THE JEFFERSONS Co-Star Ned Wertimer Passes Away at Age 89

Related: Ned Wertimer, The Jeffersons

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Ned Wertimer, a versatile and prolific character actor who was perhaps best known as Ralph the Doorman for 11 seasons on TV's The Jeffersons, has died, it was announced today by his long time manager Brad Lemack. Wertimer passed away on January 2nd at the Sherman Village Health Care Center, outside of Los Angeles, from complications following a fall in his Burbank home in late November. He was 89.

Ned was born in Buffalo, New York on October 27, 1923. He made his acting debut as a youngster at the Nichols School, in Buffalo, most notably in a school production of A Christmas Carol.

He was appointed a naval aviator on 1944, having fulfilled the requirements of the United States Navy Department. After serving as a pilot in World War II, Ned attended the University of Pennsylvania's renowned Wharton School from where received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity (as was his father).

While at the university, Ned was active in the famous Mask and Wig Club, the all-male musical troupe founded in 1889. He had major roles in their 1947 production of Juleo and Romiet, playing Lady Montague, and in the 1948 production of Alaska Right Away, playing Senator Forghorn.

Despite his degree in business, Ned moved to New York City right after college to pursue an acting career. He found success immediately, appearing in two Broadway shows within a year. He was both assistant stage manager and cast member in Texas L'il Darlin', a Robert Emmett Dolan/Johnny Mercer musical that opened in November 1949 and as a cast member in Garson Kanin's play The Live Wire, which opened in August 1950.

In New York, Ned also began to get roles in the New Medium of television, appearing in many of the popular shows at the time. He become a regular guest on the popular children's series The Sh Ari Lewis Show, which highlighted his natural gifts for mimicry and improv comedy.

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