Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. Getting high was all that matteredI didnt have any pride, Evans admitted. When Lionel Jefferson actor Mike Evans left The Jeffersons shortly after the All in the Family spin-off debuted on CBS in 1975, it was . Then came the help he needed, but also a very humbling experience: The next day Damon Evans started getting to know Damon Evans. In July 1974, Evans met Helena Jefferson (19522002). For his part, Lionel remains unfazed by Archie's racism and unrelenting condescension. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. The late star was born in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1949, son to father Theodore Evans Sr., who made a living as a dentist, and to mother Annie Sue Evans, who worked as a school teacher. Mike drew his last breath at his home his mothers home in Twentynine Palms in 2006, as announced by his niece, Chrystal Evans, following a battle with throat cancer. Michael Jonas Evans (November 3, 1949 - December 14, 2006) was an American actor, best known as Lionel Jefferson on both All in the Family and The Jeffersons. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. He was 57. According to Jimmie Walker, Evans had threatened to leave if he was not given more screen time, and Norman Lear let him out of his contract. Sometimes I wouldnt show up at all, he recalled. Not wanting to settle, he remained jobless for many years and eventually turned to drugs to deal with his frustration. The hit show was a spinoff featuring bigoted Archie Bunker's black neighbors in Queens who "move on up to the East Side" of Manhattan. Luckily a lack of nerveand one nagging thoughtkept his feet on the ground. } Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). Lear improvised and hired Mel Stewart as a sort of placeholder. In the sitcoms storyline, Stewart posed as George Jefferson when he joined Georges wife, Louise (played by Isabel Sanford), for dinner at the Bunker home. Michael Jonas Evans was born November 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. Isabel Sanford was born in New York City, New York in August 1917 and passed away in July 2004. Today Damon Evans is 72 years young and has made great strides in his life. I was thinking, How am I going to kill myself when I dont even know myself? he says. #inline-recirc-item--id-9e2ec6fa-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-9e2ec6fa-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Although popularly known as one of the actors who portrayed "Lionel Jefferson" on the long-running sitcom The Jeffersons (1975), Damon Evans is an accomplished singer and stage performer. The Grand Terrace was located at 317 East 35th Street, on the south side of Chicago. Jane Fonda announces her cancer is in remission My family, on the other hand, couldnt have been happier. Gibbs, who played the Jeffersons housekeeper Florence, is still alive today. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. High on crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine, he walked from his upper Manhattan apartment to the George Washington Bridge and contemplated leaping into the Hudson River 250 feet below. One could say Mike was quite successful in the entertainment industry for a little more than a decade. target_type: 'mix' No! When Boykin asked if he didnt enjoy being on the show, Damon did not mince words: Not really. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. [2], Evans continued to play the role on the spinoff The Jeffersons, but left after the first season to pursue other aspects of his career. The late star was born in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1949, son to father Theodore Evans Sr., who made a living as a dentist, and to mother Annie Sue Evans, who . KB: Wow. Lionel sometimes loses patience with Michael, feeling that Michael relates to him as a representative of the black community rather than as an individual. Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on . What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? Harris said: "I just had to live with the fact that I didn't have an earthly father who wanted me, but the thing with that is it certainly caused me to be closer to my heavenly father and got me to a point where I was content. Lionel Gets the Business: Directed by Bob Lally. However, that said, the first year on the show was quite a heady experience. That was not the case. Damon Evans (born November 24, 1949) is an American actor, best known as the second of two actors who portrayed Lionel Jefferson on the The Jeffersons. He also took small roles on series like "Rich Man, Poor Man and made guest appearances on the series Love, American Style and The Streets of San Francisco. His last role was in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger in 2000. This resulted in grueling struggle of unemployment, with very few acting gigs in between. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Mike Evans. *Singing*. | The Norman Lear Effecthttps://bit.ly/NormanLearEffect Lionel is generally amused, rather than angered or irritated, by Archie's frequent displays of ignorance and bigotry, often seeing Archie's comments as well-meaning, albeit ignorant, rather than outright malicious. Mike Evans eventually returned to the role in 1979, appearing in several episodes before the end of the series in 1985. The hit show was a spinoff featuring bigoted Archie Bunkers black neighbors in Queens who move on up to the East Side of Manhattan. He was 57. Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. Damon let the cat of the bag when he publicly revealed that he hated playing Lionel on The Jeffersons and deeply regrets doing the show. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. Ebonie Smith, also known as Ebony Smith (born Negra Candalaria-Smith; September 16, 1978) is a Puerto Rican-born American former child actress known for her role as Jessica Jefferson in the sitcom The Jeffersons in four episodes in Seasons 10 and 11. When Lionel's father finally shows up, someone apparently has to leave to make room. The question asked of me will always be Which Lionel are you, the first or the second? In retrospect, I think it was actually an impossible task to undertake because most people dont seem to remember that Michael Evans was the first Jefferson to appear on All in the Family. Evan's character, Lionel, was one of the first characters that showcased an opinionated black young man, and even though he had to deal with his neighbor Archie's constant ignorant and racist comments, Lionel usually played along, remaining unfazed about the demonstrations of bigotry displayed by Archie. Four years after her death, Evans died of throat cancer at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, California, at the age of 57.[5]. All Rights Reserved. Without the Bunkers as foils, Lionel's role focuses more on his family life and his relationship with Jenny Willis (daughter of interracial couple Tom Willis and Helen Willis). All in the Family's CBS spinoff series, The Jeffersons premiered in 1975. In the second half of Wednesday's Live in Front of a Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', During the final season of The Jeffersons, Lionel and Jenny announce they are seeking a divorce (after living apart for several years while Lionel worked in Japan). Damon Evans and Berlinda Tolbert ( who played Lionels wife Jenny) on TV's The Jeffersons. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. He was 57. But while we were getting to know Mike Evans, the actor, his daughter, Carlena Harris, was apparently getting to know him as her dad, whom she says . I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? Lionel was born in New York City on October 18, 1953. Maestro cue the outro music! The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game . By the time she was 13 years old, he requested a DNA test to learn the truth, and, as it turns out, he was indeed Harris' father. Mike Evans and more members of the "All in the Family" cast circa 1972 | Photo: Getty Images. Also, Sherman Hemsley was not the original George Jefferson. He explained to NPR, why he decided to go to college at an older age: Damon Evans- I am useless when I am not active. Although he was supposed to play a more significant role with more screen time, he left after the first season. Father and daughter stopped talking for good when she was 21 years old, and he kept on denying that he was Harris' biological father, claiming that his brother a man that nobody ever knew was her real dad. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; But he was mainly known for his role as Bentley on The Jeffersons, which ran on CBS from 1975 to 1985. We humbly honor the old school soul music era and will keep pushing forward to keep it alive. Through that experience, Carlene understood that her father had finally accepted her, which drove her to forgive him. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Mike Evans was known for being a bright and funny individual. Born in Baltimore, he graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, USA on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. Damon Evans, one of two actors who played Lionel Jefferson on the '70s sitcom The Jeffersons, talks with Michel Martin. Now 90, and with dozens of film and TV appearances under her belt, Gibbs is still working since 2021, shes been a regular on Days of Our Lives. He was 57. I started loving it, I mean, started knowing that I could even write. It sounds like you didnt enjoy doing the show. While the actor was away from the Jeffersons, Damon Evans, who starred in the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Broadway's "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope," replaced him between the second and fourth seasons. Mike Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season in order to devote more time to writing for Maude spin-off Good Times, which he had helped create. Upon recovering she returned for a few episodes, noticeably thinner and frailer. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. He was 57. He was known for his roles as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen, and B.P. Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. George (front) with wife Louise and son Lionel. Check out an interview that Damon did with blogger, Keith Boykin: Interviewer: How did the experience on [The Jeffersons] affect your life? He has appeared in all 253 episodes of The Jeffersons . We came to know him as the character, "Lionel," from "The Jeffersons" and it was he and his friend, Eric Monte's, creative genius that gave us their sitcom creation, "Good Times.". All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. Mike Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season in order to devote more time to writing for Maude spinoff Good Times, which he had helped create. There was such a marked difference in our interpretations of the role. Evans died of throat cancer. Maddie Brown Shares Her Postpartum Journey Weeks after Giving Birth to Third Child, Jamie Lee Curtis Admits 'Saying Goodbye' to James Corden Was Harder than She Thought as His Show Ends, Man Finds Out His Fiance Is Pregnant, Forces Her to Choose between Abortion or Marriage, Charlie Sheen Could Not Understand the Chaos He Created in His Life Because of His Addictions, Widowed Mom Learns Her Son Escapes Home Every Night, He Returns One Day with Bag Full of Cash Story of the Day, 'Family Affair's' Johnny Whitaker's Family Threatened to 'Divorce' Him after He Became Penniless, The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. It happened after a stinging loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Portland coughed up a 25-point lead. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in the 1970s situation comedy "All in the Family.". Id be late a lot. 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He admitted his drug addiction to his therapist and joined Narcotics Anonymous. His last role was in a 2000 episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger. The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. According to her, she was raised by her mother and grandmother, and that, shockingly, Mike absolutely refused to believe that he was her biological father. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in 1970s situation comedy All in the Family.. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). It was later revealed that he was actually Henry Jefferson, Georges brother. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. And things start evolving and I started tutoring. That didn't stop him from doing a fantastic job in front of the cameras and winning over the audience. Damon Evans (born November 24, 1949) is an American actor best known as the second of two actors who portrayed Lionel Jefferson on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 July 24, 2012) was an American actor and musician. The Jeffersons was easily one of the top shows at the time, and anyone might have imagined Damon would be overjoyed for the opportunity. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. Damon Evans (no relation to Mike) played the role from the fall of 1975 until early 1978. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. To this very day, I dont think they have a clue as to who I really am, and thats there loss. She was sometimes credited as Ebony Smith. [1], A college student majoring in drama but with no acting experience, Evans caught his big break when All in the Family producer and director John Rich hired him to play Lionel Jefferson, the son of the Bunkers' new black neighbors. The show touched on issues that were taboo on TV at the time such as homosexuality, abortion, racism, rape, religion and more. Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother's home in . He was 57. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Damon: No, they do know Im gay but they wont accept it. Lionel's patience runs out when Archie tells him not to see his niece socially because "white ought to stay with white and colored ought to stay with colored". Posted On : May 14, 2015. He was 57. In the sitcom's storyline, Stewart posed as "George Jefferson" when he joined "George's" wife, "Louise" (played by Isabel Sanford), for dinner at the 'Bunker' home. Jenny, however, became a regular guest throughout the series, unlike Lionel, who only appeared on the screen in the last two episodes of the eleventh and final season back in 1985. Born in Baltimore, Evans attended the Interlochen Academy on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. "All in The Family" was one of the first television series of the '80s to present an all-black cast, and the premise of the series followed the life of an interracial couple. Gibbs was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois. Trending News As we previously reported, Damon Evans absolutely hated being a part of "The Jeffersons" and had several problems going on behind the scenes and internally (you can read about that HERE).So in 1978, he left the show and decided to pursue other acting roles, as well as his first passion of singing in the opera. In 1978, Damon quit The Jeffersons to pursue his opera career, reports PEOPLE. I had not even seen one episode of the show before I took over the part, and the producers discouraged me from ever watching any of the episodes in which Mike had appeared. In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. Evans gave life to the character through all of the seasons of "All in The Family" but when it came to playing the role on the spin-off show that was centered on the life of the black family, he took a break for three years and was replaced by actor Damon Evans. She has been married to Tom Willis, a white man, for 34 years. 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