Do you remember the iconic African American comedy sitcom titled 227? The show that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990 and starred Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins? Well if you don’t, that’s okay, we will educate you, and if you do we have a surprise for you as there was a mini-reunion on set yesterday of the new Byron Allen/Entertainment Studios sitcom titled The First Family!
The show 227 was about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building in Washington, D.C. and starred Gibbs as Mary Jenkins, a nosy, tart-tongued housewife. Her husband, Lester ( Hal Williams), had his own construction company, and their 14-year-old daughter, Brenda (Regina King), was boy-crazy yet smart and studious. It was King’s first significant acting role.
Also cast in 227 was Sandra Clark (Jackée Harry), Mary’s young, sexy building vamp who constantly bickered back and forth with her about their respective views on life. Although their relationship was antagonistic at first, Mary and Sandra became good friends as time went on.
During the show’s run it became one of NBC’s most watched sitcoms and today is easily one of the top 100 iconic African American comedy sitcoms of our time.
Fast forward to yesterday, filming was underway on the set of the new African American sitcom titled The First Family which is a series that centers on William Johnson (Christopher B Duncan), a Democrat who attempts to balance his family life with his wife Katherine (Kellita Smith) and their two sons and two daughters as they adjust to living in the WHite House, while maintaining his duties as the second African American and 45th overall President Of The United States. William, in turn, also has to deal with other family members, including his boisterous sister-in-law Pauletta (Jackée Harry) and William’s own father Alvin (John Witherspoon), who despite his constant bickering with Pauletta, will sometimes partner together with her for various schemes. Actress Marla Gibbs plays Grandma Eddy and is a recurring cast member on the show.
During the taping yesterday it was announced that The First Family was bringing back Hal Williams, Marla Gibbs and Jackeé Harry back, all to star in an episode!
According to our sources, Hal Williams is set to play a friend of Grandma Eddy (Gibbs) from water aerobics while George tries to set Pauletta (Jackee) up with his son, but George ends up on a date with Pauletta, where romance then ensues. Check out some pics from the set below;
(L-R Marla Gibbs, Jackee Harry, Hal Williams Photo credit: Entertainment Studios)
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