6 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Jeffersons’

The Jeffersons first premiered on January 18, 1975, and by the time it wrapped on July 2, 1985, it had aired 253 episodes across 11 seasons, making it one of the longest-running sitcoms in television history. A spin-off of All in the Family, the show followed George and Louise Jefferson, a successful Black couple who left behind their working-class roots in Queens and “moved on up” to a luxury apartment in Manhattan.
Created by Norman Lear, The Jeffersons blended sharp humor with serious social commentary. While it eventually leaned more traditional, early episodes tackled bold topics that few sitcoms dared to address, from racism and alcoholism to illiteracy and even the Ku Klux Klan.
Here are six surprising facts you might not know about the show:
1 Isabel Sanford made Emmy history

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In 1981, Isabel Sanford became the first Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, shares WJBF. Her win helped open doors for future performers of color. Sanford had actually been hesitant to join The Jeffersons in the first place, content with her recurring role on All in the Family. However, when producers made it clear that Louise would be written into the new series with or without her, she decided to stay.
2 Tom and Helen’s kiss almost got cut

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In the very first episode of The Jeffersons, there was a moment that nearly didn’t make it to air. When Tom and Helen Willis shared an interracial kiss, CBS executives panicked and tried to get it removed. Executive producer Fred Silverman stood his ground and fought to keep the scene intact. It might seem like a small moment today, but back in 1975, it was a bold statement. That kiss helped signal a new era in storytelling, and thankfully, it stayed in.
3 Roxie Roker‘s real-life love mirrored her role

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Roxie Roker, who played Helen Willis, didn’t have to reach far to understand her character. Just like Helen, she was in an interracial marriage in real life, married to a white Jewish man named Sy Kravitz. When producers asked during her audition if she’d be comfortable playing the role, she didn’t hesitate. She simply pulled out a photo of her husband. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because their son is rock star Lenny Kravitz. Roxie would sometimes bring young Lenny to the set, and years later he credited his mother with showing him how to walk through the world with pride.
4 Sherman Hemsley changed the script without saying a word

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In the early seasons, George Jefferson regularly called his neighbor Tom Willis a “honky,” a term that made audiences laugh but didn’t sit well with Hemsley. As the characters developed a friendship, Hemsley felt the insult didn’t make sense anymore. He asked the writers to drop it, but they refused. So he found a clever workaround. Whenever the line came up, Hemsley would mumble it so badly that scenes had to be reshot. After a while, the writers got the message and dropped the word entirely.
5 Zara Cully‘s passing was written into the show

Columbia TriStar TV/Everett Collection
Zara Cully, who played the sharp-tongued Mother Jefferson, passed away during the show’s fourth season after battling lung cancer. She had missed much of the third season due to illness, and when she passed, the writers chose to address her death directly rather than quietly write her out. Cully’s portrayal of Mother Jefferson left a lasting impression, and her send-off added a note of dignity that matched the character’s fierce presence.
6 Ja’Net DuBois turned her own dream into a theme song

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The iconic “Movin’ On Up” theme song wasn’t just a catchy opener; it was also deeply personal. Ja’Net DuBois, known for playing Willona on Good Times, cowrote and performed the song based on her own life goals. She said she always dreamed of moving into a deluxe apartment with her mother, and that dream inspired the lyrics.
Lear hadn’t given her many details about The Jeffersons, but when he heard the song, he was stunned by how perfectly it matched the show. The song became a sensation and even helped DuBois become wealthy on royalties alone. It remains one of the most beloved sitcom themes of all time. Do you love the song?

1970s Fall TV
September 2023
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