CineScope
Sherman Hemsley picture

Sherman Hemsley

Acting
Known For

74 Years Old

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

Born

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA on 1st February 1938

Died

24th July 2012

All Credits

Family Guy Image
Family Guy
Sherman Hemsley (voice)
V.I.P. Image
V.I.P.
Sherman Hemsley
The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Maurice Marshall
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Image
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
The Miller (voice)
No Image
Vicki!
Self
Amen Image
Amen
Deacon Ernest Frye
Donny & Marie Image
Donny & Marie
Self
The Magic School Bus Image
The Magic School Bus
Mr. Junkett (voice)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Image
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Mr. Schott
The Hughleys Image
The Hughleys
Family Matters Image
Family Matters
Captain Savage
The Incredible Hulk Image
The Incredible Hulk
Robert
The Twilight Zone Image
The Twilight Zone
Sam (segment "I of Newton")
Sister, Sister Image
Sister, Sister
Grandpa Campbell
Sister, Sister Image
Sister, Sister
Jimmy
Burke's Law Image
Burke's Law
Judge Powell
E/R Image
E/R
George Jefferson
Dinosaurs Image
Dinosaurs
B.P. Richfield (voice)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Image
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Judge Carl Robertson
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Image
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
George Jefferson
Clueless Image
Clueless
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts Image
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self
The Wayans Bros. Image
The Wayans Bros.
Mr. Stone
Battle of the Network Stars Image
Battle of the Network Stars
Tony Orlando and Dawn Image
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Self
Designing Women Image
Designing Women
No Image
Goode Behavior
Willie Goode
All in the Family Image
All in the Family
George Jefferson
The Surreal Life Image
The Surreal Life
Self
Dinah! Image
Dinah!
Self
The Sonny and Cher Show Image
The Sonny and Cher Show
Martin Image
Martin
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Image
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Wallace Pitney
The Ben Stiller Show Image
The Ben Stiller Show
The Jeffersons Image
The Jeffersons
George Jefferson
The Secret World of Alex Mack Image
The Secret World of Alex Mack
Professor Lake
Alice in Wonderland Image
Alice in Wonderland
Mouse
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love Image
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
Pastor
The Big Show Image
The Big Show
Self
City Guys Image
City Guys
No Image
Back to the Grind
Stewardess School Image
Stewardess School
Mr. Buttersworth
Casper: A Spirited Beginning Image
Casper: A Spirited Beginning
Grocer
Senseless Image
Senseless
Smythe/Bates Doorman
No Image
Living in TV Land
Jane Austen's Mafia! Image
Jane Austen's Mafia!
George Jefferson (uncredited)
Pink Lady Image
Pink Lady
Self
Screwed Image
Screwed
Chip Oswald
Love at First Bite Image
Love at First Bite
Reverend Mike
Mr. Nanny Image
Mr. Nanny
Burt Wilson
Camp Cucamonga Image
Camp Cucamonga
Herbert Himmel
Up, Up, and Away Image
Up, Up, and Away
Edward Marshall / Steel Condor
Sprung Image
Sprung
Brotha #1
Ghost Fever Image
Ghost Fever
Buford / Jethro
Club Fed Image
Club Fed
The Reverend
Who Shrunk Saturday Morning? Image
Who Shrunk Saturday Morning?
The Master Programmer
Combat Academy Image
Combat Academy
Judge Daley
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's Image
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Self
Clunkers Image
Clunkers
Boss
Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Image
Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Magic Mirror
The Misery Brothers Image
The Misery Brothers
Rev. Scheister
Purlie Image
Purlie
Gitlow
No Image
Mr. Ed
Mr. Ed (voice)
For the Love of a Dog Image
For the Love of a Dog
George O'Donnell
Home of Angels Image
Home of Angels
No Image
A Christmas Journey Home
Homeless Guy