Where Is "The Jeffersons" Cast Now? Here's What the Actors Did After the Sitcom Ended 40 Years Ago
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty The final episode ofThe Jeffersonsaired on July 2, 1985 The beloved sitcom was a spinoff of the groundbreaking sitcom,All in the Family Following the end ofThe Jeffersons, the cast continued to act in television, appearing in classic series such as227,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,Will & Graceand more Forty years ago today, on July 2, 1985,The Jeffersonswent from "movin' on up," to movin' on, as the beloved sitcom aired its final episode. George and Louise "Weezy" Jefferson, played bySherman HemsleyandIsabel Sanford, respectively, first played their characters on the trailblazing '70s sitcom,All in the Family. In 1975, the fictional married couple and their friends and family became the subject of their own series,The Jeffersons.It ran for 11 seasons, becoming one of the most successful spinoffs in television history. Even after the show concluded its run on CBS, the cast continued to be staples in television and movies, with one ensemble member,Marla Gibbs, still working, and due to release her memoir next year. So where isThe Jeffersonscast now? Here's everything to know about what the actors did after the show ended 40 years ago. CBS via Getty ; Steve Grayson/WireImage Isabel Sanford played Louise "Weezy" Jefferson on all 11 seasons ofThe Jeffersons. The actress not only received laughs as the loving and witty wife of her husband, George, but also made television history. In 1981, she was the first Black actress towin an Emmyfor Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She was also honored withtwo NAACP Image Awardsand a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the years following the end ofThe Jeffersons, Sanford appeared on several other sitcoms, includingLiving SingleandHangin' with Mr. Cooper. She also reprised her role of Louise on two episodes ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Sanford died at the age of 86 on July 9, 2004. "We all respected Isabel," Ernest Harden Jr., who played Marcus Henderson onThe Jeffersons,told PEOPLE in February 2024. "She was the consummate artist. Before every show, they would introduce her and the cast would all bow. She was the queen of the show." CBS via Getty ; Frazer Harrison/Getty Sherman Hemsley starred as the loud and stubborn George Jefferson, earning a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in A Comedy Series at the 1984 Emmys. Following the end ofThe Jeffersons, he led another successful sitcom,Amen, which ran for five seasons from 1986 to 1991. Afterward, the actor worked on other sitcoms, includingDesigning Women,MartinandSister, Sister. He also voiced B.P. Richfield, the evil Triceratops boss onDinosaurs. Hemsley and his on-screen wife, Sanford, reprised their Jeffersons roles multiple times over the years, starring onThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. They also starred in commercials forDenny'sandOld Navy. In addition to acting, Hemsley was a musician: He released a single, "Ain't That a Kick in the Head," in 1989, followed by an album,Dance, in 1992. Hemsley died at 74 on July 24, 2012. CBS via Getty; Ron Galella Collection via Getty Roxie Roker portrayed Helen Willis onThe Jeffersons,making history as one of television's first interracial couples. After the long-running sitcom ended, Roker continued to work in television, appearing on shows such as227,Punky BrewsterandMurder, She Wrote. She died at age 66 from breast cancer on Dec. 2, 1995. Roker was the mother of music icon,Lenny Kravitz, who told PEOPLE in February 2024 that he watchesThe Jeffersonswhen he misses her. "She's still everything to me. I probably feel her more since she's left the planet," he said. "I'm very fortunate that she was on television because when I need to, I'll turn onThe Jeffersonsand watch her, and it does so much for me." "I am so grateful that God chose her to be my mother," Kravitz added. CBS Photo Archive/Getty ; Ron Galella Collection via Getty Franklin Cover played Helen's husband, Tom Willis, onThe Jeffersons. Cover kept working in television afterThe Jeffersons, appearing on shows like227,Who's the Boss,ERandWill & Grace— to name a few. He also portrayed a supporting role in 1987'sWall Street, directed by Oliver Stone. Cover died at 77 from pneumonia on Feb. 5, 2006, perThe New York Times. Bettmann Archive via Getty; CBS via Getty Zara Cully was the scene-stealing Olivia Jefferson, George's loving but intense mother. By the time she played "Mother" Jefferson, Cully already had a long list of stage and screen credits, but her role onThe Jeffersonsshot her to stardom. Sadly, while filming season 4 of the show,Cully diedat age 86 on Feb. 28, 1978. Her role was not recast. When asked about his on-screen mom during an August 2003Television Academy interview, Hemsley said, "She was so beautiful." "She had been around for so long, vaudeville, she had done all kinds of stuff since she was a little girl," he continued. "It was her first successful, big thing after all those years." "She said, 'I'm so happy. I finally got to do this and work with you people,' " Hemsley added. CBS via Getty; Bobby Bank/Getty Berlinda Tolbert portrayed Jenny, the daughter of Helen and Tom Willis. Tolbert's acting career continued afterThe Jeffersonsended. She guest-starred on various TV shows, including7th Heaven,Home ImprovementandSix Feet Under, among others. The actress also had roles in classic movies likeGoodfellas,Harlem NightsandPatriot Games. Tolbert's last acting credit is from 2013, perher IMDb. CBS via Getty; Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Paul Benedict played Harry Bentley, the Jeffersons' British neighbor. Following the sitcom's end, Benedict acted in movies likeArthur 2: On the Rocks,CocktailandThe Addams Family. He also collaborated with Christopher Guest's comedy troupe, appearing inWaiting for GuffmanandA Mighty Wind. Benedict died at the age of 70 on Dec. 1, 2008. CBS via Getty; Amanda Edwards/Getty Marla Gibbs portrayed the no-nonsense family maid Florence Johnston, receivingfive Emmy nominationsfor her role. Florence was her breakout role, and Gibbs has been consistently working sinceThe Jeffersonsconcluded its run. She was part of the cast of227, which ran from 1985 to 1990. Most recently, Gibbs starred in a January 2025 episode of ABC'sWill Trent. The following month, while accepting the Hollywood Legacy Award at the American Black Film Festival Honors in Los Angeles, Gibbs said she was "ready to work again." "I owe it all to you. I appreciate you so much," she told the audience. "Been an honor to be among you all these years. Yes, and I'm ready to do some more!" In June 2025,Gibbs celebratedher 94th birthday and announced herforthcoming memoirIt's Never Too Late, hitting store shelves in early 2026. Read the original article onPeople
Where Is "The Jeffersons" Cast Now? Here's What the Actors Did After the Sitcom Ended 40 Years Ago Michael Ochs Archives/Getty...
