Remembering the Cast of The Jeffersons

TV's East Side family celebrate their 40th Anniversary.

Movin on Up to 40 Years of The Jeffersons - This week marks the 40th anniversary of the premiere of The Jeffersons, the longest running Black sitcom in TV history. For eleven seasons, audiences laughed until they cried at the hilarious situations George and Weezy found themselves in. To celebrate the Ruby anniversary of our favorite TV neighbors on Manhattan's Upper East Side, BET.com takes a look back at its very talented cast of actors. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Movin on Up to 40 Years of The Jeffersons - This week marks the 40th anniversary of the premiere of The Jeffersons, the longest running Black sitcom in TV history. For eleven seasons, audiences laughed until they cried at the hilarious situations George and Weezy found themselves in. To celebrate the Ruby anniversary of our favorite TV neighbors on Manhattan's Upper East Side, BET.com takes a look back at its very talented cast of actors. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Norman Lear - Legendary TV writer and producer Norman Lear is 'The Godfather of Classic Black Sitcoms.' Thanks to Lear's groundbreaking hit All in the Family, TV audiences gained two trailblazing spinoff sitcoms, Good Times and The Jeffersons. The characters of George, Louise and Lionel Jefferson were first orignated on All in the Family in 1971. In his memoir, Even This I Get To Experience, Lear said The Jeffersons was created in contrast to Good Times to showcase the life of the upwardly mobile, successful and rich Black family.(Photo: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)

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Norman Lear - Legendary TV writer and producer Norman Lear is 'The Godfather of Classic Black Sitcoms.' Thanks to Lear's groundbreaking hit All in the Family, TV audiences gained two trailblazing spinoff sitcoms, Good Times and The Jeffersons. The characters of George, Louise and Lionel Jefferson were first orignated on All in the Family in 1971. In his memoir, Even This I Get To Experience, Lear said The Jeffersons was created in contrast to Good Times to showcase the life of the upwardly mobile, successful and rich Black family.(Photo: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)

Marla Gibbs - As The Jeffersons' sassy maid Florence Johnston, actress Marla Gibbs whipped out snappy comebacks in the blink of an eye. And in doing so, she contributed to Florence and George sidesplitting verbal dustups that gave the sitcom some of its most classic moments. Post-The Jeffersons, Gibbs did lengthy TV stints on 227, The Hughleys, The First Family and starred in the films The Meteor Man and Madea's Witness Protection Program. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For Lupus LA)

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Marla Gibbs - As The Jeffersons' sassy maid Florence Johnston, actress Marla Gibbs whipped out snappy comebacks in the blink of an eye. And in doing so, she contributed to Florence and George sidesplitting verbal dustups that gave the sitcom some of its most classic moments. Post-The Jeffersons, Gibbs did lengthy TV stints on 227, The Hughleys, The First Family and starred in the films The Meteor Man and Madea's Witness Protection Program. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For Lupus LA)

Berlinda Tolbert - Berlinda Tolbert portrayed Jenny Willis Jefferson, the biracial but all-Black looking daughter of Helen and Tom Willis and wife of Lionel Jefferson. Tolbert stayed busy in both film (Harlem Nights, Goodfellas and Patriot Games) and television (ER, Six Feet Under and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) following her time in TV's deluxe apartment in the sky. (Photo: CBS/Landov)

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Berlinda Tolbert - Berlinda Tolbert portrayed Jenny Willis Jefferson, the biracial but all-Black looking daughter of Helen and Tom Willis and wife of Lionel Jefferson. Tolbert stayed busy in both film (Harlem Nights, Goodfellas and Patriot Games) and television (ER, Six Feet Under and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) following her time in TV's deluxe apartment in the sky. (Photo: CBS/Landov)

Mike Evans and Damon Evans - The role of Lionel Jefferson was so vital to the sitcom it took two actors to play him. Mike Evans originated the character both on All in yhe Family in 1971 and The Jeffersons in 1975. When Mike left The Jeffersons to work on Good Times (a show he co-created), he was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four seasons. Mike returned to The Jeffersons in 1979 and stayed with the series until 1981. He worked in real estate before sadly succumbing to cancer in 2006 at age 57. Following The Jeffersons, Damon worked on TV in Roots: The Next Generation and Third Watch. (Photos: CBS/Landov)

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Mike Evans and Damon Evans - The role of Lionel Jefferson was so vital to the sitcom it took two actors to play him. Mike Evans originated the character both on All in yhe Family in 1971 and The Jeffersons in 1975. When Mike left The Jeffersons to work on Good Times (a show he co-created), he was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four seasons. Mike returned to The Jeffersons in 1979 and stayed with the series until 1981. He worked in real estate before sadly succumbing to cancer in 2006 at age 57. Following The Jeffersons, Damon worked on TV in Roots: The Next Generation and Third Watch. (Photos: CBS/Landov)

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Franklin Cover - As the white male half of one of American TV's first interracial couples, actor Franklin Cover brought a warm sweetness to his sometimes bumbling portrayal of Tom Willis. After The Jeffersons, Cover remained a mainstay on TV thanks to roles on ER, Living Single, Mad About You and Will & Grace. He died in 2006 at the age of 77. (Photo: CBS/Landov)

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Franklin Cover - As the white male half of one of American TV's first interracial couples, actor Franklin Cover brought a warm sweetness to his sometimes bumbling portrayal of Tom Willis. After The Jeffersons, Cover remained a mainstay on TV thanks to roles on ER, Living Single, Mad About You and Will & Grace. He died in 2006 at the age of 77. (Photo: CBS/Landov)

