Allan Willis had two portrayer on ‘The Jeffersons’

Do you recall Allan Willis?

When most people think of the popular television sitcom The Jeffersons (CBS, 1975 until 1985), Allan Willis is probably not the first character who comes to mind, and the names Andrew Rubin and Jay Hammer may not ring a bell. Both of these men caused controversy because they were cast as Allan, the son of the mixed-race couple, the Willises.

Allan was not in many episodes, and some fans may not even recall him, but his presence on the series raised eyebrows, leading to conversations about race and skin tone.

Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) was White, and his wife Helen Willis (Roxie Roker) was Black. This art imitated life for one of the actors, as Roker was in a mixed-race marriage. Her husband was Sy Kravitz, whose parents were Russian Jews. The couple's son is singer Lenny Kravitz.

Allan and Jenny were opposites

The actors cast in the roles of the two Willis children were controversial because one was Black, the other was White, and neither looked biracial. The Willises daughter, Jenny, was played by Belinda Tolbert, a dark-complexioned African American.

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, actual biracial actors would be used.

Biracial actors did not play themselves on screen

Some people have commented online that it was not realistic to have the Willis children portrayed as black and white. Many of those who enjoyed The Jeffersons felt that a mixed-race couple should have had biracial actors portraying their offspring.

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

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 would ever know that he was biracial. By the end of the episode, the siblings have reunited and are no longer estranged.

Rubin went on to portray George Martin in the film Police Academy and appeared in many television series, including Jenny N0vak, Shazam, The Streets f San Francisco, and Hardcastle & McCormick.

He was in the television miniseries From the Earth to the Moon and the TV movies The Line, and Deadline Madrid. He was also in the short-lived late 1970s soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

Alan Rubin was born on June 22, 1946. He died on October 5, 2015, at age 69, from lung cancer. His last credited role was Deadline Madrid in 1989.

Jay Hammer

Jay Hammer took over the role of Allan 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. He was a writer for GL under the name Charles Jay Hammer. The actor also had roles in Kojak, Sons and Daughters, Mannix, Adam 12, and Emergency!. Jay Hammer was born on November 15, 1944. He ended his career in 2009 and, as of this writing, is still living.