*Famous Faces on "Good Times" (Season 2)!
"TEMPORARY LAY-OFFS! EASY-CREDIT RIP-OFF"!
Depicting the daily struggles of the poor but proud Evans family...run with a strong hand by iron-willed mother "Florida" (Esther Rolle) and hard-working father "James" (John Amos)with wise-cracking kids: "J.J." (Jimmy Walker), "Thelma" (BernNadette Stanis) and "Michael" (Ralph Carter), plus sassy neighbor "Willona" (Ja'Net DuBois).
The Golden Globe-nominated hit series struck a chord with audiences of all shades. "KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER, MAKING A WAVE WHEN YOU CAN." GOOD TIMES remains one of TV s enduring legacies.
Depicting the daily struggles of the poor but proud Evans family...run with a strong hand by iron-willed mother "Florida" (Esther Rolle) and hard-working father "James" (John Amos)with wise-cracking kids: "J.J." (Jimmy Walker), "Thelma" (BernNadette Stanis) and "Michael" (Ralph Carter), plus sassy neighbor "Willona" (Ja'Net DuBois).
The Golden Globe-nominated hit series struck a chord with audiences of all shades. "KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER, MAKING A WAVE WHEN YOU CAN." GOOD TIMES remains one of TV s enduring legacies.
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- Actress
- Soundtrack
Best known for the role of Florida Evans on the 1970s sitcoms Maude (1972) and Good Times (1974), African-American actress Esther Rolle proved to be as spirited and iron-willed off-camera as well. The gap-toothed actress with the gravelly voice was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, the 10th child of 18 born to Caribbean farming immigrants. Her first important work came with the Negro Ensemble Company and over the years would earn a solid careworn reputation in such theater plays as "The Blacks", "Blues for Mister Charlie", "The Amen Corner", "A Raisin in the Sun" and "A Member of the Wedding". Ironically, her father insisted she promise him that she would never become a servant or maid in real life. She didn't, and however Esther would have her biggest successes playing just those types of roles. She caught the attention of television producer Norman Lear while performing on stage who cast her in the Maude (1972) supporting role in 1972. Audiences loved her so much as the feisty domestic who stood her ground, and then some, against her volatile and liberal-minded employer Maude Findley (Bea Arthur), that Esther earned her own spin-off series with Good Times (1974). Compelled to fight racial stereotypes, she insisted before accepting the series that a strong father figure be central in the show (actor John Amos). And while she still played the role of a lower middle-class maid, the show's emphasis was to be on her home and family life, not her outside work. Still, Esther left the show for one season when she was unhappy about the negative role model perpetuated by Jimmie 'JJ' Walker's jive-talking character J.J., but later returned after the producers assured her that more responsibility would be taken. In other assignments, she won an Emmy Award for the television movie Summer of My German Soldier (1978) and gained further respect for her work in Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1979) and for her film work in Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and Rosewood (1997). Two of her sisters, Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter, were also character actresses. Afflicted with diabetes, Esther's health failed in the 1990s and toward the end of her life she was on kidney dialysis. The actress, who was divorced and had no children, died nine days after her 78th birthday on November 17, 1998."Florida Evans"
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 4
Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah (01 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 5
The Man I Most Admire (08 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 21
My Girl Henrietta (25 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 23
Thelma's Scholarship (11 Mar 1975)- Writer
- Producer
- Actress
Tina Andrews was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (2000), Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (2000) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998).Good Times: Season 2, Episode 21
My Girl Henrietta (25 Feb 1975)
"Henrietta"- Actor
- Soundtrack
Johnny Brown was born on 11 June 1937 in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Good Times (1974), Man in the Mirror (2008) and Life (1999). He was married to June Russell. He died on 2 March 2022 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
"Nathan Bookman"- Actor
- Additional Crew
Roger Aaron Brown was born on 12 June 1949 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is an actor, known for RoboCop 2 (1990), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) and Action Jackson (1988). He was previously married to Janet Mitsui.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
"Mr. Connors" (as Roger Brown)- Morris Buchanan was born on 26 February 1923 in Riverside, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Coffy (1973), Panther Girl of the Kongo (1955) and St. Ives (1976). He was married to Noella Austin and Bessie K. Brown. He died on 14 August 2014 in Riverside, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
"Mr. Dawson" - Actor
- Soundtrack
William Christopher was born on 20 October 1932 in Evanston, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for M*A*S*H (1972), The Fortune Cookie (1966) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993). He was married to Barbara Christopher. He died on 31 December 2016 in Pasadena, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
The Doctor- Actress
Kay Dingle was an actress, known for Mr. Mom (1983), Love at First Bite (1979) and The World's Greatest Lover (1977). She died on 3 December 2020.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Secretary- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
Ron Glass was born on 10 July 1945 in Evansville, Indiana, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Serenity (2005), Barney Miller (1975) and Firefly (2002). He died on 25 November 2016 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 4
Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah (01 Oct 1974)
"Mr. Pearson"
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
"Henry Anderson"- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Louis Gossett Jr. was one of the most respected and beloved actors on stage, screen and television and was also an accomplished writer, producer and director. Off-screen, he was a social activist, educator, and author dedicated to enriching the lives of others. He was the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his unforgettable performance as drill Sergeant Emil Foley in "An Officer and a Gentleman".
Among his other awards were an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of Fiddler in the groundbreaking ABC series "Roots", a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for "The Josephine Baker Story" and a Golden Globe for "An Officer and a Gentleman". He was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, one Academy Award, five Images Awards, two Daytime Emmy Awards and in 1992 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He received numerous other honors throughout his illustrious career.
