♪ Well, we're movin' on up ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ To the East Side ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ To a deluxe
apartment In the sky ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ To the East Side ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ We've finally got
A piece of the pie ♪
♪ Fish don't fry
In the kitchen ♪
♪ Beans don't
burn On the grill ♪
♪ Took a whole lot of tryin' ♪
♪ Just to get up that hill ♪
♪ Now we're up
In the big leagues ♪
♪ Gettin' our turn at bat ♪
♪ As long as we live
It's you and me, baby ♪
♪ There ain't nothin'
Wrong with that ♪
♪ Well, we're movin' on up ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ To the East Side ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ To a deluxe
apartment In the sky ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ To the East Side ♪
♪ Movin' on up ♪
♪ We've finally got
A piece of the pie ♪♪
Here you go, Mr. Jefferson.
Thank you, Mickey.
And you, sir. Ah, thank you.
Well, cheers, George.
And, as your accountant,
let me do you a
favor and remind you
this is deductible.
Ha-ha! Good.
Now I'm gonna do you a favor.
I'm gonna let you
pay for the drinks
and take it off your taxes.
Thank you, George.
I appreciate it.
Oh, hi, George!
Hi. Have you seen my wife?
Nope, it's been a
good day up until now.
I was supposed to meet
her half an hour ago,
but I got held up in a meeting.
And now you're gonna
hold up my meeting
between my accountant and me?
Oh, I'm sorry. Mister, um...
Randall. Curt Randall.
Willis. Tom.
Nice to meet you, Mr. Tom.
No, no, no, no. It's not
Willis Tom. It's Tom Willis.
Thought you were
looking for your wife.
I suppose she gave up
on me and went home.
Oh, sounds like a great idea.
Why don't you try it yourself?
She'll be furious
with me for being late.
Oh, Tom, there you are!
Helen, all I can say is...
Oh, Tom, I'm so sorry
I was late, darling,
but the stores were crowded.
What?
Oh, well, from now on, Helen,
try to be on time, okay?
I'll try. I know you'll try!
I looked everywhere,
but I still couldn't find
a dress in the right color.
You never can find
anything in the right color.
Hiya, Mrs. Willis!
What can I get for you?
A table away from the bar.
Come on, Helen. We're in luck.
George has someone
else to talk to.
Well, now, George,
what's on your mind?
I'm gonna buy some land.
Good!
I've been telling you for months
you ought to
invest in real estate.
But I wanna make sure I
can afford it before I buy.
In your tax bracket,
you can't afford not to.
I wish I was in
that kind of bracket.
It took me 10 years
of saving up tips
to buy my little cabin upstate.
The thing is...
But you know something?
It was worth the wait.
At least one weekend every
month, we go up to that cabin.
A little wine, a little music
and plenty of... ha-ha-ha!
Oh, your wife loves it too, huh?
Oh, my wife doesn't
know about the cabin.
That's why it took me
10 years to save up for it!
He's quite a guy!
Are you his accountant or mine?
Sorry, George.
And now, about
this land, where is it?
I got the brochure right here.
Well, folks, what will it be?
I'll have a Scotch
and soda. Helen?
Oh, I think I'll have
something in George's honor.
What's that? A shrimp cocktail.
Ain't that something else?
I bet you never
seen nothing like it.
Never. I knew it.
See, that's why I never
went into real estate before.
I got a businessman's nose,
and I was waiting for the
right thing to come along.
And this smelled right to me.
It sure smells.
What are you talking about?
It's a good deal,
ain't it? Fantastic.
I knew it!
For the dudes who are
trying to sell you this land.
Say what?
Boy, they'll be enjoying
themselves in the Bahamas.
What Bahamas? This
land is in New Mexico.
Yeah, but they'll be
living in the Bahamas
with the money they
make off of suckers like you.
What do you mean,
"suckers like me"?
This isn't real estate.
It's phony estate.
"Enchanted Gardens."
It's enchanted, all right.
Your money will
disappear like magic.
You mean it's a rip-off?
One of the biggest!
Now, it's a good thing you
checked with me first, George.
This is poison.
A rip-off? You mean
they thought they could...
Now, don't take it so
hard, George. After all...
George, what is it?
Oh, my God, he's choking!
Wait a minute,
I'll get some water!
