placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', 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. They married on January 10, 1976. It happened after a stinging loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Portland coughed up a 25-point lead. 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. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; or "Lawd almighty, what is we gonna do?"). 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. #TheJeffersons #LionelJefferson #BreakupThe Jeffersons | Lionel and Jenny Are Splitting Up! 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 worked as a school teacher. It was later revealed that he was actually Henry Jefferson, Georges brother. In 1975, a spin-off of the series titled "The Jeffersons" was created, and Mike kept on portraying Lionel. 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. 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. Mike Evans died in 2006 in his mothers house. Even though most people believed Mike would grow up to become one of the most famous faces in Hollywood, the truth is that those two episodes were the last time he was seen in front of the cameras. } 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. 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? However, that said, the first year on the show was quite a heady experience. _taboola.push({ For his part, Lionel remains unfazed by Archie's racism and unrelenting condescension. Its really been pretty phenomenal. She has a career that has included television, movies and live performances. And most of all, you dont have yourself when you get there. His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. To be quite honest, I didn't have a direction when I went there. Biography. Thankfully, Mike Evans decided to return midway during season four, so all was well again. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. She was 86. Damon sure had all of us fooled. 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. What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? (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?! She was sometimes credited as Ebony Smith. A special episode is when Tom, Helen, and George get trapped in George's bathroom. They eventually marry and gave birth to a daughter, Jessica. 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. 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A total of 253 episodes aired on CBS over 11 seasons, from January 18, 1975, through July 2, 1985. As Lionel's parents and uncle Henry appear more frequently, Lionel's role becomes less significant. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. Today Damon Evans is 72 years young and has made great strides in his life. Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 July 24, 2012) was an American actor and musician. He was 57. 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. One could say Mike was quite successful in the entertainment industry for a little more than a decade. George (front) with wife Louise and son Lionel. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. He was 57. Mike EvansAll in the Family 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?. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. 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. does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Although he was born in North Carolina, Mike eventually moved with his family to Los Angeles, California, where he decided that he wanted to try his luck in show business, having studied acting at Los Angeles City College. } 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. That didn't stop him from doing a fantastic job in front of the cameras and winning over the audience. 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 was 57. Can i add someone to my wells fargo account online? container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', He was later played by Damon Evans, while Mike was working with Monte co-creator of Good Times writing scripts for the series. "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. 'Jeffersons' Actor Mike Evans Dies December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM / AP Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has. Damon Evans was a cast member on the CBS hit 70s sitcom The Jeffersons, but while everyone must have thought he had the best life, Evans was battling personal demons that would lead him down a drug-fueled path and near-suicide. And I think, for me, that was the hardest thing was that I was so afraid to give up my identity as a performer. When Lionel gets laid off from his job, George hires him to work in his office. Under the influence, the actor walked to the George Washington Bridge, intending to jump into the Hudson River. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Dont forsake values. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. In one of the early episodes, the Jeffersons move into a house down the block from the Bunkers (later, the house is said to be next door). 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. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College. Actor Mike Evans, who played Lionel Jefferson in the television comedy series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, has died. 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. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Ed Sheeran reveals wife was diagnosed with tumor while pregnant His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. 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". 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. The Grand Terrace was located at 317 East 35th Street, on the south side of Chicago. Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. 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." Evans kept the role of Lionel when The Jeffersons launched in 1975. display: block; Michael Jonas Evans was born November 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. 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. I always tell people that I am the one without the fro and the one who married Jenny on TV. Evans gave life to the character through all of the seasons of "All in The Family" but when it came to playing the role on the spin-off show that was centered on the life of the black family, he took a break for three years and was replaced by actor Damon Evans. Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict, Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs, Ned Wertimer, Berlinda Tolbert, Roxie Roker, Isabel Sanford, and Mike Evans from "The Jeffersons" in 1975 in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. 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. All content, including text, and images contained on. And you know but gradually it happened, and of course, theres this whole new world in life. Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. 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. He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations . Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. 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. 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. 'S racism and unrelenting condescension episode is when Tom, Helen, Images. Know but gradually it happened after a stinging loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles,... 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