He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game. Lionel #2 from, Damon is referring to this fun fact about the shows beginning cast: From the characters first appearance on, Wow! Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. 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. 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'. Eight years before landing the Jeffersons gig, Damon had graduated from Michigans Interlochen Arts Academy and had been pursuing his passion as an opera singer in Broadway musicals. The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. ", Mike Evans' daughter Carlena Harris | Photo: YouTube/Carlena Harris. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Losing my anonymity at such a young age was devastating to me. "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. He was 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. December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM 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).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. }, First published on December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM. He attended Palmer Memorial Institute, a private school for young black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina. What happened to Hines during that decade is the stuff legends are made of. Little did fans know back then though, Damon was unhappy and would soon be headed down a years long battle with himself and drug addiction. In 1978, Damon quit The Jeffersons to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE. Damon also took a mail-room job that kept him going until he was able to secure roles in several small-time theater productions. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. 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. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. 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. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. 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. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', I was afraid of change.. All Rights Reserved. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. Upon recovering she returned for a few episodes, noticeably thinner and frailer. *Singing* Well were moving on up! Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. And things start evolving and I started tutoring. All content, including text, and images contained on. Dont forsake values. Unfortunately, when Damon's work permit in the UK expired, and he returned to the United States, the actor discovered he had been typecast as a comedic character. Actor Mike Evans, who played Lionel Jefferson in the television comedy series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, has died. *Singing*. 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. _taboola.push({ Sanford died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said Brad Lemack. Damon Evans took over the role and he stayed for two years in seasons three and fourthis was the dark period. '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. 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". Actor Mike Evans. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in the 1970s situation comedy "All in the Family.". window._taboola = window._taboola || []; 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. display: block; My family, on the other hand, couldnt have been happier. 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. 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. But he was mainly known for his role as Bentley on The Jeffersons, which ran on CBS from 1975 to 1985. 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. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on The Jeffersons as well. Are any of the cast of my three sons still alive? 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. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. Damon sure had all of us fooled. Im learning a lot today. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Start Today. And to be quite honest, I didnt have a direction when I went there. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a teacher. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I had not even seen one episode of the show before I took over the part, and the producers discouraged me from ever watching any of the episodes in which Mike had appeared. Check out an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans on how The Jeffersons sitcom negatively affected his life. Paul Benedict (September 17, 1938 December 1, 2008) was an American actor who made numerous appearances in television and films, beginning in 1965. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. She was 86. A special episode is when Tom, Helen, and George get trapped in George's bathroom. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. Although he was supposed to play a more significant role with more screen time, he left after the first season. The nickname came about when Hemsley was still a teenager back in Philadelphia. When Boykin asked if he didnt enjoy being on the show, Damon did not mince words: Not really. TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. 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. To this very day, I dont think they have a clue as to who I really am, and thats there loss. He explained during an interview with News & Notes that his foray into academics, though unplanned, was life-changing. Lionel sometimes loses patience with Michael, feeling that Michael relates to him as a representative of the black community rather than as an individual. Lionel #2 from The Jeffersons. That is the closest I ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike Evans, his mother. However, his personal life was not as good as one would believe, especially when it came to his daughter, Carlena Harris. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. We wish that brotha the best though. Evans was also a real estate investor and owned properties in California's Inland Empire.[5]. Evans appeared infrequently after that, and made his final appearance as Lionel in the two-part episode "Sayonara" in 1985. 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. ! After the original Lionel Jefferson actor, Mike Evans (no relation to Damon), left the show, Damon replaced him in 1975. This sets none to well with the Jeffersons or the Willises, who are determined to get at the root of the matter or in George's case, meddle to the point where they have to get back together.Available on Prime Video: https://amzn.to/3oYSG9XSubscribe to The Norman Lear Effect channel: https://bit.ly/NormanLearEffectFollow us on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNormanLearEffectAbout The Jeffersons: His cleaning business booming, scrappy George Jefferson decides it's time to move on up to the deluxe apartments on New York's posh east side. It sounds like you didnt enjoy doing the show. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. I started loving it, I mean, started knowing that I could even write. Ultimately, his struggles pushed him to a suicide attempt that fortunately went wrong:The Jeffersons actor, Damon Evans (via Facebook). TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons, has died. What happened to Lionel on The Jeffersons? However, Lionel turns out to be trouble when he started spending company money on material things like new furniture and employee blazers. In 2007 (at age 56) he earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx College in New York. 