why did james eveans sr leavethe show?

why did james eveans sr leavethe show?
He was fired after he talked negatively abt the JJ character and the way the overall show was going. He gave an interview that the producer/creator didn't like.

He also had a big fight over his contract, I think that's the reason he was let go from the show. I don't know if talking badly about the character JJ had anything to do about it.

But who really knows, only John and Lear and some producers really know what happened.

He also had a big fight over his contract, I think that's the reason he was let go from the show. I don't know if talking badly about the character JJ had anything to do about it.

But who really knows, only John and Lear and some producers really know what happened.
John Amos did talk abt it. There were also articles abt that being the reason. The fight abt his contract was because of the things he said in the interview.

No one other then the people that I named really and truly know why he was fired and what happened. I think it's a combination of the two. I believe that if he could have worked out the whole contract thing, then he wouldn't have been fired.

Esther also did an interview and said almost the same thing that John said and wasn't fired. I personally believe the contract dispute is what did it.

Well, Retro would know. He researches all these things and besides, he is the one that stated the above thing i posted. I was just reiterating what he said. Others say the same thing. I recall even reading abt this very thing when it occurred. I read the actual article and the articles after he was fired. I don't have a copy but Soloman is working on it as we speak.

Well when he was fired I wasn't born or even thought of, I've read some things also. And I've seen him talk about it. Its just my personal opinion, If John was fired over an interview then Esther should have been fired also.

You have to remember that Norman Lear didn't even want a father on the show. So it was no big deal for him to easily get rid of him. He just needed a valid excuse.

Yeah I know, and that came back and bit him on the ass. You don't know what you have until it's gone, and I know he hated that he let John go.

Oh hell yeah, I missed John when he was gone. I like the episodes after his "death" but it wasn't the same. Norman got what he wanted, a fatherless black family, but then the ratings started to take a dive after that.

No one other then the people that I named really and truly know why he was fired and what happened. I think it's a combination of the two. I believe that if he could have worked out the whole contract thing, then he wouldn't have been fired.

Esther also did an interview and said almost the same thing that John said and wasn't fired. I personally believe the contract dispute is what did it.


John Amos had an interview by himself in a 1976 Ebony, which angered Norman Lear. Esther Rolle was not involved in that interview which is why she wasn;t fired

John Amos had an interview by himself in a 1976 Ebony, which angered Norman Lear. Esther Rolle was not involved in that interview which is why she wasn;t fired

If you reread my post, I never said that she did an interview with John. What I said was she did an interview with a magazine, either Jet or Ebony. And she said the same things that John said pretty much and she wasn't fired.

If your going to fire someone for something that another person did then they both should have been fired.

If you reread my post, I never said that she did an interview with John. What I said was she did an interview with a magazine, either Jet or Ebony. And she said the same things that John said pretty much and she wasn't fired.

If your going to fire someone for something that another person did then they both should have been fired.


What she said in 1975 Ebony was ok. What i'm trying to explain to you is we don;t know what John Amos said to get fired because I'm still searching for the 1976 magazine with his interview. I read what esther said in 1975 and apparently she didn't say the same things as john because she was still on the show. So that's is the current mystery we are talking about, what did joh say to get fired?

And if you read my above post I also said that no one really knows why John was fired, The real reason I mean. I believe he was fired over his contract, And he wanted more screen time. I could careless why he was fired, I know that the show went to Hell after he left.

The only people who really know why he was fired is Lear and John.

And if you read my above post I also said that no one really knows why John was fired, The real reason I mean. I believe he was fired over his contract, And he wanted more screen time. I could careless why he was fired, I know that the show went to Hell after he left.

The only people who really know why he was fired is Lear and John.


Right which is why I'm on the hunt for the 1976 ebony interview which will answer a lot of questions

Good Luck in finding it, I was at my aunts the other day and she had a lot of Jet and Ebony Magazines from the 70's and 80's, mostly from the 80's. I know one had a great article about Jackièe Harry, and she did an interview with Ebony and it talked about her depression when she was on 227. Anyway if I run across John's I'll let you know. Now I better get back to work before I get fired.

Good Luck in finding it, I was at my aunts the other day and she had a lot of Jet and Ebony Magazines from the 70's and 80's, mostly from the 80's. I know one had a great article about Jackièe Harry, and she did an interview with Ebony and it talked about her depression when she was on 227. Anyway if I run across John's I'll let you know. Now I better get back to work before I get fired.


You won;t run across john's because i haven't confirmed what issue it's in yet

You won;t run across john's because i haven't confirmed what issue it's in yet

LMAO you haven't comfirmed what issue?? I didn't know you wrote it LOL J/K What I said what, my aunt has like 3 stacks of Ebony Magazines and she has a box of Jet magazines that goes back to the 70's and a lot from the 80s and 90's. When I go back over to her house I can look through some of the magazines to see if she has anything about Good Times and to see if I can find John's article.

LMAO you haven't comfirmed what issue?? I didn't know you wrote it LOL J/K What I said what, my aunt has like 3 stacks of Ebony Magazines and she has a box of Jet magazines that goes back to the 70's and a lot from the 80s and 90's. When I go back over to her house I can look through some of the magazines to see if she has anything about Good Times and to see if I can find John's article.



Just make sure it's a 1976 Issue

You won;t run across john's because i haven't confirmed what issue it's in yet
Soloman, is there a way to email the magazine editors and request a copy from their archives or something? Just inquiring. Let us know.

I seriously doubt that they'll go and get the copy for anyone unless you're willing to pay big bucks for it.

I seriously doubt that they'll go and get the copy for anyone unless you're willing to pay big bucks for it.
Well, yeah Brieannas, I'd expect Soloman to ask them what the cost would be. I may not have made that clear in my post, but I know that Soloman knows that's what he would have to ask abt. He does alot of researching and knows his stuff, which is why I didn't say it in my post. He knows. Thanx.

Nope it's no way to get a copy that way. I tried that in 2002-lol

Awwwww shucks...well, you tried. What is your next plan regarding this article?

Awwwww shucks...well, you tried. What is your next plan regarding this article?



Well I just found out today it's not in the August 1976 Issue either. So these are the months it's narrowed down to

April 1976
May 1976
June 1976
July 1976


Of course it wouldn't be after August because the 4th season started in Sept and Amos was fired before the 4th season.

Well I just found out today it's not in the August 1976 Issue either. So these are the months it's narrowed down to

April 1976
May 1976
June 1976
July 1976


Of course it wouldn't be after August because the 4th season started in Sept and Amos was fired before the 4th season.
Great...I know you are trying your best...I got my fingers crossed...good luck.

I've read that it was in the August or September 1976 edition of Ebony

Do you think that it would've been better if they had some other actor play the role of James Evans like they did with Bewitched where another actor playing Darren,The Munsters where another actress played Marylin,Family Matters where another actress played Harriet and Fresh Prince where another actress played Vivianne?

I've read that it was in the August or September 1976 edition of Ebony


Well i just said that's it not in the August issue of 1976 so i know it's not that issue

Do you think that it would've been better if they had some other actor play the role of James Evans like they did with Bewitched where another actor playing Darren,The Munsters where another actress played Marylin,Family Matters where another actress played Harriet and Fresh Prince where another actress played Vivianne?



NO, it was always stupid to bring in another person to play a character when they could just write the character off.

the show probably would have been yanked sooner.