Cover, half of interracial marriage on TV's "Jeffersons" in 1970s, dies

[Hissyspit]

Franklin Cover

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Franklin Cover, who became a familiar face as George and Louise Jefferson's white neighbor in the long-running TV sitcom "The Jeffersons," died Sunday of pneumonia, his publicist said. He was 77.

In his nearly six decades in show business, Cover made numerous appearances on television shows, including "The Jackie Gleason Show," "All in the Family," "Who's the Boss?" "Will & Grace," "Living Single," "Mad About You" and "ER."

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But Cover was best known for his role as Tom Willis, who was in an interracial marriage with a black woman, in "The Jeffersons."

He and his wife lived in the same "deluxe apartment building" that the Sherman Hemsley character moved his family to after making money in the dry-cleaning business. There, Cover often played a comic foil to Hemsley's blustering, opinionated Jefferson. The show ran from 1975 to 1985.

[msongs]

1. the lovely Roxie Roker gone as well nt

[peekaloo]

2. She was Lenny Kravitz's mom, right?

or am I hallucinating again?

[greyl]

3. yes.

but that doesn't prove you aren't hallucinating.

[peekaloo]

4. lol

and I thought that giant rabbit was gonna eat me.

[undergroundrailroad]

6. No, your not hallucinating ;-)

Indeed, the late Roxie Roker is the mother of musician Lenny Kravitz. I was a huge fan of THE JEFFERSONS and was sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Cover. O8)

Undergroundrailroad

[peekaloo]

7. I guess that leaves Sherman Helmsley as the only living cast member.

Well, major cast member.

Years ago Sherman H. made an appearance at an Astros game to throw out the first pitch. He showed up in a Grateful Dead T-shirt and sandals. George Jefferson was a Dead Head. :D

[mitchum]

8. I remember reading a TV Guide inteview with Helmsley...

(keerist, I need a life!) where he talked about being a big fan of Tangerine Dream, Can, and Faust. Apparently, Sherman is an all around head.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Oh, Oh! I have a George Jefferson etagerie that I'm willing to sell!

Remember that one with the brass and glass that you saw everytime someone walked in the door? My hubby brought it into our marriage and he's only now willing to let it go.