Good Times location change

[Will Dockery]

Here, from an archived thread, are some good explanations and theories why the location of the Evans family was switched from Harlem New York to Chicago. Seems simplier to spin this off into a new thread, as the earlier one is already so huge it is difficult to grasp or read through easily to get to the point, which is:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...p/t-47709.html

Jerry Allen wrote: "Esther Rolle's portrayal of Florida Evans on "Maude" and John Amos' role as her husband are the only things that "Good Times" needs to merit it a spin-off because Esther and John are playing the same people. On "Good Times" the producers and writers felt it would be better and more original to get Florida far away from "Maude" so they wouldn't fall into the trap so many spin-offs do and rely on the parent series to the extent of becoming a clone. this is why "Frasier is way up in Seattle but "Cheers" was in Boston and "Knots Landing" was in California and "Dallas" was in Texas. when you have a spin-off far away from the "parent", it'll kill any temptations for cross-overs because a spin-off is one of the hardest to sell because many can't find their own style and get axed because they lack originality or are too identical to the parent show. John Amos playing Henry on "Maude" but James on "Good Times" is no big deal. i guess his stage name was James Henry Evans? his name could've been Frank and it still not matter because it's Esther Rolle's CHARACTER that was spun-off from "Maude". she was the star of "Good Times" until Jimmy Walker took over top-billing..."

The examples of spin offs from Dallas and Cheers are good ones that put the change in Good Times in perspective.

W.J. Griffin again brings up some interesting points that Good Times brought other elements that were not exactly from the Florida Evans subplot on Maude, going back to the original concept of the series:

"...What I know for sure: When Eric Monte (he would later go on to write 'Cooley High', which was adapted for television as 'What's Happening?') and Micheal Evans (he had originated the role of Lionel Jefferson on 'All In The Family' and ITS spin-off, 'The Jeffersons') first presented Norman Lear with the idea for 'Good Times', it was a whole different concept from what eventually got on the air. It was Lear's idea to take one of the most popular performers on 'Maude', Esther Rolle's "Florida Evans" and build the show around her. So, yes, technically, 'Good Times' is indeed a spin-off of 'Maude'.

1.) The Evans family's name was obviously inspired by series creator Micheal (Indeed, Ralph Carter's character is his namesake), so I suspect that the show may have been somewhat autobiographical;

2.) You will notice in the closing credits for the first few seasons the line about Ralph Carter being "borrowed" from the stage musical "Raisin", which is, of course, the musical adaption of Lorrainne Hansbury's award-winning play "A Raisin In The Sun"...which shares a number of stuctural similarities with "Good Times" itself. Those of you who've seen the movie version with Sidney Potier and Ruby Dee will know what I mean;

3.) This show also exists in a strange turnaround in procedure from what Norman Lear's company usually did in accquiring its shows, i.e. adapting existing Britcoms for American consumption (All In The Family is adapted from "Til Death Us Do Part"; Sanford and Son is adapted from "Steptoe and Son", etc.) With "Good Times" the reverse is true: It was adapted by the BBC as "The Fosters", about an immmigrant Jamaican family living in London.

And so it goes...

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

Here, from an archived thread, are some good explanations and theories why the location of the Evans family was switched from Harlem New York to Chicago. Seems simplier to spin this off into a new thread, as the earlier one is already so huge it is difficult to grasp or read through easily to get to the point, which is:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...p/t-47709.html

Jerry Allen wrote: "Esther Rolle's portrayal of Florida Evans on "Maude" and John Amos' role as her husband are the only things that "Good Times" needs to merit it a spin-off because Esther and John are playing the same people. On "Good Times" the producers and writers felt it would be better and more original to get Florida far away from "Maude" so they wouldn't fall into the trap so many spin-offs do and rely on the parent series to the extent of becoming a clone. this is why "Frasier is way up in Seattle but "Cheers" was in Boston and "Knots Landing" was in California and "Dallas" was in Texas. when you have a spin-off far away from the "parent", it'll kill any temptations for cross-overs because a spin-off is one of the hardest to sell because many can't find their own style and get axed because they lack originality or are too identical to the parent show. John Amos playing Henry on "Maude" but James on "Good Times" is no big deal. i guess his stage name was James Henry Evans? his name could've been Frank and it still not matter because it's Esther Rolle's CHARACTER that was spun-off from "Maude". she was the star of "Good Times" until Jimmy Walker took over top-billing..."

The examples of spin offs from Dallas and Cheers are good ones that put the change in Good Times in perspective.

W.J. Griffin again brings up some interesting points that Good Times brought other elements that were not exactly from the Florida Evans subplot on Maude, going back to the original concept of the series:

"...What I know for sure: When Eric Monte (he would later go on to write 'Cooley High', which was adapted for television as 'What's Happening?') and Micheal Evans (he had originated the role of Lionel Jefferson on 'All In The Family' and ITS spin-off, 'The Jeffersons') first presented Norman Lear with the idea for 'Good Times', it was a whole different concept from what eventually got on the air. It was Lear's idea to take one of the most popular performers on 'Maude', Esther Rolle's "Florida Evans" and build the show around her. So, yes, technically, 'Good Times' is indeed a spin-off of 'Maude'.

