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- Where Is "The Jeffersons" Cast Now? Here's What the Actors Did After the Sitcom Ended 40 Years Ago</p>
<p>Christopher RudolphJuly 2, 2025 at 8:30 PM</p>
<p>Michael Ochs Archives/Getty</p>
<p>The cast of the TV sitcom 'The Jeffersons.'</p>
<p>The final episode of The Jeffersons aired on July 2, 1985</p>
<p>The beloved sitcom was a spinoff of the groundbreaking sitcom, All in the Family</p>
<p>Following the end of The Jeffersons, the cast continued to act in television, appearing in classic series such as 227, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will & Grace and more</p>
<p>Forty years ago today, on July 2, 1985, The Jeffersons went from "movin' on up," to movin' on, as the beloved sitcom aired its final episode.</p>
<p>George and Louise "Weezy" Jefferson, played by Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford, respectively, first played their characters on the trailblazing '70s sitcom, All in the Family.</p>
<p>In 1975, the fictional married couple and their friends and family became the subject of their own series, The Jeffersons. It ran for 11 seasons, becoming one of the most successful spinoffs in television history.</p>
<p>Even after the show concluded its run on CBS, the cast continued to be staples in television and movies, with one ensemble member, Marla Gibbs, still working, and due to release her memoir next year.</p>
<p>So where is The Jeffersons cast now? Here's everything to know about what the actors did after the show ended 40 years ago.</p>
<p>Isabel Sanford</p>
<p>CBS via Getty ; Steve Grayson/WireImage</p>
<p>Isabel Sanford in 'The Jeffersons' ; Isabel Sanford is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.</p>
<p>Isabel Sanford played Louise "Weezy" Jefferson on all 11 seasons of The Jeffersons. The actress not only received laughs as the loving and witty wife of her husband, George, but also made television history.</p>
<p>In 1981, she was the first Black actress to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She was also honored with two NAACP Image Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.</p>
<p>In the years following the end of The Jeffersons, Sanford appeared on several other sitcoms, including Living Single and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. She also reprised her role of Louise on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.</p>
<p>Sanford died at the age of 86 on July 9, 2004.</p>
<p>"We all respected Isabel," Ernest Harden Jr., who played Marcus Henderson on The Jeffersons, told PEOPLE in February 2024. "She was the consummate artist. Before every show, they would introduce her and the cast would all bow. She was the queen of the show."</p>
<p>Sherman Hemsley</p>
<p>CBS via Getty ; Frazer Harrison/Getty</p>
<p>Sherman Hemsley in 'The Jeffersons' ; Sherman Hemsley at the LG's Mobile TV Party on June 19, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.</p>
<p>Sherman Hemsley starred as the loud and stubborn George Jefferson, earning a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in A Comedy Series at the 1984 Emmys.</p>
<p>Following the end of The Jeffersons, he led another successful sitcom, Amen, which ran for five seasons from 1986 to 1991.</p>
<p>Afterward, the actor worked on other sitcoms, including Designing Women, Martin and Sister, Sister. He also voiced B.P. Richfield, the evil Triceratops boss on Dinosaurs.</p>
<p>Hemsley and his on-screen wife, Sanford, reprised their Jeffersons roles multiple times over the years, starring on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. They also starred in commercials for Denny's and Old Navy.</p>
<p>In addition to acting, Hemsley was a musician: He released a single, "Ain't That a Kick in the Head," in 1989, followed by an album, Dance, in 1992.</p>
<p>Hemsley died at 74 on July 24, 2012.</p>
<p>Roxie Roker</p>
<p>CBS via Getty; Ron Galella Collection via Getty</p>
<p>Roxie Roker in 'The Jeffersons' ; Roxie Roker visits 'The Joan Rivers Show' for a reunion special on May 10, 1993 in New York City.</p>
<p>Roxie Roker portrayed Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, making history as one of television's first interracial couples.</p>
