Isabel Sanford
| Isabel Sanford | |
|---|---|
Publicity photo of Isabel Sanford with
The Jeffersons co-stars, Sherman Hemsley and Mike Evans, circa 1974. |
|
| Born |
Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford August 29, 1917 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 9, 2004 (aged 86) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress, comedian |
| Years active | 1967–2004 |
| Known for | Louise "Weezy" Mills-Jefferson on All in the Family and The Jeffersons |
| Spouse(s) | William E. Richmond (m.1945-60; his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | 1981-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (The Jeffersons) |
| Website | www |
Isabel Sanford (born Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford; August 29, 1917 – July 9, 2004) 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 (1971–1975) and The Jeffersons (1975–1985). 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.
Sanford was born Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford in Harlem, New York, to James Edward and Josephine Sanford (née Perry). 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 from 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.
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. The role lead to her being cast in the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. In the film, Sanford portrayed the role of the maid Tillie Binks which 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 the characters off 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.
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