- published: 21 Mar 2016
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227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series stars Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins. It was produced by Embassy Television from 1985 to 1986 and by Embassy Communications from 1986 until 1988; then ELP Communications through Columbia Pictures Television produced the series in its final two seasons (1988–1990).
The series was adapted from a play written in 1978 by Christine Houston about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building in 1950s Chicago. The setting of the series, however, was changed to present-day Washington, D.C. The show was created as a starring vehicle for Marla Gibbs, who had become famous as Florence Johnston, the sassy maid on The Jeffersons, and had starred in Houston's play in Los Angeles. This role was similar in nature to that of tart-tongued Florence; Gibbs' character, housewife Mary Jenkins, loved a good gossip and often spoke what she thought, with sometimes not-so-favorable results.
Harold "Hal" Williams (born December 14, 1938) is an American actor, best known for his recurring role as the black cop Officer Smith ("Smitty") on Sanford and Son, and as the patriarch Lester Jenkins, the husband of Marla Gibbs's character, on the NBC sitcom 227.
Williams started out in show business in 1969. Since then, he has appeared in movies such as Hardcore, Private Benjamin (he also took his role of Sgt L.C. "Ted" Ross to the television series of the same name), and The Rookie. He was controversially fired from The Jimmy Stewart Show in 1971 at the insistence of its star, James Stewart. In the early to mid-1990s, he starred in many of comic Sinbad's productions, including The Sinbad Show and The Cherokee Kid. Most recently, he played the grandfather in the Bernie Mac film Guess Who.
His other television credits include Moonlight, Moesha, Suddenly Susan, Minor Adjustments, L.A. Law, Night Court, Magnum, P.I., Hill Street Blues, Gimme a Break, The Jeffersons, The Dukes of Hazzard, T.J. Hooker, The Waltons, Knots Landing, The White Shadow, What's Happening!!, Good Times, Quincy, M.E., Kung Fu, S.W.A.T.,Gunsmoke and That Girl.
Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley, June 14, 1931) is an American television and film actress and singer. She is best remembered for playing Louise and George Jefferson's sarcastic maid, Florence Johnston, on The Jeffersons and spinoff Checking In. She also starred as Mary Jenkins on the television series 227.
Before the start of her acting career, Gibbs had worked as a reservations agent for United Airlines before relocating with her children from Detroit to Los Angeles. Soon afterwards, she joined PASLA (Performing Arts Society of Los Angeles) with her daughter, Angela, and studied at the Mafundi Institute and Watts Writers Workshop (both in Watts, California). Gibbs soon performed in several well-received productions including Medea, Amen Corner and The Gingerbread Lady at the Zodiac Theatre. After a few bit parts, Ms. Gibbs landed the plum role of Florence on The Jeffersons, where she started to gain international fame.
Gibbs has also appeared as guest star in several African American sitcoms, including, The Hughleys, Martin, Chappelle's Show, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She also has done voice-over work for the animated TV series, 101 Dalmatians. Gibbs also starred and sang in the movie Stanley's Gig. She performed the theme song "In the Memory of You", by writer/producer Frank Fitzpatrick, which will be released on the upcoming CD entitled, Scenes In Jazz. In 2004, she had a recurring role on the NBC daytime drama, Passions, as the foul-mouthed, and somewhat hateful "Aunt Irma Johnson".[citation needed]