Paul Benedict - The Jeffersons' quirky, eccentric neighbor Mr. Harry Bentley was played by British actor Paul Benedict. Whether borrowing kitchen items from Mrs. J or begging Mr. J to walk on his back, Mr. Bentley always guaranteed laughs. Benedict went on to star in the films, Waiting For Guffman, The Adams Family and Devil's Advocate. He also made guest starring appearances on A Different World, The Drew Carey Show and Seinfeld. Benedict was 70 years old when he died of a brain hemorrhage in 2008. (Photo: Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

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Paul Benedict - The Jeffersons' quirky, eccentric neighbor Mr. Harry Bentley was played by British actor Paul Benedict. Whether borrowing kitchen items from Mrs. J or begging Mr. J to walk on his back, Mr. Bentley always guaranteed laughs. Benedict went on to star in the films, Waiting For Guffman, The Adams Family and Devil's Advocate. He also made guest starring appearances on A Different World, The Drew Carey Show and Seinfeld. Benedict was 70 years old when he died of a brain hemorrhage in 2008. (Photo: Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

Ned Wertimer - Ned Wertimer's Ralph "The Doorman" Hart  always appeared with an outstretched waiting hand in search of a tip. But, he usually got a slammed door in the face and giggles from viewers instead. In the years following the series, Wertimer worked sporadically in TV on 227 and The Practice and in the film Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End. He died in 2013 at age 89, due to complications from a fall.(Photo: Michael Germana/UPI Photo/Landov)

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Ned Wertimer - Ned Wertimer's Ralph "The Doorman" Hart  always appeared with an outstretched waiting hand in search of a tip. But, he usually got a slammed door in the face and giggles from viewers instead. In the years following the series, Wertimer worked sporadically in TV on 227 and The Practice and in the film Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End. He died in 2013 at age 89, due to complications from a fall.(Photo: Michael Germana/UPI Photo/Landov)

Zara Cully - Prior to portraying George's mother Olivia Jefferson on the long-running sitcom, actress Zara Cully appeared as a guest star on such classic TV series Days of Our Lives and Mod Squad. Cully also starred in the iconic blaxploitation film dramas, Sugar Hill and The Liberation of L.B. Jones. Her role as snarky, prickly Mother Jefferson marked Cully's final role as actress. Although she never drank or smoked, the actress died at age 86 of lung cancer in 1978. (Photo: CBS/Landov)

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Zara Cully - Prior to portraying George's mother Olivia Jefferson on the long-running sitcom, actress Zara Cully appeared as a guest star on such classic TV series Days of Our Lives and Mod Squad. Cully also starred in the iconic blaxploitation film dramas, Sugar Hill and The Liberation of L.B. Jones. Her role as snarky, prickly Mother Jefferson marked Cully's final role as actress. Although she never drank or smoked, the actress died at age 86 of lung cancer in 1978. (Photo: CBS/Landov)

Roxie Roker - Actress Roxie Roker portrayed the elegant and beautiful Helen Willis on The Jeffersons. A pioneering figure for interracial relationships both onscreen and off (in real life she was married to Jewish TV producer Sy Kravitz), Roker proved that true love knew no color boundaries. The mom of rocker Lenny Kravitz went on to appear in 227, Murder She Wrote, A Different World and Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, prior to her death in 1995 at age 66. (Photo: Vincent Zuffante, Star File/Getty Images)

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Roxie Roker - Actress Roxie Roker portrayed the elegant and beautiful Helen Willis on The Jeffersons. A pioneering figure for interracial relationships both onscreen and off (in real life she was married to Jewish TV producer Sy Kravitz), Roker proved that true love knew no color boundaries. The mom of rocker Lenny Kravitz went on to appear in 227, Murder She Wrote, A Different World and Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, prior to her death in 1995 at age 66. (Photo: Vincent Zuffante, Star File/Getty Images)

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Isabel Sanford - On The Jeffersons set, actress Isabel Sanford was dubbed "The Queen," and as Louise "Weezy" Jefferson, she bought class and regalness to the brute, wacky antics of her loving husband George. Sanford enjoyed a 30-year Broadway career before moving to Hollywood. She starred in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and on The Carol Burnett Show prior to The Jeffersons. And post the hit series, the actress appreared on In the House, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and The Parkers. In 2004, Sanford passed away from heart disease at age 86. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) 

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Isabel Sanford - On The Jeffersons set, actress Isabel Sanford was dubbed "The Queen," and as Louise "Weezy" Jefferson, she bought class and regalness to the brute, wacky antics of her loving husband George. Sanford enjoyed a 30-year Broadway career before moving to Hollywood. She starred in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and on The Carol Burnett Show prior to The Jeffersons. And post the hit series, the actress appreared on In the House, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and The Parkers. In 2004, Sanford passed away from heart disease at age 86. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) 

Sherman Hemsley - As pro-Black, fiesty dry cleaner George Jefferson,Sherman Hemsley created an original, iconic TV character that viewers will never see on the small screen again. George called white people "honky" and kicked people by foot out of his apartment and audiences loved him for it. Post-Jeffersons, Hemsley played variations of George in sitcoms like, Amen and Goode Behavior. He also did long stints on the series Dinosaurs, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sister, Sister and The Hughleys. In 2012, the legendary comedic actor succumbed to lung cancer at age 74. (Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

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Sherman Hemsley - As pro-Black, fiesty dry cleaner George Jefferson,Sherman Hemsley created an original, iconic TV character that viewers will never see on the small screen again. George called white people "honky" and kicked people by foot out of his apartment and audiences loved him for it. Post-Jeffersons, Hemsley played variations of George in sitcoms like, Amen and Goode Behavior. He also did long stints on the series Dinosaurs, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sister, Sister and The Hughleys. In 2012, the legendary comedic actor succumbed to lung cancer at age 74. (Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images)