Michael Jonas Evans (November 3, 1949 – December 14, 2006) was an American actor, best known as Lionel Jefferson on both All in the Family and The Jeffersons. He was also a guest celebrity panelist on the TV game show Match Game.

Mike Evans
Mike Evans, circa 1975
Born	Michael Jonas Evans (1949-11-03)November 3, 1949 Salisbury, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	December 14, 2006(2006-12-14) (aged 57) Twentynine Palms, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1971–1985
Spouse	Helena Jefferson ​ ​ (m. 1976; died 2002)​
Children	2

Early life

Evans was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. His father, Theodore Evans Sr., was a dentist, and his mother, Annie Sue Evans, a teacher. He attended Palmer Memorial Institute, a private school for young black Americans in Sedalia, North Carolina. His family later moved to Los Angeles, where he graduated from Los Angeles High School. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College.[1]

Career

A college student majoring in drama but with no acting experience, Evans caught his big break when All in the Family producer and director John Rich hired him to play Lionel Jefferson, the son of the Bunkers' new black neighbors. Show developer Norman Lear preferred Cleavon Little for the role, but Rich lobbied to cast an actor who would appear less threatening.[2]

Evans continued to play the role on the spinoff The Jeffersons, but left after the first season to pursue other aspects of his career. According to Jimmie Walker, Evans had threatened to leave if he was not given more screen time, and Norman Lear let him out of his contract.[3] Actor and opera singer Damon Evans (no relation to Michael) then took the role of Lionel, but Mike Evans returned in the role for the sixth through eighth seasons. Evans was a creator/writer of the series Good Times (1974–79).[4]

Evans played Lenny in the cast of the 1976–77 Danny Thomas situation comedy The Practice during its second and final season.

Evans was also a real estate investor and owned properties in California's Inland Empire.[5]

Personal life and death

In July 1974, Evans met Helena Jefferson (June 18, 1952 – September 11, 2002). They married on January 10, 1976. On September 11, 2002, Helena Evans died of breast cancer after she was diagnosed on February 24, 2001.

Four years after her death, Evans died of throat cancer at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, California, at the age of 57.[5]

He was survived by his two daughters (Carlena and Tammie), his mother (Annie Sue), a brother, a cousin, and a niece.^{[citation needed]}. Evans's body was cremated.

Filmography

References

Further reading

• Associated Press (2006-12-22). "Mike Evans, 57; Lionel in 'Jeffersons' created 'Good Times'". Los Angeles Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
• E! Online (22 Dec 2006, 02:56:00 PM PST): "Jeffersons Star Dead", by Joal Ryan
• Buffalo News, December 23, 2006.
• Variety, January 8, 2007.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mike Evans.

• Mike Evans at IMDb