Advocate Magazine: Was Deceased TV Legend Former Jeffersons Star Sherman Hemsley A Closeted Homosexual?
Sherman Hemsley Remains Unburied Due to Will Dispute
BY JEREMY KINSER
The embalmed body of actor Sherman Hemsley, best known for portraying TV’s George Jefferson, is being kept refrigerated in a funeral home in El Paso, Texas, until a local court decides on the validity of his will, reports Associated Press.
Richard Thornton, who claims to be Hemsley’s brother, is disputing a will the actor signed six weeks prior to his death from lung cancer at age 74 on July 24. In it Hemsley named Flora Enchinton as sole beneficiary of his estate, valued at more than $50,000. Hemsley also refers to Enchinton as a “beloved partner.”
Enchinton says she had been friends with Hemsley and had even been his manager for more than two decades. During this time she lived with Hemsley and Hemsley’s friend Kenny Johnston, 76. Enchinton tells AP Hemsley never mentioned any relatives.
“Some people come out of the woodwork — they think Sherman, they think money,” Enchinton tells AP. “But the fact is that I did not know Sherman when he was in the limelight. I met them when they [Hemsley and Johnston] came running from Los Angeles with not one penny, when there was nothing but struggle.”
While there was no official confirmation during his lifetime, there was frequent speculation that Hemsley, famed for his portrayal of the bigoted dry cleaning mogul on the hit sitcom The Jeffersons, was a gay man. A 2007 VH1 story that listed three favorite allegedly gay black actors from the past put Hemsley in the top spot.
The George Lucas Produced All Black Cast Movie Red Tails Made An Estimated $19 Million This Weekend!!!
According to http://www.boxofficemojo.com, the George Lucas produced Red Tails film grossed an estimated $19 million this weekend. Tomorrow the final numbers will be released and if the box office is indeed $19 million this is very impressive.
George Lucas was very candid in interviews and he criticized Hollywood’s anti black racism for holding back his film. Lucas said no studio was interested in financing Red Tails because whites were not in leading roles. Hollywood still believes that whites must be at the center while blacks should be at the margins. I am so tired of seeing black actors as the stereotypical sidekick or best friend roles to the white lead.
Red Tails is an all black action movie which is rare in Hollywood because black men are heroes in this film.
I think George Lucas is a brave man for speaking out as a Hollywood insider about the incredible racism that still exists behind the scenes.
Hollywood likes to paint the picture it is a liberal place but refuses to give black actors leading roles. There is a lucrative black audience that wants to see blacks in leading roles that’s the main reason why Tyler Perry is so successful. Mainstream Hollywood still doesn’t care to understand African-Americans have economic power. Black people will support quality films with blacks in lead roles and these movies can make a profit.
I understand Hollywood is a business but I hope Red Tails is a trend for a more expanded representation of the black life experience.
For a long time blacks are segregated into comedies or dramas yet there is no in between such as action genres or science fiction.
Red Tails has no A list black actors in it. Although Cuba Gooding Jr and Terrance Howard are well-known they aren’t superstars or leading men.
Lucas used his own money $58 million to produce and $35 distribute Red Tails because he claims Hollywood is racist against blacks. Lucas said that white Hollywood isn’t interested in promoting black movies with blacks in leading roles. I think Hollywood really needs to wake up and get a clue black audiences want to see positive black representation.
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