No, don't get him any water!
It's out!
Are you okay, George?
How did it happen?
I choked on a piece of popcorn.
Hey, you really acted
pretty fast, Mr. Willis.
You saved his life!
Yeah, it's a good
thing you were here!
Are you all right now, George?
Man, I really thought
you were a goner.
Yeah, Mr. Jefferson.
You were turning blue.
Well, thanks a lot, Willis.
Oh, it was nothing.
I'm glad I could help.
I couldn't talk. I
couldn't breathe.
I felt like a roach
in a can of Raid.
You ought to have a doctor
check you out right now.
Well, I feel okay now.
No, he's right.
Better safe than sorry.
Yeah, he's right.
Okay, but I gotta
have another drink first.
Mickey, give me
another Scotch and soda.
Yes, sir.
And give my friends the Willises
anything they want.
It's on me.
Oh, you got it!
But would you do me
a favor, Mr. Jefferson?
Yeah, what?
No more popcorn until
after you settle your tab.
You don't have to hold my
arm. I can walk by myself.
George!
Hi, Weezy.
Oh, George, you're safe!
You're safe, you're
safe, you're safe!
Weezy, you're
getting my face all wet.
And, Tom, you
saved him! Thank you!
Thank you, thank you!
I already thanked him, Weezy.
Helen told me all about it.
You were wonderful, Tom.
Well, really, I... What
did the doctor say?
He said I'm in great shape.
I told you I didn't
have to see no doctor.
Hey, help yourself,
Willis. Oh, no, thanks.
When I saw that film about
saving people from choking,
it said you should
always go to the doctor
after you've had something
stuck in your throat.
Yeah, but did the film
say you had to go with me?
I just wanted to make
sure you'd get there all right.
I mean, I didn't
want to save his life
and then have him get hit by
a bus on the way to the doctor.
I don't know how we'll ever
be able to thank you enough.
Don't mention it, Louise.
But if it wasn't for you...
Didn't you hear the man
say, "Don't mention it," Weezy?
George was very lucky.
Yes. You were there.
I only had one
thought on my mind.
A person can choke
to death in four minutes.
I only had one
thought on my mind too.
That you were gonna die?
No, to k*ll Mickey
for having that
popcorn on the bar.
Well, I guess I'd
better be going.
Good idea. Right this way.
Helen will be
waiting for my return.
Well, thanks again, Tom.
Oh, Mr. Jefferson!
Oh, Mr. Willis, the
man of the hour!
Or, as far as you're
concerned, Mr. J,
the man of a lifetime, eh?
It was nothing. Nothing!
Such modesty.
Are you sure you're not
just a teeny bit British?
Well, actually, on
my mother's side...
I thought you were leaving.
George, how can you
be so rude to your savior?
He ain't my savior, Weezy.
My savior lives on a much
higher floor than the Willises.
Well, I'm very proud to
have you in this building.
Me too!
Oh, were you there when
it happened, Mr. Bentley?
Uh, no. Ralph, the
doorman, told me.
He's telling everyone.
Bigmouth.
What exactly happened?
Well, I used the
abdominal thrust.
It's a new method for
saving people from choking.
You see, you grab
the victim like this
and you hit him here four times.
Willis!
But if that doesn't work,
you put your fist under
the rib cage like this
and then the other
hand over the fist
and then you apply pressure.
Will you get your paws off me?
You already saved me, remember?
That was wonderful,
Tom! Oh, I...
Yes, it reminds me of a summer
I spent on holiday in Spain.
I was out walking one
day with my Uncle Martin,
when suddenly he saw
this ferocious bull
charging right at me.
With lightning reflexes,
he pushed me aside,
right into a duck pond.
And saved your life!
No, as a matter
of fact, he didn't.
But he must have. You're here.
Ah, but there wasn't any bull.
I learned a very
important lesson that day.
Never go walking
with Uncle Martin
when he's had too much to drink.
Well, I'll see you all later.
Uh, take care of
yourself, Georgie!
Oh, wait! I'll come with you!
I want to hear more
about his remarkable feat.
He did it with his
hands, not his feet.
That's... terrible.
George, the least you could
do is be a little nicer to Tom.
After all, you do
owe him your life.
I don't owe nobody my life
but my father and mother.