His film debut was in the 1961 classic movie "A Raisin in the Sun" with Sidney Poitier. Other film credits include "The Deep," "Blue Chips," "Daddy's Little Girls," Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?," "Firewalker," "Jaws-3D," "Enemy Mine" and "Iron Eagle" 1-4, among many others. Television credits include "Extant," "Madam Secretary," "Boardwalk Empire," "Family Guy", and "ER", among dozens of others.
Gossett authored the bestselling autobiography "An Actor and a Gentleman", recounting the challenges and triumphs of his 50+ year career. Gossett was recognized as much for his humanitarian efforts as for his accomplishments as an actor. In 2006, he founded The Eracism Foundation which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating racism. The foundation provides young adults with tools to live a racially diverse and culturally inclusive life. Programs focus on fostering cultural diversity, historical enrichment, education and anti-violence initiatives.
Gossett was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and made his stage debut when he was 17 years old in "Take a Giant Step", which was selected as one of the 10 best Broadway shows of 1953 by the New York Times. He had two sons and resided in Malibu until his death in Santa Monica, California, in 2024, aged 87.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
"Donald Knight" (as Lou Gossett)- Lloyd Hollar was born on 19 April 1935 in New York, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for The Crazies (1973), Kiss of Death (1995) and Law & Order (1990).Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
"Duane Poole" - A veteran actress, Lynn, a native of Yazoo City, Mississippi, made her film debut in Shadows (1958) directed by John Cassavetes. She may be best known for her role as "Donna Harris", a licensed practical nurse and girlfriend of Fred Sanford on Sanford and Son (1972), from 1972-77. Hamilton also had a recurring role as "Verdie" on The Waltons (1972), and made numerous appearances on such television sitcoms, soap operas and miniseries, including Dangerous Women (1991), 227 (1985), Generations (1989), Port Charles (1997), Roots: The Next Generations (1979), and The Golden Girls (1985).Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
"Mrs. Edwards" - David Lewis was born on 19 October 1916 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for The Apartment (1960), General Hospital (1963) and The Absent Minded Professor (1961). He died on 11 December 2000 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
"Mr. Borgen" - Helen Martin was born on 23 July 1909 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She was an actress and writer, known for Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), Death Wish (1974) and Bulworth (1998). She died on 25 March 2000 in Monterey, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
"Wanda" - Actor
- Writer
- Director
Ron Masak (MAY-SACK) was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of a salesman/musician (Floyd Lewis Masak, of Bohemian Czech descent), and a mother (Mildred Alice Rudy, of Irish descent), who was a merchandise buyer. Ron attended Chicago City College, and studied theater at both the CCC and the Drama Guild. He made his acting debut with the Drama Guild in Chicago in Stalag 17 in 1954.
During the course of his career, he starred in 25 feature films and guest starred in some 350 television shows. Perhaps the most beloved character was that of Sheriff Mort Metzger on Murder, She Wrote (1984). He was seen and heard in hundred of television and radio commercials. He was nicknamed the "King of Commercials" by columnist James Bacon.
Trained in the classics, he proved to be equally at home on stage or screen with Shakespeare or slapstick. He played everything from Stanley Kowalski in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and Sakini in 'Teahouse of the August Moon' to Will Stockdale in 'No Time For Sergeants', and Antony in 'Julius Caesar'. As further proof of his versatility, in one production of 'Mr. Roberts', he played Ensign Pulver, and, in another production, he portrayed the title character himself.
In his hometown of Chicago, he was resident leading man at The Candlelight Dinner Playhouse from 1962 to 1966, never missing a single performance. The U.S. Army provided Masak with a platform from which to display his all-around talents for performing, writing and directing. In 1960-61, he toured the world doing vocal impressions in the all-Army show entitled 'Rolling Along' and never missed a show.
Masak continued to demonstrate his range of talent in such films as Ice Station Zebra, Daddy's Gone A-Hunting, Tora! Tora! Tora!, A Time For Dying, Harper Valley PTA, Cops & Roberts and The Man From Clover Grove. It was during Clover Grove that Ron added credits as a lyric writer, as he wrote and sang the title song. He played his first big screen villain starring in No Code of Conduct. Among his many television roles, he starred as Charley Wilson on Love Thy Neighbor, as Count Dracula on The Monkees, and was submitted for an Emmy nomination for one of his ten appearances on Police Story. He was seen on Magnum P.I., Webster, The Law and Harry McGraw, and Columbo. His movies of the week include The Neighborhood, In the Glitter Palace, Pleasure Cove, Once An Eagle, and Nightmare in Chicago.
His variety work included emceeing hundreds of shows for, among others, Kenny Rogers, Diahann Carroll, Alabama, Billy Crystal, The Steve Garvey Classics, Tony Orlando, The Lennon Sisters, Trini Lopez, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Connie Stevens, as well as the Michael Landon Classics and the Beau Bridges Classics.
Masak starred in Second Effort (with Vince Lombardi), Time Management (with James Whitmore), How to Control Your Time (with Burgess Meredith), and Ya Gotta Believe (with Tommy Lasorda, which Masak wrote and directed). He was a sought-after motivational speaker. He traveled across the USA as spokesman for a major brewing company and for 15 years was the voice of the Vlasic Pickle stork. Masak played Lou Costello in commercials for Bran News, McDonald's, and Tropicana Orange Juice. Frequently seen on the talk and game show circuit, he was a celebrity panelist on such game shows as Password, Tattletales, Crosswits, Liar's Club, Showoffs and Match Game. He was a regular panelist on To Tell the Truth.
