Esther Rolle
Esther Rolle
Born 08/11/1920 in Pompano Beach, Florida USA

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.

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.

External links

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0738354

Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q465676

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Filmography (Movies)

Train Ride

Train Ride

Character:Dean of Students

Release Date:17/02/2005

Down in the Delta

Down in the Delta

Character:Annie Sinclair

Release Date:25/12/1998

Rosewood

Rosewood

Character:Aunt Sarah

Release Date:21/02/1997

My Fellow Americans

My Fellow Americans

Character:Rita

Release Date:20/12/1996

How to Make an American Quilt

How to Make an American Quilt

Character:Aunt Pauline

Release Date:06/10/1995

Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West

Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West

Character:Clara Brown

Release Date:10/05/1995

To Dance with the White Dog

To Dance with the White Dog

Character:Neelie

Release Date:05/12/1993

Message from Nam

Message from Nam

Character:Queenie / Elizabeth McQueen

Release Date:17/10/1993

House of Cards

House of Cards

Character:Adelle

Release Date:25/06/1993

Color Adjustment

Color Adjustment

Character:Self

Release Date:29/01/1992

Cape Fear

Cape Fear

Character:Woman Watching Cady Get Out from Under the Car (uncredited)

Release Date:13/11/1991

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

Character:Esther Clayton

Release Date:14/12/1990

Age-Old Friends

Age-Old Friends

Character:Mrs. Baker

Release Date:16/12/1989

Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy

Character:Idella

Release Date:13/12/1989

The Mighty Quinn

The Mighty Quinn

Character:Ubu Pearl

Release Date:17/02/1989

A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun

Character:Lena 'Mama' Younger

Release Date:01/02/1989

P.K. and the Kid

P.K. and the Kid

Character:Mim

Release Date:06/01/1987

Ethnic Notions

Ethnic Notions

Character:Narrator

Release Date:05/12/1986

The Grand Baby

The Grand Baby

Character:Momma

Release Date:02/11/1983

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Character:Nurse

Release Date:01/01/1982

See China and Die

See China and Die

Character:Momma Sykes

Release Date:09/01/1981

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Character:Momma

Release Date:28/04/1979

Summer of My German Soldier

Summer of My German Soldier

Character:Ruth

Release Date:30/10/1978

Cleopatra Jones

Cleopatra Jones

Character:Mrs. Johnson

Release Date:13/07/1973

Don't Play Us Cheap

Don't Play Us Cheap

Character:Miss Maybell

Release Date:13/04/1973

Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!

Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!

Character:Maid

Release Date:18/11/1971

Up the Down Staircase

Up the Down Staircase

Character:Teacher

Release Date:28/06/1967

Nothing But a Man

Nothing But a Man

Character:Church Woman

Release Date:27/12/1964

Television Appearances

Images

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