Alan Willis had two portrayer on ‘The Jeffersons’

When most people think of the popular television sitcom THE JEFFERSONS the names Andrew Rubin and Jay Hammer probably do not instantly come to mind. Both of these men caused controversy because they were each cast in the role of Alan Willis the son of Tom and Helen Willis. Alan was not in many episodes and some fans may not even recall him but his presence on the series raised eyebrows and led to conversations about race and skin tone.

Tom Willis, (Franklin Cover) was white, and his wife Helen, (Roxie Roker) was black. The actors cast in the roles of their two children were not as considered to be truly representing the biracial community. Their daughter Jenny, was played by Belinda Tolbert who was a dark-complexioned African American. Alan's portrayers Andrew Rubin was Jewish, and Jay Hammer was Caucasian. The sitcom creators were probably trying to make a point on the extremes of racism but even today people question the choices to play the children of a mixed-race couple.

Some people have commented online that it was not realistic to have the Willis children portrayed as black and white. I happen to know for a fact that there are biracial men and women who appear either totally black or white and you cannot tell their ethnicity by simply looking at them. Even so, many of those who enjoyed THE JEFFERSON felt that a mixed-race couple should have had biracial actors portraying their offspring. Truthfully, between 1975 and 1985 during the 11 year run of the sitcom television was basically black and white.

Although there were actors whose parents were of different races there was no emphasis on biracial men and women portraying themselves. This obviously was a touchy and sensitive subject because, in movies from the golden age of Hollywood, white actresses portrayed those who were born from a "mixed marriage." Ava Gardner played Julie Laverne in SHOWBOAT and in IMITATION OF LIFE Susan Kohner portrayed biracial Sarah Jane.

Andrew Rubin debuted on THE JEFFERSONS as Tom and Helen's son in the season one finale "Jenny's Low" which aired on April 12, 1975. Alan returned home after 2 years in Europe and received a cold shoulder from his sister. Jenny was resentful because her older brother could pass for white and no one ever know that he was biracial. By the end of the episode, the siblings have reunited and are no longer estranged.

Andrew Rubin went on to portray George Martin in POLICE ACADEMY and was in a number of television series including JENNY NOVAK, JOE BASH, SHAZAM, THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO and HARDCASTLE AND MCCORMICK. He was in the television miniseries FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON and the TV movies THE LINE, and DEADLINE: MADRID. Rubin was also in the short-lived soap opera MARY HARTMAN MARY HARTMAN.

Jay Hammer took over the role of Alan during a two-part episode that began season 5 (1978-1979). This time Tom and Helen's son returns from New Mexico just as his parents come home from the funeral of Tom's father in New York. Hammer did not return to THE JEFFERSONS and went on to portray two soap characters. He was journalist Fletcher Reade on THE GUIDING LIGHT and ranch hand, Max Decker on TEXAS. Hammer also had roles in KOJAK, SONS AND DAUGHTERS, MANNIX, ADAM 12, MANNIX, and EMERGENCY.