Artist Development

One of the great actors of our generation Sherman Hemsley has passed on at age 74. He was found in his El Paso Texas home on Tuesday July 24^th 2012, the cause of death is not known but being reported due to natural causes. He was never married and had no children. Sherman was born in South Philadelphia, later moved to New York to pursue an acting career. While he studied acting at night he worked at the post office during the day. He began his career performing in plays and made his Broadway debut in the musical called Purlie; which was based on the book by Ossie Davis. Norman Lear saw him perform and offered him the role of the bigot “George Jefferson” playing opposite the rival bigot character “Archie Bunker” played by Carroll O’Conner and to join the cast of “All in the Family.” Sherman later got his own spin-off show called “The Jefferson’s” and the phase “moving on up” was born. We will always remember the great actor Sherman Hemsley and what contribution he made to our generation.

We had to say farewell to Sherman’s co-star Isabel Sanford on July 9, 2004 at the age of 86. She was born in Harlem New York and got her debut role in 1967 in the movie “Guess who’s coming to Dinner” opposite actors like Sidney Poitier as the maid “Tillie Binks”. Norman Lear also approached her about the role of “Louise Jefferson” for the show “All in the Family”. As the story goes, she almost didn’t accept the role because there was a bucket of Kentucky Fried chicken left for her in her dressing room. But Norman explained there was no pun intended, it was how he welcomed everyone and the rest is history.