Remembering the Cast of The Jeffersons

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

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)
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)

Next Gallery

12 Powerful Quotes from Black Women Athletes to Inspire Greatness

12 Photos

11 / 12

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) 

ADVERTISEMENT