And your mother's been
making you pay interest
on the loan ever since.
Look, Weezy, if it was
the other way around
and Willis was choking to
death, I would have helped him.
How? [DOORBELL RINGS]
You wouldn't have
known what to do!
Well, I know now.
I just jump on his back
and punch him in the stomach.
Hello, Ralph.
Mr. Jefferson, sir, how good
it is to see you looking so well.
And alive.
Yeah, I hear you've
been spreading it
all over the building.
My pleasure, sir. My pleasure.
We've a lot to be grateful to
Mr. Willis for, haven't we, sir?
We? Yes, sir!
Without you, my life
would be so much emptier.
I'd miss your
laughing, your smiling...
My tipping?
That reminds me, sir.
Mrs. Stoneham, 14D,
has decided that the
tenants should throw a party
in honor of
Mr. Willi" brave deed.
Oh, that's nice!
Sort of a special Thanksgiving.
So I'm taking contributions
from all of the tenants,
and I knew you'd like
to be the first to give.
Me? Why me?
George, it was
your life he saved.
That's right.
If it wasn't for me, he
wouldn't be getting no party!
Well, I'll contribute.
Thank you, Mrs.
Jefferson, ma'am.
I just know you'll give whatever
you feel your husband's worth.
Oh, no. We ought to have
a better party than that.
Oh, George, I don't
seem to have any money.
Could you lend me some, please?
Oh, Weezy...
Here.
Thank you, Mrs.
Jefferson, ma'am.
Sir.
Oh, Tom will be surprised
when he hears about the party!
Tom, Tom, Tom!
I don't want to hear any
more about Willis, understand?
I've had it up to
here with Willis!
Oh, Mr. Jefferson!
Oh, no.
There you are!
I just heard how
Mr. Willis saved your life.
Ain't that something?
Now, you tell me all about it
and don't leave nothing out.
No more! No more!
What's gotten into him?
Too many questions
about what happened today.
Oh, Mr. Jefferson, I ain't
gonna ask you no questions.
You ain't?
No, I'm just gonna sit right
here and keep my mouth shut.
Good.
While you tell me how
Mr. Willis saved your life.
Ain't nothing to tell!
How did it feel to be dead?
How should I know?
I heard you had gone and
passed on to your reward
until Mr. Willis
brought you back.
What?
Did you get to
talk to the devil?
Look, Florence...
What did he look like?
He looked like
you, only prettier.
Well, don't get mad at me.
I'm just telling
you what I heard,
that you was laying on the
floor, dead as a mackerel,
until Mr. Willis saved your life
with mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation.
Now, that would have k*lled me.
Florence, the bag. Oh, yeah.
That goes in the kitchen.
Now, why didn't I think of that?
You know you owe
Mr. Willis a lot, don't you?
No, I don't. Ain't no big
deal saving somebody's life.
It happens every day.
Not around me, it don't.
The only life I ever
saved was a magazine.
You get it? LIFE magazine!
Look, well, I have
saved lots of lives.
Name one. Yours.
Mine? When did you do that?
The day I married you.
You said you couldn't
live without me, remember?
Well, I was young
then and not too bright.
Stop laughing.
George, she can
laugh if she wants to.
I ain't paying her to laugh.
I'm paying her to work.
Okay, I'm going.
But, you know, I
still can't figure it out.
Figure what out?
How such a little
piece of popcorn
got stuck in such a big mouth.
All right, who's going
to do it? You or me?
Do what? Fire that.
Oh, come on, George.
Can't you take a little kidding?
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
Well, she's gonna kid
herself right out of a job.
And I ain't kidding.
Hello.
Oh, hello, Willis.
Yeah, I'm fine.
I said I'm fine.
No, I don't want to lie down.
Yes, there is something
you can do for me.
You can stay off my back!
That's no way to talk to
somebody who saved your life.
Look, Weezy, he
was just lucky enough
to be in the right
place at the right time.
He was lucky?
Well, he's the
hero. I ain't nothing.
You would have been
nothing if it wasn't for him.
And he ain't gonna
never let me live it down.
Mr. Jefferson. Not now.
I just wanna remind
you that it's payday.
Can't... Can't you
see we're busy?
Give me my money and
let me get out of your way.
