Thelma, a dancer. "Good Times" was one of the first African American family sitcoms to air. Amos thought that JJ was stereotyped as a stupid guy. As she was putting away dishes from the wake at their house, she saw a flower James had left her and kept working, she finally stopped and smashed a bowl on the kitchen floor as she swore and then broke down in tremendous grief over the loss of her husband. The show wasnt as good after he left. Big John, I got some good news and some bad news. To wit: The first time I saw this show was on my UPN (UPN Atlanta) and it currently airs weekdays at 11 PM. It made history as the first African American show with two parents and gathered a following of avid fans countrywide, so if Good Times had such a good reputation and following, why did one of the lead actors, John Amos, famous for playing James Evans Sr suddenly stop doing the show? It was too often for Norman and the other writers to accept. It was actually quite funny> All references in the show had to be "black". The way he was written out of the show was very abrupt. The acting veteran, whose credits also include Future Cop, Die Hard 2 and Two and a Half Men, says he feels relieved and proud that modern sitcoms such as black-ish, The Neighborhood and The Last O.G. Why Did John Amos Leave Good Times? Reason Behind It The secret is to be happy! The Real Reason John Amos Was Fired From Good Times. John Amos The Real Reason John Amos Was Fired From Good Times That wasnt very pleasant, as it was already said that he spoke those things in public when asked in an interview. Issa Rae and Shameik Moore Would Unalive Spiders Matthew Lawrence Shaquille ONeal Releasing New Hip-Hop Track to Celebrate NBA Playoffs, Elon Musk Announces Charging Option for Publishers on Twitter. But Good Times corrected that imagery with its crazy teenage kids, a studious son Michael, as portrayed by Ralph Carter, and a beautiful young daughter with unlimited mental potential, as portrayed by BernNadette Stanis as Thelma.. why did They didn't dwell on it. I realize everyone has their own opinion, but, I don't know . To receive additional updates, you can follow John on Instagram. She never had the chance to finish high school, because she wanted to help support her parents and she started working minimum wage jobs. And the differences I had with the producers of the show I felt too much emphasis was being put on J.J. and his chicken hat and saying dy-no-mite every third page, when just as much emphasis and mileage could have been gotten out of my other two children , Amos stated. James was the father figure everyone like,and he was always providing something for his family even though they was struggling through tough times,but they came through. What many dont realize is that John Amos was just about as shocked as Florida when he learned that he was no longer on the show. He also states that he wasnt the most diplomatic guy back then and producers got tired of having their lives threatened over jokes.. Because he was always butting heads with producers, his character was killed off which came as a shock to him. In an interview, Amos said that he felt the show was giving too much attention to one of his children on the show who was more interested in fooling around in a chicken hat when more emphasis could have been placed on his other two children who had ambitions of becoming a surgeon and Supreme Court Justice respectively. John Amos Says He Was Kicked Off Good Times Because He Didn John Amos Says He Was Kicked Off 'Good Times' Because He Didn't Agree With The Shucking And Jiving John Amos Explains Why He Was Kicked Off 'Good Times' By Brennan Williams Jun 5, 2015, 04:44 PM EDT | Updated Jun 5, 2015 A great show! It showed a Black family that had the same trials and tribulations as the rest of America, especially those who were financially challenged. You must have realised from the title alone that the sitcom only spreads good vibes to its audience. A movie career? If you didn't like the show, fine, but some of your reasons for disliking it are totally erroneous. | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 17C at 963 N.Gilbert Ave Housing Projects Chicago. She played his wife, matriarch Florida Evans, despite being 20 years his senior in real life. This is a good show steered by characters I like, of course, loose, fat lipped Jimmy Walker as J.J., as the strikingly brilliant artist, and too, fat maintenance man, Bookman, where Est her Rolle and John Amos, lend strong support as Mother and father team, Amos in particular, who sadly was kicked off the storm, while acting up a bit of the storm, off the set, where the quality of the show, kind of dropped, in the absence of his killed off character, as they went into the second season, where really it was up to J.J to carry it on. Roots, inspired by late author Alex Haleys novel of the same name, drew a record 36.4 million viewers and remains one of the most watched television events of all time. Common, Chicago wasn't all black! This funeral episode was excellent. Well, John Amos played the