Sherman Hemsley

Early life, education and service Hemsley was born and raised in South Philadelphia by his mother, who worked in a lamp factory. Hemsley did not meet his father until he was 14. Career Stage '' (June 8, 1972). Hemsley performed with local groups in Philadelphia before moving to New York to study with Lloyd Richards at the Negro Ensemble Company. Shortly after, he joined Vinnette Carroll's Urban Arts Company, appearing in But Never Jam Today, The Lottery, Old Judge Mose is Dead, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, Step Lively Boys, Croesus, and The Witch. Hemsley made his Broadway debut in Purlie and toured with the show for a year. In 1995, Hemsley made four appearances in the sitcom Sister, Sister as Tia and Tamera Mowry's grandfather. In 1996, he had the lead role in the TV comedy series Goode Behavior, which lasted for one season. Hemsley then cut back on his acting career, although Isabel Sanford and he occasionally appeared together in the mid to late 1990s and in the early 2000s, reprising their popular roles in guest appearances on such television series as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; in commercials for The Gap, Old Navy, and Denny's; and at dry cleaning conventions. He also starred with Sanford in a touring company of The Real Live Jeffersons stage show in the 1990s. Sanford and he made a cameo appearance in the film Sprung (1997). They continued to work together on occasion until Sanford's health declined prior to her death in 2004. In 2001, Hemsley appeared as a contestant on the "Celebrity Classic TV Edition" special of ABC's primetime quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and won $125,000 for his charity. Hemsley also made a voice appearance as himself in the Seth MacFarlane animated comedy Family Guy in 2005. He appeared in the film American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009). In 2011, he reprised his role as George Jefferson for the final time, alongside Marla Gibbs as Florence Johnston, on ''Tyler Perry's House of Payne''. Hemsley was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2012. Music career In 1989, Hemsley, who had been a jazz keyboardist, released a single, "Ain't That a Kick in the Head." This was followed in 1992 by Dance, an album of rhythm and blues music. He appeared on Soul Train around the time of the record's release and also performed the song "Eyes in the Dark". Hemsley also was an enthusiastic fan of many 1970s progressive rock bands, and Nektar. ==Personal life==

Unlike the characters he played, Hemsley was a shy and intensely private man, described by some as reclusive. He avoided the Hollywood limelight and little of his personal life was public knowledge beyond the facts that he never married and he had no children. In 2003, however, Hemsley granted a rare video interview to the Archive of American Television where he said that his most famous role was difficult because the character was deliberately and comically rude. "[Playing George Jefferson] was hard for me, but he was the character. I had to do it." An Out article published in 2012 after Hemsley's death suggested that Hemsley's longtime partner was Kenny Johnston. It quoted the sole beneficiary of Hemsley's estate – Flora Enchinton – who said she had been Hemsley's manager for more than two decades, during which she lived with Hemsley and Johnston. In 2025, fellow Jeffersons cast member Damon Evans stated in an article in The Advocate that he knew Hemsley was, like himself, gay, and that it was an open secret: "We cruised the same places, went to the same parties. The same bars. But it wasn't something we talked about ... He was dating a Puerto Rican guy. They lived together. His boyfriend came to our tapings ... I just didn't understand why it needed to be hidden for so long, but Sherman really didn't like being in the spotlight." ==Death==

Hemsley died at his home in El Paso, Texas on July 24, 2012, at age 74 due to superior vena cava syndrome, a complication associated with lung and bronchial carcinomas. He had a malignant mass in one of his lungs for which chemotherapy and radiation had been recommended, according to the El Paso County Texas Medical Examiner's report. Aftermath On August 28, 2012, an El Paso news anchor interviewed Enchinton, who said that Hemsley never mentioned any relatives. "Some people come out of the woodworkthey think Sherman, they think money", Enchinton said. "But the fact is that I did not know Sherman when he was in the limelight. I met them when they [Hemsley and Johnston] came running from Los Angeles with not one penny, when there was nothing but struggle." A Philadelphia man named Richard Thornton claimed to be Hemsley's brother and the true heir to his estate. After contesting the will, Thornton halted progress on funeral arrangements, and as a result, Hemsley's body remained at the San Jose Funeral Home in El Paso and unburied for months. On November 9, 2012, the legal battle over Hemsley's body ended when Judge Patricia Chew ruled in favor of Enchinton. A military funeral was planned for Hemsley. He was interred at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in his adopted hometown of El Paso. ==Filmography==

