Here’s Why Mike Evans Walked Away From ‘The Jeffersons’

If you’re a fan of The Jeffersons, you know that it was a spinoff of All in the Family. In fact, Mike Evans, who played Lionel Jefferson, was the first member of the Jefferson family to show up on that iconic show. Mike had not, however, been producer Norman Lear‘s first pick for the character. Instead, Norman wanted Cleavon Little, perhaps best known for the classic Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles, to play Lionel. But the casting director for All in the Family was uneasy about Cleavon in the role; he wanted an actor who would challenge Archie Bunker’s thinking, but do it in a non-threatening way. And for whatever reason, he felt that Cleavon was just too darn edgy.