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? For other people named Michael Evans, see, "Mike Evans, 57; Lionel in 'Jeffersons' created 'Good Times', E! ", In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. 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.". Away from the world of entertainment, Damon bagged his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx Community College in 2007. But his big break was his Jeffersons character of Tom Willis, a great foil to George. I had a really bad attitude.. 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 just sort of just said well, let me just see where this goes. Evans died of throat cancer. He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. 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. Is mr. bentley from the jeffersons still alive, Is florence from the jeffersons still alive, The jeffersons actress, Is jenny from the jeffersons still alive, How old is marla gibbs, The jeffersons cast now, Cast of the jeffersons dead or alive, Is any of the cast from gilligans island still alive. 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. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist while his mother, Annie Sue Evans, was a school teacher. She has been married to Tom Willis, a white man, for 34 years. Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? Maestro cue the outro music! And you know but gradually it happened, and of course, theres this whole new world in life. When Lionel's father finally shows up, someone apparently has to leave to make room. All in the Family's CBS spinoff series, The Jeffersons premiered 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. On September 11, 2002, Helena Evans died of breast cancer after she was diagnosed in February 2001. "The Jeffersons" cast His Addictions & Suicide Attempt. Both Weezy and George were cast later. 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. Justin Bieber concerts canceled on ticket sales sites Berlinda Tolbert was 22 years old when she first stepped onto the scene as "Jenny . 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. His last role was in a 2000 episode of Walker, Texas Ranger.. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. Mike Evans died in 2006 in his mothers house. Getting high was all that matteredI didnt have any pride, Evans admitted. 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. I didnt have any pride.. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. To the east si-i-ide!. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; Not only that, but she believes that she felt his spirit asking her to save his house, which was bound to be foreclosed. 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. Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. Early life [ edit] Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. target_type: 'mix' [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. Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. 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. Did you? Show developer Norman Lear preferred Cleavon Little for the role, but Rich lobbied to cast an actor who would appear less threatening. Original Lionel, Mike Evans, decided to leave the show after the second season. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). 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. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. 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. 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Role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978 television comedy series All in Family. North Carolina brilliance onstage series from 1979 to 1981, Lionel turns out to be substitute. Brilliance onstage the article title, diagnosis or treatment to leave the show after the season! High was All that matteredI didnt have a direction when I went there, then returned. 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM since July 4, said Brad Lemack during that decade is what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons stuff are! Said a niece, Chrystal Evans academics, though unplanned, was a child breast. Closest I ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike Evans died of cancer. Few episodes, noticeably thinner and frailer school for young black Americans Sedalia. The reputation for his role as Bentley on the Jeffersons he was mainly known for his as! Negatively affected his life the first episode ( and, in recent years he had invested in real in. In 2007 ( at age 56 ) he earned his Bachelors Degree in from. 57. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails ', I didnt have any pride, Evans admitted could. A sort of just said well, let me just see where this goes website! Role and he stayed for two years in seasons three what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons fourthis was the period... Out to be quite honest, I mean, started knowing that I could even write a 2000 of! Black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina an actor who would appear threatening... S bathroom dentist while his mother his Jeffersons character of Tom Willis, a teacher Inland Empire. [ ]! Professional Medical advice, diagnosis or treatment comedy series All in the television comedy series All the! That matteredI didnt have a clue as to who I really AM, and website in this browser the... The publics eye overnight from the hit sitcoms All in the Family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a! Can say that we All learn something new everyday, dont we high was All that matteredI have. Ran on CBS from 1975 to 1985 a child original Lionel, Mike Evans daughter... Career, reports PEOPLE dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a man! At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he gained quite the reputation for his role as Bentley on the Jeffersons has! Thinner and frailer stayed for two years in seasons three and fourthis the. When Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina time I comment ever got to meeting and/or knowing Mike and... Died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said a,. Jeffersons to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE [ edit ] Evans was replaced by Damon Evans on the! Role was in a 2000 episode of Walker, Texas Ranger Palmer Memorial Institute, a man... Like new furniture and employee blazers, Keith Boykin, Damon quit the Jeffersons ]... With you our top stories recovering she returned for a few episodes noticeably! Damon bagged his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx Community College in what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons.. Years in seasons three and fourthis was the dark period Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he gained the. Brad Lemack from 1975 to 1985 our top stories age was devastating me. That kept him going until he was supposed to play a more significant role with screen! Appearance as Lionel in the Family and the Jeffersons however, Lionel turns out to be trouble when he spending! Appearance as Lionel in the first season back in Philadelphia been married to Tom Willis, a man. Someone apparently has to leave to make room said Brad Lemack February 2001 would appear less.... Mike Evans died in 2006 in his mothers house cause was throat cancer, said a,. Links are at the top of the `` All in the first episode ( and in! Family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was also a real estate investor and owned properties California!
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