1.) The Evans family's name was obviously inspired by series creator Micheal (Indeed, Ralph Carter's character is his namesake), so I suspect that the show may have been somewhat autobiographical;

2.) You will notice in the closing credits for the first few seasons the line about Ralph Carter being "borrowed" from the stage musical "Raisin", which is, of course, the musical adaption of Lorrainne Hansbury's award-winning play "A Raisin In The Sun"...which shares a number of stuctural similarities with "Good Times" itself. Those of you who've seen the movie version with Sidney Potier and Ruby Dee will know what I mean;

3.) This show also exists in a strange turnaround in procedure from what Norman Lear's company usually did in accquiring its shows, i.e. adapting existing Britcoms for American consumption (All In The Family is adapted from "Til Death Us Do Part"; Sanford and Son is adapted from "Steptoe and Son", etc.) With "Good Times" the reverse is true: It was adapted by the BBC as "The Fosters", about an immmigrant Jamaican family living in London.

And so it goes...

It still makes no sense because the Evans was poor on Good times and the wife was not working. On Maude the father and mother was working which means the shows are not connected and it's not a spinoff

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It still makes no sense because the Evans was poor on Good Times and the wife was not working. On Maude the father and mother was working which means the shows are not connected and it's not a spinoff

You really nailed it there, TVFF. There's no good reason Florida didn't just find another job similar to the one she had working for Maude.

[ThomasE]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It still makes no sense because the Evans was poor on Good times and the wife was not working. On Maude the father and mother was working which means the shows are not connected and it's not a spinoff

Well, you are entitled to your opinion...but we know what the majority says along with Norman Lear, the late Bea Arthur and the late Esther Rolle.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

Well, you are entitled to your opinion...but we know what the majority says along with Norman Lear, the late Bea Arthur and the late Esther Rolle.

What did Bea Arthur and Esther Rolle say about it? Are there interviews online?

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

What did Bea Arthur and Esther Rolle say about it? Are there interviews online?

It was a Norman Lear Comedy like One Day at a Time and Sanford and Son

[ThomasE]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

What did Bea Arthur and Esther Rolle say about it? Are there interviews online?

The Bea Arthur/Esther Rolle interview is not showing up on the youtube feed anymore. Bea Arthur appears on the RuPaul talk show in 1998. RuPaul surprises Bea with a surprise guest who happens to be her former Maude co-star Esther Rolle. The two are happy to see one another after so many years and then get into some logistics about how Good Times derived. It was a great interview and fun.

It was actually me who posted the link here on the board back in 2011 on September 15 when I went through older posts. LOL. However, the video was removed from the individual's youtube account due to copyright infringement but many of us watched it. Someone else posted it on the Maude board too, I believe.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

The Bea Arthur/Esther Rolle interview is not showing up on the youtube feed anymore. Bea Arthur appears on the RuPaul talk show in 1998. RuPaul surprises Bea with a surprise guest who happens to be her former Maude co-star Esther Rolle. The two are happy to see one another after so many years and then get into some logistics about how Good Times derived. It was a great interview and fun.

It was actually me who posted the link here on the board back in 2011 on September 15 when I went through older posts. LOL. However, the video was removed from the individual's youtube account due to copyright infringement but many of us watched it. Someone else posted it on the Maude board too, I believe.

I'd sure like to see that, or at least read the transcript!

[ThomasE]

Like I said, another member posted the link for youtube and I also posted it but the video had been removed. (Deep sigh) This interview aired about eight months roughly before Ms Rolle's passing away.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

Like I said, another member posted the link for youtube and I also posted it but the video had been removed. (Deep sigh) This interview aired about eight months roughly before Ms Rolle's passing away.

Yes, I looked around and it appears to be missing at present.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

The Bea Arthur/Esther Rolle interview is not showing up on the youtube feed anymore. Bea Arthur appears on the RuPaul talk show in 1998. RuPaul surprises Bea with a surprise guest who happens to be her former Maude co-star Esther Rolle. The two are happy to see one another after so many years and then get into some logistics about how Good Times derived. It was a great interview and fun.

It was actually me who posted the link here on the board back in 2011 on September 15 when I went through older posts. LOL. However, the video was removed from the individual's youtube account due to copyright infringement but many of us watched it. Someone else posted it on the Maude board too, I believe.

Now... two years later, has the interview re-appeared anywhere yet?

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It was a Norman Lear Comedy like One Day at a Time and Sanford and Son

Except that Florida Evans, one of the lead characters, was from Maude... the series she *spun off* from.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

Except that Florida Evans, one of the lead characters, was from Maude... the series she *spun off* from.

She wasn't spunoff, she was written off so she could star in a new type of comedy never seen before

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It still makes no sense because the Evans was poor on Good times and the wife was not working. On Maude the father and mother was working which means the shows are not connected and it's not a spinoff

It's strange because on Maude , Florida's husband was a fireman ,a good paying job and she worked as a maid! Seems like he would make enough that she wouldn't have to work. Esp.in the early 70's! On Good Times James had menial jobs and they were poor , Florida should have worked than!

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

It's strange because on Maude , Florida's husband was a fireman ,a good paying job and she worked as a maid! Seems like he would make enough that she wouldn't have to work. Esp.in the early 70's! On Good Times James had menial jobs and they were poor , Florida should have worked than!

Yup since she was a person in good health at the time