Sherman Hemsley Movies
Sherman Hemsley is best remembered for playing George Jefferson, the lovably pompous, little loud-mouth who made a fortune from his dry cleaning business and moved from Queens to a posh Manhattan high rise in The Jeffersons, a popular sitcom that ran ten years on the CBS network. Before becoming an actor in the late '60s, Hemsley worked for the U.S. Post Office. He started out on the New York stage where his first break came from playing Gitlow in the Broadway musical Purlie (1970). Television producer Norman Lear was impressed by Hemsley's performance and so created George Jefferson for him. Originally designed as an African-American alter ego/foil to his blustery, bigoted Archie Bunker character on the smash hit All in the Family, Hemsley's George became so popular that he and his family were given their own series in 1975.Following the series' demise, Hemsley played an egotistical, loud-mouthed deacon/lawyer at the First Community Church of Philadelphia who tried to keep the new minister, Reverend Gregory, from taking over what he viewed as his personal domain, on Amen. The series broke ground by being the first hit sitcom centered on religion and ran from 1986 to 1991. In between his series work, Hemsley occasionally played supporting roles in feature films after making his debut playing Rev. Mike in the comedy Love at First Bite (1979). Most of his subsequent films have been low-budget affairs such as Stewardess School and Club Fed. While Hemsley continues to appear frequently on television as a guest star and has even starred in such failed series as Townsend Television (1993) and Goode Behavior (1996-1997), he has yet to recapture the success he had during the '70s and '80s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1984
George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford) urge Ralph Hart (Ned Wertimer), their apartment building's doorman, to demand a raise from pinchpenny landlord Whittendale (Jack Fletcher). Alas, it may already be too late for any such negotiation. Whittendale announces that he is going to install an automatic door -- thereby rendering poor Ralph obsolete. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Louise (Isabel Sanford) is a bit put out when her husband, George (Sherman Hemsley), receives an affectionate -- and heavily perfumed -- letter from his ex-girlfriend Yvonne (Barbara McNair). Even so, Louise decides that the right thing to do would be to let George pay a visit to his old flame. What George doesn't know -- until it is too late -- is that the grudge-bearing Yvonne has murder on her mind, and a pistol in her purse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker) cannot agree on how to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. After much heated "discussion," they decide on a romantic weekend in the same hotel where they spent their first honeymoon. But things have changed a lot in three decades -- and not necessarily for the better. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Once again, the Jeffersons' middle-aged "foster son," Jimmy Townsend (Garrett Morris), is in a heap of trouble. Showing up at the Jefferson apartment with 50,000 dollars' worth of casino gambling chips, Jimmy tells George (Sherman Hemsley) that he won them fair and square. But that's not the same story provided by a pair of tough gamblers who think they've been hornswoggled by a man named "George Jefferson." The final episode of The Jeffersons' tenth season, "In the Chips" is also the series' only episode in which Isabel Sanford (Louise) does not appear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs, (more)
- 1984
Having previously (and memorably) guest-starred on All in the Family, Sammy Davis Jr. returns to Norman Lear-land in this episode of The Jeffersons. Hoping to escape his fans -- not to mention a snoopy reporter -- Sammy pseudonymously sublets the apartment across the hall from George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford). Once she learns the true identity of her new neighbor, Louise swears that she'll keep Sammy's secret...but... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Left alone in the Jefferson apartment while George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise (Isabel Sanford) vacation in Atlantic City, Florence (Marla Gibbs) has no objections when the NYPD asks to use the apartment as a stakeout command post. Before long, however, Florence wishes she hadn't been so hospitable. Oh, the cops get the crooks, all right -- but the end result is a wounded Florence in a hospital bed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Hoping to produce an animated TV commercial for his dry-cleaning chain, George (Sherman Hemsley) hires a brilliant young artist named Walter (Randy Brooks). Upon discovering that Walter can neither read nor write, Louise (Isabel Sanford) is afraid to tell George for fear that he'll fire the young man. But once the truth is known, it is up to George to goad Walter into finishing his education. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
The celebrated insensitivity of George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) reaches its peak in this episode. When George casually breaks two dinner engagements with their friends, wife Louise (Isabel Sanford) is outraged. As she tries to make amends for George's boorish behavior, Louise daydreams that she herself is George -- and with the same callous attitude towards friendship. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Jealous of their wives' handsome and muscular self-defense instructor (Michael Halsey), George (Sherman Hemsley) and Tom (Franklin Cover) embark upon a hunting trip to prove they are manly men. Returning empty-handed from their expedition, our heroes nonetheless hope to impress their wives with an expensive collection of stuffed animals. Dorian Gibbs, the real-life son of series regular Marla Gibbs, appears as a delivery boy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
Florence (Marla Gibbs) and Louise (Isabel Sanford) bamboozle George (Sherman Hemsley) into letting Florence's teenaged country cousin, Rhonda (Ren Woods), stay in the Jefferson apartment. It soon becomes obvious, however, that Rhonda is a hot-tempered, manipulative little vixen who doesn't like being answerable to anyone. After a bitter quarrel with Florence, Rhonda storms out -- and quickly finds work as a mud wrestler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1984
The singing group Sister Sledge guest stars as the Satin Sisters, a gospel quartet befriended by Florence (Marla Gibbs). Much against his will, George is persuaded by Florence to act as manager for the melodious Satins. Unfortunately, the first booking George arranges is a tough country & western bar where the redneck patrons "don't cotton" to gospel singers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
