Basically Mike Evans left the show after season one because he felt he wasn't used enough and that his role became very small while Zara Cully's role was becoming Larger. So after Season 1 Mike evans went to Norman lear and said-"How can I get off the show? Norman Lear then said-"Just say you want off and you are off" And Mike said-"I want off" and Lear said-"Ok you are off the show". Lear said someone must have told Mike Evans that he was bigger than he was and thought that he would beg him to stay. So after 4 years, Sherman Hemsley ran into Mike evans in the summer of 1979 and he saw how Mike matured since 75. so sherman and Mike talked about the old days and then he asked Mike did he want to return to the show and Mike said yes since he wasn't working. So sherman talked to the producers and then added him back to the show at the startof 1979-80 season.


Information Came from

1975 Ebony Magazine Article, September

TV Book-"The Jeffersons", published in 1983

What an idiot he was.

What an idiot he was.


In a way I don't blame him for leaving, they decrease his role after he played that character for 4 years and wanted to increased the role of a woman who was over 80 years old-lol Made no sense

It made perfect sense, because Mother Jefferson was funny and Lionel was just there.

It made perfect sense, because Mother Jefferson was funny and Lionel was just there.


That's because he wasn't used the right way

That's because he wasn't used the right way


Zara Cully was funny on the show and Mike Evans was not.

Zara Cully was funny on the show and Mike Evans was not.


Because they FOCUSED on her more and Focused on Mike Evans less. Any character can be funny if they are used the right way

Because they FOCUSED on her more and Focused on Mike Evans less. Any character can be funny if they are used the right way

They started focusing on her more, because she was getting bigger laughs than Lionel was.

They started focusing on her more, because she was getting bigger laughs than Lionel was.


If a character doesn't have any speaking lines how can they get laughs?-lol George wouldn't be funny either if he didn't have any lines

He had lines, but they weren't funny. I really don't think he really wanted to be on the show and it showed. Zara kept the show ALIVE!!!

He had lines, but they weren't funny. I really don't think he really wanted to be on the show and it showed. Zara kept the show ALIVE!!!


Well he was funny on All in the Family so it's obvious the writers wanted to make a star out of a 85 year old woman-lol

Zara Cully was funnier than Mike Evans despite what show he was on.

Because they FOCUSED on her more and Focused on Mike Evans less. Any character can be funny if they are used the right way
He wasn't meant to be funny...just Cool...:cool:

He wasn't meant to be funny...just Cool...:cool:


I prefer Ralph the Door Man over Mother Jefferson. Actually I preferred the Doorman in the Opening Credits over Mother Jefferson-lol

I prefer Ralph the Door Man over Mother Jefferson. Actually I preferred the Doorman in the Opening Credits over Mother Jefferson-lol

Mother Jefferson stole the SHOW!

Mother Jefferson stole the SHOW!


I prefer the GUY driving the cab in the opening credits over Mother Jefferson-lol

I prefer the GUY driving the cab in the opening credits over Mother Jefferson-lol
Don't be afraid Solomon, come right out and say it, you hate her. Am I right?:crazy: Stop beating around the bush now...:lol:

Don't be afraid Solomon, come right out and say it, you hate her. Am I right?:crazy: Stop beating around the bush now...:lol:


I don't like how she was USED

I don't like how she was USED
Huh? used?

Basically Mike Evans left the show after season one because he felt he wasn't used enough and that his role became very small while Zara Cully's role was becoming Larger. So after Season 1 Mike evans went to Norman lear and said-"How can I get off the show? Norman Lear then said-"Just say you want off and you are off" And Mike said-"I want off" and Lear said-"Ok you are off the show". Lear said someone must have told Mike Evans that he was bigger than he was and thought that he would beg him to stay. So after 4 years, Sherman Hemsley ran into Mike evans in the summer of 1979 and he saw how Mike matured since 75. so sherman and Mike talked about the old days and then he asked Mike did he want to return to the show and Mike said yes since he wasn't working. So sherman talked to the producers and then added him back to the show at the startof 1979-80 season.



I did not know all of that. Interesting. I'm glad Mike Evans eventually returned to The Jeffersons, cuz replacement fake Lionel was just awful, and as TVResearcher said before, he tried so hard to be cool....I think that just made him look like a clown. Mike Evans didn't have to try to be cool at all when he was playing Lionel.

because Mother Jefferson was funny
Personally, I thought Mother Jefferson was a riot! :lol:

I prefer the GUY driving the cab in the opening credits over Mother Jefferson-lol

:lol: :lol:

WOW!!!!!!

How do you think they should've used Lionel, Solomon, to make him more funny?

What an idiot he was.

Yep, he had a job and he quit it. I hope he appreciated the fact that he was given a second chance.

Huh? used?


Yes I dont like how she was used, She could have been used in small doses. The woman was over 80 so why give her so many lines and such a large role? She could have made ocassional vists but not in every episode. They should have had her move in AFTER Mike evans left the show.

:lol: :lol:

WOW!!!!!!

How do you think they should've used Lionel, Solomon, to make him more funny?


They could have gave him a MALE friend, showed him and Jenny out on a date, Had him and his father at a Ball game, or LIONEL's BIRTHDAY PARTY instead of Mother Jefferson Birthday

I do agree with the fact that she visited too much. Don't get me wrong. I liked her being there but the frequency of her visits were very unrealistic. Most women her age would have had a rough time going to visit their son in the city every day what with all the walking and long cab drives. She was lucky the building had an elevator! But, you gotta admit that Mother Jefferson did not have anything better to do. I just wish they had given better reasons for her visiting than her just saying "I thought I'd just drop by for a quick visit" everyday!

