George Jefferson is a fictional character played by Sherman Hemsley on the American television sitcoms All in the Family (from 1973 until 1975) and its spin-off The Jeffersons (1975–1985). The character appears in all 253 episodes of The Jeffersons.

Character overview[link]

George Jefferson was born in Harlem in 1929, an ambitious African-American entrepreneur who started and managed a successful chain of seven dry cleaning stores in New York City. The only background on the Jefferson family is that they were Alabama sharecroppers. In a very early episode, George's wife Louise makes mention of a conversation she had with George's father after she and George were married about the Jeffersons family roots. However, the show's writers later applied a retroactive change in the continuity of George's father, such that he had died when George was 10 years old. This left George to take care of his mother; therefore, George was unable to complete high school. He was a cook in the US Navy during the Korean War. He began dating Louise when they were teenagers and married her upon his discharge from the navy.

Before the Jeffersons' store opening, the family lived in a derelict section of Harlem. George had worked as a janitor, and Louise as a housekeeper. In one episode Louise says that the building's white janitor was properly referred to as a "custodian". George says: "Well, whenever a man of our race has that job, he is a janitor!"

George's brother Henry appeared in All in the Family during the lead-up to the spin-off of The Jeffersons. That character was created only because Sherman Hemsley was starring in the Broadway musical Purlie and not yet available to take on the part of George. Once Hemsley became available and joined the cast, the character of his brother became extraneous, and a result, Henry Jefferson never appeared on The Jeffersons. Henry's absence was attributed to his family's move to Chicago, but was mentioned one time when he had a son named Raymond (played by Gary Coleman), who came to visit his aunt Louise and uncle George in one episode of The Jeffersons.

During All in the Family, Jefferson lived in a working-class neighborhood in the borough of Queens, next door to the Bunker family, with his wife Louise (Isabel Sanford) and son Lionel (Mike Evans). During the period, between 1971 and 1973, George's perpetual absence was explained as being a result of his refusal to set foot in his bigoted neighbor Archie Bunker's home, although in later episodes relationships between Jefferson and Bunker thawed somewhat. When the spin-off series The Jeffersons began in January 1975, George and his family had moved "to a deluxe apartment in the sky" on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Like his neighbor Archie Bunker, George Jefferson was frequently opinionated, rude, bigoted, prone to scheming and not particularly intelligent in a scholastic sense. Unlike Archie, however, George was more quick-thinking, and usually more clever. Frequently, plots in The Jeffersons revolved around George's usually dishonest schemes, which always ended in comedic failure. In one 3rd season farcical episode {A Case of Black and White}, George schemes to obtain a new client (a mixed-race couple) by inviting them and the Willises (also a mixed-race couple) to dinner. When the Willises realize that George is using them, they leave before the new client shows up. This makes George bribe Florence the maid and Ralph the doorman into pretending to be the Willises. Eventually the Willises return, and by pretending to be Florence and Ralph, they help George land the client, while trapping George into throwing them an extravagant anniversary party.

Like Archie Bunker, George Jefferson's personality softened somewhat as years passed. By The Jeffersons series finale in 1985, the frequent racism and interracial marriage plotlines of early seasons were replaced with plots involving the Jeffersons' family life, as well as interactions with maid Florence (played by Marla Gibbs) and neighbors. George would form a grudging friendship with Tom Willis.

George made a visit on the short lived series E/R to his niece, Julie Williams (played by Lynne Moody) who was a nurse in Chicago.

Helmsley appeared as George twice on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", appearing along with Isabel Sanford as Louise, debating whether or not to buy the house Will Smith's character had lived in for the last several years from his aunt and uncle in the later episode.

