Sherman Hemsley, the hot-tempered man who everyone knows as George Jefferson in the hit CBS sitcom "The Jeffersons" has died Tuesday at his home in El Paso, Texas. He was 74.

The death was confirmed by the El Paso Sheriff's Department, his agent, Todd Frank, according to the New York Times. He did not specify a cause.

The Jeffersons were first introduced as Archie Bunker's Queens neighbors on "All in the Family" in 1971. George was conceived as a black version of Archie, as distrustful of white people as Archie was of black people (and almost everyone else), wrote the New York Times.

Louise, George's wife, was frequently seen. George was mentioned but did not appear on camera until 1973 because he said he was unwilling to set foot in a white family's house.

A spinoff, "The Jeffersons," made its debut in January 1975. The New York Times describes the lovable sitcom, "In the opening episode, George, the owner of a successful cleaning business; his wife, whom he called Weezy (played by Isabel Sanford, who was 20 years Mr. Hemsley's senior); and their son, Lionel (Mike Evans), leave Queens and, in the words of the show's memorable theme song, are "movin' on up" to Manhattan's fashionable Upper East Side - to "a deluxe apartment in the sky." The show was an immediate success, finishing fourth in the 1975 Nielsen ratings."

"The Jeffersons" left the air in 1985, but re-runs still show on CBS.

Sherman Hemsley was on in South Philadelphia on February 1, 1938. He dropped out of high school to join the Air Force. He turned to Philadelphia and worked for the U.S. Postal Service, while taking acting classes at night.

After performing with local groups in Philadelphia, he moved to New York to make his Broadway debut in 1970 as Gitlow in the musical comedy "Purlie," according to his biography.

While touring with the production, television writer and producer Norman Lear contacted Hemsley to play the role of Jefferson in his new sitcom, "All in the Family," according to People Magazine.

Less than two years after Hemsley made his television debut, he co-starred with Sanford in  the spinoff "The Jeffersons," and the couple became one of television's most beloved couples.

Hemsley brought the outspoken character with warmth and depth, preventing him from appearing cartoonish or too over the top. Also, he and Sanford had great chemisty, according to his bio.

After "The Jeffersons" ended in 1985, Hemsley landed a role as Deacon Earnest Frye on the sitcom "Amen," which was about a Philadelphia church. It lasted for five seasons (1986 to 1991).

He lent his voice to one of the characters on "The Dinosaurs" in 1991 to 1994 and made guest appearances on such shows as "Sister, Sister."

Sanford and Hemsley reprised the roles of George and Weezy for "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" starring Will Smith in the late 1990's and early 2000's. They also appeared in advertising campaigns.

He will be forever remembered for his beloved role as George Jefferson.

Hemsley had no wife or children.