He devoted his time and energy working with many charities. For eight years, he was the LA host for the Jerry Lewis Telethon and recipient of MDA's first Humanitarian of the Year Award. He served as field announcer for the Special Olympics in support of Special needs children, and was named Man of the Year by Volunteers Assisting Cancer Stricken Families. In addition, he contributed time to work with Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, and Breast Cancer awareness groups and hosted charity golf tournaments for among others, Childhelp USA, for whom he was a worldwide ambassador.
He and his wife Kay had six children and ten grandchildren.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
"Sloane"- Actress
- Additional Crew
Maidie Norman was born Maidie Ruth Gamble on October 16, 1912, in Villa Rica, Georgia, to Louis and Lila Gamble. She received a B.A. from Bennett College in 1934 and a master's degree from Columbia University three years later. She also attended the Actors Lab in Hollywood from 1946 to 1949.
Norman first appeared on film in The Peanut Man in 1947. Throughout the fifties-not a good time for film roles for black women-she appeared in a number of films, such as Bright Road (1953) with Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte and Torch Song (1953); About Mrs. Leslie and Susan Slept Here in 1954; and 1956's Written on the Wind. These were often servant roles, with a special fifties blandness. Still, Norman was skillful and professional in her execution of them. In 1962, she got a chance to chew up the scenery with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
In 1968-69, Norman was an artist-in-residence at Stanford University and, throughout the seventies, she was lecturer, director, and acting teacher at UCLA. At the same time, Norman was highly visible on television, appearing in Mannix, Adam 12, Streets of San Francisco, Kung Fu, The Jeffersons, and others. She was also part of the cast of Roots: The Next Generation in 1979.
Norman was a founding member of the American Negro Theater West; in 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame; and an award in her name is presented each year for outstanding research by an undergraduate in Black Theater at UCLA. She died on May 6, 1998.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
"Edna"- Actor
- Soundtrack
Dick O'Neill was born on 29 August 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Jerk (1979), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) and The Front Page (1974). He was married to Susan Jacqueline (Jackie) Shaw and Dina Harris. He died on 17 November 1998 in Santa Monica, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
"Mr. Bridges"- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Actor Austin Pendleton was born March 27, 1940 in Warren, Ohio to Frances and Thorn Pendleton. He graduated from Yale University. He later became an ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, and acted in several of the theater's productions. His first film appearance was in Petulia (1968), a minor and uncredited role. Since, he has made over 100 appearances in television and film.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
"Donald Hardgrove"- Actress
- Soundtrack
Charlotte Rae was born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky in 1926, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the middle daughter of three sisters, between Beverly and Mimi. Her parents, Esther (nee Ottenstein) and Meyer Lubotsky, were Russian Jewish immigrants. Her father owned an automobile tire business. Her mother had been a childhood friend of Milwaukee-reared Golda Meir, future Prime Minister of Israel.
Rae wanted to be a dramatic actress, but eventually wound up being a comedienne, all because of her stand-up comedy routines. Her family moved to the village of Shorewood, Wisconsin (Milwaukee County) in 1936. After graduating from Shorewood High School, she attended Northwestern University, where she met future actress Cloris Leachman; the two would be lifelong friends. She dropped out of college and moved to New York City, and began a career as a stage actress, performing in such plays as "Pickwick", for which she was nominated in 1966 for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, and, in 1969, for Best Actress in a Play for "Morning, Noon and Night". She co-starred with Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis in Car 54, Where Are You? (1961). She would live there until 1974 when she moved to Southern California.
She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role in Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (1975). After guest-starring on numerous shows, including Norman Lear's All in the Family (1971) and Good Times (1974), Lear hired her old friend to co-star on Diff'rent Strokes (1978) as Gary Coleman's housekeeper, "Edna Garrett". Within a year, she gained popularity with her character, which eventually led her to having her own series, The Facts of Life (1979). Between Norman Lear and NBC, they gave her the green-light to star in her own show, which focused primarily on the housekeeper of an all-girls school. The spinoff series featured newcomers including Kim Fields as "Tootie" and Lisa Whelchel as rich spoiled brat "Blair Warner".
Before then, she approached young Mindy Cohn at Westlake School in Los Angeles, and suggested that she take the role of smart "Natalie Green", a character Rae created for her and named after one of her best friends from high school. Cohn stayed on the show for eight seasons. Rae left the show in 1986 reportedly owing to a health issue. She reportedly created the role of "Beverly" for her old friend, Cloris Leachman, to play on The Facts of Life (1979) after she left the show.
She returned to the stage. In 1992, she was the voice of "Aunt Christine Figg" in Tom and Jerry: The Movie (1992) and appeared in "The Vagina Monologues" in New York. In 2000, she starred as "Berthe" in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of "Pippin". In 2007, she appeared in a cabaret show at the Plush Room in San Francisco for several performances. In the 2008 movie, You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), she played a mature woman who has a fling with Adam Sandler's character. On February 18, 2009, she appeared in a small role as "Mrs. Ford" on the "I Heart Mom" episode.
Rae's older sister, Beverly, died from pancreatic cancer in 1998, while Rae's ex-husband of 35 years, John Strauss, died in 2011, following a long battle with Parkinson's disease. A pancreatic cancer survivor, Rae continued to act while making guest appearances everywhere, especially TV Land, where her show, The Facts of Life (1979), won the 2011 award for Pop Culture Icon.
Charlotte Rae died on August 5, 2018 at her home in Los Angeles, aged 92, from bone cancer, which had been diagnosed a year earlier. She also suffered from asthma and scoliosis, and had been fitted with a pacemaker.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
"Ms. Rogers"- Michael D. Roberts was born on December 25, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. A wealthy Manhattan furniture designer gave the generous gift of cribs, blankets, toys and a year supply of milk to the first ten babies of post war veterans born on Christmas Day; and Michael was one of them.