Jefferson Cleaners[link]

The third episode of All in the Family explained how George Jefferson started his dry-cleaning business. George Jefferson's son Lionel explains that the family used a $3,200 (approximately $18,200 in 2012^[1]) insurance settlement from a car accident to start Jefferson’s Cleaners. A Christmas flashback episode, which featured Sherman Hemsley playing his character's father, explained how he got the idea to open a dry cleaning business as a child after his father told him that dry cleaning was expensive. This episode also showed how George had been involved in money-making schemes since childhood, with him working as a shoe-shine boy and paying a schoolmate to push people into mud puddles, forcing them to get their shoes shined.

George Jefferson’s chief business rival was Gil Cunningham, with whom George had a considerably antagonistic relationship. Later in the series, after Gil Cunningham died, the Jeffersons discovered that Gil never desired to be enemies with George. It was revealed that Gil's wife (played by future L.A. Law star Susan Ruttan), had been the motivator behind this competition all along. In his will, Gil left George the bowling trophy he won vs. Jefferson Cleaners, with a letter inside warning George to never trust her because “she put the ‘cunning’ in Cunningham.” Gil was later proven right as Mrs. Cunningham, under the guise of still grieving over his passing, stole the idea from an ad campaign George was devising for Jefferson Cleaners, which stated that for every pound of laundry a customer would send in to be cleaned, they would be reimbursed one dollar. But in the end, George turned the tables on Mrs. Cunningham by bringing her all of the laundry from all seven of his cleaning stores and thereby forcing her to pay him a dollar for every pound, which amounted to $10,000.^[2]

A later season "flashback" episode of The Jeffersons depicted the day the very first Jefferson Cleaners store opened for business, which happened to be the day Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April 1968; however, this contradicts the previous history established during All in the Family 's first season (in early 1971), where Lionel announced that his parents had just started their own dry cleaning business with money his father had received in a disability settlement.

[edit] All in the Family Appearances

The following is a list of All in the Family episodes featuring George Jefferson before and during The Jeffersons.

Season Four[link]

• Episode 6: "Henry's Farewell"
• Episode 14: "Archie Is Cursed"
• Episode 20: "Lionel's Engagement"
• Episode 23: "Pay the Twenty Dollars"

Season Five[link]

• Episode 1: "The Bunkers and Inflation" (Part 1)
• Episode 3: "The Bunkers and Inflation" (Part 3)
• Episode 4: "The Bunkers and Inflation" (Part 4)
• Episode 5: "Lionel the Live-In"
• Episode 9: "Where's Archie?" (Part 2)
• Episode 10: "The Longest Kiss"
• Episode 12: "George and Archie Make a Deal"
• Episode 13: "Archie's Contract"
• Episode 18: "The Jeffersons Move on Up"
• Episode 25: "Mike Makes His Move"

Season Eight[link]

• Episode 22: "Mike's New Job"

Cultural impact[link]

The lingering cultural impact of the George Jefferson character is such that Michelle Obama, the wife of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, referenced George Jefferson in a June 2008 interview with the New York Times. Referring to an unfounded rumor discussed by a blogger that she had once used the word "whitey" in a speech, Michelle Obama told the Times: "You are amazed sometimes at how deep the lies can be . . . I mean, ‘whitey’? That’s something that George Jefferson would say. Anyone who says that doesn’t know me. They don’t know the life I’ve lived. They don’t know anything about me."^[3]

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
2. ^ Facebook
3. ^ Michael Powell and Jodi Kantor (2008-06-18). "Michelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/us/politics/18michelle.html. Retrieved 2008-06-18. 

Thomas Willis (born 4 November 1983 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player. He last played as a goalkeeper for the Queensland Roar in the A-League competition.

Biography[link]

In his position as goalkeeper, Willis started 15 games for Roar in the 05/06 season, making 51 saves and recording 6 cleansheets.^[1] Willis has been semi-retired since he left the Queensland Roar.

He represented Australia at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.

