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'Jeffersons' First Lionel, Actor Mike Evans Dies; TV Land January Changes

We have some pretty shocking news to let you know. Mike Evans, best known for his role as Lionel Jefferson on All in the Family and The Jeffersons died on December 14. Evans was suffering from throat cancer. Evans is also famous for co-creating and writing the popular sitcom Good Times with Eric Monte. He has not acted in anything really since The Jeffersons, which he left for and was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) for a few years and then he came back to. In the '70s he guest starred on series such as Love American Style, Streets of San Francisco, and the short lived sitcom The Practice. His last credit (and his first credit since The Jeffersons ended) listed was for a Walker Texas Ranger episode in 2000...but was that him really or not? In recent years he had invested in real estate in Southern California. Mr. Evans will be missed and you can catch The Jeffersons on TV Land every night. Mr. Evans was only 57.

And speaking of The Jeffersons, we have some TV Land schedule updates for January. Due to the recent changes made earlier this week, the January schedule will be altered a bit. The Andy Griffith Show will remain 8-10 p.m. every night. The Jeffersons were scheduled to move to 11 & 11:30 p.m. when M*A*S*H arrives, but that will not happen anymore, and Sanford & Son will keep its 11 & 11:30 p.m. slot. So, The Jeffersons will only air at 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. late nights. Everything else that was changed this past week will be incorporated to the January line-up that starts Jan. 8.
M*A*S*H week's (Jan. 1-7) schedule has been announced. As mentioned a lot already, M*A*S*H, the movie, the anniversary specials and the finale will air between 8pm-8am that week. During M*A*S*H week, some of the regular shows weekdays airing between 8am-8pm will be pre-empted: From 12-1pm The Andy Griffith Show will air instead of The Brady Bunch/All in the Family hour; 1-2pm will be a full hour of TV Land's 5-part Top 100 Catchphrases encore; 5pm Gunsmoke will air instead of Green Acres; 6-7pm The Andy Griffith Show will air instead of Leave it to Beaver and 7-8pm The Andy Griffith Show will air instead of Little House. So, Andy will lead-in to M*A*S*H that week.
To view the complete January updates, including episode numbers for M*A*S*H episodes airing in the marathon and which shows are airing when with M*A*S*H stars on other TV Land shows, I suggest you click HERE!