Original subtitles

Well, we're moving on up. We're moving on up.

Last week, George Jefferson was having no luck finding a location for a new

cleaning plant until he learned that Tom Willis had just inherited a warehouse

from his late father.

You mean to tell me that Tom owns a warehouse over on 10th Avenue?

He will now.

What's he going to do with it?

Well, I don't think he's decided yet.

Oh, it's the perfect location.

George's plan to get the warehouse from Tom Willis seemed to be going well until

the Willis' son appeared at George's door.

Alan Willis.

Remember me?

Oh, yeah, the white sheep of the family.

A lawyer called about the will. Grandpa left everything to me.

I already know what I'm going to do with the warehouse.

You do?

I'm going to give it to you, Dad. It's really yours anyway.

Where do you think you're going?

I am going back to New Mexico where nobody hassles me.

Oh, it's that kid. I just don't understand him. Now that he's got the

warehouse... No, no, no, no. You got the warehouse.

No, the will says he can't give it to me.

What? So, you see, my problem is... Who cares about your problem?

You mean you want me to stay here with you? I insist.

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.

It's now the next morning, and Alan Willis and George Jefferson have been

the same roof for one whole night. To the surprise of Louise and Florence, all

is calm.

Maybe George is turning over a new leaf.

Well, if he is, I bet you under that leaf there's a snake.

Morning, Florence.

Morning, Mr. Jefferson.

Good morning, Alan.

Good morning, Alan. What would you like for breakfast? Oh, don't worry about me,

Mrs. Jefferson.

I'll take care of my own breakfast.

Why, don't you trust my cooking?

Well, it's not that, Florence. It's just that I like a high -energy breakfast.

Well, you're going to need all the energy you can get once the Mr.

know turns back into the Mr. Jefferson I know.

Yeah, you know, it's been almost a day since he called me zebra.

Are you sure we can't get you anything, Alan? Well, I could use some of that

orange juice.

I hope you don't mind me making my own breakfast, Florence. It's just force of

habit. No, child, you can force that habit on me anytime.

Hey, Alan, my man, good morning.

How'd you sleep last night? Like a baby. Yeah? I didn't hear you cry once.

What you got there?

Well, this is my own recipe. I call it Western Wowie. Want to try some? Sure.

Well, it's good enough for my main man. It's good enough for me.

Looks good.

What's in it? Well, a little orange juice mixed with desiccated liver,

dehydrated seaweed, and fertile egg yolk.

Is it good, George?

Well,

how did you like it, Mr. Jefferson?

That was something.

Man, I never tasted nothing like that before in my life.

Western Huawei's good for you. Pure energy.

You ain't lying.

It made me run right through the living room.

Hey, Alan, now that you and me are alone, there's something very important

want to talk to you about.

Well, don't you want to finish your breakfast first?

Breakfast? No.

I don't need much breakfast in the morning. I got to get up early and get

Yeah, me too.

I like to watch the sunrise.

Sunrise? No, I ain't got no time to be watching no sunrise. I got to be out

there getting a jump on my competition.

Don't you ever get tired of all that wheeling and dealing?

You got something against work?

Oh, no.

But I'd rather work with my hands. Well, I work with my hands, too. I use them

to count my money.

Well, you like to make money. I like to make a chair.

What for?

To sit on.

No, I mean, how long does it take you to make a chair? Oh, a couple weeks.

Yeah, now, see, that's dumb. You spent all that time making one chair when you

could work and make enough money to buy 50 chairs.

But I don't need 50 chairs.

You would if you had money.

Because then you'd have enough friends to use the other 49.

I get it.

You mean if I was rich enough, I could buy me some friends.

Yeah. No, I didn't say that.

Sorry. You mean that money could buy me comfort.

Yeah. And a lot of valuable possessions. Right. And an expensive security

system. Yep.

So you become a prisoner in your own home?

Yeah. No.

That is the most idiotic, stupidest thing I ever heard in my life.

That's the trouble with you kids of the day. You think the world owes you a

living. Oh, now, wait a minute. And you know something? You may be right.

You agree with me?

Agree. I said we're two of a kind under the skin.

Now, about that warehouse.

Who the hell is that?

Don't move, Alan. I'll be right back.

That song is called, Mr. J.

Yeah, awful.

No, it's been driving me crazy all morning. I just can't think of the

See you around.

No, that's not it.

Hi, Mr. Bentley. Oh, Alan, I see you're still here.