References[link]

1. ^ BrisbaneRoar Profile

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This article is a list of Famous Cape Verdean people:

Actors[link]

• Michael Beach
• Don Xavier

Artists[link]

• Djon Brito
• Manuel Figueira
• Tchalê Figueira
• Lindsay Grace
• Mariana Ramos
• Mayra Andrade
• Mito Elias https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mito-Elias/216308035071236
• Cesaria Evora
• Bana
• Ildo Lobo
• Paulino Vieira
• Bius
• Bulimundo
• Luis Morais
• Manuel de Novas
• Tubarões
• Dudu Araujo
• Cordas de Sol
• Luis Morais
• Gilyto Semedo http://www.gilyto.com
• Lura
• Princesito
• Ferro Gaita
• Simentera
• Soldado Di Liberdade http://www.sdlcv.webs.com
• Pantera
• Tito Paris
• Txeka
• Gil Semedo

Motivational Speaker[link]

• Don Xavier Canada, www.Donxavier.com

Beauty Pageant Winners[link]

• Wilza Fortes De Pina, Miss CEDEAO in 2002.
• Tania Neves, Miss CEDEAO in 2005

Poets[link]

• Aguinaldo Fonseca
• Sergio Frusoni, Italian Cape Verdean poet and promoter of the Cape Verdean Creole language.
• Gabriel Mariano, poet and an essayist
• Ovídio Martins, poet and journalist
• Arménio Vieira
• Dr. Azágua, poet, educator and Capeverdean Creole Advocate

Politicians[link]

• Amílcar Cabral, nationalist politician
• António Mascarenhas Monteiro, former President of Cape Verde
• José Maria Neves, Prime Minister of Cape Verde
• Aristides Pereira, former President of Cape Verde
• Pedro Pires, former Prime Minister of Cape Verde; former President of Cape Verde
• Carlos Veiga, former Prime Minister of Cape Verde
• Honório Barreto (1813–1859) was a governor of the Portuguese Guinea.
• Corsino Fortes, ambassador and writer
• Carlos Nunes Fernandes Reis, former Minister of Education, Diplomat

Producers[link]

• Mike Costa – Mike Costa is a writer/producer/director. He was a writer on the hit television series, Roseanne. He is currently producing a film titled: Proud to be Cape Verdean: A Look at Cape Verdeans in the Golden State.
• Claire Andrade-Watkins
• Jim Lopes – Jim Lopes is an entertainment attorney and writer/producer and former senior executive at MCA-Universal, CBS/Fox and Reader's Digest. He co-produced the award-winning documentary "Race to Execution" which was broadcast on PBS. He is currently producing a film about the Cape Verdean whaling families of New Bedford, Massachusetts.
• Tom Lopes, Producer/Director of the much acclaimed 1983 documentary film "Mystery Lady - the Return of the Schooner Ernestina". This saga tells the story of early Cape Verdeans who emigrated from Cape Verde on-board whaling and packet ships, sailing to America seeking a better way life. The film nicely tells the story of Cape Verdean people living on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and provides to this date one of the best accounts of the history of the Cape Verdean-American. Continuously, for over 25 years, Tom Lopes has successfully produced and directed a number of local cable television programs, and in partnership with Google's YouTube and Amazon.com his motion picture company that goes by the name "Coollywood" (Cool Movies) has been credited with over 250 short movies and slide show presentations. Today, Tom Lopes is hard at work writing and producing full featured films for world-wide distribution. Coollywood movie channel link: www.Youtube.com/Coollywood
• Napoleon X – Napoleon X is producer/director of the documentary film "Black Men Can Fly", the story of George S. Lima (also Cape Verdean) who was a member of the American Army Air Corps' famed Tuskegee Airmen. He is currently producing a documentary entitled "Pioneiros de Cabo Verde". pioneirosdecaboverde.com

Models[link]

• Cassandra Miranda
• Alzerina Gomes (currently a jewelry designer based in New York City, www.alzerina.com)
• Amber Rose

Music – Singers, Musicians, & Composers[link]

