Mike Evans(Lionel Jefferson) dead at 57

[zeptron]

http://www.comcast.net/entertainment/index.jsp?fn=2006/12/22/231124.html

Jeffersons Star Dead
Fri Dec 22, 11:56 AM

Before he was 30, Mike Evans acted in two classic 1970s sitcoms and helped create a third.

Evans, who played Lionel, Archie Bunker's and George Jefferson's unflappable foil in All in the Family and The Jeffersons and went on to cocreate Good Times, has died.

Evans succumbed to throat cancer last week in Twentynine Palms, California, his family announced Friday. He was 57.

According to a TVLand biography, Evans was still a Los Angeles college student when the young actor won a recurring role on All in the Family as Lionel Jefferson, the (black) next-door neighbor of the (white) bigot Bunker.



On The Jeffersons, an All in the Family spinoff that debuted in 1975, Evans was initially a series regular, Lionel's even-keeled nature required to contrast with the volcanic nature of his "honky"-spouting father, George Jefferson.

Evans left The Jeffersons after its first season, just as Good Times was embarking on its third.

Good Times, cocreated by Evans and Eric Monte, was an All in the Family spinoff, one generation removed. It focused on Florence Evans, the former maid on direct All in the Family descendant Maude, her family, their housing-project digs in Chicago and Jimmie Walker's "Dyn-o-mite" catchphrase.

Good Times was produced from 1974 to 1979. Even during its run, Evans continued to act, costarring on the short-lived 1976-77 Danny Thomas comedy The Practice.

After Good Times ended, Evans returned to The Jeffersons, replacing Damon Evans (no relation) who'd replaced him for four seasons.

Evans left the show again in 1981 after Lionel split with his wife, the daughter of the Jeffersons' neighbors, the Willises, but continued to pop up on the sitcom until its 1985 sign-off.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Evans had only one post-Lionel acting role, a 2000 guest bit on Walker, Texas Ranger. Of more recent ventures, the Associated Press reported he "invested in real estate in Southern California."

Monte, Evans' Good Times cohort, was recently profiled by the Los Angeles Times for trying to pull out of a dive that left him living in a Salvation Army shelter in the Los Angeles area.

Born Nov. 3, 1949, in North Carolina, Evans also appeared on Love, American Style, The Streets of San Francisco and the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man.

 

[gap5ewl]

he played the son right?

 

[zeptron]

Yes.

 

[Catman]

WTF?! First James Brown and now this! F--king sucks, man!

 

[The Chairman]

R.I.P. Boy, losing two incredibly talented men at Christmas, what a shame. Go with God, Mr. Evans. You will be missed.

 

[SoulManX]

Rest in Peace Mike.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

RIP mike evans.

 

[tzarinna]

Alright,who the **** is next.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Probably Gordon from Sesame Street.

 

[Spider-Gamer]

He didn't die today. I think he died a few days ago like on Friday. Either way R.I.P. Mike Evans.

 

[Assassin]

damn, 2 black stars before Kwanzaa

I'm more sad about this than james brown

 

[muertevilla]

i was unaware either of them died...what a crappy way to start christmas....

 

[Dope Nose]

Alright,who the **** is next.

they do say celebrities die in threes.

man, 57. still relatively young. Rest in peace Mike.

 

[Jan Irisi]

Peter Boyle also recently passed away. :sad:

 

[Dope Nose]

oh right! there's our third.

 

[vegeta21]

Probably Gordon from Sesame Street.

Don't even JOKE about that!

 

[Kipobe]

Probably Gordon from Sesame Street.