At twelve years old Michael had his first major stage appearance in a theatre production at his local church. It was then that his passion for acting was born. In high school Michael enrolled in the drama program, and after graduating attended Los Angeles City College where he continued his study in the dramatic arts. Later, Michael attended USIU School of Performing Arts in San Diego and in his final year of study attended the prestigious California Institute of the Arts.
One of Michael's first television appearances was on The Flip Wilson Show (1971). Through the 1970s he appeared on such popular television shows as, Good Times (1974) and The Incredible Hulk (1979).
One of Michael's most memorable roles was the jive-talking street-hustler, "Rooster", on the hit TV series Baretta, (1975). A role that garnered high accolades for Michael in Hollywood and the adoration of many fans. Into the1980s Michael's career showed no signs of slowing; with guest starring roles on B.J. and the Bear (1980), Bosom Buddies (1981), The Fall Guy (1982) and the season premiere of Knight Rider (1982).
It was in 1984 that Michael starred in the science fiction adventure The Ice Pirates along side actors Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy), Anjelica Huston (The Adams Family) and Robert Urich (Vega$). In 1988 Michael landed the roll of Vern in the Oscar winning film Rain Man directed by Barry Levinson and starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.
Through the 1990s and into the 2000s Michael's prolific acting career continued with guest star appearances on Seinfeld (1996) and Friends (2000). In 2005 Michael co-starred in the high-octane drama, Hostage, starring Bruce Willis.
In 2012, Michael was cast as "Bernard" in the television show, The First Family, from producer Byron Allen; also starring, Jackee Harry (Sister Sister, 227), Gladys Knight and John Witherspoon (Friday, The Wayans Bros).
Michael lives in Los Angeles, with his wife, actress Pamela Roberts and their 2 children.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
"Neck-Bone" (as Michael Roberts) - Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thalmus Rasulala was born on 15 November 1936 in Miami, Florida, USA. He was an actor and assistant director, known for New Jack City (1991), Above the Law (1988) and The Last Hard Men (1976). He was married to Shirlyn Mozingo and Martha Roberts. He died on 9 October 1991 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
"Ernie Harris"- Connie Sawyer was born on 27 November 1912 in Pueblo, Colorado, USA. She was an actress, known for Dumb and Dumber (1994), Pineapple Express (2008) and Out of Sight (1998). She was married to Marshall Schacker. She died on 21 January 2018 in Woodland Hills, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Personnel Woman - Actor
- Writer
Mel Stewart was born on 19 September 1929 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Tabitha (1976), Bride of Re-Animator (1990) and Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983). He was married to Annie Dong. He died on 24 February 2002 in Pacifica, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
"Davis" (as Melvin Stewart)- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Carl Weathers was born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. A famous and successful football star at San Diego State, he played with the Oakland Raiders and retired from the sport in 1974, in order to give full attention to his goal: to be a real actor.
Weathers first played small parts in two blaxploitation flicks, Friday Foster (1975) (in which he played "Yarbro") and Bucktown (1975) (playing "Hambone"), both made in 1975 and directed by Arthur Marks. However, his big break came the following year when producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff chose him to play "Apollo Creed" in the blockbuster "sleeper" Rocky (1976) (real-life boxing legend Ken Norton was originally signed for the part, but it eventually went to Weathers). He went on to play "Creed" in three other "Rocky" movies, and the characters' adversarial relationship eventually evolved into a warm friendship. After Creed's death in Rocky IV (1985), Weathers met with producer Joel Silver and agreed to play an important supporting role in Predator (1987), an action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The following year, Silver produced Action Jackson (1988), a first starring role for Weathers, but it performed poorly at the box office and was panned by the critics.
During the 1990s, Weathers starred in four In the Heat of the Night (1988) two-hour TV specials that were much better received by critics and viewers alike. In 1996, he played the part of "Chubbs Peterson" in the blockbuster Adam Sandler comedy Happy Gilmore (1996). He returned to his "action roots" in two TV-movies with Hulk Hogan: Assault on Devil's Island (1997) and Assault on Death Mountain (1999).
In addition to his acting career, Weathers is also a member of the Big Brothers Association and the U.S. Olympic Committee, handling the career of athletes of various sports such as gymnastics, wrestling, swimming and judo.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
"Calvin Brooks"- The eldest son of the Reverend James D. Wheaton, a Methodist minister and Jessie O. Holmes, the daughter of a Methodist minister, James Lorenzo Wheaton was born on 11 January 1924 in Meridian, Mississippi. As an infant the family moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
He attended public schools in Hattiesburg, Meridian and Yazoo City, Mississippi. After graduating from Yazoo City High School #2 (where he was actively involved in student government), he began his college education at Wiley College, a Methodist institution located in Marshall, Texas. At Wiley, he served as senior class president. Upon his graduation in 1945, James was drafted into the U.S. Army at the tail end of World War Two. Stationed in the Philippines, he served as a chaplain's assistant for most of his time in the military. It was at this time he began to take a serious interest in acting. However, he turned down the opportunity to become involved in the Philippines's developing film industry, anxious to return back to the United States.
Upon his return to the United States, he was accepted into a Master's Degree Program at Columbia University, where he majored in speech communication and acting. Upon his graduation, he taught at the secondary school level and eventually at Wiley College, where he met his future bride, Helen Ruth Alford, who was a student at the time.
Shortly thereafter, they relocated to the Los Angeles area, where two children were born to this union (including his son Frank Kahlil Wheaton). It was also during this time where Wheaton began to work professionally as an actor. First working in radio, his big break came when he auditioned and was cast as a member of the Bishop's Company, a repertory theatre group that toured churches throughout the Mid-West and the South. His first year with the Bishop's Company was documented in his memoir, "Masks Before the Altar," which was published in 1999 by Xlibris Press.
