The Jeffersons - Series Development

Series Development

Louise Jefferson, played by Isabel Sanford, first appeared in the All in the Family episode "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood," which was broadcast on March 2, 1971. The episode, the eighth of the series, centers around Louise, her son Lionel, and her husband George's moving into Archie and Edith Bunker's working class section of Queens. Lionel, played by Mike Evans, first appeared in "Meet the Bunkers," the premiere episode of All in the Family; George would not appear on the show until its fourth season.

Norman Lear created the character of George Jefferson specifically for Broadway veteran Sherman Hemsley. Lear originally intended for George to appear in the first season of series; however, Hemsley was starring in the Broadway musical Purlie at the time, and Lear decided to postpone introduction of the character until Hemsley was available. Lear created the character of Henry Jefferson, George's younger brother, and replaced George with Henry in the series's scripts until Purlie finished its run. Mel Stewart was cast as Henry. George was introduced in the episode "Henry's Farewell," and Hemsley and Stewart share their only scene together in its final minutes. The episode marked the final appearance of Henry.

George, Louise, and Lionel continued to appear on All in the Family until 1975, when the spin-off The Jeffersons, also created by Lear, premiered. The characters of Lionel's biracial fiancée, Jenny, and her family, all of whom first appeared in the 1974 All in the Family episode "Lionel's Engagement," were also written into the new series. However, the roles were all recast, with Berlinda Tolbert taking over the role of Jenny, veteran actor Franklin Cover playing her father Tom, and Roxie Roker as her mother Helen.