Jeffersons, The - The Complete 1st. Season (1/18/1975)

The Jeffersons first aired in January of 1975 on CBS as a mid-season replacement. The series was a spinoff of All in the Family in which the Jeffersons were Archie and Edith Bunker's next door neighbors.

In 1975, The Jeffersons moved on up when George found success in a dry cleaning business. This allowed him and his wife, Louise and their son Lionel to "move on up" into a spacious high rise apartment. At the beginning of the series, Lionel was attending college and graduated in February 1976. He married Jenny Willis in December of the same year and they had a daughter in 1979, Jessica Jefferson.

Other members of the cast include, Tom and Helen Willis were upstairs neighbors and also Jenny's parents. Florence Johnston was the Jefferson's sassy maid who was hired as a part-time maid in the first episode but in October 1976 moved in and became a full-time maid. Mother Jefferson was George's fiesty mother who forever put Louise down but deep down loved her. Harry Bentley was the British, next door neighbor. Besides being quite eccentric and forever borrowing things from the Jeffersons, Bentley worked as a translator at the United Nations. In 1981, Bentley was written out as being transferred to Russia, but returned in 1983. Ralph was the building doorman who forever begged for tips from George and the other tennents in the building.

Tom and Helen Willis were controversial characters since they were most likely TV's first interracial couple. Helen was Louise's best friend and they ran a Help Center which opened in 1977. As for Tom and George, it took the entire run of the series to develop their love/hate friendship.

Season 1
1. 1-1 101 18-Jan-1975 A Friend in Need
2. 1-2 103 25-Jan-1975 George's Family Tree
3. 1-3 102 01-Feb-1975 Louise Feels Useless
4. 1-4 104 08-Feb-1975 Lionel the Playboy
5. 1-5 105 15-Feb-1975 Mr. Piano Man
6. 1-6 106 22-Feb-1975 George's Skeleton
7. 1-7 107 01-Mar-1975 Lionel Cries Uncle
8. 1-8 108 08-Mar-1975 Mother Jefferson's Boyfriend
9. 1-9 109 15-Mar-1975 Meet the Press
10. 1-10 110 22-Mar-1975 Rich Man's Disease
11. 1-11 111 29-Mar-1975 Former Neighbors
12. 1-12 112 05-Apr-1975 Like Father, Like Son?
13. 1-13 113 12-Apr-1975 Jenny's Low

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 1/18/1975 1. A Friend in Need

The Jeffersons have moved on up and are now enjoying living in their new high-rise apartment. Louise has made a new friend in Diane Stockwell, who is having a hard time believing that George made his way up the ladder without doing anything shady. However, bigger problems are brewing when George insists that Louise hire a maid but Louise is totally against the idea.

Director: Jack Shea / Harve Brosten Writer: Don Nicholl / Michael Ross

Guest starring: Paulene Myers

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 1/25/1975 2. George's Family Tree

The Willis' give Louise and George a piece of primitive African art, as a housewarming gift, which leads to the discussion of family roots. This leads George to discover his family roots, from an African tribe believed to be kings.

Writer: Dick Bensfield / Perry Grant

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/1/1975 3. Louise Feels Useless

Louise is having a hard time getting use to her new wealthy lifestyle and the boredom that comes along with it. She begins trying to talk George into letting her work in the store in the building but he is totally against it. This leads her to inadvertently get a job with another cleaning business and George hits the ceiling when he learns the news. That is until he begins thinking of using her position for sabotage.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: Gordon Mitchell / Lloyd Turner

Guest starring: Milton Selzer

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/8/1975 4. Lionel the Playboy

Lionel's new wealthy lifestyle begins to have an effect on him and a carefree attitude begins to be seen by his family. He stays out all night every night and cuts class. This leads to him debating on whether or not to drop out of college.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: John Baskin / Roger Shulman

Guest starring: Ronnell Bright

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/15/1975 5. Mr. Piano Man

George refuses to participate in a tenants meeting until he learns the Mr. Whittendale will be there. George has hopes of doing business with the man. Meanwhile, George's want for a grand piano becomes a burden during the meeting.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: Don Nicholl / Gordon Mitchell

Guest starring: Ivor Francis, Rozelle Gayle

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/22/1975 6. George's Skeleton

An old friend of George's, Monk Davis, drops in after learning of George's new found success. However, Monk has more on his mind than just a friendly visit.

Director: Jack Shea / Erik Tarloff Writer: Erik Tarloff / Gordon Mitchell

Guest starring: Moses Gunn

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/1/1975 7. Lionel Cries Uncle

Louise is expecting a visit from her Uncle Ward, a man who happens to be a butler. His job is what makes George and Lionel put him down, calling him an "Uncle Tom." Meanwhile, a fight at school prompts Lionel to get kicked out.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: Jim Carlson / Gordon Mitchell

Guest starring: Albert Reed

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/8/1975 8. Mother Jefferson's Boyfriend

George learns of Mother Jefferson's intentions of marriage and is totally against the idea, thinking her fiancee is after his money.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: Gordon Farr / Arnold Kane

Guest starring: Alvin Childress

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/15/1975 9. Meet the Press

Wanting publicity for his stores, George tries to get in on a reporter's series of stories on successful black businessmen. However, once he finally gets the reporter to make an appearance he finds it difficult to hold his attention, with the Willis' and Mr. Bentley hanging around.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: Dixie Brown Grossman

Guest starring: Bo Kaprall, Carol Androsky

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/22/1975 10. Rich Man's Disease

With the doctor's diagnosis that George has an ulcer, Louise tries to do everything to not allow George to become upset. This task proves difficult with Harry, Tom and Helen dropping in.

Writer: Bruce Howard

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/29/1975 11. Former Neighbors

George comes home one evening with news an important potential client is coming over for dinner. However, Louise has news too. Some old friends of the Jeffersons are coming over, friends whom George is afraid will embarrass him in front of his pompous client.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: Art Baer / Ben Joelson

Guest starring: Ernie Lee Banks, Maye Henderson, Santiago Gonzalez

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 4/5/1975 12. Like Father, Like Son?

Louise becomes concerned when she sees Lionel beginning to act more and more like his father. Things come to a head, when Lionel tries to get Jenny a seat on a campaign committee by using bribery. Meanwhile, Tom and Helen are at odds when they each back opposing candidates.

Writer: Frank Tarloff

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 4/12/1975 13. Jenny's Low

Jenny's globe-trotting brother surprises his family with a visit home. While Tom and Helen, debate on the reason for Allan staying away so long, Jenny is anything but happy about his visit and her reason has nothing to do with him staying away for so long.

Director: Jack Shea Writer: John Ashby

Guest starring: Andrew Rubin, Danny Wells

Paul Benedict	Harry Bentley (1975-81, 1983-85)
Franklin Cover	Tom Willis
Zara Cully	Mother Jefferson (1975-1978)
Damon Evans	Lionel Jefferson (1975-78)
Mike Evans	Lionel Jefferson (1975, 1979-1981)
Marla Gibbs	Florence Johnston
Sherman Hemsley	George Jefferson
Roxie Roker	Helen Willis
Isabel Sanford	Louise Jefferson
Berlinda Tolbert	Jenny Willis-Jefferson (1975-81)
Jay Hammer

Director	John Rich Jack Shea (III) Paul Benedict Bob Lally Jack Shea
Producer	Don Nicholl Jerry Perzigian
Writer	Michael S. Baser Bob Baublitz