• Rui Pina ('Rui'), Singer, songwriter, record producer, record executive, http://www.kolarecords.com
• Maria Alice
• Francelina Durão Amerida ('Fantcha')
• Leonel Almeida
• Rufino Almeida ('Bau'), singer
• Manuel Lopes Andrade ('Tcheka')
• Mayra Andrade
• Adriano Gonçalves ('Bana'), singer and original member of Voz de Cabo Verde
• Carlos Alberto Barbosa ('Kaká' Barbosa), composer
• Orlando Monteiro Barreto (Orlando 'Pantera')
• Maria de Barros, Senegalese-born singer
• Gardénia Benrós
• Gilyto Semedo Singer, Dancer & Producer http://www.gilyto.com
• Gabriela Mendes, Born in Mindelo on the Island of Sao Vicente
• Humberto Bettencourt ('Humbertona'), guitarist
• Biús ('Biús')
• José Carlos Brito ('Voginha')
• Amândio Cabral
• António Carvalho ('Antoni Denti D' Oro')
• José Casimiro
• Teofilo Chantre
• João Cirilo
• Malaquias Costa
• Francisco Xavier da Cruz ('B. Leza'), composer of classic morna
• Beto Dias, singer and songwriter
• Codé di dona, Funaná musician
• Abilio Duarte, pre-independence composer of protest coladeira
• Bela Duarte
• José Duarte ('Djosinha'), singer and original member of Voz de Cabo Verde
• Cesária Évora, Paris-based singer and global popularizer of morna and coladeira
• Epifânia Évora ('Tututa')
• Gracindo Évora ('Grace' Évora)
• Emanuel Fernandes ('Zeca di nha Reinalda'), singer and member of Bulimundo
• José Bernardo Fernandes ('Zézé di nha Reinalda'), singer and founder of Finaçon
• Ana Firmino
• Jacqueline Fortes
• Fortinho ('Fortinho')
• Francisco Vicente Gomes ('Frank Cavaquim'), composer
• Maria Inácia Gomes Correia ('Nácia Gomi')
• Arnaldo Gonçalves, pianist and founder of Centaurus
• Gregorio Gonçalves, composer
• Eddy Fortes ('Eddy Fort Moda Grog'), rapper
• Jorge Humberto, guitarist
• Emmanuel Lima ('Manu' Lima), singer and composer
• Euclides Lima ('Kiki' Lima)
• Ildo Lobo, singer with Os Tubarões
• Anselmo Lopes ('Séma Lopi')
• António Lopes ('Antoninho Travadinha'), violinist
• Lisa Nicole Lopes (Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes), member of hip-hop group TLC
• Manuel de Jesus Lopes ('Manuel de Novas'), humorous composer and modernizer of coladeira
• Suzanna Lubrano, zouk singer
• Mário Lúcio, founder of Simentera
• Maria de Lurdes Lura ('Lura')
• Carlos Alberto Martins ('Katchàz', 'Katchás', 'Catchàz' or 'Catchass'), guitarist, founder of Bulimundo and revitalizer of the funaná of Santiagu
• Vasco Martins, composer
• Gerard Mendes ('Boy Gê' or 'Boy Gé' Mendes), Senegalese-born singer, guitarist and founder of Paris-based Mendes e Mendes and O'asah
• Frank Mimita
• Mobafuco, a Capeverdean singer who released Salve na Criolu
• Jorge Fernandes Monteiro ('Jotamont'), pre-independence composer of morna
• Luís Morais
• Eddy Moreno
• Jorge Neto
• Aristides Paris ('Tito Paris')
• Celina Pereira
• Fernando Quejas, singer and songwriter
• Danny Ramalho (Jokachild), hip-hop artist
• Daniel Rendall
• Albertina Rodrigues ('Titina'), singer
• Arlinda Santos
• Gil Semedo, singer
• Chico Serra ('Chico' Serra)
• Adalberto Silva ('Betú'), composer
• Daniel Silva ('Dany' Silva)
• Marinho Silva
• Onésimo Silva
• Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva ('Horace Silver'), hard bop jazz pianist of Capeverdean extraction
• Armando Zeferino Soares, composer of the famous morna, Sodade
• Eugénio Tavares, greatest composer of morna
• Fulgêncio Tavares ('Ano Nobo'), composer
• Blick Tchutchi ('Blick Tchutchi')
• Armãndo Tito, guitarist
• Gregório Vaz ('Kodé di Dona' or 'Codé di Dona'), Santiagu-based accordionist, standard-bearer for traditional funaná, and composer of "Fomi 47" about famine
• Nancy Vieira, Guiné Bissau-born singer of morna and coladeira
• Paulino Vieira, guitarist and arranger of morna
• Sara Tavares, Portuguese-born singer of Capeverdian descent
• Marcelo Rosa, (Patalino) Guitarist,Singer,Composer,Producer,Songwriter,Arranger.

