Sherman Hemsley, the beloved star of "The Jeffersons" and "Amen," was found to have passed away from a complication of lung cancer known as superior vena cava syndrome. A statement from the coroner's office in El Paso, Texas states that the illness is triggered by an obstruction that causes a narrowing or blockage of the second largest vein in the body.

The Golden Globe nominee passed away at his home in El Paso on July 24. Hemsley first broke into television in 1973, appearing on "All in the Family," and his character's popularity earned him his own spinoff, "The Jeffersons". During the show's 10-year run, the popular sitcom broke barriers as the first prime-time show to star an upscale African American couple. The show also was the first to cast an interracial couple on a major situational comedy program.