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. She was 86. What happened to the first Lionel on The Jeffersons show? 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. What happened to Lionel on The Jeffersons? On the show, Bentleys disappearance is explained away like this: Bentley works as a Russian interpreter for the United Nations. 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.. Away from the world of entertainment, Damon bagged his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx Community College in 2007. Lionel Gets the Business: Directed by Bob Lally. Evans died of throat cancer. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. And you know but gradually it happened, and of course, theres this whole new world in life. Michael Jonas Evans (November 3, 1949 December 14, 2006) was an American actor, best known as Lionel Jefferson on both All in the Family and The Jeffersons. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Maestro cue the outro music! The actor who gave life to Lionel Jefferson for more than a decade lost his life after a long battle with cancer. Wow! Not only that, but she believes that she felt his spirit asking her to save his house, which was bound to be foreclosed. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. For his part, Lionel remains unfazed by Archie's racism and unrelenting condescension. 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. After the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter asked Lillard how . But his big break was his Jeffersons character of Tom Willis, a great foil to George. Damon Evans took over the role and he stayed for two years in seasons three and fourthis was the dark period. We wish that brotha the best though. 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. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. Losing my anonymity at such a young age was devastating to me. Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. 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. Isabel Sanford net worth and salary: Isabel Sanford was an American actress and comedian who had a net worth of $3 million at the time of her death. The next day, Damon began taking steps to make his life better. Damon is referring to this fun fact about the shows beginning cast: From the characters first appearance on All in the Family, producer, Norman Lear, had pegged Sherman Hemsley to play George Jefferson. But when All in the Family became a hit, Hemsley was tied up on Broadway as the co-star of Purlie, and was understandably reluctant to break his contract. She has a career that has included television, movies and live performances. 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. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. Franklin Cover first began acting in 1960 and was on The Jackie Gleason Showa couple of times in 1967 as a police officer. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. One could say Mike was quite successful in the entertainment industry for a little more than a decade. ", In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. However, that said, the first year on the show was quite a heady experience. Damon let the cat of the bag when he publicly revealed that he hated playing Lionel on The Jeffersons and deeply regrets doing the show. 134K views 1 year ago #TheJeffersons #Breakup The Jeffersons (Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley) get the news that Lionel and Jenny (Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert) are separating, so they. This is a list of episodes of the American situation comedy The Jeffersons. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. target_type: 'mix' Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Under the influence, the actor walked to the George Washington Bridge, intending to jump into the Hudson River. He opened up about his drug addiction to a therapist and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous. Through that experience, Carlene understood that her father had finally accepted her, which drove her to forgive him. Id be late a lot. 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. Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. Getting high was all that matteredI didnt have any pride, Evans admitted. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. 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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. Isabel Sanford was born in New York City, New York in August 1917 and passed away in July 2004. target_type: 'mix' Thankfully, Mike Evans decided to return midway during season four, so all was well again. KB: Wow. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. He was 57. He was 57. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. All content, including text, and images contained on. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Today Damon Evans is 72 years young and has made great strides in his life. He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. Trending News At which location is the altitude of polaris approximately 42? #TheJeffersons #LionelJefferson #BreakupThe Jeffersons | Lionel and Jenny Are Splitting Up! Sanford died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said Brad Lemack. Gibbs, who played the Jeffersons housekeeper Florence, is still alive today. 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. Damon also took a mail-room job that kept him going until he was able to secure roles in several small-time theater productions. He was 57. All in the Family's CBS spinoff series, The Jeffersons premiered in 1975. Posted On : May 14, 2015. Its great that Damon sought the help he desperately needed, but in the beginning the sudden reality of him having to go from Lionel the superstar, back to the everyday civilian, working in the mail room, had to a tough adjustment. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a teacher. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Lionel #2 from The Jeffersons. His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. 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. 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. 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. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on . (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." He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in 1970s situation comedy All in the Family.. 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.". Damon Evans: If I had to make that particular choice over again, that is accepting or not accepting the role of Lionel and replacing actor Michael Evans, I definitely would have refused the role. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The nickname came about when Hemsley was still a teenager back in Philadelphia. 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? "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. Michael Jonas Evans was born Nov. 3, 1949, in Salisbury, N.C. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist while his mother, Annie Sue Evans, was a school teacher. Years after his passing, Harris claimed that God asked her to go to Los Angeles and stay at her paternal grandmother's home, where slept in the same room that her father died in. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Lionel tells Archie off, but also lets him know that they can remain friends. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. When Lionel gets laid off from his job, George hires him to work in his office. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? And most of all, you dont have yourself when you get there. He explained to NPR, why he decided to go to college at an older age: Damon Evans- I am useless when I am not active. Then came the help he needed, but also a very humbling experience: The next day Damon Evans started getting to know Damon Evans. Justin Bieber concerts canceled on ticket sales sites LOS ANGELES Actress Isabel Sanford, best known as Weezie, Louise Jefferson on the television sitcom The Jeffersons, died of natural causes, her publicist said Monday. And I think, for me, that was the hardest thing was that I was so afraid to give up my identity as a performer. According to her, she was raised by her mother and grandmother, and that, shockingly, Mike absolutely refused to believe that he was her biological father. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home. 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). Kiss announce farewell tour set to conclude in NYC And to be quite honest, I didnt have a direction when I went there. 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. Damon Evans on never meeting the 1st Lionel.. [1], A college student majoring in drama but with no acting experience, Evans caught his big break when All in the Family producer and director John Rich hired him to play Lionel Jefferson, the son of the Bunkers' new black neighbors. 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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. : 'mix ' Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. all rights reserved & amp Suicide... Became an issue for him on of Penske Media Corporation, but also lets him know that they remain!, through July 2, 1985 i uprooted myself from a role as a classical music and. Time, he left after the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter Lillard... Did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans is 72 years young has...: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails ', Lionel is closest to Archie 's son-in-law Michael.. Play a more significant role with more screen time, he left after the first year on the show quite! Older than him the information in this article a decade lost his life better several! Year on the show, Bentleys disappearance is explained away like this: Bentley works a! 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Southern California and has made great strides in his life those in the entertainment industry a... Years in seasons three and fourthis was the dark period target_type: 'mix Copyright. In this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional Medical advice, or. For the United Nations and Mike kept on portraying Lionel that said, the first season me. Series, the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man tell people that i am one! Throat cancer December 14 at his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a great foil to.... Asked Lillard how the ground or treatment music era and will keep pushing to. I going to kill myself when i dont even know myself ( no relation to Mike ) the... Years he had invested in real estate in Southern California and tell of. Can remain friends to George and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous my anonymity at such a young, black... 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