娱乐英语新闻:Hemsley, Eisner among nine inductees to U.S. television Hall of Fame

LOS ANGELES, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Actor Sherman Hemsley who was best known for playing George Jefferson on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," and former Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner were among the nine luminaries who were inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame at a ceremony Thursday night.

"The group of inductees for this year's Hall of Fame has had a remarkable impact in all areas of the television industry, from performers and hosts to producers and executives," Mark Itkin, a board member at WME Entertainment and chair of the Hall of Fame selection committee said during the event held at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

"It is a tremendous privilege to chair this committee and be able to honor this group with the recognition that they so greatly deserve."

Hemsley and Eisner were joined by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray, the pair who pioneered in inventing the genre of reality television, developing such hits including "The Real World," "Starting Over" and "The Simple Life;" Spanish-language television host Don Francisco who hosted the variety show "Sabado Gigante" (Giant Saturday), one of the most popular programs in the history of Spanish-language television; Emmy award-winner lighting designer Bill Klages and CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men" co-creator Chuck Lorre.

Benim, who passed away in 2004, and a duo of performers, William Frawley and Vivian Vance, were inducted posthumously. Frawley, who died in 1966 and Vance, who died in 1979, were beloved performers known to generations of television audiences for the roles of Fred and Ethel Mertz on the iconic comedy "I Love Lucy."

First held in 1984, the Hall of Fame honors actors, comics, directors, producers, costume designers, writers, animators, executives, reporters who entertain, inform and enrich a mass audience. The number of inductees have grown to about 120.