Isabel Sanford


Isabel Sanford was an American stage, film, and television actress and comedian best known for her role as Louise "Weezy" Mills Jefferson on the CBS sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons. In 1981, she became the second black American actress to win a Primetime Emmy Award, and the first to win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Early life

Sanford was born Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford in Harlem, New York City, to Josephine and James Edward Sanford. She was the youngest of seven children and was the only child to survive beyond infancy. Sanford's mother Josephine was devoutly religious and insisted that her daughter attend church every Sunday, and occasionally made her attend on weeknights. As a teenager, Sanford aspired to be an actress, but her mother discouraged her dream, as she felt that show business was "the road to degradation." Sanford disobeyed her mother and began performing at local clubs. She also performed at amateur night at The Apollo Theater. After graduating high school, Sanford joined Harlem's American Negro Theater and The Star Players. She made her professional stage debut in 1946 in On Strivers Row, and appeared in several off-Broadway productions while also working as a keypunch operator at IBM. Sanford married house painter William Edward "Sonny" Richmond, with whom she had three children. Their marriage was tumultuous, and they later separated.

Career

After separating from her husband, Sanford and her three children relocated to California in 1960. Soon after her arrival, she was asked to join the national production of Here Today by actress Tallulah Bankhead. In 1965, she made her Broadway debut in James Baldwin's The Amen Corner. This role led to her being cast in the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. In the film, she was credited as Isabell Sanford, playing the role of the maid "Tillie Binks," and earned her good reviews. She caught the attention of major Hollywood players, including Norman Lear, who cast Sanford in the role of Louise Jefferson in All in the Family. Sanford and her TV husband Sherman Hemsley were so popular that Norman Lear decided to spin off the characters into their own weekly series The Jeffersons. Sanford was initially reluctant to commit to working on a weekly series, as she was already working steadily, but decided to accept the offer. The Jeffersons premiered in January 1975, and was an immediate hit with audiences, ultimately running for 11 seasons. For her role in the series, Sanford earned five Golden Globe Award nominations and seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1981, making her the first African-American actress to win in that category.
After The Jeffersons cancellation in 1985, Sanford continued her career with guest-starring roles in television and film. In January 1987, she starred in her own sitcom, Isabel's Honeymoon Hotel, which aired five days a week in syndication. The series was created to showcase Sanford's comedic skills, but it failed to attract an audience and was quickly cancelled. In the 1990s, Sanford mainly appeared in television guest appearances and cameo appearances in movies. She appeared on Dream On, Living Single, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, In the House, ', The Steve Harvey Show, and Hearts Are Wild. In 1996, she played a supporting role in the action movie Original Gangstas, starring blaxploitation film stars Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, Jim Brown, and Richard Roundtree.
Sanford later reprised her role as Louise Jefferson in a touring company of The Real Live Jeffersons stage show in the mid-1990s alongside Sherman Hemsley. Hemsley and she also made a cameo appearance in the film Sprung, and guest-starred in The Parkers, Mafia!, and two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The two also appeared in a series of advertisements for Denny's and Old Navy. In January 2004, Sanford received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to the television industry. She made her final television appearance the following month as an animated version of herself in The Simpsons'' episode "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore."

Personal life

Sanford was married to house painter William Edward "Sonny" Richmond. The couple had three children—two sons and a daughter before separating. After their separation, Sanford and the children moved to California in 1960, while Richmond remained in New York. Shortly after their arrival, Richmond died after being involved in an altercation. Sanford was a Democrat who attended an event with Dennis Weaver for presidential candidate Jesse Jackson in 1988.

Death

In September 2003, Sanford underwent preventive surgery on her carotid artery. In the ensuing months, her health steadily declined. She was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on July 4, 2004, where she died five days later—a month before her 87th birthday. Her publicist attributed it to unspecified natural causes. She was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. For her contribution to the television industry, Isabel Sanford has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard.

Broadway credits

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968The Carol Burnett ShowSketch PerformerEpisodes #2.1, 2.9, 2.12, 3.8
1968BewitchedAunt JennyEpisode: "Samantha Goes South for a Spell"
1968The Mod SquadLillianEpisode: "Love"
Credited as Isabell Sanford
1970Daniel BooneMaybelleEpisode: "Sunshine Patriots"
1971The Bill Cosby ShowBerthaEpisode: "The Barber Shop"
Credited as Isabell Sanford
1971The InternsDr. HearnEpisode: "The Choice"
1971–1972Love, American StyleVarious roles2 episodes
1971–1975All in the FamilyLouise Jefferson26 episodes
1972The Mary Tyler Moore ShowMrs. WilsonEpisode: "His Two Right Arms"
1972The Great Man's WhiskersEllaTelevision film
1972Wait Till Your Father Gets HomeBetsyVoice, Episode: "Help Wanted"
1973Temperatures RisingMrs. NolandEpisode: "The Mothers"
1974KojakGraceEpisode: "Die Before They Wake"
1978Vega$MaeEpisode: "Milliken's Stash"
1975–1985The JeffersonsLouise Jefferson253 episodes
1979SupertrainRebaEpisode: "Pirouette"
1980–1983The Love BoatTanya, Isaac's Aunt2 episodes
1984Reading RainbowNarratorEpisode: "The Patchwork Quilt"
1986Crazy Like a Fox1 episode
1986The New Mike HammerMama VibesEpisode: "The Duke Is Dead"
1987Isabel's Honeymoon HotelIsabel ScottUnknown episodes
1988A Pup Named Scooby-DooAdditional voicesEpisode "A Bicycle Built for Boo!"
1993Dream OnJudge Isabel KohnerEpisode: "Oral Sex, Lies and Videotape"
1993Living SingleEunetta RyanEpisode: "Quittin' Time"
1994Hangin' with Mr. CooperJudgeEpisode: "The Courtship of Mark Cooper"
1994Ms. DuffyEpisode: "Seasons Greedings"
1995RoseanneLouise Jefferson, TV Mom #3Episode: "All About Rosey"
1995In the HouseNanna2 episodes
1995–1996The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirLouise "Weezy" Jefferson2 episodes
1996The Steve Harvey ShowMother HightowerEpisode: "That's My Mama"
1997Teen AngelLaurieEpisode: "Sings Like an Angel"
1998Pepper AnnBerniceVoice, Episode: "Cocoon Gables/Green-Eyed Monster"
1999Jackie's BackMiss KrumesTelevision film
2001The ParkersEvelyn "Nana" SmithEpisode: "Hands Off, Grandma"
2002The Young and the RestlessSylviaEpisode #1.7534
2004The SimpsonsHerselfVoice, Episode: "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
2004Candid CameraMrs. JeffersonEpisode: "Mother's Day",

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryTitle of workResult
1979Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsNominated
1980Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsNominated
1981Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsWon
1982Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsNominated
1983Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsNominated
1984Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsNominated
1985Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe JeffersonsNominated
1977Golden Globe AwardBest TV Actress - Musical/ComedyThe JeffersonsNominated
1978Golden Globe AwardBest TV Actress - Musical/ComedyThe JeffersonsNominated
1983Golden Globe AwardBest Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/MusicalThe JeffersonsNominated
1984Golden Globe AwardBest Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/MusicalThe JeffersonsNominated
1985Golden Globe AwardBest Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/MusicalThe JeffersonsNominated
2004TV Land AwardsFavorite Cantankerous CoupleThe Jeffersons Won