Sherman Hemsley
Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012) was an American actor.
Sherman Hemsley | |
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 Hemsley in December 1999 | |
| Born | Sherman Alexander Hemsley February 1, 1938 |
| Died | July 24, 2012 (aged 74) El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Lung tumor caused by Superior Vena Cava Syndrome |
| Resting place | Fort Bliss National Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–2011 |
Notable work | George Jefferson in The Jeffersons, Deacon Ernest Frye in Amen |
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Early life
Hemsley was born on February 1, 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to and was raised in South Philadelphia by his mother, who was a factory worker.[1] He left school to join the Air Force, where he served in for four years. Later he returned to Philadelphia where he worked in a post office during the day and at night he went to acting classes. Later he moved to New York still working for the post office during the day and at night he went to acting classes.
Career
Hemsley's career began when he starred in a 1970 Broadway play in Purlie as Gitlow. Hemsley's television career began in 1970 in the television series All in the Family. And his first movie was in the 1979 movie Love at First Bite. Hemsley is mostly known as for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS in television series The Jeffersons, and as Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen. He also played Earl Sinclair's horrifying boss, and a Triceratops in Jim Henson's sitcom Dinosaurs.
Personal life and death
Hemsley was a smoker and never married. Hemsley lived in El Paso, Texas and died there after he was found in his home on July 24, 2012. The cause of his death was a lung tumor caused by Superior Vena Cava Syndrome, aged 74.[2] Hemsley was cremated.
Filmography
- Love at First Bite (1979)
- Stewardess School (1986)
- Ghost Fever (1987)
- Club Fed (1990)
- Mr. Nanny (1993)
- Home of Angels (1994)
- The Misery Brothers (1995)
- Sprung (1997)
- Senseless (1998)
- Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998)
- Up, Up, and Away (2000)
- Screwed (2000)
- For the Love of a Dog (2007)
- Hanging in Hedo (2008)
- American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009)
Sherman Hemsley Media
Hemsley in the Broadway musical Purlie (June 8, 1972).
Hemsley grave marker at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso Texas, 2016.
Hemsley's handprints in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, 2007.
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References
- ↑ Schaffer, Michael D. (24 July 2012). 'Jeffersons' star Sherman Hemsley dies at 74. http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20120724_Sherman_Hemsley__TVs_George_Jefferson__dies_at_74.html. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ↑ "Sherman Hemsley of 'The Jefferson's' fame, found dead in El Paso – Alamogordo Daily News". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2013-02-02.