In addition to his work with the Bishop's Company, he performed regularly in various stages throughout the Los Angeles area, most notably the Ebony Showcase Theatre, which was founded by actor Nick Stewart. His roles at the theatre included the father in the long-running hit, "Norman, Is That You?," a role later played by Redd Foxx in a feature film version. Mr. Wheaton also directed a touring production of the play starring Pat Paulsen. The late veteran actor Joel Fluellen once commented that Wheaton "brought class to the Ebony Showcase."
Making quite a name for himself in theatre, it was only a logical step that he began working in television. One of his first appearances was a television adaptation of the play, "Carnival Island," which he had performed at the Ebony Showcase.
He was the person originally cast as Bill Cosby's father in "The Bill Cosby Show," but lost the part due to a mix up with his message service. This however did not prevent him from appearing on the program. His first major film credit was as the voice of "OMM," in THX 1138 (1971)," directed by George Lucas. The director was so impressed with his work that he was chosen to play the role over Orson Welles, which was the studio's first choice.
During the late 1960s and 1970s, he appeared on some of the most popular television programs of the day including Room 222 (1969), Kojak (1973), Good Times (1974) and the final episode of Ironside (1967). However, he is perhaps best known for his recurring role as Nelson B. Davis, "The Friendly Undertaker" in the hit series, Sanford and Son (1972). Other feature film credits included Black Belt Jones (1974) and most recently, Guncrazy (1992) with Drew Barrymore. He also reteamed with Bill Cosby in A Piece of the Action (1977)," which also starred and was directed by Sidney Poitier.
In his later years, more time was devoted to his simultaneous career of teaching. However, he also expanded his resume into music videos and was developing a one man show on the life and work of Langston Hughes at the time of this death.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Baliff - A veteran professional actor who has co-starred as a television series regular in NINE, prime time, HIT series, and has established himself solidly in both the areas of comedy and drama. Hal's latest projects include Disney Family Channel's Snow 2: Brain Freeze (2008) and Hallmark's Generation Gap (2008).
His 25 year professional career has seen him firmly plant both feet in such dramas as Roots: The Next Generations (1979), The Waltons (1972), Harry O (1973) and L.A. Law (1986) while displaying his comedic genius in The Sinbad Show (1993), 227 (1985), Private Benjamin (1981), and Sanford and Son (1972).
Williams works tirelessly to maintain a versatility that enables his career to remain both constant and current. His movie accomplishments continue to be displayed in co-starring roles in feature films like Guess Who (2005) with Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac, Private Benjamin (1980) with Goldie Hawn and The Rookie (1990) with Clint Eastwood.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
"Willie Washington" - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
A native of New Jersey and son of a mechanic, African-American John Amos has relied on his imposing build, eruptive nature and strong, forceful looks to obtain acting jobs, and a serious desire for better roles to earn a satisfying place in the annals of film and TV. He has found it a constant uphill battle to further himself in an industry that tends to diminish an actor's talents with severe and/or demeaning stereotypes and easy pigeonholing. A tough, often hot-headed guy with a somewhat tender side, John would succeed far better on stage than on film and TV...with one extremely noteworthy exceptions.
Born on December 27, 1939, John was first employed as an advertising copywriter, a social worker at New York's Vera Institute of Justice, and an American and Canadian semi-professional football player before receiving his calling as an actor. A stand-up comic on the Greenwich Village circuit, the work eventually took him West and, ultimately, led to his hiring as a staff writer on Leslie Uggams' musical variety show in 1969. Making his legit stage debut in a 1971 L.A. production of the comedy "Norman, Is That You?", John went on to earn a Los Angeles Drama Critics nomination for "Best Actor". As such, he formed his own theater company and produced "Norman, Is That You?" on tour.
The following year he returned to New York to take his first Broadway bow in "Tough To Get Help". By this time he had secured secondary work on the classic The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) as Gordy the weatherman. His character remained on the periphery, however, and he left the show after three discouraging seasons. On the bright side, he won the recurring role of the sporadically-unemployed husband of maid Florida Evans (played by Esther Rolle) on Norman Lear's Maude (1972) starring Bea Arthur. The two characters were spun-off into their own popular series as the parental leads in Good Times (1974).
Good Times (1974), a family sitcom that took place in a Chicago ghetto high-rise, initially prided itself as being the first network series ever to be created by African-Americans. But subsequent episodes were taken over by others and John was increasingly disgruntled by the lack of quality of the scripts and the direction Lear was taking the show. Once focused on the importance of family values, it was shifting more and more toward the silly antics of Jimmie 'JJ' Walker, who was becoming a runaway hit on the show as the aimless, egotistical, jive-talking teenage son JJ. John began frequently clashing with the higher-ups and, by 1976, was released from the series, with his character being killed in an off-camera car accident while finding employment out of state.
Amos rebounded quickly when he won the Emmy-nominated role of the adult Kunte Kinte in the ground-breaking epic mini-series Roots (1977), one of the most powerful and reverential TV features ever to hit television. It was THE TV role of his career, but he found other quality roles for other black actors extremely difficult to come by. He tried his best to avoid the dim-headed lugs and crime-motivated characters that came his way. Along with a few parts (the mini-movie Willa (1979) and the films The Beastmaster (1982) and Coming to America (1988)), he had to endure the mediocre (guest spots on The Love Boat (1977), "The A-Team", "Murder, She Wrote" "One Life to Live"). John also toiled through a number of action-themed films that focused more on grit and testosterone than talent.
