Everybody Hates Chris Heads to MTV2; Remembering Ned Wertimer, Doorman from The Jeffersons

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Everybody Hates Chris Heads to MTV2; Remembering Ned Wertimer, Doorman from The Jeffersons

In more Viacom synergy, the Chris Rock produced sitcom Everybody Hates Chris is heading to MTV2 beginning Thursday (Jan. 17). The sitcom was airing on TeenNick but now will move over to MTV2. It quietly was removed from the TeenNick schedule recently (end of December). Viacom also airs the series on BET and Centric and it will continue to air on both of those networks every weekday. Everybody Hates Chris also was previously on Nick at Nite but they stopped it this past fall. Viacom has had the rights to the series since fall 2009. It will premiere on MTV2 this Thursday and will air most nights from 1-3am following reruns of Martin. MTV2 will also continue to air sitcoms Saved by the Bell, Boy Meets World, The Wayans Bros, The PJs and That '70s Show on the schedule (some more often than others).

Everybody Hates Chris is a period sitcom inspired by the teenage experiences of comedian Chris Rock (who is also the narrator), while growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York (often referred to in the show as Bed-Sty). The show is set from 1982 to 1987. The series aired from 2005-09 on UPN (then The CW) and starred Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim, and Vincent Martella. Stay with us for further updates!

Ned Wertimer

Character actor Ned Wertimer, best known for playing Ralph the doorman in The Jeffersons, has died. He died on January 2, 2013, at the Sherman Village Health Care Center in Los Angeles, California. According to his manager, Brad Lemack, he had fallen at his home in Burbank in late November and never recovered. Mr. Wertimer was 89.

Wertimer played Ralph Hart, the doorman, for all 11 seasons of the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons from 1975-1985. His character first appeared in the All in the Family episode titled "The Jeffersons Move on Up," which was the pilot episode of The Jeffersons. He appeared in 51 of the 253 episodes of The Jeffersons, which was one of the longest-running sitcoms in American television history. Ralph was known for always asking for a tip from the tenants of the luxury high-rise apartment on Manhattan's East Side.

Ned Wertimer Marla Gibbs and Ned Wertimer

He had more than 100 TV credits. Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Car 54, Where Are You?, Get Smart, That Girl, Hogan's Heroes, Mayberry, R.F.D., Mary Tyler Moore, Sanford and Son, Happy Days, Welcome Back, Kotter, WKRP in Cincinnati, Mork & Mindy and 227. His other TV credits included Gunsmoke, McMillan & Wife, Starsky & Hutch and Simon & Simon. Wertimer's film credits included Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, The Impossible Years, Mame, The Strongest Man in the World and The Pack.

Survivors include his wife, Dr. Skyne Uku-Wertimer, professor emerita at California State University Long Beach; his sister-in-law Eleanor Walsh; and a niece and three nephews. We loved his work on The Jeffersons. It was funny how he was always holding out his hand for a tip. He will be greatly missed.

The Jeffersons

Share your memories of Mr. Wertimer on The Jeffersons message board. View photos in our galleries.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 12

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Big Birthday and Tequila Shots" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy struggles to celebrate Georgie’s 21st birthday after hitting a rough patch in her career.

Ghosts - "St. Hetty’s Day 2: The Help" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A St. Patrick’s Day staffing emergency gives Hetty the chance to step into an unlikely role at the restaurant as she regains her once-a-year ability to be seen and heard by the living. Meanwhile, Kyle returns to watch over the ghosts and finds himself caught in an amusing supernatural dynamic.

Animal Control - "Squirrels and Fat Cats" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank uncovers Emily and Shred's secret romance during a break-in at city supply; Victoria and Patel confront his daughter's school bully.

Going Dutch - "Tinker, Tailor, Colonel, Spy" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Rick takes a sabbatical from the CIA and returns to the base, hoping to rekindle his strained relationship with Capt. Maggie; paranoia runs high when a mole is suspected to be operating inside the base.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 9)

Thursday, March 12

Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Catch Will on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Minnie Driver (Emily in Paris/Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Robert stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Andy Cohen interviews Jennifer on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan talks about Broadway's Death of a Salesman with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Ariana joins Tamron to talk about her fashion evolution and her role in the all-star cast of the new series Scarpetta on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Lauren Graham (The Z-Suite/M.Y.O.B./Conrad Bloom/Townies/Good Company) - Lauren talks about Reminders of Him on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - NBC's Today catches up with Valerie in the 10am hour.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil and Lily Rosenthal join Drew for a taste test of weird foods and talk about their children's book Just Try It! Someplace New! (A Phil & Lil Book) on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.