109.PREY-TEL
"POSE"
108.UNCLE RUCKUS
"THE BOONDOCKS"
107.LUKE CAGE
"LUKE CAGE"
106.DIANE JOHNSON
"BLACK-ISH"
105.ADEBESI
"0Z"
104..ANIKA CALHOUN ("BOO BOO KITTY")
"EMPIRE"
103.BERNIE MCCULLOUGH
"THE BERNIE MAC SHOW"
102.ANTHONY BOUVIER
"DESIGNING WOMEN"
__________________________________________________________
"POWER"
"THE JACKSON 5IVE"
NOTE: BECAME THE FIRST ANIMATED SERIES TO HAVE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHARACTERS IN LEAD ROLES (1971-72)
"INSECURE"
98.(RAIN)BO AND (AN)DRE JOHNSON
"BLACK-ISH"
"EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS"
"THIS IS US"
95.OMAR LITTLE
"THE WIRE"
THIS CHARACTER, PLAYED BY MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS, BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST MASCULINE GAY CHARACTERS PORTRAYED ON A TV SERIES (2002)
94.RAVEN BAXTER
"THAT'S SO RAVEN"
"KEENAN AND KEL"
"THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR
91.MILLICENT "PENNY" WOODS
"GOOD TIMES"
"WHAT'S HAPP'NING/WHAT'S HAPP'NING NOW"
"BREAKING BAD"/"BETTER CALL SAUL"
"SISTER, SISTER"
"SPENSER FOR HIRE"/"A MAN CALLED HAWK"
"THE GAME"
"TRUE BLOOD"
"ROC"
"THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR
"MOESHA"
"WELCOME BACK, KOTTER"
"HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, VIOLA DAVIS BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS TO WIN THE PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES FOR THIS ROLE. (2015)
"SCANDAL"
"A DIFFERENT WORLD"
"THE ELECTRIC COMPANY"
(KHADIJAH JAMES, SYNCALIRE JAMES, MAXINE SHAW, OVERTON JONES, REGINE HUNTER AND KYLE BARKER)
"THE LOVE BOAT"
"DIFF'RENT STROKES"
"E/R"
"EMPIRE"
"GOOD TIMES"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, BERN NADETTE STANIS , BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS TO PORTRAY AN AFRICAN AMERCIAN FEMALE TEENAGER IN A LEADING ROLE ON A TELEVISION SERIES (1974). (THERE WAS AN ACTRESS, TA-TANISHA WHO WAS CAST ON THE TV SERIES "ROOM 222" FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO "GOOD TIMES" IN 1969 BUT SHE WASNT IN THE LEAD CAST, ONLY RECURRING ON THAT SERIES.)
"THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, ALPHONSO RIBIERO'S CHARACTER HAS MADE "THE CARLTON DANCE" ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CHARACTER DANCES PERFORMED ION AMERCIAN TELEVISION.
"BARNEY MILLER"
68.LIONEL AND JENNY JEFFESRON
"THE JEFFERSONS"
FIRST LIONEL PLAYED BY MIKE EVANS (ON LEFT)FIRST APPEARED ON
"ALL IN THE FAMILY" IN 1971 BEFORE THE CHARACTER SPUN OFF ON "THE JEFFERSONS" IN 1975 . THE CHARACTER JENNY ALSO APPEARED ON "ALL IN THE
FAMILY AS A GUEST STAR(ACTRESS PICTURED HERE, BELINDA TOLBERT ,WAS NOT CAST AT THAT TIME)
NOTE: THE CHARACTER LIONEL WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE CHARACTER TO BE OPINIONATED ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES ON A WHITE CHARACTER-DRIVEN SERIES ('ALL IN THE FAMILY") IN 1971. THE LIONEL AND JENNY CHARACTERS WERE ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN COUPLES TO BE SEEN FIRST AS DATING, THEN MARRYING AND DIVORCING ON TV .
"THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, WILL SMITH, BECAME THE FIRST HIP HOP/RAP ARTIST TO STAR IN HIS OWN TELEVISION SERIES IN 1990 FOR SIX SEASONS.
