He was survived by his two daughters (Carlena and Tammie), his mother (Annie Sue), a brother, a cousin, and a niece. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. I just sort of just said well, let me just see where this goes. Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. Lionel Gets the Business: Directed by Bob Lally. I was thinking, How am I going to kill myself when I dont even know myself? he says. Roker died Saturday in Los Angeles, her publicist, Cynthia Snyder, said this week. Tom Sizemore's family told there's "no further hope" after aneurysm Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on . Getting high was all that mattered, Damon shared. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. During the final season of The Jeffersons, Lionel and Jenny announce they are seeking a divorce (after living apart for several years while Lionel worked in Japan). There I was Lionel which was to them the epitome of what they wanted me to be, but Lionel was just a role I played as an actor. Zara Cully, who played Mother Jefferson, had been absent from the first 17 episodes of Season Three due to a serious case of pneumonia caused by a collapsed lung. In July 1974, Evans met Helena Jefferson (19522002). Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. } According to her, she was raised by her mother and grandmother, and that, shockingly, Mike absolutely refused to believe that he was her biological father. He was 57. Can i add someone to my wells fargo account online? 2006 The Associated Press. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Id be late a lot. He has appeared in all 253 episodes of The Jeffersons . He was 57. When Lionel's father finally shows up, someone apparently has to leave to make room. He was 57. He was later played by Damon Evans, while Mike was working with Monte co-creator of Good Times writing scripts for the series. (FYI: He is not related to Mike Evans, who played the first Lionel on the show). Not only that, but she believes that she felt his spirit asking her to save his house, which was bound to be foreclosed. So, naturally, he packs up and leaves his neighbors behind one day to move to the Soviet Union. ", Mike Evans' daughter Carlena Harris | Photo: YouTube/Carlena Harris. But he was mainly known for his role as Bentley on The Jeffersons, which ran on CBS from 1975 to 1985. Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in . And most of all, you dont have yourself when you get there. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Lionel sometimes loses patience with Michael, feeling that Michael relates to him as a representative of the black community rather than as an individual. 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'. 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. The show touched on issues that were taboo on TV at the time such as homosexuality, abortion, racism, rape, religion and more. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Evans attended the Interlochen Academy on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. (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 86. In a prior People Magazine article, Damon explained how his lack of jobs, led to depression, then to years of drug addiction. LOS ANGELES Actress Isabel Sanford, best known as Weezie, Louise Jefferson on the television sitcom The Jeffersons, died of natural causes, her publicist said Monday. Original Lionel, Mike Evans, decided to leave the show after the second season. Mike Evans died in 2006 in his mothers house. It would be almost a decade before they were free to leave that venue. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', Isabel Sanford, who played Louise Weezy Jefferson on The Jeffersons for a decade, died Friday of natural causes at Los Angeles Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, her publicist told the Associated Press. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations . The Jeffersons Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. 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. She was 66. 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. 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). Are any of the original little rascals cast still alive? 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. 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. Losing my anonymity at such a young age was devastating to me. Michael Jonas Evans was born November 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. "Good Times". Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. But while we were getting to know Mike Evans, the actor, his daughter, Carlena Harris, was apparently getting to know him as her dad, whom she says . 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.. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. _taboola.push({ 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. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on The Jeffersons as well. Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. Born in Baltimore, he graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, USA on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. To this very day, I dont think they have a clue as to who I really am, and thats there loss. She has a career that has included television, movies and live performances. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. 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. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. The episode with George's first appearance is called "Henry's Farewell," which is a fitting title--we never see Uncle Henry again. Biography. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. And I think, for me, that was the hardest thing was that I was so afraid to give up my identity as a performer. 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. Are any of the members of peter, paul and mary still alive? What happened to Hines during that decade is the stuff legends are made of. "The Jeffersons" cast His Addictions & Suicide Attempt. He reportedly had a huge crush on a girl who was older than him. It was later revealed that he was actually Henry Jefferson, Georges brother. Turns out, he has some very interesting and deep reasons for this. }); Copyright 2015 . placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', He studied acting at Los Angeles City College. }, First published on December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM. The hit show was a spinoff featuring bigoted Archie Bunkers black neighbors in Queens who move on up to the East Side of Manhattan. He attended Palmer Memorial Institute, a private school for young black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina. In the second half of Wednesday's Live in Front of a On the PBS childrens show Sesame Street, Benedict was the Mad Painter who painted numbers everywhere. 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. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? 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. After the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter asked Lillard how . KB: Wow. Four years after her death, Evans died of throat cancer at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, California, at the age of 57.[5]. Wow! 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. No! And things start evolving and I started tutoring. Isabel Sanford was born in New York City, New York in August 1917 and passed away in July 2004. 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. Who played the original Lionel Jefferson? does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. That didn't stop him from doing a fantastic job in front of the cameras and winning over the audience. 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. And things start evolving and I started tutoring. It achieved the record of having topped the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive years. 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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. Publicity photo of Mike Evans during his time on "All in the Family" circa 1971 | Photo: Getty Images. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. His family later moved to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Los Angeles High School. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Evans . It happened after a stinging loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Portland coughed up a 25-point lead. Today Damon Evans is 72 years young and has made great strides in his life. In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. [2], Evans continued to play the role on the spinoff The Jeffersons, but left after the first season to pursue other aspects of his career. Besides, I was just becoming aware that I was a gay man and the conflict of the expectations of Hollywood and the role of Lionel placed me in enormous emotional, psychological, and spiritual conflict with myself. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. 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. _taboola.push({ Evans kept the role of Lionel when "The Jeffersons" launched in 1975. 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"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. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. 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. In 2007 (at age 56) he earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Bronx College in New York. iloveoldschoolmusic.com. While Carlene suffered a lot at his hands, she eventually forgave him. All Rights Reserved. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Although he was supposed to play a more significant role with more screen time, he left after the first season. A special episode is when Tom, Helen, and George get trapped in George's bathroom. 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