SH
Sherman Hemsley
Actor
Born February 1, 1938Died July 24, 2012 (74 years)
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
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
Filmography
| 2015 | Car Lot · as Boss |
| 2009 | American Pie Presents: The Book of Love · as Pastor |
| 2008 | Hanging in Hedo · as Henry Hunter |
| 2007 | For the Love of a Dog · as George O'donnell |
| 2006 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne (TV Series) · as George Jefferson |
| 2004 | Hit Celebrity TV Commercials · as Ill Husband - For Nyquil |
| 2004 | Mr. Ed · as Mr. Ed (voice) |
| 2000 | Screwed · as Chip Oswald |
| 2000 | Up, Up, and Away! · as Edward Marshall / Steel Condor |
| 1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) · as Sherman Hemsley (voice) |
| 1998 | The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer (TV Series) · as Union Spy |
| 1998 | The Hughleys (TV Series) |
| 1998 | Cousin Skeeter (TV Series) · as Mr. T-Bone |
| 1998 | Mafia! · as George Jefferson (uncredited) |
| 1998 | Senseless · as Smythe/bates Doorman |
| 1997 | Casper: A Spirited Beginning · as Grocer |
| 1997 | City Guys (TV Series) |
| 1997 | Sprung · as Brotha #1 |
| 1996 | Clueless (TV Series) |
| 1996 | Goode Behavior (TV Series) · as Willie Goode |
| 1995 | Minor Adjustments (TV Series) · as Dr. Engel |
| 1995 | |
| 1995 | In the House (TV Series) · as Buster |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (TV Series) · as The Miller (voice) |
| 1995 | The Wayans Bros. (TV Series) · as Mr. Stone |
| 1995 | The Misery Brothers · as Rev. Scheister |
| 1994 | The Secret World of Alex Mack (TV Series) · as Professor Lake |
| 1994 | Me and the Boys (TV Series) · as Irv |
| 1994 | The Magic School Bus (TV Series) · as Mr. Junkett (voice) |
| 1994 | All That (TV Series) · as Doctor |
| 1994 | Sister, Sister (TV Series) · as Grandpa Campbell |
| 1994 | Thunder in Paradise (TV Series) · as Capt. Hawspipe |
| 1994 | Burke's Law (1994) (TV Series) · as Judge Powell |
| 1993 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (TV Series) · as Mr. Schott |
| 1993 | |
| 1992 | The Ben Stiller Show (TV Series) |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (TV Series) · as Wallace Pitney |
| 1992 | Martin (TV Series) |
| 1991 | Dinosaurs (TV Series) · as B.p. Richfield (voice) |
| 1990 | What a Dummy (TV Series) · as Dills |
| 1990 | Camp Cucamonga · as Herbert Himmel |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series) · as Judge Carl Robertson |
| 1990 | Club Fed · as The Reverend |
| 1990 | In Living Color (TV Series) · as Mr. Jefferson |
| 1989 | Family Matters (TV Series) · as Captain Savage |
| 1989 | Who Shrunk Saturday Morning? · as The Master Programmer |
| 1986 | Ghost Fever · as Buford / Jethro |
| 1986 | Combat High · as Judge Daley |
| 1986 | Designing Women (TV Series) |
| 1986 | Amen (TV Series) · as Deacon Ernest Frye |
| 1986 | Stewardess School · as Mr. Buttersworth |
| 1985 | Alice in Wonderland (1985) (TV Series) · as Mouse |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone (1985) (TV Series) · as Sam |
| 1985 | 227 (TV Series) · as Thurmond Fox |
| 1984 | E/R (1984) (TV Series) · as George Jefferson |
| 1982 | Purlie · as Gitlow |
| 1979 | Love at First Bite · as Reverend Mike |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk (TV Series) · as Robert |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Maurice Marshall |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Charlie Atkins |
| 1976 | The Sonny & Cher Show (TV Series) |
| 1975 | Dean's Place · as Tailor |
| 1975 | The Jeffersons (TV Series) · as George Jefferson |
| 1971 | All in the Family (TV Series) · as George Jefferson |