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person_profile-Esther Rolle

Esther Rolle Died at age: 78

Actor | Producer

Fullname:

Esther Rolle

Date of Birth:

Nov 08, 1920

Country of birth:

Florida USA

Died:

Nov 17, 1998

Biography of

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.

Photos of

Esther Rolle

Photos ( 2 Photos

Filmography of

Esther Rolle

Found 26 Movies in total

Train Ride

Dean of Students ( Actor )

... 2005

Down in the Delta

Annie Sinclair ( Actor )

... 1998

Rosewood

Aunt Sarah ( Actor )

... 1997

My Fellow Americans

Rita ( Actor )

... 1996

How to Make an American Quilt

Aunt Pauline ( Actor )

... 1995

... 1993

Message from Nam

Queenie / Elizabeth McQueen ( Actor )

... 1993

House of Cards

Adelle ( Actor )

... 1993

Color Adjustment

Self ( Actor )

... 1992

Cape Fear

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

... 1991

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

Esther Clayton ( Actor )

... 1990

Age-Old Friends

Mrs. Baker ( Actor )

... 1989

Driving Miss Daisy

Idella ( Actor )

... 1989

The Mighty Quinn

Ubu Pearl ( Actor )

... 1989

A Raisin in the Sun

Lena 'Mama' Younger ( Actor )

... 1989

P.K. and the Kid

Mim ( Actor )

... 1987

Ethnic Notions

Narrator ( Actor )

... 1986

... 1982

See China and Die

Momma Sykes ( Actor )

... 1981

... 1979

... 1978

Cleopatra Jones

Mrs. Johnson ( Actor )

... 1973

Don't Play Us Cheap

Miss Maybell ( Actor )

... 1972

... 1971

Up the Down Staircase

Teacher ( Actor )

... 1967

Nothing But a Man

Church Woman ( Actor )

... 1964