Sherman Hemsley has sadly passed away aged 74. Hemsley was a predominant figure on US television throughout his career, though was undoubtedly best known for his role as janitor-turned-dry-cleaner owner George Jefferson in hit show The Jeffersons. The cause of death is not currently known according to police, with the actor found dead in his home in El Paso, Texas.
In a show that was larger than life, Hemsley's character went even beyond that bar, taking many of the memorable zingers in the program, including "If I paid you to think, you could cash your check at the penny arcade!" as well as over exaggerating his actions for comic effect. The show has been such a staple on US television since it began in 1975, and though it wound down ten years later, it's remained as a regular rerun ever since. Indeed, Hemsley had been playing George Jefferson for even long than that, beginning the role in 1973 in the sitcom 'All In The Family'. It was the success of that film that gave rise to the spin-off 'The Jeffersons'.
Beyond that, Hemsley starred for five seasons as Deacon Ernest Frye in the NBC series 'Amen', which ran between 1986 and 1991. Additionally, Hemsley released a single on Sutra Record called 'Ain't That a Kick In The Head' in 1989, following that up in 1992 with the album 'Dance'. He retired from television acting in the 1990s but still found time for cameos in shows such as 'The French Prince Of Bel-Air' and as well as numerous commercials.