[LAUGHING]
Well, what's that for?
That's for having
such a wonderful maid.
What makes her so
wonderful all of a sudden?
She just showed me how
to get a h*nky off of my back.
I still can't believe it.
Neither can I.
I actually saved a man's life.
No, I mean this brochure
George left in the bar.
Even if his accountant
hadn't told me,
I would have known that this
Enchanted Gardens scheme
is a fraud.
I always wondered if
I'd be able to handle
a life-and-death
situation like that.
I'm surprised at
George falling for it.
But now I know.
When the moment of truth
came, I met the challenge.
Ah, you should
have seen me, Helen.
I did, remember?
That's right, of
course. You were there.
Did you notice how
quickly I reacted?
Why, I haven't moved that fast
since the night you and I
drove through Mississippi.
Tell me, how long did it take me
to get to George when
he started choking?
I don't know. I
wasn't timing you.
Bet it was under
three seconds. Tom.
Actually, it was probably
closer to two seconds.
I was really moving.
Tom. Yes, Helen.
Knock it off.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
"Knock it off"?
I'll bet Lois Lane never
talked like that to Superman.
George, old buddy, come in!
Come in! Helen, look who's here!
George, what a
pleasant surprise!
Look, Willis...
Oh, sit down, George. I
don't want you to tire yourself.
You still look a little shaky.
Look, Willis. About what you
did for me at Charley's Bar.
Oh, it was nothing.
That's what I say,
but nobody agrees with me.
Well, there goes the
pleasant out of the surprise.
I just came up here
to even things out.
You did something for me, so
I'm going to do something for you.
Here. What's that?
Just a little reward.
Five hundred dollars?
I can't take this.
You're asking Tom to take
$500 for saving your life?
Not enough? I'll make it 1000.
Look, George, I don't want...
Fifteen hundred,
that's my last offer.
I don't want money from you.
Then what do you want?
I don't want
anything. I knew it.
You want me to feel beholden
to you for the rest of my life.
George, I just did what
anybody would have done.
You don't have to
give me a reward.
You just want this hanging
over my head forever, don't you?
I can't take money
from a friend.
And he can't take
money from you either.
Look, this is the last time.
Are you going to
take my $1500 or not?
BOTH: No. No?
Okay, if that's the way you
want it. But I'm warning you.
If you ever try to save
my life again, I'll k*ll you!
Well, how do you like that?
I save his life and
he's mad at me.
Hmm.
You know, the Chinese believe
that if someone saves your life,
you owe them a lifelong debt.
George isn't Chinese.
I know, but that's
the way he feels.
He's not going to be happy
until he's paid you
back for saving his life.
Well, I'm not going to
take any money from him.
Of course not.
Hey, what if I took
George out for a walk
and then I deliberately
stepped out in front of a truck
so he could pull me
back and save my life?
No, I don't think so.
Why not?
He might not pull you back.
Oh, yeah.
Well, then, I don't
know how I'm going to...
I've got it! Got what?
Big trouble that I can get into.
Tom, you're not making sense.
I don't have to. I'm dealing
with George Jefferson.
I'm gonna get
even with that Willis
if it's the last thing I do.
What happened? He
double-crossed me.
I offered him a $1500
reward, and he turned it down.
That was a terrible thing to do!
Yeah, I know. Why'd
he act like that?
I meant you trying
to pay him off.
Did you really expect him
to take money from you?
Yeah, you're right, Weezy.
I should have known better.
That guy's one of the
most ungrateful people
I ever met in my life.
Ungrateful?
If ever I heard of the pot
calling the kettle black.
No, I'd never call him that.
Wait a minute. Whose
side are you on, anyway?
Your side, and so is Tom.
Remember, he did save your life.
See, he's even
got you believing it.
He didn't save your life?
Look, Weezy, it takes four
minutes to choke to death.
When Willis grabbed me,
I still had three and
a half minutes left.
I could have gotten
the popcorn out myself
if he didn't grab me and
start b*ating all over me.
I should sue him for
as*ault and battery.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
It's not just the popcorn,
it's the peanut that's
giving you trouble.
What peanut?
Your brain.
Oh, hi. Come in.
Hi, Louise.
Can't you ever say,
"Nobody's home"?
George, I'd like to talk to you.
