Actor Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV comedy series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died. He was 57. Evans died of throat cancer Dec. 14 at his mother’s home in Twentynine Palms, said his niece, Chrystal Evans. Evans, along with Eric Monte, also created and wrote for "Good Times," one of the first TV comedy series that featured a primarily black cast. Michael Jonas Evans was born Nov. 3, 1949, in Salisbury, North Carolina. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist while his mother, Annie Sue Evans, was a school teacher. The family moved to Los Angeles when Evans was a child. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College before getting the role of Lionel Jefferson in the 1970s situation comedy "All in the Family." Evans kept the role of Lionel when "The Jeffersons" launched in 1975. The hit show was a spinoff featuring bigoted Archie Bunker’s black neighbours in Queens who "move on up to the East Side" of Manhattan. Evans was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for four years, then he returned to the series from 1979 to 1981. He also acted in the 1976 TV miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man" and made guest appearances on the TV series "Love, American Style" and "The Streets of San Francisco." His last role was in a 2000 episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger." In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California.
Jam! (story) and Sitcoms Online (photo)
I didn’t know he created Good Times and that is why he left The Jefferson. That is still one of my favorite shows.
Updated with the correct Lionel…thank you to the person who pointed that out. I have to admit I assumed because Mother Jefferson was in the photo that I had the right Lionel Jefferson. I was never able to tell the difference between the two Lionels and also the two Darrens.
