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Esther Rolle

Esther Rolle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Esther Elizabeth Rolle (November 8, 1920 – November 17, 1998) was a Bahamian American actress. Rolle is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (1972–1974), and its spin-off series Good Times, for five seasons (1974–77, 1978–79), for which Rolle was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1976. Rolle is best known for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two 1970s sitcoms. The character was introduced as Maude Findlay's housekeeper on Maude, and was spun off in the show's second season into Good Times, a show about Florida's family. Rolle was nominated in 1975 for the Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role in Good Times. Rolle was 19 years older than the actor (John Amos) who played her husband James Evans. The James Evans character was only added after Esther Rolle fought hard for a father figure and husband to be added to the show. Rolle had fought for the father character on the show, more relevant themes and scripts and was unhappy when the success of Jimmie Walker's character, J.J. Evans, took the show in a frivolous direction. John Amos agreed with Rolle about Walker's character and was fired from the show after the third season ended. Later on, in a stand-off with Good Times producer Norman Lear, Rolle also quit when her contract ended. Although the show continued without her for the fifth season, she returned for the show's final season. In 1979 she won an Emmy for her role in Summer of My German Soldier, a made-for-television movie. Among her guest star roles was one on The Incredible Hulk in an episode entitled "Behind the Wheel" where she played a taxicab business owner. In the 1990s, Rolle was a surprise guest on RuPaul's VH-1 talk show. Her Maude co-star Bea Arthur was the guest, and Rolle was brought out to surprise Arthur. The two had not seen each other in years, Arthur said, and embraced warmly. Rolle also appeared in a series of psychic hotline TV commercials in the 1990s. "Tell them Esther sent you," was her trademark line.

Personal information

Birthday

1920-11-08

Birth Place

Pompano Beach, Florida USA

Movies and TV shows :

A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun

1989

8.0

Movie
Age-Old Friends

Age-Old Friends

1989

7.5

Movie
Cape Fear

Cape Fear

1991

7.3

Movie
Cleopatra Jones

Cleopatra Jones

1973

5.8

Movie
Color Adjustment

Color Adjustment

1992

6.9

Movie
Don't Play Us Cheap

Don't Play Us Cheap

1972

5.8

Movie
poster

Donny & Marie

1976

6.5

TV
Down in the Delta

Down in the Delta

1998

6.4

Movie
Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy

1989

7.2

Movie
Ethnic Notions

Ethnic Notions

1986

7.1

Movie
poster

Finder of Lost Loves

1984

5.7

TV
poster

Flamingo Road

1981

6.0

TV
poster

Good Times

1974

7.9

TV
poster

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951

8.7

TV
House of Cards

House of Cards

1993

6.3

Movie
How to Make an American Quilt

How to Make an American Quilt

1995

6.4

Movie
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

1979

3.7

Movie
poster

Maude

1972

6.7

TV
Message from Nam

Message from Nam

1993

5.1

Movie
poster

Murder, She Wrote

1984

7.5

TV
My Fellow Americans

My Fellow Americans

1996

6.0

Movie
Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West

Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West

1995

0.0

Movie
Nothing But a Man

Nothing But a Man

1964

7.4

Movie
P.K. and the Kid

P.K. and the Kid

1987

5.0

Movie
poster

Promised Land

1996

6.6

TV
Rosewood

Rosewood

1997

6.5

Movie
poster

Scarlett

1994

6.6

TV
See China and Die

See China and Die

1981

0.0

Movie
poster

Singer and Sons

1990

6.0

TV
Summer of My German Soldier

Summer of My German Soldier

1978

6.3

Movie
poster

The Incredible Hulk

1977

7.2

TV
The Kid Who Loved Christmas

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

1990

6.6

Movie
The Mighty Quinn

The Mighty Quinn

1989

6.2

Movie
poster

The New Odd Couple

1982

4.5

TV
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

1982

0.0

Movie
To Dance with the White Dog

To Dance with the White Dog

1993

7.0

Movie
poster

Touched by an Angel

1994

7.2

TV
Train Ride

Train Ride

2005

4.0

Movie
Up the Down Staircase

Up the Down Staircase

1967

6.9

Movie
Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!

Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!

1971

6.0

Movie