The Buckingham

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Sherman Hemsley, who played hot-tempered George Jefferson on The Jeffersons, has died.

Hemsley, who was 74, died at his home in El Paso, Texas.  The cause of death is currently unknown.

Hemsley was born in South Philadelphia and dropped out of high school to join the Air Force.  After serving, he returned to Philadelphia and began to work for the U.S. Postal Service, while also taking acting classes at night.

After making his Broadway debut in Purlie, Hemsley signed up to portray Jefferson on All in the Family.  Two year later, he and All in the Family costar Isabel Sanford, who died in 2004 at 86, were given their own spin-off in The Jeffersons.  For his role, Hemsley earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations in 1984 and 1985, respectively.

From 1976 until 1991, Hemsley played Deacon Ernest Frye in the NBC series, Amen.  He also was a professional singer, releasing an R&B album, Dance, in 1992.

While Hemsley retired from television acting, he and Sanford did reprise their roles as George and Louise Jefferson in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

Hemsley had no wife or children.