CBS 'Good Times' original cast members: Where are they now?
Consistency is one of the biggest paradigms in television comedy, and no show has maintained it better than the 70s sitcom 'Good Times'. The show had six seasons on CBS from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by Norman Lear, the sitcom featuring the Evans family, started off as a casual and honest portrayal of the inner city African-American family life back in the mid-1970s.
With the 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times' special heading our way, it only makes sense to wonder where the main cast of the original that we so loved and adored is these days. Look no further, because we have you sorted right here with what the faces of the Evans family are up to now.
Esther Rolle aka Florida Evans
Rolle played the matriarch of the Evans family, who alongside her husband James, was part of the working class duo raising three kids in a Chicago housing project back in the 70s. She was best known for her role in the 'Good Times' parent show — 'Maude', where she starred for two seasons, before venturing off to the sitcom that earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress — Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1976. In 1979, Rolle also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Special for 'Summer of My German Soldier'. She died in 1998 from complications of diabetes, just nine days after turning 78.
John Amos aka James Evans Sr
Amos was the face of the patriarch James Sr — a veteran of the Korean war — who despite his commitment to provide for his family, only ends up finding odd jobs because of his lack of education. While Amos did bring out the reality of a struggling family man in the 70s, he went on to quit the show after three of its six-year run owing to creative disputes with Lear. Following his stint with the CBS sitcom, he went on to star in the 1977 miniseries 'Roots' and earned one among his countless Emmy nominations to follow through the course of his career. Two marriages and two children later, Amos has been a resident of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.
Ja'Net DuBois aka Willona Woods
As the family's close friend, the sassy and sometimes gossipy Willona was made evergreen by DuBois — the American actress, singer-songwriter and dancer. DuBois also co-wrote and sang 'The Jeffersons' theme song, before co-starring in movies like 'I'm Gonna Git You Sucka' (1988) and 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle' (2003.) Her television work included 'Moesha', 'The Steve Harvey Show', 'A Different World', and 'The Wayans Bros'. She also had two children: Rani DuBois, and Raj Kristo Gupta, who died of cancer in 1987 at 36.
Jimmie Walker aka James 'JJ' Evans Jr
The Evans' oldest child, JJ, with his goofball ladies man persona and a flair for art was made iconic by Walker and then, of course, there is the catchphrase: 'Dy-no-mite!' Walker, a comedian, won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor In A Television Series in 1975 and 1976 for playing JJ. Known for his distaste for former president Barrack Obama, and support for sitting president Donald Trump, Walker still travels nationwide, touring for his stand up comedy routine.
BernNadette Stanis aka Thelma Evans Anderson
The no-nonsense and responsible Thelma, who was also a terrible cook, was played by BernNadette Stanis, who went on to author five books: 'Situations 101: Relationships', 'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly'; 'For Men Only'; 'Situations 101: Finances'; and 'The Last Night'. Married four times and a mother of two daughters, Stanis' latest credits are from 2015, in the TV show 'Black Jesus' and the film '36 Hour Layover'.