You are, too. I said goodbye once.

Hello, Mr. J.

Oh, hi, Mr. Bentley.

Oh, you seem a bit tired this morning.

I am.

Did you ever have one of those nights when you didn't sleep a wink?

Well, actually, yes, but I'm not the type to brag.

She didn't mean that.

You're right.

Actually, I was awake all night thinking about the help center.

Our rent is being raised, and unless we come up with the money, we may have to

close down.

What's the help center?

Oh, it's a place where your mother and I do some volunteer work.

Drug counseling, family planning, job placement.

Yeah, I'd like to see that sometime.

Well, you can go with me today if you'd like. Your mother should be there. No,

he can't. Alan wants to stay in with me. Right, Alan?

You know, I did some fundraising in college. Look, don't you got something

do? Well, I was practicing my clavietta. Would you like me to play something?

Yeah, far, far away.

George, that wasn't very nice. Yeah, I know. Can you believe Bentley running in

here bothering us like that?

Now, back to business.

Look.

doing? Making some notes for my meeting at the center.

Can't we find any privacy around here? Come on, Alan.

Well, what do you want to talk about, Mr. Jefferson? Well, we'll start with

warehouse.

Now, Florence, go find something to do. I'm sorry, I'm on my break.

Break? Don't you have to work before you get a break?

Hey, relax, Mr. Jefferson. We'll find somewhere else to talk.

Yeah.

Would you get that, George? Please,

I have to finish this.

I have a solution.

For what? For Mrs. J's fundraising problem.

She will hold a tiddlywinks contest and offer a prize like $10 ,000.

Well, if we had $10 ,000, we wouldn't need a tiddlywinks contest.

Right. Oh.

Well, perhaps I'd better think on a different plane. Yeah.

thinking on a plane to Cuba.

I have to get ready for my meeting. Well, it's about time.

Now we can talk.

Look now, little buddy.

I'll get it. No, I'll get it.

You can have it. I ain't crazy about opening doors, no.

I got it. Well, get out of here before I catch you.

A huge blimp, gaily colored, floating over the city.

Yeah, and you could drop leaflets saying, save the health center.

Yes, and we could paint a slogan on the side of the blimp. Look, Bentley, why

don't you and Florence go over to your apartment and discuss this thing?

But... You two will make a great team. You can supply the balloons and Florence

can supply the hot air.

Fine. Be right back.

Come on, Tom.

Oh, Helen.

Why should I be the one to apologize?

Don't you love our son?

Of course, but... Then go on in and tell him you're sorry.

But... But what?

But love means never having to say you're sorry.

Tom, there is nothing to be afraid of. I'm not afraid.

Will you go with me?

Tom, I have a meeting at the health center. Besides, this is between you and

Alan. Now go on. Oh, Helen. Helen!

Helen! Wait!

Alan, you gonna be in there long?

No, I'm just washing my hands. Well, could you dry them out here?

Damn that Bentley. I'm going to get rid of that turkey for good.

I think your idea stinks.

So do I, but Helen made me come down.

Well, what do you want?

Is Alan here?

Yeah, but we're talking.

Oh, well, then if you two are busy, I can come back later. Good idea.

Oh, hi, Dad.

Are you here to see me?

Why, uh, yes. I mean, no.

I mean, yes.

Why don't you come back when you make up your mind?

last night.

Ah, forget about it, Dad. You don't have to apologize.

Oh, good.

Neither do you.

We both got carried away.

Yes, we did, didn't we? Well, I hope you won't resort to calling me a fool

again. Well, I don't exactly get a thrill out of being called a bum.

Alan, all I was trying to say is that I'd like to see you do something useful

with your life.

Dad, you're starting up again. Hey, Willis!

Can't you see you're upsetting the kid?

I'm upsetting him. What do you think he's doing to me?

What is

the matter with you two?

This is your kid. Your own flesh and blood.

He's got the same name, and in this case, the same color.

Now, if you two had any sense at all, you'd shake hands, make up, and you

go to hell back upstairs to your own apartment where you belong.

He's right.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

Your mother and I'd like you to come home with us.

Great. You'll be up in about 20 minutes.

Maybe we can talk more over lunch. Oh, that sounds good.

Come back around noon. In fact, I'm having lunch today with Ted Bennett.

a perfect guy for you to meet. Why is that? He's in real estate. He could

you what to do on the warehouse. Oh, now, Dad.

