Sherman Hemsley
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 1, 1938
- Died
- July 24, 2012 (aged 74)
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Biography
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
Filmography
Mr. Ed
TV · as Mr. Ed (voice) · 1 ep
Clunkers
Movie · as Boss
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
Movie · as Pastor
For the Love of a Dog
Movie · as George O'Donnell
Back to the Grind
TV · 1 ep
Living in TV Land
TV · 1 ep
The Surreal Life
TV · as Self · 9 eps
Screwed
Movie · as Chip Oswald
Up, Up, and Away
Movie · as Edward Marshall / Steel Condor
Family Guy
TV · as Sherman Hemsley (voice) · 1 ep
Jane Austen's Mafia!
Movie · as George Jefferson (uncredited)
Senseless
Movie · as Smythe/Bates Doorman
The Hughleys
TV · as James Williams · 4 eps
V.I.P.
TV · as Sherman Hemsley · 1 ep
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
Movie · as Store Owner
Sprung
Movie · as Brotha #1
City Guys
TV · 1 ep
Figure It Out
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Christmas Journey Home
Movie · as Homeless Guy
Clueless
TV · as Murray's Grandpa · 1 ep
Goode Behavior
TV · as Willie Goode · 23 eps
The Misery Brothers
Movie · as Rev. Scheister
The Wayans Bros.
TV · as Mr. Stone · 1 ep
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
TV · as The Miller (voice) · 1 ep
Home of Angels
Movie
The Secret World of Alex Mack
TV · as Professor Lake · 1 ep
Burke's Law
TV · as Judge Powell · 1 ep
The Magic School Bus
TV · as Mr. Junkett (voice) · 1 ep
Sister, Sister
TV · as Jimmy, Grandpa Campbell · 3 eps
Mr. Nanny
Movie · as Burt Wilson
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
TV · as Mr. Schott · 1 ep
The Ben Stiller Show
TV · 1 ep
Martin
TV · as Mr. Washington · 1 ep
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
TV · as Wallace Pitney · 1 ep
Vicki!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Dinosaurs
TV · as B.P. Richfield (voice) · 29 eps
Camp Cucamonga
Movie · as Herbert Himmel
Club Fed
Movie · as The Reverend
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV · as George Jefferson, Judge Carl Robertson · 2 eps
Who Shrunk Saturday Morning?
Movie · as The Master Programmer
Family Matters
TV · as Captain Savage · 3 eps
Ghost Fever
Movie · as Buford / Jethro
Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Movie · as Magic Mirror
Stewardess School
Movie · as Mr. Buttersworth
Combat Academy
Movie · as Judge Daley
Designing Women
TV · 1 ep
Amen
TV · as Deacon Ernest Frye · 110 eps
The Twilight Zone
TV · as Sam (segment "I of Newton") · 1 ep
Alice in Wonderland
TV · as Mouse · 1 ep
E/R
TV · as George Jefferson · 2 eps
Purlie
Movie · as Gitlow
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Movie · as Self
The Big Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Pink Lady
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Love at First Bite
Movie · as Reverend Mike
The Magic of David Copperfield
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Love Boat
TV · as Maurice Marshall, Henry Bullard · 1 ep
The Incredible Hulk
TV · as Robert · 1 ep
The Sonny and Cher Show
TV · 2 eps
Donny & Marie
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Battle of the Network Stars
TV · 1 ep
The Jeffersons
TV · as George Jefferson · 248 eps
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Cameo (uncredited) · 1 ep
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV · as Self · 1 ep
All in the Family
TV · as George Jefferson · 11 eps