Question About Florida and James - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AtlantaBravesFan29 · 03-24-2003, 10:43 AM

I have a question that boggles me. One, Florida worked as a maid for Maude in New York City and also John Amos appeared in the 1973 season as Florida's husband,only that he called Henry instead of James.
My question is this: Why did they move to Chicago??? Didn't Maude pay Florida enough for Florida and James and the kids to get by on??? Also did they have their own house on Maude??? I have never seen very many Maude episodes,so just wondered why that happened.

PracTz · 03-24-2003, 11:42 AM

OK, on 'Maude' James was named Henry and a fireman and they did have (unseen) children mentioned in passing and they lived in NYC but AFAIK, they scrapped all this by the GT premiere. Florida's husband was now named James and he was no longer a fireman but a man who did a ton of odd jobs to keep his family's heads above water. .. and, while there was an odd reference or two to Florida having been a maid [but not who she worked for], there was NEVER any reference to them having recently moved to Chicago. .or even having ever lived in NYC- and before too long it became established that they'd ALWAYS lived in Chicago- at least as long as Florida and James had been married. I guess they were trying to get the show to stand on its own without any ties to 'Maude' whatsover.
Curiously, though, there were references to being linked with the 'All in the Family' circle (and the Bunkers) on 'Maude' and 'The Jeffersons' (and AitF being linked to those characters), yet apart from a single appearance by Louise Jefferson on AitF, there were never any crossover episodes once the shows had spun off! Does this help?

AtlantaBravesFan29 · 03-24-2003, 11:45 AM

Yes,thanks,Practz!!!

TVFactFan · 03-24-2003, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PracTz
OK, on 'Maude' James was named Henry and a fireman and they did have (unseen) children mentioned in passing and they lived in NYC but AFAIK, they scrapped all this by the GT premiere. Florida's husband was now named James and he was no longer a fireman but a man who did a ton of odd jobs to keep his family's heads above water. .. and, while there was an odd reference or two to Florida having been a maid [but not who she worked for], there was NEVER any reference to them having recently moved to Chicago. .or even having ever lived in NYC- and before too long it became established that they'd ALWAYS lived in Chicago- at least as long as Florida and James had been married. I guess they were trying to get the show to stand on its own without any ties to 'Maude' whatsover.
Curiously, though, there were references to being linked with the 'All in the Family' circle (and the Bunkers) on 'Maude' and 'The Jeffersons' (and AitF being linked to those characters), yet apart from a single appearance by Louise Jefferson on AitF, there were never any crossover episodes once the shows had spun off! Does this help?

That's why Good Times was the strangest spinoff in Sitcom history. A spinoff i thought was supposed to refer to the parent show by statements or crossover episode. So Florida did mention she was a maid on Good Times but Maude's name was never mentioned. Also i would have loved to see Archie and Edith visit the Jeffersons. Couldn;t you see Archie saying-"This is a nice place you have here Jefferson"

PracTz · 03-25-2003, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON

That's why Good Times was the strangest spinoff in Sitcom history. A spinoff i thought was supposed to refer to the parent show by statements or crossover episode.

I agree but I guess Norman Lear didn't!

So Florida did mention she was a maid on Good Times but Maude's name was never mentioned.

In the first few early episodes, I recall her doing so but no employers were mentioned. .and it was more in passing like she had been one but James loved her SO much that he was busting his backside so she'd NEVER have to do that again and she was adjusting to being a SAHM mom and homemaker!

Also i would have loved to see Archie and Edith visit the Jeffersons. Couldn;t you see Archie saying-"This is a nice place you have here Jefferson"

Yeah, that wouldda been funny but even if the Bunkers DID go to Chicago why would Archie go visit Edith's cousin's ex-maid's family- and the cousin he most despised to boot? Maybe it might have worked better had Florida turned out to be Louise Jefferson's distant cousin or perhaps somehow knew George's nephew [played by Gary Coleman] and bumped into the Jeffersons via those ways. .and all of them somehow bumped into the Bunkers!

PracTz · 03-25-2003, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BravesFan712002
Yes,thanks,Practz!!!