Well, you do want to get top dollar for it, don't you? Dad, I really don't care

about getting top dollar. Yeah, Willis, it's about time you learned that money

ain't everything.

Of course money isn't everything when you don't have to earn your own.

Well, you really don't understand me at all, do you? I understand you perfectly.

You'd rather mooch off of Jeffersons than pay your own way.

Well, it beats living with you and arguing all the time. All right, why

you stay here for the rest of your life? No, no, no, no, no. He ain't gonna stay

that long.

I just might do that.

Hey, now, let's not be hasty.

Okay, George, he's all yours. Hey, Willis, what... Oh, it's no use, Mr.

Jefferson.

But thanks for trying to help.

Huh? Oh, yeah, well, what are friends for?

In fact, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You know, I owe you an

apology. Apology? Yeah, I misjudged you.

I didn't really think you wanted to help settle things between me and my dad.

Well, yeah, but, uh... Yeah, you know, when you first asked me to stay here, I

thought you were maybe just gonna hustle me for the warehouse.

Me? Hustle you? My main man?

Well, I know I was wrong then, but, well, you took me in and made me feel

one of the family, and...

Hey, you're all right, Mr. Jefferson.

How about it, brother?

Right, brother.

Now, what did you want to say about the warehouse?

Say, uh... Oh, I'm just happy that you got it.

I'm leaving now.

You two can have all the privacy you want. Hey, look, Wheezy, before you go,

I've got to talk to you in the kitchen.

Excuse me a minute, Alan. But, George... Now,

listen, Wheezy.

We're a family, right?

And families stick together, right?

I mean, like the Waltons. Every time something happens to one of them

the whole family jumps in to help out, right?

I'm going to be late for my meeting. Look, Wheezy.

You always update that help center up on other people. Now, I need me some help.

What kind of help do you need?

I need help getting a place for my new cleaning plant.

George, I can't help you with that. You can talk to Alan.

Huh? Look, Alan's warehouse will be perfect for my new cleaning plant.

Oh, so that's it.

The only reason you wanted Alan here is because he inherited a warehouse.

And all this time, you were just fattening him up with a kill.

Alan, please stay with us. Alan, my man, how'd you sleep last night?

Now you want me to do your dirty work.

The question is, George, how did you sleep last night?

Look, Weasley, I ain't doing nothing dishonest. I ain't trying to cheat him.

In fact, I'm doing him a favor by taking that old raggedy warehouse off his

hands. Then why don't you just talk to Alan yourself?

I can't. Why not?

Well, because... Because you're better at that kind of stuff than I am, Wheezy.

He'll listen to you.

Oh, George, I don't... I'm not doing this just for me. I'm doing it for us.

Okay, George, I'll talk. I knew I could count on you, Wheezy.

But...

Once he decides what he's going to do with that warehouse, I don't want you

throwing him out of here.

Of course not, Weasley. Look, Alan can stay here as long as he wants.

Promise? I promise.

But I don't think he's going to want to keep hanging around old people like you

and Florence.

What about you, George?

I'm used to you and Florence.

You're incredible.

Oh, wait, one more thing, Weasley.

Remind Alan that he's related to us. Make sure he gives us a good deal.

Well,

see you all later.

Okay.

Hey, we think you're going to... I'll have to do that when I come back,

Hey, hey, hey, I just got a great idea.

Why don't you go over to the help center with Louise?

Would I be in the way, Mrs. Jefferson? Of course not, Mr. YouTube friends. Go

ahead and have a nice time, nice talk.

You've already seen our reception area.

And over there is where we offer job counseling.

And over here is where we provide free clothing.

Could I help you?

No, thanks.

Just looking.

Well, Alan, that's the grand tour.

Well, I'm impressed.

You've got a lot of good stuff going on down here. The spirit's a lot like the

commune.

Well...

Mr. Andrews is ready for us. Mrs. Willis is already in there.

Well, I guess we'd better go in and give it our best shot.

Uh, who's Mr. Andrews? He's the son of a... He's the man who owns this

Wish us luck.

You got anything like this in brown?

What's wrong with the blue?

It doesn't match my socks.

Hey, how you doing, man?

Fine. Say, listen, you in a hurry? Oh, yeah, like my Autorado's parked in an

parking zone.

Well, with the little bit of money you got here in this can, you won't be able

to pay the ticket.

Oh. Come on, man. I need this bread.

Yeah, but there's not nearly enough in here.

Just nickels and dimes. Only what these people can afford.

