Full name, Franklin Edward Cover; born November 20, 1928, in Cleveland, OH; died of pneumonia, February 5, 2006, in Englewood, NJ. Actor. Though Cover worked extensively in theatre, he was best recognized as Tom Willis, the white neighbor of George and Louise Jefferson in the popular television series The Jeffersons, which ran from 1975 to 1985. Cover enjoyed a long acting career that began in 1945 with his stage debut at the Cain Park Theatre in Cleveland Heights, OH. He appeared with the Cleveland Playhouse from 1954 to 1958before heading to New York City, where he performed in such Broadway productions as Any Wednesday at the Music Box Theatre and Born Yesterday at the 46th Street Theatre. Cover also appeared in a number of feature films, including The Great Gatsby, The Stepford Wives, and WallStreet, but he was better known for his television work. Cover made numerous episodic appearances in such popular series as All in the Family, The Love Boat, Will & Grace, and the soap opera All MyChildren.
Periodicals
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