<p>After the long-running sitcom ended, Roker continued to work in television, appearing on shows such as 227, Punky Brewster and Murder, She Wrote.</p>
<p>She died at age 66 from breast cancer on Dec. 2, 1995.</p>
<p>Roker was the mother of music icon, Lenny Kravitz, who told PEOPLE in February 2024 that he watches The Jeffersons when he misses her.</p>
<p>"She's still everything to me. I probably feel her more since she's left the planet," he said. "I'm very fortunate that she was on television because when I need to, I'll turn on The Jeffersons and watch her, and it does so much for me."</p>
<p>"I am so grateful that God chose her to be my mother," Kravitz added.</p>
<p>Franklin Cover</p>
<p>CBS Photo Archive/Getty ; Ron Galella Collection via Getty</p>
<p>Franklin Cover in 'The Jeffersons' ; Franklin Cover during opening night party for the revival of 'A Thousand Clowns' in New York City.</p>
<p>Franklin Cover played Helen's husband, Tom Willis, on The Jeffersons.</p>
<p>Cover kept working in television after The Jeffersons, appearing on shows like 227, Who's the Boss, ER and Will & Grace — to name a few.</p>
<p>He also portrayed a supporting role in 1987's Wall Street, directed by Oliver Stone.</p>
<p>Cover died at 77 from pneumonia on Feb. 5, 2006, per The New York Times.</p>
<p>Zara Cully</p>
<p>Bettmann Archive via Getty; CBS via Getty</p>
<p>Zara Cully</p>
<p>Zara Cully was the scene-stealing Olivia Jefferson, George's loving but intense mother.</p>
<p>By the time she played "Mother" Jefferson, Cully already had a long list of stage and screen credits, but her role on The Jeffersons shot her to stardom.</p>
<p>Sadly, while filming season 4 of the show, Cully died at age 86 on Feb. 28, 1978. Her role was not recast.</p>
<p>When asked about his on-screen mom during an August 2003 Television Academy interview, Hemsley said, "She was so beautiful."</p>
<p>"She had been around for so long, vaudeville, she had done all kinds of stuff since she was a little girl," he continued. "It was her first successful, big thing after all those years."</p>
<p>"She said, 'I'm so happy. I finally got to do this and work with you people,' " Hemsley added.</p>
<p>Berlinda Tolbert</p>
<p>CBS via Getty; Bobby Bank/Getty</p>
<p>Berlinda Tolbert</p>
<p>Berlinda Tolbert portrayed Jenny, the daughter of Helen and Tom Willis.</p>
<p>Tolbert's acting career continued after The Jeffersons ended. She guest-starred on various TV shows, including 7th Heaven, Home Improvement and Six Feet Under, among others.</p>
<p>The actress also had roles in classic movies like Goodfellas, Harlem Nights and Patriot Games.</p>
<p>Tolbert's last acting credit is from 2013, per her IMDb.</p>
<p>Paul Benedict</p>
<p>CBS via Getty; Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty</p>
<p>Paul Benedict</p>
<p>Paul Benedict played Harry Bentley, the Jeffersons' British neighbor.</p>
<p>Following the sitcom's end, Benedict acted in movies like Arthur 2: On the Rocks, Cocktail and The Addams Family. He also collaborated with Christopher Guest's comedy troupe, appearing in Waiting for Guffman and A Mighty Wind.</p>
<p>Benedict died at the age of 70 on Dec. 1, 2008.</p>
<p>Marla Gibbs</p>
<p>CBS via Getty; Amanda Edwards/Getty</p>
<p>Marla Gibbs</p>
<p>Marla Gibbs portrayed the no-nonsense family maid Florence Johnston, receiving five Emmy nominations for her role.</p>
<p>Florence was her breakout role, and Gibbs has been consistently working since The Jeffersons concluded its run. She was part of the cast of 227, which ran from 1985 to 1990. Most recently, Gibbs starred in a January 2025 episode of ABC's Will Trent.</p>
<p>The following month, while accepting the Hollywood Legacy Award at the American Black Film Festival Honors in Los Angeles, Gibbs said she was "ready to work again."</p>
<p>"I owe it all to you. I appreciate you so much," she told the audience. "Been an honor to be among you all these years. Yes, and I'm ready to do some more!"</p>
<p>In June 2025, Gibbs celebrated her 94th birthday and announced her forthcoming memoir It's Never Too Late, hitting store shelves in early 2026.</p>
<p>on People</p>
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