Actors

Isabel Sanford

Born in Harlem, N.Y., Isabel Sanford spent more than 30 years in theater before deciding to make a go of it in Hollywood. After moving there in 1960, she landed several guest roles on shows like Bewitched, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Mod Squad, as well as a role in the film Guess Who's Coming To Dinner and a semi-regular spot on The Carol Burnett Show.

In 1971, Sanford took the part of Louise "Weezy" Jefferson on All in the Family - and later became the first black woman to receive an Emmy on its spin-off, The Jeffersons. She remained in that role until 1985, and continued working on screen and on stage, often with her Jeffersons co-star Sherman Hemsley, including a touring company of "The Real Live Jeffersons" stage show in the mid-1990s. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Sanford passed away on July 9, 2004 of natural causes. She was 86.