character of Back then, Amos was vocal about his issues with the show, and it seemed to have rubbed the shows creator, Norman Lear, the wrong way. Christine Paduch, a teacher, is detained on suspicion of abusing a student with special needs. I think the episode with the black Jesus was my favorite. John Amos Reveals How His Departure From 'Good Times' Went You get to learn a lot about the hardships of life. It concluded with Season 6, [] Although the producer wanted to get some words out of him, he didnt budge, he simply hung up and remained his same old recalcitrant self to the very end. What makes Good Times so awesome is that it defined the decade. His departure so soon caught everyone off guard. Michael, involved in legal/justice. I hope that this phenomenon continues until we are totally in absolute control of our own imagery, the Newark, New Jersey native divulges while comparing Good Times to its television descendants. But Good Times creator Norman Lear gave him a call to let him know that he would also be absent from Season 4. Thank God for reruns! I think JJ was a precursor to characters such as Horshack, Screech, Urkel, Rerun, etc. Her husband, James fought to get his family out of the ghetto, and he almost succeeded when he left Chicago to find a better job in his home State of Mississippi, and his family was scheduled to move to Mississippi with him, but while in Mississippi, James was killed in a car accident. Why Did John Amos Leave Good Times Yet why? The Real Reason John Amos Was Fired From Good Times Aaron Homer The 1970s represented a period of drastic changes in the TV landscape. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is one of the few shows that became just as big as its presider's. Everyone always gave a good performance, the production design was spectacular, the costumes were well-designed, and the writing was always very strong. It appears to be comparable. He felt that for a show with such an influence, black people did not have to be represented as clowns all the time when they had the power to be role models to the younger generation. Esther Rolle's departure from the show during the 19771978 season, the reason why she left was because she was unhappy that the success of Jimmie Walker's character J.J. Evans took the show in what she thought was a frivolous direction. I love everything he does, and to work with him day after day, for such an extended period of time, was a blessing. Another great aspect of the show was JJ and Thelma. "Movin' On Up" for The Jeffersons, of course. Why John Amos Was Fired From 'Good Times' - Here's Why Why did James(John Amos) leave the show? While he was eventually let go, he went on to bounce back with memorable roles in the original Roots miniseries, and later Coming to America. Man, I can't remember ever seeing a white guy in that show! Seems to me nowadays, the projects or ghetto life is romanticized (see BET videos or MTV videos), whereas the Evans family in "Good Times" was trying to get out and onto something better. I had to make a commitment, he said. In Amos eyes, Good Times had too much shucking and jiving, which was something he couldnt take anymore. He stuck to his guns, and it eventually got him fired. There were a lot of behind the scenes issues, which led to cast members leaving the show. He depicted a strong father figure-something likely missing in many people's lives. In the season finale, Esther Rolle returned; did he do the same? We watched Janet Jackson's Penny grow up a little. What I do know is that when Janet Jackson, Bookman, and that annoying neighbor Willona; Miss Big Mouth, I'm beautiful, took over, this show was lost forever(but I did like sweet daddy). It was then that Lear told him that they were being picked up for another season, which wasnt a surprise to Amos. FLAMIO. Florida Evans For instance: Every book report had to be about black history, every movie had to involve black people, every politition had to be black, the list went on and on. Created by Norman Lear as a spin off from "Maude" (Which itself was a spin off from "All In The Family"), the show focused on the Evans Family, consisting of Florida (Esther Rolle)and James (John Amos), the heads of the household, trying to survive in the projects of Chicago. The next day, that guy was gone never to be seen again. Throughout those times, many African American families consisted of a single mom with numerous kids. | America and the world got to see what life could be like within a Black family on Good Times, Amos shares. I certainly hope that the phrase "Kid Dynamite" will come back into common usage some day. An interesting comedy series about a poor black family trying to make ends meet and make a better life in the projects of Chicago. Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson in Chicago: We do not support that behavior.. Pay Property Tax Before April 30; You Can Receive a $5,000 Rebate: GCC. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); WHO WE AREThe news you want unfiltered.The Electronic Urban Report/EUR puts the most buzz worthy African American news at your fingertips. This show was excellent. Dave Chappelle gets his message across but doesnt offend people who dont need to be offended, Amos opines. The 1970s represented a period of drastic changes in the TV landscape. Why PMC Entertainment. I don't think a movie or a new show would work. The movie also reunited him with his Roots costar, the late Madge Sinclair, who played Bell, the wife of his character, adult Kunta Kinte. We all loved JJ's dynamite and his antics. The show ended with Season 6, and recently, people have expressed concern about John Amos departure. John Amos discusses why he stopped doing Good Times - YouTube It was one of the most realistic shows ever about the black experience in America,and a product of 1970's TV culture of what the black family was going through. I'm getting emotional, too! Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. JJ is about to insult her, but he breaks down and tells her he'll miss her. I'm sure a lot of even the most liberal thinking people have no conception of the fact that the help which was what Florida was go home to a whole different world. Rolle quit when her contract concluded. The actor was never afraid to express his thoughts on writing. Did the actor and the cast have a falling out? It's not an overly funny show, but does has some good hearty chuckle moments. Amos, 80, recalls that one of the best perks of his West Wing tenure was meeting former Secretary of State Colin Powell. The truth of it is, when I started acting, I never thought I would live this long, much less be an actor, the 82-year-old tells TVLine with a chuckle. Without being to preachy, The Evans always tried to do the right thing rather than do something wrong to get out of the ghetto. Esther Rolle has played her role of her. But Amos adds that he wants the course correction to keep going. They make The Jefferson's look really sickly rich. Id want to send John Amos my warmest wishes for the remainder of his days. Some of the people who star in the series like cast regulars Jimmie Walker(J.J. And it made me laugh! Because of his strong beliefs, John Amos was fired from Good Times. Many other stars have faced similar situations with producers who simply want to be blindly obeyed, but with actors and actresses getting a stronger voice these days, we can only hope that the same fate that befell the character of Mr. James Evans, does not happen to some of our current unproblematic and beloved TV stars. After three seasons of fighting with executive producer Norman Lear and the CBS sitcoms white writers about the stereotypical Black portrayals and dialogue the show perpetuated, particularly when it came to star Jimmie Walker, Amos contract to play patriarch James Evans wasnt renewed at the end of Season 3 in 1976 and his character was killed off. When "Good Times" premiered in 1974, it was one the first black family sitcoms. When many people think about the most memorable John Amos - Wikipedia In that way, Amos observes, Good Times and Roots had more in common than him. GT is very family themed, illustrating how family is so important, amidst difficulties and hardships, especially when they lose one of their own, and such a great actor too. Actually I loved the intro and ending to each show; the painting at the end, the camera sky-views of Chicago, the theme music, the bike rider and citizens. In conclusion, even though it can be seen on TV Land now, I strongly recommend you catch it just in case it goes off the air for good. We got to see them experience a few good times. Very cool. Running from 1974 to 1979, Good Times followed the Evans family as they navigate the daily woes of life in addition to their own particular family dynamics and the hardships of poverty. What was it? The gospelish theme song and title sequences shown over inner-city Chicago only added to the realism. On Good Times, she appears in 109 of the 133 episodes in Seasons 1 through 4 and then returns in Season 6 after Carl died of lung cancer at the end of Season 4, in the episode "Love Has a Spot on His Lung: Part 2", the season finale. Aids wiped him out not long ago. John Amos Explains Why He Was Kicked Off 'Good Times' Humperdink! His departure so soon caught everyone off guard. Claim: Actor John Amos died from a heart attack on 28 December 2016. Like The Jeffersons, Good Times was one of the those classic American sitcoms which was never aired in the UK, not to mention it came out in the 1970s- a decade where of which I wasn't born yet. Stimulus Check Proposal Could Give Americans Monthly $1,200 Checks. Yes, we are talking about the sitcom and his sudden departure. This show, to me reflected on the good side of poverty. A real true cut of reality, and it' cuts deep, which carries more weight, than many other black themed comedies, making this one especial, where the lives of the Evans, demand your attentiveness, as does the shows title song's lyrics. I first saw the reruns once our local WB affiliate took off the weekday morning reruns of Happy Days and began airing this instead. When