He found one answer to this acting dilemma on the proscenium stage. In 1985, the play "Split Second" earned him the NAACP Award as Best Actor. He also received fine reviews in a Berkshire Theater festival production of "The Boys Next Door", a tour of O'Neill's towering play "The Emperor Jones", and in a Detroit production of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold...and The Boys". In addition, John directed two well-received productions, "Miss Reardon Drinks a Little" and "Twelve Angry Men", in the Bahamas. He took on Shakespeare as Sir Toby Belch in "Twelfth Night" at Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare and earned strong notices in the late August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences" at the Capital Repertory Company in Albany, New York. Overseas he received plaudits for his appearance in a heralded production of "The Life and Death of a Buffalo Soldier" at the Bristol's Old Vic in England. Capping his theatrical career was the 1990 inaugural of his one-man show "Halley's Comet", an amusing and humanistic American journey into the life of an 87-year-old who recalls, among other things, World War II, the golden age of radio, the early civil rights movement, and the sighting of the Comet when he was 11. He wrote and has frequently directed the show, which continues to play into the 2007-2008 season.
In recent years, John has enjoyed recurring parts on "The West Wing" and "The District", and is more recently appearing in the offbeat series Men in Trees (2006) starring Anne Heche. John Amos has two children by his former wife Noel Amos and two children. Son K.C. Amos director, writer, producer, editor and daughter Shannon Amos a director, writer and producer. Amos has one grand child,a grand-daughter, Quiera Williams."James Evans, Sr."
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 4
Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah (01 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 5
The Man I Most Admire (08 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 21
My Girl Henrietta (25 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 23
Thelma's Scholarship (11 Mar 1975)- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
Ralph Carter was born on 30 May 1961 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Good Times (1974), Broadway Damage (1997) and The Groomsmen (2006)."Michael Evans"
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 4
Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah (01 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 5
The Man I Most Admire (08 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 21
My Girl Henrietta (25 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 23
Thelma's Scholarship (11 Mar 1975)- Actress
- Music Department
- Executive
Ja'Net DuBois was a multi-talented and diverse performer. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York and began her career on Broadway. She has appeared in various plays, including "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Gossett Jr., and "A Raisin in the Sun". She moved onto TV roles, receiving a Peabody Award for a 1969 CBS children's movie J.T. (1969). She then appeared in a daytime serial, Love of Life (1951); she is the first African American actress to have a regular serial role.
She was best known for her role as the sexy, confident, gossipy "Willona Woods" on Good Times (1974). She composed and sang the theme song, "Movin' On Up", for another Norman Lear series, The Jeffersons (1975). She appeared in many films, including the blaxploitation parody, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), as a tough and loving mother. She also did voice-over work, for which she received two Emmys.
She co-founded the "Pan African Film & Arts Festival", which showcases global films about people of African descent and fine arts. She is a community activist whose DuBois Care Foundation's mission is to empower youth by supporting after-school programs. She was also a painter who regularly exhibited her work. She released a CD in 2008, "Hidden Treasures", which includes the well-known TV theme song, "Movin' On Up"."Willona Woods"
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 5
The Man I Most Admire (08 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 23
Thelma's Scholarship (11 Mar 1975)- Actress
- Soundtrack
BernNadette Stanis is best known as Thelma from Good Times (1974), but there's much more to her than that. In the 1970s she was the personification of black beauty. As sophisticated and graceful as she was, she still became TV's first black sex symbol or "It" girl. Thelma/BernNadette and the Evans family also proved many stereotypes wrong about the ghetto and the young black girl, such as that all black girls and black families in the ghetto had no hopes, dreams, or class. Thelma showed that a "ghetto girl" had hopes and dreams, intelligence, respect, dignity, and grace, and it wasn't just acting--BernNadette was that naturally. She introduced a new definitive image of the young black girl and woman.
BernNadette was a wonderful, graceful dancer, which she displayed several times on the series. Everything she did was marked with delicacy, diminutive beauty, form, or grace, all very welcome in TV in the 1970s. Her dramatic, comedic charm, witty one-liners, daintiness, winsomeness, and sexy but innocent image were versatile qualities that made her a great talent and great favorite who will never be forgotten."Thelma Evans"
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 4
Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah (01 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 5
The Man I Most Admire (08 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 21
My Girl Henrietta (25 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
He symbolized the 70s American dream of success -- the former kid from the ghetto who rose to wisecracking TV superstardom. While in his element as the broadly strutting, gleamy-toothed J.J. Evans of the popular urban-styled sitcom Good Times (1974), Jimmie Walker lived the extremely good life. Following the series' demise, however, reality again checked in. Still and all, he has not self-destructed as others before him have and continues to enjoy a comedy career now approaching four decades.
Jimmie was born on June 25, 1947, in New York's tough South Bronx neighborhood. His ambitions were not originally to entertain. Basketball was his prime interest but the idea that a gawky, stringbean-framed teenager could become a hoop star did not seem realistic. Instead he abruptly quit school and worked an odd assortment of jobs until wisely returning to night classes at Theodore Roosevelt High School and redeeming himself with a diploma. The federally-funded Search for Education, Evaluation and Knowledge (SEEK) next came through for Jimmie as he was able to learn a trade: radio engineering/announcing. Within a year he was hired as an engineer for a small radio station, but gained a minor reputation on the sly as a funny guy and good writer. This side interest is what motivated Jimmie to try comedy performance.
He made his stand-up debut as an opening act on New Year's Eve in 1967 for "The Last Poets," a militant poetry group, and was such a hit that he stayed with the group for a year and a half building and polishing his jive-styled act. At one point Jimmie was seen at a Manhattan club by comedian David Brenner who referred him and others (such as Freddie Prinze) to Budd Friedman and his Improv stage in New York. Jimmie eventually became a regular. His debut shot on TV variety came with Jack Paar's show and his successful 1972 appearance propelled him to main attraction billing.
