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Esther Rolle

Esther Rolle

Actor

Born November 8, 1920 in Pompano Beach, Florida USA

Died November 17, 1998

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Biography

Esther Elizabeth Rolle 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.

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1 wins and 2 nominations

Esther Rolle Photos

Filmography

Actor

82

Type

Year

Gary Feature Film2024Self - Actress

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You Poster

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You Documentary2016Self

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Poster

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Documentary2004

TV's Greatest Sidekicks TV Special2004

Train Ride Poster

Train Ride Feature Film2000Dean of students

The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Poster

The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards TV Special1999Self - Memorial Tribute

The 71st Annual Academy Awards Poster

The 71st Annual Academy Awards TV Special1999Self - Memorial Tribute

Down in the Delta Poster

Down in the Delta Feature Film1998Annie

Rosewood Poster

Rosewood Feature Film1997Aunt Sarah

The RuPaul Show Poster

The RuPaul Show TV Series1997Self

My Fellow Americans Poster

My Fellow Americans Feature Film1996Rita

Poltergeist: The Legacy Poster

Poltergeist: The Legacy TV Series1996Grandma Rose

Promised Land Poster

Promised Land TV Series1996Mary Harding

How to Make an American Quilt Poster

How to Make an American Quilt Feature Film1995Aunt Pauline

Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West Documentary1995Clara Brown

Scarlett Poster

Scarlett Mini-Series1994Mammy

Touched by an Angel Poster

Touched by an Angel TV Series1994Mary Harding

House of Cards Poster

House of Cards Feature Film1993Adelle

Message from Nam Poster

Message from Nam TV Movie1993Queenie

To Dance with the White Dog Poster

To Dance with the White Dog TV Movie1993Neelie

Color Adjustment Poster

Color Adjustment Documentary1992Self

Blackbird Fly Short Film1991

Cape Fear Poster

Cape Fear Feature Film1991Woman Watching Cady Get Out from Under the Car

22nd NAACP Image Awards Poster

22nd NAACP Image Awards TV Special1990Self

Singer & Sons TV Series1990Sarah Patterson

The 11th Annual Black Achievement Awards Poster

The 11th Annual Black Achievement Awards TV Special1990Self

The Kid Who Loved Christmas Poster

The Kid Who Loved Christmas TV Movie1990Esther Clayton

Age-Old Friends Poster

Age-Old Friends TV Movie1989Mrs. Baker

Driving Miss Daisy Poster

Driving Miss Daisy Feature Film1989Idella

The Mighty Quinn Poster

The Mighty Quinn Feature Film1989Ubu Pearl

P.K. and the Kid Poster

P.K. and the Kid Feature Film1987Mim

Ethnic Notions Poster

Ethnic Notions Documentary1986Narrator

American Masters Poster

American Masters TV Series1985Self

The 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Poster

The 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards TV Special1985Self - Performer

The Grand Baby TV Movie1985Momma

Finder of Lost Loves Poster

Finder of Lost Loves TV Series1984Nellie

Murder, She Wrote Poster

Murder, She Wrote TV Series1984Margaret

The 1st TV Academy Hall of Fame Poster

The 1st TV Academy Hall of Fame Feature Film1984Florida Evans

The New Mike Hammer Poster

The New Mike Hammer TV Series1984Viola Green

American Playhouse Poster

American Playhouse TV Series1982Lena 'Mama' Younger

Ebony/Jet Showcase Poster

Ebony/Jet Showcase TV Series1982Self

The New Odd Couple Poster

The New Odd Couple TV Series1982Ms. Gibbs

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Poster

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet TV Movie1982Nurse

Darkroom Poster

Darkroom TV Series1981Grandmother

See China and Die Poster

See China and Die TV Movie1981Momma Sykes

Flamingo Road Poster

Flamingo Road TV Series1980Julia

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Poster

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings TV Movie1979Momma

The 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards TV Special1979Self - Winner

CBS: On the Air Mini-Series19781 episode, 1978

Summer of My German Soldier Poster

Summer of My German Soldier TV Movie1978Ruth

The 1st Annual Black Achievement Awards Poster

The 1st Annual Black Achievement Awards TV Special1978Self

88th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade TV Special1977Self - CBS Hostess

Fantasy Island Poster

Fantasy Island TV Series1977Mama

The Incredible Hulk Poster

The Incredible Hulk TV Series1977Colleen Jensen

The Love Boat Poster

The Love Boat TV Series1977Judge Kramer

Winners TV Series1977Shenendoah Griffin

The 33rd Annual Golden Globe Awards Poster

The 33rd Annual Golden Globe Awards TV Special1976Self - Presenter

Donny and Marie Poster

Donny and Marie TV Series1975Self

Match Game PM Poster

Match Game PM TV Series1975Self - Panelist

Sammy and Company Poster

Sammy and Company TV Series1975Self

The 32nd Annual Golden Globe Awards TV Special1975Self

Bicentennial Minutes Poster

Bicentennial Minutes TV Series1974Self - Narrator

Celebrity Sweepstakes Poster

Celebrity Sweepstakes TV Series1974Self

Dinah! TV Series1974Self

Good Times Poster

Good Times TV Series1974Florida Evans

The 28th Annual Tony Awards TV Special1974Self - Presenter

Tony Orlando and Dawn Poster

Tony Orlando and Dawn TV Series1974Self

Cleopatra Jones Poster

Cleopatra Jones Feature Film1973Mrs. Johnson

Match Game Poster

Match Game TV Series1973Self - Panelist

Don't Play Us Cheap Poster

Don't Play Us Cheap Feature Film1972Miss Maybell

Maude TV Series1972Florida Evans

Day of Absence TV Movie1971Clubwoman

The Hollywood Squares (Syndication) TV Series1971Self - Panelist

Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! Poster

Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! Feature Film1971Maid

The Bold Ones: The Senator Poster

The Bold Ones: The Senator TV Series1970Black Woman

One Life to Live Poster

One Life to Live TV Series1968Sadie Gray #2

N.Y.P.D. Poster

N.Y.P.D. TV Series1967The Nurse

Up the Down Staircase Poster

Up the Down Staircase Feature Film1967Teacher

Nothing But a Man Poster

Nothing But a Man Feature Film1964Church Woman

The Merv Griffin Show Poster

The Merv Griffin Show TV Series1962Self

The Mike Douglas Show Poster

The Mike Douglas Show TV Series1961Self - Actress

Sammy LaBella: The Real Skip E. Lowe Poster

Sammy LaBella: The Real Skip E. Lowe Feature FilmSelf

Thanks

1

Down in the Delta Poster

Down in the Delta Feature Film1998

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