Mike Evans (actor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other persons named Michael Evans, see Michael Evans (disambiguation).

This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations.
You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.

Michael Jonas Evans (November 3, 1949 – December 14, 2006) (usually credited as Mike Evans), was an American actor and co-creator of the show Good Times with Eric Monte (Ralph Carter's character Michael Evans was named after him).

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

Evans is most famous for creating the recurring role of Lionel Jefferson on All in the Family and was the first (and eventually final) actor to play Lionel on the spin-off The Jeffersons. He played Lionel on The Jeffersons for much of its 11-year run, with the majority of his appearances occurring from 1979-1983. Opera singer/actor Damon Evans (no relation to Michael) played the role for a few years of The Jeffersons, as Michael was occupied in the production of Good Times. He returned after Good Times was cancelled in 1979.

His last TV role was in 2000, on an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger. Evans was also a real estate investor and owned properties in California's Inland Empire.

As the original Lionel, his absence was noticed at a Sherman Hemsley TV Land special, which aired on April 26, 2006. Most of the other surviving Jeffersons cast members were present, as well as Sally Struthers and the cast of Amen.

Evans died of throat cancer at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, California at the age of 57. The announcement of his death was not released until a week later.