22 (AP) Mike Evans, an actor best known for playing Lionel Jefferson on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family and its popular spinoff The Jeffersons, died at his mothers home here on Dec. 14. He explained during an interview with News & Notes that his foray into academics, though unplanned, was life-changing. Mike Evans eventually returned to the role in 1979, appearing in several episodes before the end of the series in 1985. 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. There I was a total unknown one day, and the next appearing on network television in one of the top 10 TV shows on the air. 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. #TheJeffersons #LionelJefferson #BreakupThe Jeffersons | Lionel and Jenny Are Splitting Up! [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. She has been married to Tom Willis, a white man, for 34 years. Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. With Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover. He was 57. TWENTYNINE PALMS, California Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. She was sometimes credited as Ebony Smith. Evans died of throat cancer December 14 at his mother's home. In July 1974, Evans met Helena Jefferson (19522002). It happened after a stinging loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, in which Portland coughed up a 25-point lead. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. And to be quite honest, I didnt have a direction when I went there. 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. Trending News Damon Evans: Not really. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. It would be almost a decade before they were free to leave that venue. His new drug-heavy life would lead Damon to almost ending his life sometime in 1997. 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Ready for Tolkien Battle, How the Landscape of Native-Led Stories Has Changed Between Avatars: Were Flexing Our Sovereignty, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. He was 57. Lionel Jefferson is a supporting character from the hit sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Getting high was all that mattered, Damon shared. 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. In a prior People Magazine article, Damon explained how his lack of jobs, led to depression, then to years of drug addiction. Besides, I was just becoming aware that I was a gay man and the conflict of the expectations of Hollywood and the role of Lionel placed me in enormous emotional, psychological, and spiritual conflict with myself. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. Jane Fonda announces her cancer is in remission Evans attended the Interlochen Academy on a Reader's Digest Scholarship. On All in the Family, Lionel was portrayed by Mike Evans from 1971 to 1975. 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. [3] Actor and opera singer Damon Evans (no relation to Michael) then took the role of Lionel, but Mike Evans returned in the role for the sixth through eighth seasons. 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. There was such a marked difference in our interpretations of the role. Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 July 24, 2012) was an American actor and musician. What happened to the first Lionel on Jeffersons? 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. 2006 The Associated Press. George, opposed to miscegenation, calls Helen and Tom "zebras" or "chocolate and . This resulted in grueling struggle of unemployment, with very few acting gigs in between. The cause was throat cancer, said a niece, Chrystal Evans. I guess you can say that we all learn something new everyday, dont we? After the game, New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter asked Lillard how . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Work would take him to London, where he gained quite the reputation for his brilliance onstage. 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. The series lasted eight years and ran for eleven seasons, becoming the #1 comedy series in television with the highest rankings on its summer reruns. Damon Evans was a cast member on the CBS hit 70s sitcom The Jeffersons, but while everyone must have thought he had the best life, Evans was battling personal demons that would lead him down a drug-fueled path and near-suicide. Mike Evans returned to the series in September 1979 and appeared regularly as Lionel for two more seasons. 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. Evans was a creator/writer of the series Good Times (197479).[4]. 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. Mike Evans, the actor who portrayed Lionel Jefferson on the TV series "All In The Family" and "The Jeffersons," passed away at the age of 57 years old following a short-lived career. His character is significant for being one of the first TV portrayals of a young, opinionated black man. Did you? Evans, along with Eric Monte, also created and wrote for Good Times, one of the first TV sitcoms that featured a primarily black cast. He was originally portrayed by D'Urville Martin for two unaired pilots, before the role was recast with Evans . "Good Times". It sounds like you didnt enjoy doing the show. And most of all, you dont have yourself when you get there. What happened to the first Lionel on The Jeffersons show? 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. 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. Its great that Damon sought the help he desperately needed, but in the beginning the sudden reality of him having to go from Lionel the superstar, back to the everyday civilian, working in the mail room, had to a tough adjustment. 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. 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. Lionel #2 from The Jeffersons. Damon Evans: Dont forsake their values to their ultimate goal. Lionel sometimes loses patience with Michael, feeling that Michael relates to him as a representative of the black community rather than as an individual. Id be late a lot. The Jeffersons Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Lionel is introduced in the first episode (and, in fact, appears on screen before Archie Bunker does). Evans appeared infrequently after that, and made his final appearance as Lionel in the two-part episode "Sayonara" in 1985. Damon Evans played Lionel from seasons 2-4, before being replaced by Mike Evans, who left the series to co-produce and develop another Norman Lear series. 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 . Damon revealed that his sexual preference became an issue for him on The Jeffersons as well. On the show, Bentleys disappearance is explained away like this: Bentley works as a Russian interpreter for the United Nations. For his part, Lionel remains unfazed by Archie's racism and unrelenting condescension. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. 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. He was survived by his two daughters (Carlena and Tammie), his mother (Annie Sue), a brother, a cousin, and a niece. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in the 1970s situation comedy "All in the Family.". Show developer Norman Lear preferred Cleavon Little for the role, but Rich lobbied to cast an actor who would appear less threatening. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. target_type: 'mix' Mike EvansAll in the Family On what advice he would tell others who want to follow in his footsteps and pursue an acting career. Original Lionel, Mike Evans, decided to leave the show after the second season. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', window._taboola = window._taboola || []; 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 . Damon is referring to this fun fact about the shows beginning cast: From the characters first appearance on All in the Family, producer, Norman Lear, had pegged Sherman Hemsley to play George Jefferson. But when All in the Family became a hit, Hemsley was tied up on Broadway as the co-star of Purlie, and was understandably reluctant to break his contract. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. He was 57. I uprooted myself from a role as a classical music student and was thrust in the publics eye overnight. In 1975, a spin-off of the series titled "The Jeffersons" was created, and Mike kept on portraying Lionel. 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