He was quickly checked out by the Norman Lear team and practically handed stardom on a silver platter with Good Times (1974), a spin-off of Esther Rolle's domestic character on the popular Maude (1972) series. Skinny, energetic and youthful-looking with plenty of harmless sass and attitude, Jimmie and the show were instant cross-over hits despite the fact that he was a 27-year-old playing the teenage son of Rolle. His catchphrase "Dyn-o-mite!" became a popular item in the American vernacular. Jimmie became such a major celebrity that Time Magazine named him "Comedian of the Decade." Clothing, belts, and even a talking doll that blurted out his familiar phrase were soon on the open market. To the dismay of other actors on the show, his exaggerated character stole prime focus and shifted the well-intentioned direction of a positive black family image into a much broader and stereotyped caricature. This caused dissension in the troops and both adult leads, Ms. Rolle and John Amos, departed the series (Rolle came back later). Nevertheless, the series managed to last six seasons.
During that time Jimmie made use of his ever-surging popularity with lightweight appearances elsewhere on primetime ("The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island") and on game shows ("The Match Game," "Tattletales"). He became a hot item in Las Vegas and even churned out a best-selling comedy album entitled, of course, "Dyn-o-mite!" His attempt at film stardom came with a top supporting role in Let's Do It Again (1975) starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby, a comedy that also featured his TV dad John Amos. Jimmie was featured as a highly unlikely, scrawny-framed boxer promoted by Poitier and Cosby. As enjoyable as he was, it did not lead to other major film offers. Most of his later movies have been self-mocking guest parts or cameo bits in spoofs such as in Airplane! (1980), the Frankenstein take-off Monster Mash: The Movie (1995) and the slasher movie parody Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth (2000).
Upon the series' demise in 1979, Jimmie returned to the stand-up stage while looking for a sophomore TV hit. Unable to capitalize on his TV stardom, he instead found himself extremely pigeon-holed by the J.J. character. The short-lived B.A.D. Cats (1980), which had him playing a support role as a comic car thief-cum-repossessor, lasted only a month. The military comedy At Ease (1983) had Jimmie starring as a Sergeant Bilko-like conman. It too came and went quickly. Hoping the third time would be a charm, Jimmie was a bust again in the syndicated show Bustin' Loose (1987), based loosely on Richard Pryor's 1981 movie, with the comedian playing another of his genial con artists.
Jimmie's main focus has remained the stand-up circuit, touring an average of 25-30 weeks a year. The rubbery-faced, tunnel-mouthed comic continues to pop up occasionally on the late night talk show forum. In his spare time he writes scripts for TV and films."James 'J.J.' Evans, Jr."
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 4
Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah (01 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 5
The Man I Most Admire (08 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 6
Thelma's Young Man (15 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 7
The I.Q. Test (22 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 8
The Encyclopedia Hustle (29 Oct 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 11
Florida, the Matchmaker (26 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 14
Florida's Big Gig (31 Dec 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 15
Florida Goes to School (07 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 17
The Family Business (21 Jan 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 21
My Girl Henrietta (25 Feb 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 23
Thelma's Scholarship (11 Mar 1975)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 24
The Lunch Money Rip-Off (18 Mar 1975)- Actor
- Stunts
Raymond Allen was born on 5 March 1929 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for Sanford and Son (1972), Darktown Strutters (1975) and Fight That Ghost (1946). He was married to Barbra Williams. He died on 10 August 2020 in California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
"Ned the Wino"- Bonnie Banfield is known for Five on the Black Hand Side (1973), Sanford and Son (1972) and Good Times (1974).Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
"Naomi Wilson" - Art Department
- Actor
Ernie Barnes was born in Durham, North Carolina, USA. He is known for his art on Good Times (1974), specifically "The Sugar Shack," the iconic dance painting which sold for over $15 million in 2022. Barnes' work is in museums, institutions and collected internationally. He is the first American professional athlete to become a noted painter.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Hoodlum #1- Actor
- Soundtrack
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard was born on 1 January 1925 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Dogs Is Dogs (1931), Love Business (1931) and Free Wheeling (1932). He was married to Annie. He died on 8 January 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 2
J.J. Becomes a Man: Part 1 (17 Sep 1974)
"Monty"- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Betty A. Bridges is known for A Night at the Roxbury (1998), A Day in the Life of Mia (1997) and NYPD Blue (1993). She was previously married to James Bridges.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 16
The Nude (14 Jan 1975)
"Charlene Brooks"- Rosanna Carter was born on 20 September 1918 in Rolle Town, Bahamas. She was an actress, known for I'll Fly Away (1991), Night of the Juggler (1980) and American Playhouse (1980). She died on 30 December 2016 in Pompano Beach, Florida, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
"Cora" - Alvin Childress was born on 10 September 1907 in Meridian, Mississippi, USA. He was an actor, known for Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), Anna Lucasta (1958) and Darktown Strutters (1975). He was married to Sophronia Elizabeth Graham and Alice Childress. He died on 19 April 1986 in Inglewood, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
"Reverend Gordon" - Oscar DeGruy was born on 1 January 1950 in the United States. He is an actor, known for Toma (1973), Backlash (2006) and The Streets of San Francisco (1972)."Mad Dog" (as Oscar De Gruy Jr.)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974) - Frances Foster was born on 11 June 1924 in Yonkers, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Clockers (1995), Malcolm X (1992) and Crooklyn (1994). She was married to Robert Stansfield Foster and Morton Goldsen. She died on 17 June 1997 in Fairfax, Virginia, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 19
The Dinner Party (11 Feb 1975)
"Ms. Gertrude Vinson" - Editor
- Writer
- Actor
Santiago Gonzalez III was born in Tampa, Florida. Born of Afro-Cubano decent, son of an immigrant cigar maker, he attended Xavier University and graduated with a degree in Music. He eventually became a Salsa and merengue percussionist, song writer, actor, screenwriter, and self-motivational book-writer. Santiago III starred in the 1976 made for T.V. movie "I'm A Fool" starring the then up and coming film phenom, the now famous film director, Ron Howard of "The Andy Griffith Show," and "Happy Days" fame.
