JEFFERSONS, THE - THE COMPLETE SERIES (CBS 1975-85) Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Marla Gibbs, Mike Evans, Damon Evans, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover, Berlinda Tolbert, Paul Benedict, Zara Cully, Ned Wertimer
The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running American sitcoms that broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes.
The show focuses on George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise (Isabel Sanford) Jefferson, an affluent Black couple living in New York City who have been able to move from Queens to Manhattan because of the success of George's dry-cleaner chain. The show was launched as the second spin-off of All in the Family, on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker.
The show was the creation of prolific television producer Norman Lear. However, it was less sharply political in tone than some of his shows. The Jeffersons evolved into more of a traditional sitcom, relying more on the characters’ interactions with one another than on explicitly political dialogue or storylines. It did, however, tackle a few controversial topics, including racism, suicide, gun control and adult illiteracy.
The series co-starred Mike Evans, who played their son Lionel (originating the character on All in the Family) – later Lionel was played by Damon Evans, Roxie Roker and Franklin Cover as Helen and Tom Willis (TV’s first interracial couple to be shown on regular prime time television), Berlinda Tolbert as their daughter Jenny, Paul Benedict as Harry Bentley, the English neighbor, Zara Cully as Mother Jefferson, Ned Wertimer played the building’s doorman Ralph Hart and Marla Gibbs played the sharp-tongued housekeeper Florence Johnston.
This 30-DVD set contains all 253 episodes.