Jimmy Kimmel is set to transport viewers back to a golden era of television with a special live event honoring two iconic sitcoms: All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Announced on his show Thursday, Kimmel will present a live 90-minute prime-time special titled Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons, airing on ABC on May 22.
This star-studded event will feature contemporary Hollywood heavyweights stepping into the shoes of beloved sitcom characters. Woody Harrelson will take on the role of Archie Bunker, Marisa Tomei will portray Edith Bunker, and Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes will embody George and Louise Jefferson. Kimmel will cohost alongside Norman Lear, the legendary producer behind both series. Renowned director James Burrows, known for his work on Friends and Will & Grace, will helm the live proceedings.
“The fact that a group of Oscar winners eagerly agreed to play these iconic characters is a testament to the greatness of these shows and their creator, Norman Lear,” Kimmel stated. “To be a part of this is a dream come true for me and for everyone involved.”
The special will also feature Ellie Kemper as Gloria Stivic, Will Ferrell as Tom Willis, and Justina Machado as Florence Johnston, with more stars expected to join. Ferrell, Brent Miller, Adam McKay, and Justin Theroux will executive produce alongside Kimmel and Lear.
“They have said over and over again that these two shows were meant for the ’70s and would not work today,” Lear remarked. “We disagree with them and are here to prove, with two great casts depicting All in the Family and The Jeffersons, the timelessness of human nature. I cannot wait to see what these glorious performers make in our time of these indelible characters.”
The specific episodes to be recreated remain under wraps.
All in the Family, which aired on CBS from 1971 to 1979, starred Carroll O’Connor as the outspoken, working-class Archie Bunker, who often clashed with his liberal son-in-law, Michael “Meathead” Stivic (Rob Reiner), while finding solace in his traditionally minded wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton). The series was lauded for addressing controversial issues such as racism and women’s rights.
The Jeffersons, a spin-off from All in the Family, aired from 1975 to 1985. It broke ground as the first TV series to prominently feature an interracial couple (Tom and Helen Willis, played by Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker) and became one of the longest-running African-American shows on television. The show tackled contemporary issues as it followed George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hensley and Isabel Sanford) navigating life in a predominantly white neighborhood.
Combined, the two series garnered more than two dozen Emmy nominations, with All in the Family becoming the first sitcom to see all four lead actors win Emmys.
This live tribute not only celebrates the enduring legacy of these groundbreaking shows but also highlights their relevance and the timeless nature of the human stories they tell.