Gonzalez starred in many Broadway musicals and was an active member in several calypso bands in Las Vegas and San Francisco, and formed the calypso band "The Senators."
Santiago passed away suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 44 In Contra Costa, California. Santiago's son, Nuttiago, who was born in July of 1976, just five months before Santiago's untimely passing, follows in his dad's footsteps musically in his own career as a musician, producer, song writer, studio engineer, promoter, and, as well as a graphic artist. Nuttiago is also one half of the group Se7en17,Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
Mr. Robinson (as Santiago A. Gonzales III)- Doug Grant was born on 10 May 1959 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Stag Night of the Dead (2010), The Landlord (1970) and Night Eyes (1990). He was married to Eileen Elizabeth Smith. He died on 27 May 2018 in Dayton, Ohio, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 9
The Gang: Part 1 (12 Nov 1974)
"Sweet Pea"
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 24
The Lunch Money Rip-Off (18 Mar 1975)
"Eddie" - Actor
- Soundtrack
James Greene has been a successful working actor for over seventy years. He appeared on Broadway in 1951 in Romeo and Juliet starring Olivia de Havilland. His most recent television appearances were in Parks and Recreation (2009) as Councilman Milton, Modern Family (2009), Cold Case (2003), and Las Vegas (2003). James enjoyed a four-year stint on TV's The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (1987) with writer and director Jay Tarses. His films include Road to Perdition (2002), Patch Adams (1998), The Missouri Breaks (1976), and Philadelphia Experiment II (1993). He resides in LA with his wife of thirty-three years, Els Collins.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Desk Sergeant- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Stan Haze was born on 23 October 1938 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Tina and the Professor (1994), House Party (1990) and Don't Answer the Phone! (1980). He died on 8 May 1999 in Toluca Lake, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Prisoner- Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Woman on Bench - Randi Kallan was born on 9 October 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Black Starlet (1974), Sons and Daughters (1974) and Headmaster (1970).Good Times: Season 2, Episode 23
Thelma's Scholarship (11 Mar 1975)
"Cindy Bradford" - Actress
- Stunts
Rosanne Katon was born on 5 February 1952 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Motel Hell (1980), Bachelor Party (1984) and St. Elsewhere (1982). She has been married to Richard Walden since 9 January 1984. They have one child.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
"Clarissa Robinson"- Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
Second Guy (as Walter Pittman Jr.) - Marguerite Ray was born on 18 March 1931 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. She was an actress, known for The Young and the Restless (1973), Dynasty (1981) and The Bill Cosby Show (1969). She died on 18 November 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
"Millie Wilson" - Albert Reed was born on 27 January 1922 in Kentucky. He was an actor, known for Airport (1970), Where Does It Hurt? (1972) and Chase (1973). He died on 4 November 1990 in California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 13
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle (10 Dec 1974)
"Oscar Wilson" - Good Times: Season 2, Episode 1
Florida Flips (10 Sep 1974)
"Bernadine" - Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Richard Stahl was born on 4 January 1932 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Overboard (1987), The American President (1995) and Private School (1983). He was married to Kathryn Ish. He died on 18 June 2006 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 10
The Gang: Part 2 (19 Nov 1974)
"Judge Daniels"- Willie Trotter is known for Good Times (1974).Good Times: Season 2, Episode 12
The Windfall (03 Dec 1974)
First Guy - Actor
- Additional Crew
Bill Walker was born on 1 July 1896 in Pendleton, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Big Jake (1971), Tick, Tick, Tick (1970) and Boy Who Caught a Crook (1961). He was married to Peggy Cartwright. He died on 27 January 1992 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
"Mr. Carter"- Ann Weldon was born on 28 February 1933 in Holdenville, Oklahoma, USA. She was an actress, known for I'm Through with White Girls (2007), Serial (1980) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1992). She died on 14 January 2024 in Valley Glen, Los Angeles, California, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 18
The Debutante Ball (04 Feb 1975)
"Mrs. Robinson" - Actor
- Additional Crew
Ernie Wheelwright was born on 28 November 1939 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for The Longest Yard (1974), Wildcats (1986) and Trackdown (1976). He died on 3 May 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 20
The Houseguest (18 Feb 1975)
Hoodlum #2- Actress
- Writer
Cal Wilson is from New Zealand, and moved to Melbourne in 2003 to star in the sketch show Skithouse. She also appeared on Spicks and Specks, Good News Week and Would I Lie To You, and was best known for her work as a stand-up comedian. More recently, she appeared in the SBS Original three-part documentary series Who the Bloody Hell Are We? alongside personalities Adam Liaw and John Safran to look into Australia's multicultural past. She was married to Chris Woods, and together had one son Digby. Wilson died from a short illness in 2023 at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, NSW, Australia.Good Times: Season 2, Episode 3
J.J. Is Arrested: Part 2 (24 Sep 1974)
Loan Shark
Good Times: Season 2, Episode 22
The Enlistment (04 Mar 1975)
The Sergeant