Your welcome! No problem!

TVFactFan · 03-25-2003, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PracTz

Yeah, that wouldda been funny but even if the Bunkers DID go to Chicago why would Archie go visit Edith's cousin's ex-maid's family- and the cousin he most despised to boot? Maybe it might have worked better had Florida turned out to be Louise Jefferson's distant cousin or perhaps somehow knew George's nephew [played by Gary Coleman] and bumped into the Jeffersons via those ways. .and all of them somehow bumped into the Bunkers!

I didn't say Archie visting Chicago, I step out of the Good times topic and said it would have been nice to see Edith and Archie visit the Jeffersons at their new place in New York City. Of course Edith would have dragged Archie along. And i could see archie saying to George_"Nice place you have here Jefferson."

AtlantaBravesFan29 · 03-25-2003, 07:12 PM

Those Gary Coleman episodes I love a lot before he went on Different Strokes. I remember the one with him on Good Times,and especially the one with George on the Jeffersons where he was giving him a hard time.

Morris03 · 03-26-2003, 08:23 PM

Yes, he also played "Gary" in some episodes with Penny aka Janet Jackson...he was a trip, real rude, but funny. The episode with Florida going for that bus drivers job against Alderman Davis's neice was funny, he scared her off and after she tried to introduce herself....... "Hi Gary, i just might be your brand new bus driver"...Gary says "Bus driver you might be, but brand new you aint", now that is always funny.

03-24-2003, 10:43 AM	#1
AtlantaBravesFan29 Atlanta Braves Fan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2002 Location: Pleasanton,TX--40 Miles South Of San Antonio Posts: 1,859	Question About Florida and James I have a question that boggles me. One, Florida worked as a maid for Maude in New York City and also John Amos appeared in the 1973 season as Florida's husband,only that he called Henry instead of James. My question is this: Why did they move to Chicago??? Didn't Maude pay Florida enough for Florida and James and the kids to get by on??? Also did they have their own house on Maude??? I have never seen very many Maude episodes,so just wondered why that happened.

03-26-2003, 08:23 PM	#9
Morris03 Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Mar 17, 2003 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 4	Gary Coleman Yes, he also played "Gary" in some episodes with Penny aka Janet Jackson...he was a trip, real rude, but funny. The episode with Florida going for that bus drivers job against Alderman Davis's neice was funny, he scared her off and after she tried to introduce herself....... "Hi Gary, i just might be your brand new bus driver"...Gary says "Bus driver you might be, but brand new you aint", now that is always funny.
	__________________ Lisa

03-24-2003, 11:42 AM	#2
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	OK, on 'Maude' James was named Henry and a fireman and they did have (unseen) children mentioned in passing and they lived in NYC but AFAIK, they scrapped all this by the GT premiere. Florida's husband was now named James and he was no longer a fireman but a man who did a ton of odd jobs to keep his family's heads above water. .. and, while there was an odd reference or two to Florida having been a maid [but not who she worked for], there was NEVER any reference to them having recently moved to Chicago. .or even having ever lived in NYC- and before too long it became established that they'd ALWAYS lived in Chicago- at least as long as Florida and James had been married. I guess they were trying to get the show to stand on its own without any ties to 'Maude' whatsover. Curiously, though, there were references to being linked with the 'All in the Family' circle (and the Bunkers) on 'Maude' and 'The Jeffersons' (and AitF being linked to those characters), yet apart from a single appearance by Louise Jefferson on AitF, there were never any crossover episodes once the shows had spun off! Does this help?

03-24-2003, 11:45 AM	#3
AtlantaBravesFan29 Atlanta Braves Fan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2002 Location: Pleasanton,TX--40 Miles South Of San Antonio Posts: 1,859	Yes,thanks,Practz!!!

03-25-2003, 07:12 PM	#8
AtlantaBravesFan29 Atlanta Braves Fan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2002 Location: Pleasanton,TX--40 Miles South Of San Antonio Posts: 1,859	Those Gary Coleman episodes I love a lot before he went on Different Strokes. I remember the one with him on Good Times,and especially the one with George on the Jeffersons where he was giving him a hard time.