I do agree with the fact that she visited too much. Don't get me wrong. I liked her being there but the frequency of her visits were very unrealistic. Most women her age would have had a rough time going to visit their son in the city every day what with all the walking and long cab drives. She was lucky the building had an elevator! But, you gotta admit that Mother Jefferson did not have anything better to do. I just wish they had given better reasons for her visiting than her just saying "I thought I'd just drop by for a quick visit" everyday!


It just would have made more sense for the writers to move her inside the APT

It just would have made more sense for the writers to move her inside the APT
That would only mean MORE of her.

That would only mean MORE of her.


Exactly, and I probably would have stopped watching-lol She is the only thing I hate about season 1. Such a Great season and then you have a episode called-"Mother Jefferson's Birthday" Who the hell cares-lol

Exactly, and I probably would have stopped watching-lol She is the only thing I hate about season 1. Such a Great season and then you have a episode called-"Mother Jefferson's Birthday" Who the hell cares-lol
I always dove for the remote when she entered a scene.

I always dove for the remote when she entered a scene.


You still couldn't handle watching her if she was in a scene with George, Louise, Lionel, Jenny, Florence, Tom, Helen, and Mr. Bentley?

You still couldn't handle watching her if she was in a scene with George, Louise, Lionel, Jenny, Florence, Tom, Helen, and Mr. Bentley?
I guess so. It's weird for me to be putting down an elderly deceased woman, but I can't change the way I feel. I simply can't stand her. I never could, and I saw the show during its original run. She worked my last nerve then.

I guess so. It's weird for me to be putting down an elderly deceased woman, but I can't change the way I feel. I simply can't stand her. I never could, and I saw the show during its original run. She worked my last nerve then.


Relax Janice, you are talking about the Character(Oliva Jefferson) not the Actress(Zara Cully)-lol

I guess so. It's weird for me to be putting down an elderly deceased woman, but I can't change the way I feel. I simply can't stand her. I never could, and I saw the show during its original run. She worked my last nerve then.
That's how I feel abt Olivia on The Cosby Show...you feel bad for putting down an elderly woman...I couldn't stand the little girl Olivia, that little brat worked the few nerves I have...:rofl: I HATE HER!!!!!!!

I always liked Mother Jefferson, particularly the dynamic between her and Louise. I don't think she was overused.

That said, I do think Mike Evans was underused. He was originally the third-billed actor on the show, and was the Jefferson who most frequently appeared on "All in the Family" (and appeared first). He used to play off Archie wonderfully - subtly or cleverly making points about Archie's racism and viewpoints. He easily could have played off George the same way in this series. Instead, they never really did much with him, even after he returned. He was never supposed to to be ha-ha funny - he was the straight man (albeit an intelligent and clever straight man). I thought his presence grounded the show a bit more; without him, it tended to veer off into silliness.

I always liked Mother Jefferson, particularly the dynamic between her and Louise. I don't think she was overused.

That said, I do think Mike Evans was underused. He was originally the third-billed actor on the show, and was the Jefferson who most frequently appeared on "All in the Family" (and appeared first). He used to play off Archie wonderfully - subtly or cleverly making points about Archie's racism and viewpoints. He easily could have played off George the same way in this series. Instead, they never really did much with him, even after he returned. He was never supposed to to be ha-ha funny - he was the straight man (albeit an intelligent and clever straight man). I thought his presence grounded the show a bit more; without him, it tended to veer off into silliness.


He played off his father very well and I just don't why they never continued it

He wasn't meant to be funny...just Cool...:cool:

I agree. I did not think Lionel was funny, I still liked the character but I thought he was written mainly to be cool not funny anyway.

I agree. I did not think Lionel was funny, I still liked the character but I thought he was written mainly to be cool not funny anyway.
Yep. You can only have so many funny characters on a show.

WRONG. MIKE EVANS LEFT TO CONCENTRATE ON "GOOD TIMES", THE SHOW HE HELPED CREATE (and featured a character based on him named -you guessed it - MICHAEL EVANS). the show ended in '79 and Evans returned to The Jeffersons.


see?

WRONG. MIKE EVANS LEFT TO CONCENTRATE ON "GOOD TIMES", THE SHOW HE HELPED CREATE (and featured a character based on him named -you guessed it - MICHAEL EVANS). the show ended in '79 and Evans returned to The Jeffersons.


see?
Solomon posted in the very first post on this thread that his info came from EBONY MAGAZINE. Of course he was working on Good Times, but that is not the MAIN reason. One can work on more than one project.

Solomon posted in the very first post on this thread that his info came from EBONY MAGAZINE. Of course he was working on Good Times, but that is not the MAIN reason. One can work on more than one project.


Irene I'm sitting here with the Jeffersons Book publised in 1983 and the 1975 Ebony Magazine and I refused to defend what I posted-lol

WRONG. MIKE EVANS LEFT TO CONCENTRATE ON "GOOD TIMES", THE SHOW HE HELPED CREATE (and featured a character based on him named -you guessed it - MICHAEL EVANS). the show ended in '79 and Evans returned to The Jeffersons.


see?


I see you have no business posting on this board because you don't have a clue

Irene I'm sitting here with the Jeffersons Book publised in 1983 and the 1975 Ebony Magazine and I refused to defend what I posted-lol
Sometimes people don't know who they are dealing with...:lol: :lol:

What's the story behind him leaving the show in 1981?

What's the story behind him leaving the show in 1981?
n/a

What's the story behind him leaving the show in 1981?


Now that I don't know, have to add that to my Research to Do list.

Awwww....quit picking on poor old Mother Jefferson.:p