"GOOD TIMES"
"THE CHAPELLE SHOW"
"THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS"
"WKRP IN CINCINNATI"
"THE JEFFERSONS"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, ROXIE ROKER'S CHARACTER BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERCIAN FEMALE CHARACTER TO BE IN AN INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE TO A WHITE MALE CHARACTER (TOM WILLIS, PLAYED BY FRANKLIN COVER.) IN 1975,
"EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS CICELY TYSON, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHARACTER AND AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE CHARACTER TO BE CAST AS A REGULAR ON A DRAMA SERIES (1963) TYSON ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS TO WEAR A NATURAL AFRO ON TELEVISION.
"MIAMI VICE"
"ROOTS"(1977)
"WEBSTER"
"THE A-TEAM"
"ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK"
CHARACTER FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
54.THE MAIN CHARACTERS FROM "MARTIN"
(MARTIN PAYNE, GINA WATERS, PAMELA "PAM" JAMES, COLE BROWN
AND TOMMY STRAWN
NOTE: THE COUPLE GINA AND MARTIN, PLAYED BY TISHA CAMPBELL AND MARTIN LAWRENECE, WERE THE FIRST BLACK COUPLE TO BE SEEN LIVING TOGETHER ON TV BEFORE EVENTUALLY MARRYING (1992)
"GIMME A BREAK"
"ROOM 222"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, LLOYD HAYNES, WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTOR TO PORTRAY AN EDUCATOR ON A TV SERIES (1969)
"FAME"
"GOOD TIMES"
NOTE: THE CHARACTER, PLAYED BY RALPH CARTER, WAS THE FIIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH CHARACTER TO BE OPINIONATED ABOUT BLACK SOCIAL ISSUES ON TV. (1974)
"WHAT'S HAPP'NING"
NOTE: BEFORE ARNOLD JACKSON ON DIFF'RENT STROKES, THIS CHARACTER, PLAYED BY DANIELLE SPENCER, WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH AND AFRICAN AMERCIAN FEMALE YOUTH TO PORTRAY A WISE CRACKING SCENE STEALER ROLE ON TV (1976)
"THE FLIP WILSON SHOW"
NOTE: THIS TWO-TIME PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD WINNING SHOW BECAME THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL NETWORK VARIETY SERIES STARRING AN AFRICAN AMERICAN (FLIP WILSON) IN 1971.
"THE FACTS OF LIFE"
"THE BOONDOCKS"
"A DIFFERENT WORLD"
"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE"
"ONE LIFE TO LIVE"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, AL FREEMAN , JR., BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTOR TO EARN A DAYTIME EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES FOR PLAYING THIS ROLE (1979)
"THE MOD SQUAD"
"IN LIVING COLOR"
NOTE: THESE CHARACTERS, PLAYED BY DAMON WAYANS AND DAVID ALAN GRIER , WERE THE FIRST ON TV TO PORTRAY FLAMBOYANTLY GAY CHARACTERS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN DESCENT. (1990)
"227"
NOTE: JACKEE HARRY WHO PLAYED THIS ROLE BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS TO WIN A PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN COMEDY SERIES FOR THIS ROLE (1987). HER CATCHPHRASE..."MAAAARY" WAS ALSO MEMORABLE. FROM THE TV SHOW.
"EMPIRE"
"ALL MY CHILDREN"
NOTE: THE ACTORS, DEBBI MORGAN AND DARNELL SINGLETON, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTORS TO PLAY A SUPER COUPLE ON A DAYTIME SOAP OPERA (1982)
"GET CHRISTY LOVE"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS WHO STARRED IN THIS ROLE, TERESA GRAVES, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE TO STAR IN A DRAMA SERIES (1974-75 ONE SEASON)
"SCANDAL"
"MANNIX"
NOTE. THE ACTRESS, GAIL FISHER, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE TO WIN A PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE FOR THIS ROLE (1970)
CHARACTER FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
(ROGER "RAJ" THOMAS, FRED "RERUN" STUBBS AND DWAYNE NELSON)
NOTE:THIS SITCOM WAS FIRST TO HAVE THE MAIN ACTORS PORTRAYED AS AFRICAN AMERICAN TEENAGERS IN 1976 (IN REALITY, NELSON WAS THE ONLY TEEN IN REAL LIFE AT THE TIME OF THE AIRING OF THE SHOW) DWAYNE'S "HEY, HEY , HEY" , RERUNS POP LOCKING AND ROGER'S SQUEALlNG LAUGH /GOOFY DANCE WERE POPULAR CATCHPHRASES AND TRADEMARKS OF THE SHOW RESPECTIVELY.
