'The Jefferson' star Sherman Hemsley dead at 74 < br />

2012-07-26 06:08:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

EL PASO, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) -- American actor Sherman Hemsley, who starred as George Jefferson in the 1970s television series 'The Jeffersons' and 'All in the Family', died at his home in Texas on Tuesday, police said. He was 74.

El Paso police spokesman Darrel Petry said Hemsley was found dead at his residence in the city's eastside. "The preliminary investigation revealed that Sherman Hemsley was found at the residence without signs of life," he said. "No foul play is suspected. Notification of next of kin was made by Crimes Against Persons (CAP) detectives late Tuesday evening."

The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office said on Wednesday that it would not conduct an autopsy because the actor is believed to have died of natural causes.

Born in Philadelphia in 1938, Hemsley got his first big break in 1973 by playing George Jefferson on the CBS television series 'All in the Family'. In 1975, he brought his George Jefferson character to even further prominence by starring alongside his on-screen wife Isabel Sanford in 'The Jeffersons', a spin-off of 'All in the Family'. He remained in this role for 11 seasons.

Following the series' cancellation, Hemsley returned to television in 1986 on NBC's 'Amen', playing a deacon of a church in his real-time hometown of Philadelphia. The show lasted for 5 seasons. His final regular role began in 1991 when he played a Triceratops on the television program 'Dinosaurs'.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-07-26

RIP. I grew up watching you as a kid.

He's moving on up.

to that big house in the sky

RIP, I hope jefferson go to heaven

Sorry I have never heard of him or the show. RIP

His character made American television history. Jefferson was the first black man series character on U.S. t.v. to openly (and humorously) criticize white people. He played a loveable black bigot in the same way Archie Bunker of All in the Family was a loveable white bigot.

I watched some of the shows onn youtube. It was amazing what you could get away with back in the 1970's before the world was so PC. What is even more amazing is that Carroll O'Connor (Archie) and Sherman Helmsley were nothing like their characters. Both were cultured gentle caring individuals.

I watched some of the shows onn youtube. It was amazing what you could get away with back in the 1970's before the world was so PC. What is even more amazing is that Carroll O'Connor (Archie) and Sherman Helmsley were nothing like their characters. Both were cultured gentle caring individuals.

It's called ... acting.

Both All in The Family and The Jeffersons were hugely popular and very relevant in those days. All in the Family also depicted a very common social phenom in those days, hippie "flower children" in families with redneck parents. Culture clash can make great comedy.

Edited July 29, 201213 yr by Jingthing

What is even more amazing is that Carroll O'Connor (Archie) and Sherman Helmsley were nothing like their characters. Both were cultured gentle caring individuals.

Hardly amazing. They just played roles written for them by somebody else, writers who are probably equally unlike the fictional characters they created.