at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, 2007. Film • Love at First Bite (1979) - Reverend Mike (film debut) • Stewardess School (1986) - Mr. Buttersworth • Ghost Fever (1986) - Buford/Jethro • Club Fed (1990) - Reverend James Dooley • Mr. Nanny (1993) - Burt Wilson • Home of Angels (1994) - Buzzard Bracken • The Misery Brothers (1995) - Rev. Scheister • A Christmas Journey Home (1996) - Steve • Sprung (1997) - Earl • Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997) - Harvey • Senseless (1998) - James • Mafia! (1998) - George Jefferson (uncredited) • Screwed (2000) - Chip Oswald • Hanging in Hedo (2008) - Henry Hunter • For The Love of a Dog (2008) - George O'Donnell • American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009) - Pastor Reggie Johnston (final film role) Television • All in the Family (1973–1975; 1978) - George Jefferson • The Jeffersons (1975–1985) - George Jefferson • The Love Boat (1977–1983) - Henry Bullard / Maurice Marshall • The Donny & Marie Show (1978?) - Guest star • The Incredible Hulk (1979, season 2 episode 18 "No Escape") - Robert • Pink Lady (1980; guest-starred) - Himself • Purlie (1981, TV Movie) - Gitlow Judson • Fantasy Island (November 7, 1981) (Season 5, Episode 5, "Mr. Nobody/La Liberatora") - Charlie Atkins • E/R (1984) (guest spots as Nurse Julie Williams' uncle) - George Jefferson • The Twilight Zone (1985, Episode: "I of Newton") - Sam • Alice in Wonderland (1985, TV Movie) - Mouse • Candid Camera (1986) - Dick Sherman • Amen (1986–1991) - Deacon Ernest Frye • 227 (1988, guest starred in the episode "The Big Deal") - Thurmond Fox • Camp Cucamonga (1990, TV Movie) - Herbert Himmel • Dinosaurs (1991–1994) - B.P. Richfield (voice) • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1992–1996, guest starred) - Judge Carl Robertson / George Jefferson • Designing Women (1993, in the episode "Wedding Redux") - Mr. Ray Toussant • In Living Color (February 14, 1993) - guest appearance as George Jefferson in sketch, Lashawn: Dry Cleaners • ''Burke's Law'' (1994, in "Who Killed the Legal Eagle?") - Judge J.R. Powell • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1994, in the Episode "Seasons Greedings") - Winslow Schott • The Magic School Bus (1995, guest starred, in "Revving Up") - Mr. Junkett • The Wayans Bros. (1995, episode "It's Shawn! It's Marlon! It's The Superboys!") - Mr. Stone • Sister, Sister (1995, guest spots) - Grandpa Campbell • Family Matters (1995) - Captain Marion Savage, Carl's superior • Goode Behavior (1996–1997) - Willie Goode • Martin (1996) - Mr. Washington • All That (1997; guest starred in two episodes) - Doctor • The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer (1998, guest starred in "Up, Up and Away") - Union Spy • The Hughleys (1999–2000) - James Williams • All That (1997) - Good Burger food critic / Mr. Gurman • Figure It Out (1999) (Guest Panelist) • City Guys (1999) (episode "Face the Music") - Slick Willy • Up, Up, and Away (2000, TV Movie) - Edward Marshall / Steel Condor • Mister Ed (2004, TV Movie) - Mr. Ed (voice) • Family Guy (2005, in a voice cameo,"The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz") - Himself • The Surreal Life (2006, cast member in 2006) • Clunkers (2011, 8 episodes) - Boss • ''Tyler Perry's House of Payne'' (2011, guest starred) - George Jefferson • One Love (2014) - Grandpa Roy (final television role, filmed 2012) ==Discography==