"ROOTS" (1977)
"SESAME STREET"
NOTE: THE CHARACTERS, PORTRAYED BY ROSCOE ORMAN (1974-2017) AND LORETTA LONG (1969-2016) BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN COUPLE IN NON STEREOTYPICAL BLACK COUPLE ROLES (KINGFISH AND SAPPHIRE IN AMOS N ANDY WERE THE FIRST BLACK COUPLE IN 1951 BUT WERE MORE CAST IN STEREOTYPICAL ROLES) THAT PREDATES THE HUXTIBLES. PRIOR TO ORMAN, GORDON WAS PORTRAYED BY SESAME STREET PRODUCER MATT ROBINSON (1969-1972) AND HAL MILLER (1972-74).
"ALL IN THE FAMILY/"THE JEFFERSONS"
"ROOTS" (1977)
"SOAP/"BENSON"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, ROBERT GUILLIAME, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTOR TO WIN TWO PRIME TIME EMMY AWARDS IN TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES FOR THE SAME ROLE. HE WON OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES WHEN HE WAS ON "SOAP" (1979) AND THEN WHEN HIS CHARACTER WAS SPUN OFF WHERE HE WON FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES FOR THE SERIES, "BENSON " IN 1985.
CHARACTER FROM "THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW"
"IN LIVING COLOR"
"STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION"
"MARTIN"
"SANFORD AND SON/"SANFORD ARMS"
The character's catchphrase "Watch it Sucka!" while verbally sparring with TV character Fred Sanford was one of the standouts of the series.
CHARACTER FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
"STARSKY AND HUTCH"
"DYNASTY" (1984-1987)/"THE COLBYS"
NOTE: IN THE WORDS OF THE LATE DIAHANN CARROLL WHO PORTRAYED THE ROLE, THE CHARACTER BECAME "THE FIRST BLACK BITCH" TO BE PORTRAYED ON A NIGHT TIME SOAP OPERA.
"THE JEFFERSONS"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, MARLA GIBBS' CHARACTER WAS THE FIRST TO BE PORTRAYED AS A MAID WORKING FOR AN AFRICAN AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD . THE CHARACTER ALSO HAS BEEN CREDITED FOR SAYING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS LINES IN TELEVISION HISTORY WHEN SHE SAID, "IF WE ALL OVERCAME, HOME COME NOBODY TOLD ME?"
"THE LITTLE RASCALS"
(PACKAGED "OUR GANG" SHORT FILMS FOR TV IN 1954)
AND
CHARACTER FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
"JULIA"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, DIAHANN CARROLL, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS TO STAR IN A SERIES WHO DIDNT PORTRAY A NON-STEREOTYPICAL FEMALE ROLE ON TELEVISION. THE FIRST WAS THE ACTRESSES WHO STARRED IN THE SERIES "BEAULAH" IN THE 1950S WHERE THE LEAD FEMALE ROLE DEPICTED A MAID/HOUSEKEEPER). THE ACTOR, MARC COPAGE , BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILD STARS ON A TELEVISION SERIES.
(DENISE, RUDITH "RUDY", THEODORE "THEO", VANESSA AND SONDRA HUXTIBLE/OLIVIA KENDALL)
DENISE HUXTIBLE, "A DIFFERENT WORLD" 1987-88 SEASON)
NOTE: THE ACTORS, LISA BONET, KEISHA KNIGHT PULLIUM, MALCOLM JAMAL WARNER, TEMPESTT BLEDSOE, SABRINA LE BEAUF AND RAVEN-SYMONE WERE THE FIRST TO PORTRAY AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN IN AN UPSCALE ENVIRONMENT AND WAS NURTURED BY UPSCALE AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENTS THROUGHGOUT THE ENTIRE SERIES RUN. PULLIUM ALSO BECAME THE YOUNGEST ACTRESS TO BE NOMINATED FOR A PRIME TIME EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES FOR THIS ROLE (1986 AGED SIX). THE RECORD IS STILL HELD AS OF THIS PRINTING.
"BEAULAH"
NOTE: THE SERIES BECAME THE FIRST TO CAST AN AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS AS THE LEAD IN A TELEVISION SERIES (1950-53)
"MAUDE/"GOOD TIMES"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, ESTHER ROLLE, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERCIAN ACTRESS TO STAR IN A SPIN OFF SERIES FROM A ROLE IN A PREVIOUS SERIES (FROM "MAUDE" 1972-74 TO "GOOD TIMES" 1974-79. THE ACTOR, JOHN AMOS, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTOR TO BE CAST AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FATHER, AND HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF A NUCLEAR FAMILY ON A TELEVISION SERIES. THE CHARACTER ALSO WAS SEEN FIRST ON "MAUDE."
