Sherman “George Jefferson” Hemsley passed away yesterday at 74 and it got me to thinking…this guy was a legit TV star. he starred in two iconic TV shows in ALL IN THE FAMILY and THE JEFFERSONS, he starred in a very successful (if underrated) sitcom in AMEN and he co-starred in one of the best cult TV shows ever DINOSAURS. Add to that his billions of guest star appearances and the guy was everything you would look for in a major TV star. So with that being said I figured I’d take a look at the 5 most awesome things from Sherman’s career.

5. He was B.P. Ritchfield on the dearly departed DINOSAURS

This show was one long acid trip and Hemsley’s boisterous voice work as the cantankerous and cold-hearted Ritchfield was always good for a laugh.

4. AMEN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LuTuQ5ny5I
AMEN was a pretty standard sitcom set-up except for one thing…it was unapologetically evangelical yet still able to maintain the funny without becoming preachy. Hemsley’s Deacon Ernest Frye was a shyster lawyer who had never won a case and spent most of his time scheming against the new reverend at his church. I still will stop and watch repeats of it if I happen to come across it on TV.

3. His Music Career
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7LOEl9xGOE
Sherman Hemsley was no balladeer but that didn’t stop him from releasing a dance CD in the early 1990s. The songs were not good to say the least but the sheer joyful exuberance he displayed when performing them was enough for me. And to this day I still recall the chorus to “Aint That A Kick In The Head”.

2. His Sick Dance Moves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crOqbWliOGQ
Anyone who has ever watched THE JEFFERSONS or AMEN knows what I am talking about. Hemsley was a bona fide dance machine who would bust a serious move at the drop of a hat. The episode of THE JEFFERSONS where George and Helen go to the disco is still one of my all-time favorite episodes of television.

Break it down, Sherm!

1. He Was George Jefferson

George Jefferson is one of the most important characters ever to appear on TV. He showed that prejudice and small-mindedness was not only something that was found in white guys like Archie Bunker but was just as powerful inside of minorities too. So just as audiences found themselves liking the lovable white bigot who didn’t know any better we were introduced to his racial opposite and audiences came to enjoy that character just as much. And the fact that he felt superior to Archie and didn’t hesitate to voice it was also a big deal because it was not common back then for black characters to be so proudly unlikable. George didn’t give a damn and Hemsley’s performance made him one of the best TV characters ever.