Marla Gibbs was fantastic as Florence, but when she left to do her own sitcom for CBS and Carmen was introduced, that should've been it. Carmen should've remained as the maid for the Jeffersons. I thought it was unfair to remove her once CBS pulled the plug on the spin-off. Just my opinion...

Too bad Carmen couldn't have become the Willises' maid. That way she could've stayed on and Florence could've still been the Jeffersons' maid.

Roseanna went on to be the Ewing maid on Dallas so she wasn't out of work long :lol: The Dallas website actually interviewed her not long ago.

http://ultimatedallas.com/dallasinterviews/roseanna.html


I was actually glad that Florence was back. No offense to Ms Christiansen but Florence was a scene steeler and the later seasons would have been subpar without her.

Thanks for sharing that, Sonny!! I actually forgot that she appeared on Dallas. :o :lol:

I imagine Marla Gibbs was promised she could return to The Jeffersons, if Checking In didn't make it. But on Alice, when Polly Holliday left to star in Flo, and that show didn't make it, she did NOT return to Alice.

But getting back to the actress who played Roseanna, she probably was warned her character may just be temporary.

Thanks for sharing that, Sonny!! I actually forgot that she appeared on Dallas. :o :lol:
You're welcome. :)

She did have a much smaller role on Dallas than she would have had on the Jeffersons. It wasn't really fair to her but I think Florence was just too important to the Jeffersons to take a chance. I don't really think Florence should have been spun off anyway. CBS didn't even give her show much of a chance so it didn't seem that they were really behind it either.

Along those same lines, Sonny Shroyer had it written into his contract that if his Dukes of Hazzard spinoff, Enos, flopped, he would be allowed to return to Dukes. Maybe Marla Gibbs had a similar clause in her own contract.

Along those same lines, Sonny Shroyer had it written into his contract that if his Dukes of Hazzard spinoff, Enos, flopped, he would be allowed to return to Dukes. Maybe Marla Gibbs had a similar clause in her own contract.
It could have been. I wonder if Roseanna was even supposed to be a regular. Checking In was canceled in the spring of 1981 so the Jeffersons knew by the time that filming started for the next season that Marla was available.

Along those same lines, Sonny Shroyer had it written into his contract that if his Dukes of Hazzard spinoff, Enos, flopped, he would be allowed to return to Dukes. Maybe Marla Gibbs had a similar clause in her own contract.
Another one, Abe Vigoda spinning off to Fish. From what I remember he was still on BM while on Fish. (Monika, how was this handled?)

Another one, Abe Vigoda spinning off to Fish. From what I remember he was still on BM while on Fish. (Monika, how was this handled?)
Yeah, but supposedly he wanted too much money to return, and Danny Arnold blocked Abe's return. (Though Abe did turn up later on for a guest appearance toward the end of the show's run.)

Marla Gibbs was fantastic as Florence, but when she left to do her own sitcom for CBS and Carmen was introduced, that should've been it. Carmen should've remained as the maid for the Jeffersons. I thought it was unfair to remove her once CBS pulled the plug on the spin-off. Just my opinion...


She wasn't funny Brian-lol I think she would have been gone whether Checking In was a success or not.

She wasn't funny Brian-lol I think she would have been gone whether Checking In was a success or not.

I disagree, besides, they didn't give her enough time to gel with the cast.

I disagree, besides, they didn't give her enough time to gel with the cast.


She had no chemistry with George, the Main character-lol Now Florence had no chemistry with

Ralph
Tom
Mother Jefferson
Lionel

BUT............She had it with the character who kep the show watchable who was GEORGE!!!-lol

She had no chemistry with George, the Main character-lol Now Florence had no chemistry with

Ralph
Tom
Mother Jefferson
Lionel

BUT............She had it with the character who kep the show watchable who was GEORGE!!!-lol


Again, sometimes chemistry takes a little time. Carmen didn't have that luxury. It was kinda unfair.

The Carmen character could have been worked in as a recurring character--like suggested earlier--for the Willis' or Bentley. The Willis' did have a maid--whom we never saw again after the first episode--Diane.

The Carmen character could have been worked in as a recurring character--like suggested earlier--for the Willis' or Bentley. The Willis' did have a maid--whom we never saw again after the first episode--Diane.


She could have only been the Willises Maid if the Willises were given their own show. How often did we see the Willises in their APT?-lol

The Willis' had an apartment?? :lol:

well their pad had something the Jeffersons' apt didn't--a kitchen back door!

The Willis' had an apartment?? :lol:

well their pad had something the Jeffersons' apt didn't--a kitchen back door!


Well it all came down to a PROVEN STAR who was out of work wanting to return to the show which meant the UNPROVEN STAR had to go-LOL