Go ahead, but I
ain't gotta listen.
About that reward
you offered me...
I want to apologize
for George, Tom.
He should have known better
than to think you would
take money from him.
I would like the money, George.
I don't blame you
for getting insulted.
What did you say?
I said I'd like to take George
up on his offer, Louise.
Are you serious?
He sure is, Louise.
Well, what do you know?
Just like I always said,
everybody's got his price.
But I didn't think Tom did.
How could I be so
wrong about you?
I always thought you were
so unselfish and giving...
Louise. I'm not finished yet.
Yes, you are, girl. Come on.
Okay, Willis,
that's $500, right?
George, didn't you say, uh...
Oh, 1000. Fifteen hundred.
That's what you
offered me upstairs.
But that was before
you agreed to take it.
Well, if you don't think
your life is worth it, I...
Okay, $1500, you got it.
Oh, thanks, George.
There you go, Willis.
And remember,
this is just a loan.
Don't spoil it.
Oh, no, I mean it.
Because I'm taking this
and every penny I've got
and I'm investing
it in this land deal.
And if everything
goes the way it should,
I'll pay you back with interest.
No, you won't, because I'll
never get you off my back.
Land deal. What
kind of a land deal?
Oh, I'm buying a big parcel
of land out in New Mexico.
They're building homes,
shopping centers...
And condominiums. A hospital.
Country club, right?
Yes, that's right, George.
Uh-huh. Is this place
called Enchanted Gardens?
Oh, yes! You've heard about it!
It's going to be
a real land boom!
A boom? Ha! I hate to
disappoint you, Willis.
But it ain't gonna be no boom.
In fact, it ain't gonna
be no little pop.
What are you talking about?
I'm surprised at you, falling
for a land rip-off like that.
A rip-off? You
better believe it.
Look, I know all about this
Enchanted Gardens deal,
and it's a scam.
Any money you put into that,
you might as well just
flush down the toilet.
How do you know
so much about it?
Because I'm smart, that's how!
Wow, I... I don't believe it.
I was going to invest my
whole life savings in that deal.
Why, if I'd lost that, I...
Well, I would
have k*lled myself.
Yeah, well... Hey!
I saved your life.
Yes, you did, didn't you?
That's right. Now we're even.
Now I can be guest
of honor at your party.
Hey, everybody! Hey, y'all!
GEORGE: Come on out here quick.
What's the matter?
I just saved his life.
That's wonderful.
Let me tell you how I did it.
Later, George. I'm just dying
to show Helen my new dress.
Wait, let me tell
you how I did it.
Not now, I got to fix dinner.
It can wait. No, it
can't. I'm hungry.
Well, come on, old buddy.
Let me fix you a drink,
and I'll tell you all about
how I saved your life.
Some other time, George. I'm
late for a business appointment.
Wait a minute!
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hello.
Oh, let me tell you how
I saved Tom Willis' life.
I don't care if it is the wrong
number, you're gonna listen.
[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
George, hurry up.
GEORGE: I'm coming!
Well, it's about time.
The party started
20 minutes ago.
It might have started
20 minutes ago,
but it don't begin
till we get there.
You're really happy about
going to this party
for Tom, aren't you?
Why shouldn't I be? He
saved my life, didn't he?
And just remember that.
And don't go trying to
steal the thunder from Tom
by telling everybody in the
party that you saved his life.
Weezy, I'm surprised at you.
What makes you think
I'd do something like that?
Because you are 5 foot 6,
and half of that is a mouth.
Look, Weezy,
just because Willis
needs all that attention,
don't mean that I do.
I couldn't walk up to a perfect
stranger and brag about myself.
I'm too shy.
Oh, George.
I'm telling you, I ain't saying a
word about saving Tom's life.
You promise?
I promise. Not one single word.
Now, come on.
We're late already.
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]
ANNOUNCER: The
Jeffersons was recorded on tape
in front of a studio audience.
♪ Movin, movin' on up... ♪
03x08 - Tom the Hero
Watch/Buy Amazon Merchandise
Spinoff series from "All in the Family" is about literal upward mobility of couple George and Louise Jefferson who move into a swanky high-rise building.
Spinoff series from "All in the Family" is about literal upward mobility of couple George and Louise Jefferson who move into a swanky high-rise building.