! After the original Lionel Jefferson actor, Mike Evans (no relation to Damon), left the show, Damon replaced him in 1975. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Evans . Mike Evans as Lionel in Season 1 of "The Jeffersons". Thinking that this is the beginning of the \"easy life,\" George is ill-prepared for the unexpected pitfalls his new address will bring him. 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. High on crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, he walked from his upper Manhattan apartment to the George Washington Bridge and contemplated leaping into the Hudson River 250 feet below. His last role was in a 2000 episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger. Lionel tells Archie off, but also lets him know that they can remain friends. The Hines band debuted there on December 28, 1928. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Michael Jonas Evans was born November 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. To support himself, he took a job in the mail room of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, where he gamely replied Yes whenever coworkers asked, Werent you Lionel? Evans also joined a church and began taking singing lessons. Getting high was all that mattered, Damon shared. Damon Evans, one of two actors who played Lionel Jefferson on the '70s sitcom The Jeffersons, talks with Michel Martin. 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. He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. 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. While the actor was away from the Jeffersons, Damon Evans, who starred in the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Broadway's "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope," replaced him between the second and fourth seasons. Talk about stress and adjustment issues., In a 2001 PEOPLE interview, the actor further revealed that his dissatisfaction caused him to act out. target_type: 'mix' 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. TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. At which location is the altitude of polaris approximately 42? When the series ended, Gibbs took on other TV roles including portraying Mary Jenkins on the sitcom 227. https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/sherman-hemsley-net-worth/, https://the-jeffersons.fandom.com/wiki/Florence_Johnston, Georges Weezy nickname was based off on a real-life romance. Lionel Gets the Business: Directed by Bob Lally. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist while his mother, Annie Sue Evans, was a school teacher. To this very day, I dont think they have a clue as to who I really am, and thats there loss. She was 86. 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). or "Lawd almighty, what is we gonna do?"). AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Mike Evans. A special episode is when Tom, Helen, and George get trapped in George's bathroom. According to him, he wanted to educate America in the sense that Lionel was a black married man who was working on his masters and was ready to have a family, which was something America hadn't seen yet. 'Jeffersons' Actor Mike Evans Dies December 22, 2006 / 9:42 AM / AP Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has. Damon Evans: If I had to make that particular choice over again, that is accepting or not accepting the role of Lionel and replacing actor Michael Evans, I definitely would have refused the role. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Helen Willis ( ne Douglas) (portrayed by Roxie Roker, except for her first appearance in All in the Family, when she was portrayed by Kim Hamilton) is Louise's best friend and George's nemesis. That didn't stop him from doing a fantastic job in front of the cameras and winning over the audience. Wow! Unfortunately, when Damon's work permit in the UK expired, and he returned to the United States, the actor discovered he had been typecast as a comedic character. He attended Palmer Memorial Institute, a private school for young black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina. His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. He was known for his roles as The Number Painter on the PBS childrens show Sesame Street and as the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? 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. There was such a marked difference in our interpretations of the role. Early life [ edit] Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. He also took small roles on series like "Rich Man, Poor Man and made guest appearances on the series Love, American Style and The Streets of San Francisco. His last role was in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger in 2000. Ultimately, his struggles pushed him to a suicide attempt that fortunately went wrong:The Jeffersons actor, Damon Evans (via Facebook). [3] Actor and opera singer Damon Evans (no relation to Michael) then took the role of Lionel, but Mike Evans returned in the role for the sixth through eighth seasons. Then came the help he needed, but also a very humbling experience: The next day Damon Evans started getting to know Damon Evans. Damon let the cat of the bag when he publicly revealed that he hated playing "Lionel" on The Jeffersons and deeply regrets doing the show. Sometimes, that is still not enough for some people to differentiate us apart. 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 . No! Tom Sizemore's family told there's "no further hope" after aneurysm Damon is referring to this fun fact about the shows beginning cast: From the characters first appearance on All in the Family, producer, Norman Lear, had pegged Sherman Hemsley to play George Jefferson. But when All in the Family became a hit, Hemsley was tied up on Broadway as the co-star of Purlie, and was understandably reluctant to break his contract. He opened up about his drug addiction to a therapist and reportedly joined Narcotics Anonymous. What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on . The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. Check out an interview that Damon did with interviewer, Keith Boykin, Damon Evans on how The Jeffersons sitcom negatively affected his life. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). And to be quite honest, I didnt have a direction when I went there. He was not a crucial part of the show by any means, but he was still considered to be an important member of the cast. Isabel Sanford, (born August 29, 1917, New York, New York, U.S.died July 9, 2004, Los Angeles, California), American actress best known for her role as Louise (Weezy) Jefferson in the long-running television situation comedy The Jeffersons (197585). He also portrayed the young Alex Haley (ages 17-25) in the ABC television miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. 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In the second half of Wednesday's Live in Front of a And you know but gradually it happened, and of course, theres this whole new world in life. To the east si-i-ide!. 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. what happened to the first lionel on the jeffersons display: block; If I had to make that particular choice over again, that is accepting or not accepting the role of Lionel and replacing actor Michael Evans, I definitely would have refused the role, the actor confessed during an interview with Keith Boykin, per ILOSM. Archie considers himself to be Lionel's good friend and even mentor. We came to know him as the character, "Lionel," from "The Jeffersons" and it was he and his friend, Eric Monte's, creative genius that gave us their sitcom creation, "Good Times.". We all remember "Jenny Willis," "Tom's" and "Helen's" daughter on The Jeffersons, but many of us didn't hear much from her outside of a few other roles in films like Harlem Knights, Goodfellas, and such. mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', He was 57. He is the son of George and Louise Jefferson. To get her attention, he called her Weezy, and it stuck. Jane Fonda announces her cancer is in remission Damon Evans (born November 24, 1949) is an American actor, best known as the second of two actors who portrayed Lionel Jefferson on the The Jeffersons. 2006 The Associated Press. } Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. Lionel Jefferson, who appeared in seasons 1-5 of All In The Family is the son of George and Louise Jefferson, On the AITF series, the part was played by Mike Evans, who would go on to co-create another Norman Lear produced sitcom, Good Times in 1975, the same season his character Lionel, George and Louise were spun off themselves into a series, titled The Jeffersons. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. Damon sure had all of us fooled. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? 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. Instead of apologizing for not taking care of her for years, never being there for her when she needed him the most while growing up, or even trying to make amends, the actor kept his distance. 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