No One Told Sherman Hemsley and ‘The Jeffersons’ Cast That the Show Was Canceled

When The Jeffersons debuted on January 18, 1975, the All in the Family spin-off was not just an instant hit, but groundbreaking in its depiction of a wealthy African American family in a network sitcom. The show’s popularity dipped a bit over the course of its 11 seasons — but when the show was abruptly canceled in 1985, the news came as a shock to the cast, including its stars Sherman Hemsley (George) and Isabel Sanford (Weezy). Despite the iconic sitcom’s impact on television, the network didn’t let those involved know the show was ending — instead, the actors were left to discover the news on theit own through tabloids and family members.