The Life of Sherman Hemsley Broadway play Purlie. S herman Alexander Hemsley (Feb-
ruary 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012) was an American actor, most widely known for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Fam- ily and Te Jeffersons, and as Dea- con Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen. He also played Earl Sinclair’s horrifying boss, a Triceratops named B.P. Richfield, on the Jim Henson sitcom Dinosaurs.
Hemsley was born and raised around 22nd and Christian Streets in South Philadelphia by his mother, who worked in a lamp factory. He did not meet his father until he was 14. He attended Barrat Middle School, Cen- tral High School for 9th grade and Bok Technical High School for 10th, when he dropped out of school and joined the United States Air Force, where he served for four years. On leaving the Air Force, he returned to Philadelphia where he worked for the Post Office during the day while attending the Academy of Dramatic Arts at night. He then moved to New York, continuing to work for the Post Office during the day while working as an actor at night. He starred as the character Gitlow in the early 1970s
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Sherman Hemsley performed with local groups in Philadelphia before moving to New York to study with Lloyd Richards at the Negro Ensem- ble Company. Shortly after, he joined Vinnette Carroll’s Urban Arts Com- pany appearing in these productions: But Never Jam Today, Te Lottery, Old Judge Mose is Dead, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, Step Lively Boys, Croesus, and Te Witch. He made his Broadway debut in Purlie and toured with the show for a year. In the sum- mer of 1972 he joined the Vinnette Carroll musical Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope ensemble in Toronto, fol- lowed a month later in the American Conservatory Teater production at the Geary Teater. In this his produc- tion Hemsley performed the solos “Lookin’ Over From Your Side” in Act I and “Sermon” in Act II.
While Hemsley was on Broadway with Purlie, Norman Lear called him in 1971 to play the role of George Jefferson in his new sitcom, All in the Family. Hemsley was reluctant to leave his theatre role, but Lear told him that he would hold the role open for him. Hemsley joined the cast two years later. Te characters of Hems- ley and co-star Isabel Sanford were supporting roles on All in the Fam- ily, but were given their own spin-off, Te Jeffersons, less than two years af- ter Hemsley made his debut on the show. Te Jeffersons proved to be one of Lear’s most successful shows, enjoying a run of eleven seasons through 1985.
Hemsley continued to work steadily after the show’s cancellation, largely typecast in George-Jefferson-like roles. He teamed up with the show’s original cast members when Te Jef- fersons moved to Broadway for a brief period.
Hemsley joined the cast of NBC’s Amen in 1986 as Ernest Frye, an un- scrupulous church deacon. Te show enjoyed a run of five seasons, ending in 1991. Hemsley then was a voice actor in the ABC live-action puppet series Dinosaurs, where he played Bradley P. Richfield, main character Earl’s sadistic boss. Te show ran for five seasons, ending in 1994.
Hemsley largely retired from televi- sion acting, although he and Isabel Sanford appeared together in the late 1990s and in the early 2000s, repris- ing their roles in guest spots on such television programs as Te Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in commercials for Te Gap, Old Navy and Denny’s, and at dry cleaning conventions. He and Sanford also made a cameo ap- pearance in the film Sprung. Tey continued to work together on occa- sion until Sanford began having the health problems that led to her death in 2004.
Hemsley made a voice appearance as himself in the Seth McFarlane ani- mated comedy Family Guy. He ap- peared in the film American Pie Pres- ents: Te Book of Love. In 2011, he reprised his role as George Jefferson once again, along with Marla Gibbs
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