Sports[link]

louis nani, Portuguese national team and manchester united soccer player. parents from Cape Verde

Baseball[link]

• Wayne Gomes
• Davey Lopes

Basketball[link]

[edit] NBA

• Dana Barros, former NBA basketball player with the Boston Celtics
• Glen "Big Baby" Davis
• Ryan Gomes
• Dan "Jewy" Steinberg
• Carl "La Rosa Roja" Nemes

Europe[link]

• João Gomes
• Nelson Delgado, luxemburgish basketball national team players of cape verdean descent
• Jairo Delgado, luxemburgish basketball national team players of cape verdean descent

Football[link]

• Bijou Davidson
• Gerson
• Kadú
• Pedro Pelé
• Tunis
• Arlindo Gomes Semedo
• José Veiga
• Nélson Veiga
• Devlin Anes "The Beast"read article for more info
• Henrik Larsson, half Cape Verdean
• Jerry Adriano Pires
• Erikson Teixeira
• Patrick Vieira, from the Cape Verdean community in Dakar, Senegal
• Nani
• Joaquim M. Andrade, "Dr. Azágua", first FIFA Professional Soccer Coach, USSF-A, NSCAA-National.
• Manuel Fernandes, portuguese national player of cape verdean descent
• Gelson Fernandes, swiss national player of cape verdean descent
• Dady, cape verdean national team player

Martial Arts[link]

• Fredson Gomes, Tae Kwon Do Olympian
• Emanuel Bettencourt
• Joaquim M. Andrade Wah Lum Kung Fu, Master

Boxing[link]

• Robert Daluz, featherweight boxer
• Vinny "the Kid" Debarros, featherweight boxer
• Demetrius "The Best" Andrade
• "Sucra" Ray Oliveira

Fernando Fernandes, welterweight boxer

Bodyboarding[link]

• Jason Mascarenhas, bodyboarder
• Robin Cardoza,bodyboarder

Other Sports[link]

• Melissa Maria Andrade of Scituate, MA, USA-Champion Team Gymnastics, and two-time finalist at Disney, FL
• Cynthia Barboza
• Paul Wigertz - Poker player.

Writers[link]

• Amílcar Cabral (1921–1973)
• Baltasar Lopes da Silva (1907–1989)
• Corsino Fortes
• Don Xavier
• Eugénio Tavares (1867–1930)
• Germano Almeida (1945- )
• Henrique Teixeira de Sousa
• Ivone Ramos: (1926- )
• João Cleófas Martins (1901–1970)
• Jorge Barbosa
• Manuel Lopes (1907–2005)
• Manuel de Novas (1938- )
• Orlanda Amarilis (1924 – )
• PJ Coble (1960- )American of Cape Verdian descent
• Yolanda Morazzo (1928- )
• Sergio Frusoni (1901–1975)
• Viriato de Barros

See also[link]

Cape Verdean diaspora

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