Sharif Henry and Denise Douglas both grew up in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and spent decades in each other’s orbits. Finally, the stars aligned.

In February 1975, the entertainer broke out on her own for the first time onscreen with her solo variety show, The Cher Show.

The beloved sitcom premiered on Sept. 18, 1965, and ran for five seasons on NBC, returning for two TV movies in 1985 and 1991 ...