I always wondered what type of things Mike Evans did while he was away from the Jeffersons. I spotted him in a 1977 episode of the Richard Pryor Show along with Lawanda Page. I didn;t recognize him at first because he was wearing shades but i was able to see it was him. I don't what else it did during that time span but I will be interested in knowing. I don;t care what no one says, i still believe him leaving the show was the reason the Jeffersons fell in the ratings 75-76, 76-77, 77-78

Trust me, Mike Evans had nothing to do with show's ratings.

Trust me, Mike Evans had nothing to do with show's ratings.


So you are telling me Mike Evans Leaving the Show had nothing at all to do with the Ratings falling from #4 to #21? Is that what you are saying?-lol

So you are telling me Mike Evans Leaving the Show had nothing at all to do with the Ratings falling from #4 to #21? Is that what you are saying?-lol

Yep, that is what I am saying.

Yep, that is what I am saying.


I have to disagree, You know that viewers were used to Mike Evans as Lionel for 4 years. So to see another actor play the role defintely caused lots of viewers to lose interest in the show.

I have to disagree myself. I never saw where Lionel was a huge contributor. As a matter of fact, I hardly paid him any attention. That goes for both Lionels. :p

I have to disagree myself. I never saw where Lionel was a huge contributor. As a matter of fact, I hardly paid him any attention. That goes for both Lionels. :p

Agreed, Mike Evans was not the star of the show. As a matter of fact, Evans had a better, more funnier role on All in the Family.

Agreed, Mike Evans was not the star of the show. As a matter of fact, Evans had a better, more funnier role on All in the Family.


He was more fun to watch than Mother Jefferson-lol

Lionel and Jenny were boring characters in my opinion and never held my interest.

Charlie the bartender was more interesting than Lionel.

And like Brian said, Lionel was a much better character on All in the Family.

Lionel and Jenny were boring characters in my opinion and never held my interest.

Charlie the bartender was more interesting than Lionel.

And like Brian said, Lionel was a much better character on All in the Family.



Charlie the Bartender?? You must be talking about the 2nd Lionel

Charlie the Bartender?? You must be talking about the 2nd Lionel

Well certainly the second one, but either way the show was not about Lionel and he was not really needed.

After all of the obvious Jefferson-Willis tension with Lionel and Jenny dating, it made little sense to even involve these characters any more after they got married.

Is it just me, or does anyone else prefer episodes that have nothing to do with Lionel or Jenny?

Well certainly the second one, but either way the show was not about Lionel and he was not really needed.

After all of the obvious Jefferson-Willis tension with Lionel and Jenny dating, it made little sense to even involve these characters any more after they got married.

Is it just me, or does anyone else prefer episodes that have nothing to do with Lionel or Jenny?


I preferred to see Lionel, not Jenny

I preferred to see Lionel, not Jenny

Didn't it seem like she was always in a tizzy about something?

I haven't really seen jeffersons since the isabel tribute WAY back last july, however, watching episodes of AITF lately on my DVD's, he's always good for a laugh, but when I watched the jeffersons, he wasn't as funny anymore. I'd gamble to say it was because of Carrol O' Connor not being involved in the jeffersons project.

pat

I haven't really seen jeffersons since the isabel tribute WAY back last july, however, watching episodes of AITF lately on my DVD's, he's always good for a laugh, but when I watched the jeffersons, he wasn't as funny anymore. I'd gamble to say it was because of Carrol O' Connor not being involved in the jeffersons project.

pat



That's because Mike Evans wasn't used the right way.

didn't Mike Evans co created GOOD TIMES too?

I never knew that about Mike.

didn't Mike Evans co created GOOD TIMES too?

I never knew that about Mike.


Yes he did that before the Jeffersons premired on CBS in 1975

I think Mike Evans wasn't used properly in the Jeffersons. He had the talent to be just as memorable in this show as George and Louise, but the producers goofed. I was watching the years 1 and 2 dvds and to think that there were 2 episodes in year 1 without Mike Evans when he was the first Jefferson shown on All in the Family proves that the producers undervalued him. Damon wasn't as bad as some would say, if he had originated the part he would have been decent, its just that Mike was uniquely original in his approach to the part. Damon was in what were probably the 2 most notable Lionel episodes of the 70s: his graduation and the episode where he married Jenny. All in all, Damon was ok and I'd rather watch him than no Lionel at all or Jay Hammer who was weak, but Mike even when he was watererd down in the 80s was the better Lionel.

