Sherman Hemsley Dead

1:58 PM PT --
Sources tell us ... Hemsley was discovered by his nurse ... who
initially believed the actor was asleep. Once she realized something was
wrong, she called for help.


Sherman Hemsley, the actor who made the character George Jefferson famous in "The Jeffersons," has died, El Paso cops tell TMZ.

Hemsley died at his home in El Paso, Texas.

Sources tell us ... it appears Hemsley died from natural causes.


Hemsley,
who was 74, became famous during his appearances on "All in the
Family." The spin-off, "The Jeffersons" was a monster hit. He also
starred in the TV show, "Amen." He was also a professional singer and
even released the single in 1989, "Ain't that A Kick in the Head."



Hemsley had no wife and no kids. It's unclear how he died.