Why Esther Rolle Quit 'Good Times' - Here's Why

[TMC]

Famed actress Esther Rolle would make TV history with the cast of 'Good Times' in the mid-70s. Unfortunately after the shows 4th season, Rolle would leave the show. In a new 'Here's Why' we take a look as to why.

[BestTVever]

Nothing really new in this segment. Esther and John Amos were correct on many issues. However they were pretty arrogant people. Jimmie Walker reports they never spoke to him on set out of character. Walker could never understand the tension on the set since it was a successful show and felt confused why anyone would want to change anything since the show was successful.
I understand how Esther did not like the simple character of JJ. But Walker was hired as a comedian to provide those funny parts. No one imagined how he ended up becoming the star of the show. IMHO his "Dynomite" should have not been beat to death. Instead a compromise maybe every 6 shows or something. The show jumped the shark when the father was killed off. I thought the father brought some of the funniest moments being a tough role model. The irony of JJ never saying Dynomite after the father left is odd. They kept it in the script and Amos was pissed. When Amos left, it was removed from the script. It just made no sense.
Good Times was an incredible show. Showcasing a value based family living in the projects tacking all sorts of social issues while providing humor. Its a shame egos had to ruin it.

Note: Notice the segment called Good Times a Florida spin off of Maude

[DEH55]

Then JJ Walker went on to not talk to Janet Jackson out of character.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by TMC

Old news

[Yong Fang]

Jimmie Walker was the star of the show and Rolle and Amos were jealous of that, plain and simple. JJ was one of the main reasons why people, especially young people watched the show, so JJ got a lot of the lines in episodes. Sort of like The Fonz on Happy Days who took over that series because of his popularity.

JJ the character was a 1970's black teenager/young adult from a poor urban area. Hello! JJ was also very respectful of his parents, went to school and worked jobs and was a talented painter. He dated lots of girls and was "Kid Dynomite!"

There is an interview with Jimmie Walker on Youtube where he stated that he wasnt friends with anyone on his show, and that he didnt even have the phone numbers of Rolle or Amos or even spoke to them off the set. He mentioned about the daytime talk shows which would invite the cast of various shows to come on and he said there would be no way that the Good Times cast would have done that, because they were not friends, they did their job and went home.

Esther Rolle should have counted her blessings she had that show instead of being a pain.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Jimmie Walker was the star of the show and Rolle and Amos were jealous of that, plain and simple. JJ was one of the main reasons why people, especially young people watched the show, so JJ got a lot of the lines in episodes. Sort of like The Fonz on Happy Days who took over that series because of his popularity.

JJ the character was a 1970's black teenager/young adult from a poor urban area. Hello! JJ was also very respectful of his parents, went to school and worked jobs and was a talented painter. He dated lots of girls and was "Kid Dynomite!"

There is an interview with Jimmie Walker on Youtube where he stated that he wasnt friends with anyone on his show, and that he didnt even have the phone numbers of Rolle or Amos or even spoke to them off the set. He mentioned about the daytime talk shows which would invite the cast of various shows to come on and he said there would be no way that the Good Times cast would have done that, because they were not friends, they did their job and went home.

Esther Rolle should have counted her blessings she had that show instead of being a pain.

The show was created for her

[Janice Johnson]

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Jimmie Walker was the star of the show and Rolle and Amos were jealous of that, plain and simple. JJ was one of the main reasons why people, especially young people watched the show, so JJ got a lot of the lines in episodes. Sort of like The Fonz on Happy Days who took over that series because of his popularity.

JJ the character was a 1970's black teenager/young adult from a poor urban area. Hello! JJ was also very respectful of his parents, went to school and worked jobs and was a talented painter. He dated lots of girls and was "Kid Dynomite!"

There is an interview with Jimmie Walker on Youtube where he stated that he wasnt friends with anyone on his show, and that he didnt even have the phone numbers of Rolle or Amos or even spoke to them off the set. He mentioned about the daytime talk shows which would invite the cast of various shows to come on and he said there would be no way that the Good Times cast would have done that, because they were not friends, they did their job and went home.

Esther Rolle should have counted her blessings she had that show instead of being a pain.

I remember it being said that Bernadette Stanis said something like,"I was never interested in the Good Times drama. I was there to say my lines and go home. Not be involved in the Good Times drama. Smart Woman.