I was just curious if the show ever acknowledged the death of the actress who played Mother Jefferson. I know that originally she was supposed to be a regular on the show but passed away. Anybody remember?

Originally posted by Brian Damage
I was just curious if the show ever acknowledged the death of the actress who played Mother Jefferson. I know that originally she was supposed to be a regular on the show but passed away. Anybody remember?
Mother Jefferson, played by Zara Cully, was on the show from 1975 to shortly before her death in 1978. She was in less episodes towards the end due to failing heath. She died at age 86. Imagine, she was born in 1892.
I'm not positive about this, but I seem to recall reading on this board that her death wasn't fully addressed on the show. George and Louise just mentioned it. I don't think there was an episode about it.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Originally posted by Janice

Mother Jefferson, played by Zara Cully, was on the show from 1975 to shortly before her death in 1978. She was in less episodes towards the end due to failing heath. She died at age 86. Imagine, she was born in 1892.
I'm not positive about this, but I seem to recall reading on this board that her death wasn't fully addressed on the show. George and Louise just mentioned it. I don't think there was an episode about it.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah it was just mentioned that she passed away-no episode about it.

Originally posted by SOLOMON


Yeah it was just mentioned that she passed away-no episode about it.

I think that's a shame. It would of probably been a touching episode if they addressed her death. After all, that was George's mama.

Originally posted by Brian Damage


I think that's a shame. It would of probably been a touching episode if they addressed her death. After all, that was George's mama.
I agree. What was up with that? Those writers must have gone to the same school as the writers on Cheers who treated the Coach's death with total disregard and disrespect.

Ugh, don't even get me started with poor coach. Another disgrace. I know Mother Jefferson didn't have a big role, but it still would've been nice if it was acknowledged.

Originally posted by Brian Damage
Ugh, don't even get me started with poor coach. Another disgrace. I know Mother Jefferson didn't have a big role, but it still would've been nice if it was acknowledged.
Sometimes I wonder, after all these years, if the powers that were, regret these decisions.
There must be a time when a producer, whom I believe makes the final decisions, (the writers do as they're told), but there has to be a time when they catch the Jack Soo Tribute show on Barney Miller or Phil Hartman's Farewell show on NewsRadio, and ask themselves, "What in the hell was I thinking?"
Even if they don't regret it from an emotional standpoint, they surely must from a historical one. These shows live on and on in syndication, and something tells me they know they blew an opportunity to have a true classic episode in their archives, especially with Coach on Cheers.

It would've been great if there was an episode where George would see some of his long lost relatives at his mother's funeral. Maybe he has a cousin who was actually white!

Look at Petticoat Junction the way Bea Benaderet's death was dealt with. She was the star of the show. They just sent Kate away and there was never no mention of her or what happened. That was in poor taste.

The Jeffersons should have done a tribute show to her. In my opinion Mother Jefferson was funny as hell on there especially when she dogged Louise.

Gimme A Break dealt with Dolph Sweet's death in a tasteful and realistic manner. The episode when the family was grieving brought tears to my eyes. That same year my grandmother and father died. So I was grieving when they showed that episode and it was a hard one to watch.

They did the same thing on Mama's Family

When it went from NBC to Syndication it didn't even mention Fran's death. They just added Bubba and that was it, though Thelma did mention it a few times.

Out with the old and in with the new I think.

Originally posted by mstewart
Gimme A Break dealt with Dolph Sweet's death in a tasteful and realistic manner. The episode when the family was grieving brought tears to my eyes. That same year my grandmother and father died. So I was grieving when they showed that episode and it was a hard one to watch.
It's so true that we can relate to and often relive our own experiences by watching movies or tv shows.
Last year, just after my mother died, I was watching Sex and The City. Miranda's mother had died. She was buying a dress for the services and was snapping at the saleswoman who was about her mother's age. This scene took place in the dressing room of the store.
Miranda was stressed and yelled at the woman who was trying to be helpful and motherly. She then started crying and told the woman that she was buying a dress for her mother's funeral. She broke down in the woman's arms. It was quite a scene as this woman was a total stranger but was so comforting to Miranda.
Then the voiceover by Sarah Jessica Parker: "It was at that moment that Miranda realized she'd never have another argument with her mother again."
I just about lost it then.