"I SPY"
NOTE: THE ACTOR. BILL COSBY BECAME THE FIRST TO BE CAST IN A LEAD ROLE OF A TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES. HE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTOR TO WIN A PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES FOR THIS ROLE (1966). HE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST TO REPEAT WINNING THE SAME AWARD FOR THIS ROLE(1967). HE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST TO WIN THE SAME AWARD FOR THIS ROLE FOR A THIRD TIME (1968)
"STAR TREK"
AND
CATWOMAN
"BATMAN"
NOTE:THE ACTRESS, NICHELLE NICHOLS, BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESSES TO BE CAST IN A DRAMA SERIES (THE FIRST BEING CICELY TYSON IN EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE) BUT WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE TO BE CAST AS A REGULAR ON A SCIENCE FICTION SERIES (1966). SHE WAS ALSO THE FIRST TO HAVE AN INTERRACIAL KISS WITH A NON-AFRICAN AMERCIAN ACTOR (HER CO-STAR WILLIAM SHATNER AS CAPTAIN KIRK.)
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, EARTHA KITT, BECAME THIRD TO NICHOLS TO BE CAST IN A DRAMA SERIES (1967). SHE IS ALSO THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE TO BE CAST IN A COMIC STRIP BASED LIVE ACTION SERIES. SHE IS ALSO THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS TO REPLACE A WHITE ACTRESS IN A ROLE FROM A TV SERIES (REPLACING ACTRESS JULIE NEWMAR). THE CHARACTER'S ICONIC CAT PURRING ALSO WAS A STANDOUT IN THE SERIES.
"FAT ALBERT AND THE COSBY KIDS "
NOTE. THIS AFRICAN AMERCIAN BASED ANIMATED CHARACTER, CREATED BY BILL COSBY, IS THE LONGEST RUNNING ANIMATED LEAD CHARACTER OF AFRICAN AMERCIAN CHARACTERIZATION IN TELEVISION HISTORY (FROM 1972 TO 1985, 13 SEASONS) .
10.STEVE URKEL
"FAMILY MATTERS"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, JALEEL WHITE, BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERCIAN ACTORS WHO WAS NOT CAST INITIALLY AS A REGULAR CAST MEMBER ON A TELEVISION SERIES BUT WAS EVENTUALLY CAST AS THE SERIES' DE FACTO LEAD . THE CHARACTER STEVE URKEL WAS CAST IN TWO GUEST SPOTS ON "FAMILY MATTERS" FIRST SEASON AND DUE TO THE CHARACTERS' POPULARITY WAS BROUGHT ON AS A LEAD CAST MEMBER THE FOLLOWING SEASON UNTIL THE SHOW'S NINE SEASON RUN. THE CHARACTER HAS ALSO BECOME THE ARCHETYPICAL NERD IMAGE IN TELEVISION HISTORY.
"THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN"
NOTE: THE ACTRESS, CICELY TYSON, PORTRAYED THE FICTIONAL 110 YEAR OLD WOMAN (WHICH GARNERED HER TWO PRIME TIME EMMY AWARDS IN 1975) WHO RETOLD HER LIFE HISTORY IN AMERICA (1974), A FIRST FOR TELEVISION. THE CHARACTER WAS AN INFLUENCE AND WAS THE PRECURSOR TO AFRICAN AMERCIAN TV STORYTELLING THAT WAS SEEN ON THE TV MINI SERIES, "ROOTS" IN 1977.