Say, man, what's... Now, why don't you take that radio there? Probably get ten

bucks for that.

Yeah. And how about this nice clock here? Should get something for it.

Say, man, what's your game?

Hey, no game. You said you needed bread. I'm just trying to help you out.

Now, how much you figure you'd sell this for? Thirty bucks?

You're crazy.

Hey, now, why don't you take this coat, too, huh?

Yeah. It doesn't fit me anyhow.

Hey, what are you, a cop?

Do I look like a cop?

No, but neither does Columbo.

Well, that reminds me. Have you got anything in raincoats?

Hey, now listen, why don't you just take your loot and split?

Hey, man, I can't take all of this.

Why? You like ripping people off, don't you? Hey, I didn't say I liked it. I

just do it.

Living, right?

Hey, that's right, Holmes. You got to grab all you can, because ain't nobody

going to help you. Well, you better not let anybody in this place hear you say

that, because they might make a liar out of you.

Say what?

The people who work in this place in the business of helping people.

Forget it, man. I've been to all kind of places like this, and all you get is

talk. Yeah, and the problem with talk is some people too dumb to listen.

You saying I'm dumb?

No. You're smart.

You're too smart to be ripping off people who can help you. Help me do

What do you want to do? I don't know.

Well, I know that feeling.

But maybe this place could give you some ideas.

Maybe. But you gotta talk about them first.

Hey, you gonna be here tomorrow?

Will you?

Maybe. Well, then maybe I will.

You know, you ain't bad for a white dude.

Alan, honey, Louise told me you were here. Oh, hi, Mom.

This your mother?

Yeah. Not bad for a white dude, huh?

Uh, yeah.

Oh, hey, Brooke.

You don't miss nothing, do you?

It doesn't take long to say get out.

Mr. Andrews is throwing us out of the building.

What? Yep, it looks like the help center is through.

Closing, huh?

Figures.

Hey, bro, wait.

Hey, I said, man, I done heard enough of your talk. I mean, you people can't

even help yourselves.

Well, I guess we might as well go in and tell the others.

Yeah, but don't blame yourself, Louise.

You put up a good fight.

We still lost.

Hey, Hootie, this place is going out of business?

Yeah, it looks like it.

Oh.

Where am I going to do my shopping?

Wheezy!

Where's Alan?

Aren't you going to ask me how things went at the meeting?

Okay, how did things go at the meeting?

Terrible, George.

It was awful.

That's too bad. Where's Alan?

George, I don't know where Alan is. He left the center about two hours ago.

Well, didn't you ask him about the warehouse?

No, I forgot.

Forgot? Wheezy, how could you do this to me? George, I've got other things on my

mind. It looks like we are going to have to close down the help center.

Hello?

Of course I'm home, Florence. I answered the phone, didn't I?

that all about? She's over at Bentley's. She's been calling here every 10

minutes asking if you got home yet.

Alan! Alan, my man.

We were just talking about you. Louise got something to ask you. Forget it,

George. If you want to ask Alan, ask him yourself.

Okay, I will.

Alan, my man, about that warehouse you inherited.

Sooner or later, you're gonna have to do something with it, right?

Yep, you're right about that, Mr. Jefferson.

So I've been doing a lot of thinking about it, and I figured the best thing

you to do would be to lease it to a friend at a good price.

Yeah? Hey, I know where you're coming from, Mr. Jefferson, and I'm behind you

all the way. You are?

You hear that wheezy? He's with me all the way.

I just came from a lawyer's office where I worked out the whole thing.

Great! Mrs. Jefferson, do you have a dollar?

Uh, yes, but... Thank you.

What's that for?

Mrs. Jefferson?

You've just bought yourself a brand new help center building.

A brand new help center building?

I don't believe it.

Me neither.

You came out of the warehouse?

Well, I can't think of a better use for that warehouse, can you? Are you

kidding?

And all the center has to do is pay the taxes.

Oh, how can I ever thank you?

Well, maybe you could let me stay here until I work things out with my dad.

Alan, you can stay as long as you like. What are you saying?

Ta -da!

Miss Jefferson, you don't have to worry about the health center no more because

we got the perfect solution for raising money. You're too late. Forget it. Oh,

no, no, no. Wait till you see our act. We'll raise a million dollars.

We're busy, Bentley.

You ready, Flo?

Hit it, Harold.

Oh!

The Jeffersons was videotaped in front of a studio audience.