Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Making of an Icon ...


Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford

I was so sorry to hear the news yesterday that my former client and pal Sherman Hemsley has died. This sad news comes just weeks after the seventh year anniversary of Isabel Sanford’s death.

I first met Sherman in the early 1980’s when I worked for producer Norman Lear as the publicist for “The Jeffersons,” which became the longest running series in the history of television at that time.

Through The Jeffersons and particularly the years that followed, there were many memorable moments. Being Isabel Sanford’s manager, I was able to place both of them into many television and film projects where their contributions to American pop culture were celebrated as they recreated their roles of George and Louise Jefferson, including many personal appearance trips to Italy where “The Jeffersons” grew to be a tremendous hit.

I have always thought that both Isabel and Sherman never quite got their due. For me, they will always been one of television’s most memorable, yet most overlooked, duos.

It is, indeed, the end of an era.

We have just uploaded a nearly ten minute segment of my interview with Sherman from November 1992 interview for our live Beverly Hills-based coffee shop chat show. There is a short promo that just went up on You Tube. After watching that, I hope you will view the entire piece at RerunIt.com for a really interesting look at the making of George Jefferson as Sherman tells it.

In honoring Sherman, we also honor Isabel and have returned her to the RerunIt.com Now Playing section. On the Home page, you can run (or rerun) the first segment of our three parter with her from 1992. The other two segments are available for viewing on-demand in the RerunIt Library.

I hope they are both smiling down on us from their “deelux” apartment in the sky …


BL

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