I think the producers should have made his time equal with George and Weezie.

I agree with Solomon that it contributed greatly to the ratings drop. Ask anyone who their favorite Lionel is, and its Mike.

I think the producers should have made his time equal with George and Weezie.

I agree with Solomon that it contributed greatly to the ratings drop. Ask anyone who their favorite Lionel is, and its Mike.



He defintely should have had more time than Zara Cully. Zara Cully wasn't even in the Jeffersons Pilot but gets equal screen time to Mike Evans in season 1

Cully was in the Jeffersons pilot. Look towards the end of the episode. After the kiss and before Florence.

Cully was in the Jeffersons pilot. Look towards the end of the episode. After the kiss and before Florence.



Marla Gibbs and Zara Cully were not in the pilot. Only George, Louise, The Willises, and Lionel. The Pilot was a All in the Family Episode

Marla Gibbs and Zara Cully were not in the pilot. Only George, Louise, The Willises, and Lionel. The Pilot was a All in the Family Episode


If that's the case, why isn't that episode on the Jeffersons season 1 DVD?

If that's the case, why isn't that episode on the Jeffersons season 1 DVD?



Because It was an All in the Family episode Brian-lol It should have been on the DVD, as an extra

Ok I get you now. When I think of pilot I am thinking of the show itself.

Marla Gibbs and Zara Cully were not in the pilot. Only George, Louise, The Willises, and Lionel. The Pilot was a All in the Family Episode
I seem to remember Zara being in the pilot. She comes over towards the end and as usual she disses Louise. Bentley, Jenny and Ralph are in it too, but Florence wasn't there until the first actual show.

I seem to remember Zara being in the pilot. She comes over towards the end and as usual she disses Louise. Bentley, Jenny and Ralph are in it too, but Florence wasn't there until the first actual show.



Zara Cully was only in one episode of All in the Family, and that was Lionel's Engagment. Not the Jeffersons Pilot

Because It was an All in the Family episode Brian-lol It should have been on the DVD, as an extra

If it is the pilot, then it should be an episode of the Jeffersons, not All in the Family.

I think the only AITF cast member that was in that pilot was Edith, otherwise it was all The Jeffersons.

I seem to remember Zara being in the pilot. She comes over towards the end and as usual she disses Louise. Bentley, Jenny and Ralph are in it too, but Florence wasn't there until the first actual show.



Sorry you were right, I just went into my Video Archives and Mother Jefferson was in the Pilot. I just didn't remember her.

If it is the pilot, then it should be an episode of the Jeffersons, not All in the Family.


Some Parent shows have SET UP eps for the Spinoff. Like All in the Family did with Maude, and Three's Company did with the Ropers. Both pilot eps were All in the Family and Three's Company eps.

I think the only AITF cast member that was in that pilot was Edith, otherwise it was all The Jeffersons.


Yeah Edith was the only AITF character seen. I didn't think she was so I ordered the UNCUT version of the Jeffersons Pilot only to find out she was the only AITF character seen.

If it is the pilot, then it should be an episode of the Jeffersons, not All in the Family.

Not necessarily. A lot of tv shows started out as spin-offs of other programs, and usually the cheapest way to produce a pilot is to make it an episode of an existing series, i.e. the "All In The Family" episode that introduced Lionel's fiance Jenny and her parents (and I remeber Mother Jefferson being in this episode, too...they introduced almost all of the elements of the coming "Jeffersons" series in one fell swoop...all that was necessarry was their own setting...)

Not necessarily. A lot of tv shows started out as spin-offs of other programs, and usually the cheapest way to produce a pilot is to make it an episode of an existing series, i.e. the "All In The Family" episode that introduced Lionel's fiance Jenny and her parents (and I remeber Mother Jefferson being in this episode, too...they introduced almost all of the elements of the coming "Jeffersons" series in one fell swoop...all that was necessarry was their own setting...)



Yeah she had a very small part in that episode. After yelling at Archie, she was not seen again.

Lionel and Jenny were boring characters in my opinion and never held my interest.

Charlie the bartender was more interesting than Lionel.

And like Brian said, Lionel was a much better character on All in the Family.
I didn't care for any of the Lionel's nor Jenny for that matter... Esp. Jenny, she was more goofy looking and her character was annoying.. They could have done without her character on the show..

I didn't care for any of the Lionel's nor Jenny for that matter... Esp. Jenny, she was more goofy looking and her character was annoying.. They could have done without her character on the show..

Yeah I wasn't a big fan of Jenny.