If the phrase “Woody Harrelson as Archie Bunker” is at all up your alley, you’ve come to the right place. ABC is staging one-night-only revivals of two iconic Norman Lear sitcoms, All in the Family and The Jeffersons, Jimmy Kimmel announced during his show on Thursday.
Airing Wednesday, May 22 at 8/7c, the 90-minute live event stars Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei as All in the Family‘s Archie and Edith Bunker (originally played by Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton), along with Ellie Kemper as Gloria Stivic (originally played by Sally Struthers).
The Jeffersons‘ portion of the special features Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes as George and Louise Jefferson (originally played by Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford), plus Will Ferrell as Tom Willis (originally played by Franklin Cover) and Justina Machado as Florence Johnston (originally played by Marla Gibbs).
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear‘s All in the Family and The Jeffersons will be hosted by Lear and Kimmel, and directed by the legendary James Burrows. Executive producers include Ferrell, Brent Miller, Adam McKay and Justin Theroux.
“They have said over and over again that these two shows were meant for the ’70s and would not work today. 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,” Lear said in a statement. “I cannot wait to see what these glorious performers make in our time of these indelible characters, and I couldn’t be more grateful for Jimmy Kimmel, Sony and ABC for their collective willingness to conceive and pursue this never-been-done-before event.”
