Sherman Hemsley wins $2.8 million lawsuit against film distributor

Jet, March 25, 1996

Actor Sherman Hemsley, former star of the popular TV shows "The Jeffersons" and "Amen", recently won a $2.8 million lawsuit after a jury found that a film distributor denied him his share of profits from the 1987 movie Ghost Fever.

Wolf Schmidt must pay $1 million in profits and $1.8 million in interest to Hemsley for profits made from the movie, according to Hemsley's lawyer, Joseph Schleimer.

Hemsley, best known for his role as George Jefferson on the "The Jeffersons", claimed in a 1987 lawsuit that Schmidt manipulated the film's finances to make it appear as if it made no money. Although the movie wasn't a success at the box office, it made considerable profits on cable TV and video rentals, said Schleimer.

The film distributor denied the allegations and planned to appeal.