This 1982 made-for-TV version of the Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland features an all-star cast. Such celebrities as Donald O'Connor, Maureen Stapleton and Eve Arden struggle to perform while buried under mounds of makeup and tons of eccentric costuming as Carroll's alternate-world loonies. Alice in Wonderland was first telecast Oct 3, 1983, on PBS' Great Performances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Thanks to a series of financial windfalls, the Jeffersons and the Willises are living high off the hog. Envious Florence (Marla Gibbs) would like to get in on this good fortune, especially after Helen Willis (Roxie Roker) meets a number of celebrities at a fancy health spa. Using her own savings, Florence arranges a session at the selfsame spa, where in due course she meets none other Gladys Knight -- whom she fails to recognize. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
George (Sherman Hemsley) and his poker buddies leave their usual weekly mess behind, resulting in a few sharp words from George's long-suffering housekeeper, Florence (Marla Gibbs). Fed up with her complaining, George bets Florence a week's vacation (with pay) that he can get her full day's cleaning done in three hours. Perhaps George should have watched all those old two-reel comedies in which Andy Clyde and Hugh Herbert made similar bets -- with similarly disastrous results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
For several years, George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford) have been financing the education of Jimmy Townsend, the foster son they've never met. Imagine their surprise when "little" Jimmy turns out to be a middle-aged man with an apparent larcenous streak. Former Saturday Night Live regular Garrett Morris makes his first series appearance as Jimmy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
Irwin Keyes returns in the role of Hugo Mojelewski, the hulking, thick-eared former bodyguard of George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley). Although George's daughter-in-law, Jenny (Berlinda Tolbert), has no confidence in his abilities as a fashion designer, Hugo expresses unbridled admiration of her work. But his interest is not entirely motivated by his fashion sense: Hugo has fallen in love with Jenny, and never mind that she already has a husband. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
The Help Center is again in dire financial straits, forcing Louise (Isabel Sanford) to take desperate measures. Seeking out a wealthy benefactor, Louise goes to her former employer Lillian Warren (Amzie Strickland) -- a woman who once patronizingly regarded Louise as a just another piece of property. Have the years changed Ms. Warren, or does she still think of Louise as merely "my girl"? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) is sick and tired of being unfavorably compared to the "thoughtful and considerate" Tom Willis (Franklin Cover). Finally George's "patience" completely runs out, whereupon he reveals to Tom's wife, Helen (Roxie Roker), that her "ideal" husband once bought an insurance policy naming his cousin as beneficiary. It seems that the cousin was a racial bigot who was violently opposed to Tom and Helen's interracial marriage -- and once George has let slip Tom's secret, there's you-know-what to pay at the Willis household. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
Kim Hamilton, who'd once played the role of Helen Willis on All in the Family, guest stars on The Jeffersons as Pauline, an old friend of the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence (Marla Gibbs). Having married into money, Pauline is now a much higher social plane than Florence. Hoping to impress her friend and not reveal her present financial state, Florence prevails upon George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) to pose as her husband -- and upon Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) to pose as her maid. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
George (Sherman Hemsley) refuses to allow Louise (Isabel Sanford) to see an old photo that he keeps tightly locked in the safe of his office. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Louise formulates a plan to break into the safe, dragging a reluctant Helen (Roxie Roker) along for the caper. As a result of their nocturnal prowlings, both ladies end up behind bars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
The Jeffersons launched its tenth season with episode one of a three-party story. After George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) mocks the gullibility of his neighbor and in-law Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) with his old Navy buddies, the men decide to teach Tom a lesson with an elaborate con job. Sure enough, Tom takes the bait and surrenders the 15,000 dollars he'd been saving as a down payment for a new home. Unfortunately, two of George's "pals" decide to take the con one step farther by skipping with the money and heading for parts unknown. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
Once again, Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) insists that hubby George (Sherman Hemsley) spend more time with her. He agrees to devote one night per week to Louise and Louise alone. During one of these "dates," the Jeffersons go bicycling -- and both end up with broken legs. This was the final episode of The Jeffersons' ninth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
George (Sherman Hemsley) refuses to loan Florence (Marla Gibbs) the money to purchase a TV set. The angry Florence warns George that his pinchpenny attitude will prevent him from ever entering the gates of Heaven. George scoffs at this prediction -- and then he has a dream in which his entry into Paradise is contingent upon a familiar-looking game called "The Wheel of Forever." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
Superstitious Florence (Marla Gibbs) is firm in her belief that 25 is her lucky number. Thus it is only natural that, when she purchases a battered hat during a fundraising auction at the Help Center, Florence finds 2,500 dollars tucked away in the hat's lining. But will her luck hold out long enough for her to claim the money as her own, or will the rightful owner show up at the last minute? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
Once again, George (Sherman Hemsley) is locked in a tense promotional war with rival dry cleaner Cunningham. When Cunningham hires a soap opera star for a personal appearance, George does the same. Unfortunately, George can't get the genuine article and must rely upon celebrity lookalikes -- one of them the spitting image of the aforementioned soap queen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