8.HEATHCLIFF "CLIFF" AND CLAIR HUXTIBLE
"THE COSBY SHOW"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, BILL COSBY'S ROLE WAS VOTED BY TV GUIDE AS AMERICA'S MOST FAVORITE TV DAD. HE, ALONG WITH THE ACTRESS, PHYLICIA (AYERS-ALLEN) RASHAD BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MARRIED TV COUPLE TO PORTRAY AN UPSCALE POWER COUPLE IN THE WORK FORCE(SHE, A LAWYER AND HE, AN OBSTETRICIAN)
"AMOS N ANDY"
NOTE:THE ACTORS ON THE SHOW--ALVIN CHILDRESS, SPENCER WILLIAMS ,TIM MOORE, AND ERNESTINE WADE--BECAME THE FIRST TO BE CAST IN A TELEVISION SERIES IN LEAD ROLES (1951). STEVENS AND WADE, WHO PLAYED SAPPHIRE, ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS TO BE SEEN REGULARLY AS A MARRIED COUPLE ON A TELEVISION SERIES. SINCE THE CREATION OF THE CHARACTER "SAPPHIRE" HAS ALSO BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE A FEISTY TONGUE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN ON TELEVISION (EG. FLIP WILSON'S GERALDINE, AUNT ESTHER, SHENENEH ETC.)
"THE FLIP WILSON SHOW "
NOTE: THE ACTOR, FLIP WILSON, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN TO CROSS DRESS REGULARLY AS THE OPPOSITE GENDER ON A TELEVISION SHOW. THE CHARACTER'S INFLUENCE IS SEEN BY WILSON'S SUCCESSORS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE ACTORS WHO HAVE CROSS DRESSED TO PORTRAY THE OPPOSITE GENDER ON TELEVISION SHOWS (EG. MARTIN LAWRENCE'S SHENENEH ON "MARTIN", JAMIE FOXX'S UGLY WANDA ON "IN LIVING COLOR" , DRAG QUEEN STAR RUPUAL WHO APPREARED ON AN EPISODE OF THE TV SITCOM, "IN THE HOUSE "AND TYLER PERRY'S URBAN STAGE PLAY CHARACTER MADEA SIMMONS THAT APPEARED ON THE TV SITCOM, "HOUSE OF PAYNE." ).THE CHARACTER'S CATCHPHRASES INCLUDING "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT" WERE ALSO POPULAR WITH THE CHARACTER.
"SANFORD AND SON"
FRED SANFORD
"SANFORD"
NOTE: THE ACTORS, REDD FOXX AND DEMOND WILSON , BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTORS TO PORTRAY BUSINESS OWNERS ON A TELEVISION SHOW (SALVAGE STORE OWNERS) . THE HUMOR OF FRED SANFORD HELP TO INFLUENCE BLUE/RACIAL HUMOR ON TELEVISION ( A PRECURSOR TO "THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW ") . THE CHARACTER OF FRED SANFORD IS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN LEAD MALE CHARACTER TO BE SPUN OFF INTO ANOTHER SITCOM AS THE LEAD (FROM SANFORD AND SON (1972-77)TO "SANFORD" (1980) THE CHARACTER'S FAKE HEART ATTACKS, HIS CALLING LAMONT "DUMMY" AND HIS VERBAL SPARRING WITH AUNT ESTHER WERE STANDOUTS FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES.
"GOOD TIMES"
NOTE: THE ACTOR, JIMMIE WALKER, BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTORS TO PORTRAY A AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE TEENAGER AS A REGULAR ON A TV SERIES (IN REALITY AT THE TIME WALKER WAS IN HIS 20s AND ALTHOUGH LIONEL JEFFERSON WAS FIRST ON ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE CHARACTER WASNT A SERIES REGULAR)). HIS CHARACTER ALSO BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHARACTERS TO BE MERCHANDISED (JJ DOLLS, PANASONIC 8 TRACK TAPE PLAYER TV COMMERCIALS, A COMEDY ALBUM AND LUNCH BOXES TO NAME A FEW) . THE CHARACTER'S CATCHPHRASE ON THE TV SERIES "DY-NO-MITE " ALSO BECAME ONE THE MOST POPULAR CATCHPHRASES IN TELEVISION HISTORY.
"DIFF'RENT STROKES"
NOTE:THE ACTOR, GARY COLEMAN, BECAME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CHILD STARS IN TELEVISION HISTORY WHEN THE SHOW AIRED FROM 1978 TO 1986. THE CHARACTER HE PLAYED BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ROLE WITH THE LEAD CHARACTER BEING A CHILD (ALTHOUGH ACTOR CONRAD BAIN WHO PLAYED PHILIP DRUMMOND GOT TOP BILLING, COLEMAN WAS THE DE FACTO LEAD ACTOR IN THE TELEVISION SERIES.) HIS CHARACTER WAS ALSO A PRECURSOR TO OTHER CHILD ACTORS OF BOTH GENDERS AND ALL ETHNICITIES TO STAR IN TELEVISION SERIES (EG. EMMANUEL LEWIS IN "WEBSTER," SOLIEL MOON FRYE IN "PUNKY BREWSTER," AND RAVEN SYMONE IN "THAT'S SO RAVEN" TO NAME A FEW.) THE CHARACTERS' CATCHPHRASE, "WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT, WILLIS?" IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CATCHPHRASES OF ALL TIME.
