Sherman Hemsley cause of death, actor died from complications of lung cancer

When actor Sherman Hemsley died on July 24, the cause of his death was unknown. The Texas Medical Examiner's Office announced on August 8, 2012 that the beloved actor who played the feisty sitcom character George Jefferson for 12 years died from complications of cancer.

Sherman Hemsley had lung cancer. More specifically, he had a condition known as superior vena cava syndrome. According to the National Cancer Institute, this syndrome is most common in lung cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

"Superior vena cava syndrome is a condition in which a tumor presses against the superior vena cava (the large vein that carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest to the heart). This pressure blocks blood flow to the heart and may cause coughing, difficulty in breathing, and swelling of the face, neck, and upper arms."

Hemsley began playing the role of spunky George Jefferson, the little man with the big ambition, on the Norman Lear sitcom "All in the Family," as a pain in Archie Bunker's (played by Carroll O'Connor) backside. "The Jeffersons" was spun off two years later. Brash, strutting and more than a little conceited, George Jefferson ruled the sitcom airwaves for 10 years as he was "Movin' On Up." (See video clip to the left of this article.)

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sherman Hemsley dropped out of high school to serve in the U.S. Air Force. Before he started acting, he worked for the Post Office.

Sherman Hemsley was unmarried and had no children. He was 74 at the time of his death.