"ROOTS" (1977)
NOTE: THE ACTOR, LEVAR BURTON, WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERCIAN AMERICAN ACTOR TO PORTRAY A SEMI-AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LEAD ROLE IN AN AFRICAN AMERICAN BASED MINI -SERIES ABOUT AMERICAN SLAVERY IN 1977. ALTHOUGH OTHER MALE AND FEMALE ACTORS STARRED IN THE SERIES (EG. LESLIE UGGAMS AS KIZZY, BEN VEREEN AS CHICKEN GEORGE AND LOU GOSSETT JR AS FIDDLER), IT WAS BURTON'S ROLE AS KUNTA KINTE WHICH SPEARHEADED THE MAIN STORY FOR THE ENTIRE MINI SERIES ( AND SEQUEL "ROOTS: THE NEXT GENERATION" IN 1979). ALTHOUGH ACTOR JOHN AMOS PLAYED THE ROLE OF KUNTA KINTE IN THE MINI SERIES AS AN ADULT, IT WAS BURTON'S EMMY AWARD NOMINATED CHARACTERIZATION (WRITTEN BY RENOWNED AUTHOR, THE LATE ALEX HALEY IN HIS BOOK OF THE SAME NAME)OF HIS HUNG BODY AND CHAIN CUFFED TIED HANDS WHILE HE WAS WHIPPED BY THE SLAVE MASTER TO DENOUNCE HIS AFRICAN NAME AND ACCEPT HIS SLAVE NAME, "TOBY" HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL AND POWERFUL MOMENTS IN TELEVISION HISTORY.
AND
THE
NUMBER
ONE
TV CHARACTER
OF ALL TIME
IS.........
1.GEORGE AND LOUISE "WEEZY" JEFFERSON
"ALL IN THE FAMILY'/"THE JEFFERSONS"
THE NOTE: ACTORS IN THESE ROLES, SHERMAN HEMSLEY AND ISABEL SANFORD, HAVE BECOME THE LONGEST RUNNING TV COUPLES IN AMERCIAN TELEVISION HISTORY WITH 12 YEARS ON TELEVISION--TWO YEARS ON "ALL IN THE FAMILY" (1973-75) AND THEN 10 YEARS ON THEIR OWN SPIN OFF SERIES, "THE JEFFERSONS" (`1975-85). THE CHARACTER GEORGE JEFFERSON WAS REVOLUTIONARY BECAUSE HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHARACTER TO BE SEEN AS A SELF SUFFICIENT, OPINIONATED AND SELF EMPLOYED BUSINESSMAN WHO WORKED HIS WAY FROM POOR WORKING CLASS TO UPPER CLASS (HENCE, "MOVIN ON UP" ) THE ROLE WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CHARACTER STOOD TOE TO TOE WITH A WHITE CHARACTER WITHOUT THE CONSEQUENCES FROM "TALKING BACK." (IN THIS CASE CHIMING WITH BIGOTED ARCHIE BUNKER ON "ALL IN THE FAMILY."). THE CHARACTER IS ALSO FIRST TO SPEW RACIAL SLURS ON TELEVISION (THE N-WORD AND H**KY). THE TV COUPLE IS ALSO THE FIRST TO BE SPUN OFF IN THEIR OWN TV SERIES (FROM "ALL IN THE FAMILY" TO "THE JEFFERSONS."). BEFORE CLIFF AND CLAIR HUXTIBLE, THE JEFFERSONS WERE THE FIRST UPPER CLASS FAMILY WITH THEIR SON, LIONEL WHEN THEY WERE SPUN OFF INTO THEIR OWN SERIES.......AND WE CANT FORGET THAT GEORGE JEFFERSON CONFIDENT STRUT SIGNATURE WALK AND HIS FUNKY CHICKEN DANCE! THE ACTRESS ISABEL SANFORD ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AND ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTRESS AS OF THIS WRITING TO WIN A PRIMETIME EMMY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
IN 1981 .