Florida was pregnant with their third child, Michael, they moved to the North Side of Chicago in the Housing Projects. After decades of *If you are a fan of 70s sitcoms then you definitely enjoyed the show Good Times. The hilarious TV show aired in the mid 70s for 6 whole seasons before it ended. Speaking of theme songs, Ja'net DuBois (neighbor Willona) co-wrote and sang another truly memorable one during this time. John Amos Thelma was an attractive, bright girl who was constantly trading insults with J.J. Michael was a near child prodigy who was well-educated on social issues and was destined to become a lawyer. Law. They are all great shows. Drop your thoughts in the comments and click hereto check out all of our special Shades of Funny coverage dedicated to Black comedy trailblazers and rising stars. Web2 2.Why Esther Rolle Quit Good Times Heres Why YouTube; 3 3.45 Years Ago: Esther Rolle Takes a Stand by Leaving Good Times 4 4.John Amos Reveals How Departure From Good Times Went Down; 5 5.Did John Amos Leave Good Times Because of J.J. Evans? If you got past all the stereotypes, you would notice that many of the episodes discussed issues that are just as relevant today as they were back then. This affected the quality in later years. He was let go. Getting fired from Good Times is one of the best things that could have ever happened to John Amos. Issues such as gun control, teen pregnancy, v.d., gangs and teen suicide. The reason I like the show is that of John Amos'character of James Evans. Regarding John Amos, he has acted in many movies and TV shows, including Me Time, Maude, Shadowboxing, The Ranch, All About The Andersons, The Righteous Gemstones, and many others. She starts to cry. Most importantly it had a black family that stuck together through thick and thin. It seemed as if every other season, fiesty neighbor and friend Willona, always received the same promotion on her job. John Amos looks back at The Mary Tyler Moore Show They are really what made Good Times GoodTimes. All Rights Reserved. As of 15 January 2018, Amos was still with us and posting on social media: While the news about Amos alleged demise originated on a disreputable web site, many viewers may have readily accepted it as true at the time due to a perceived increase in celebrity deaths during 2016. We have a low bullst threshold in New Jersey. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, Good Times is a sitcom that made its debut in 1974 on CBS. It is a crime that John Amos never received an Emmy nomination for his role on this show. No. ABCs Live in Front of a Studio Audience promised to be full of surprises while bringing back to life Good Times and All in the Family. They had three kids: J.J., Thelma, and Michael. They argued all the time, but they loved the hell out of each other. Looking back on both experiences, just before Black History Month comes to a close, Amos says hes proud he was a part of both small-screen offerings because their historical impacts can still be felt today. My husband and I enjoy this movie so much, we began our wedding ceremony with quotes from this movie. He worked hard. Additionally, he used to assert that in practice, he wouldnt permit his kids to do that. The creators soon became irate over these variances. John Amos Reveals How His Departure From 'Good Times' Went Everybody had afros, went rollerskating, danced around a disco, and had platform shoes. Good Times was a groundbreaking comedy about the first nuclear black family living in the Chicago projects. A disruptive factor Good Times Actually, that was not the case as the show certainly lacked some personality after his exit and many viewers just could not cope with the void his absence left. Despite the fact that I've never seen every episode, I still enjoy it. Amos J.J. was the skirt-chasing but well-meaning teenage son who made up for his lack of subtlety with artistic talent. I remember when it came back on t.v. Not only is Florida the superwoman of the Evans household, but for many - including her good friend and neighbor, Willona - she's the superhero of her housing project on the North Side of Chicago. He referred to himself as the disruptive element as well. There's no denying the shows impact, it still holds, after forty years. From 1974 to 1976, John Amos touched millions of lives as the iconic patriarch James Evans, Sr., on Good Times until he was unceremoniously dumped from the cast midway through its run. Despite the story behind the scenes, this show was worth keeping on the air except I didn't like them killing off the father which I agreed with Esther Rolle who fought hard to keep the family together. I don't find it stereotypical or shuckin'/jivin' at all. What I liked about this show over Sanford and Son was that whites weren't portrayed as idiots, like some stupid attack against shows in the past that put blacks in an Aunt Jemima mode, please! The entertainer admits that he wasnt the most JJ wanted to be an artists. FAQ Good Times is a spin-off of a spin-off: this spun-off of Maude and Maude spun-off of All in the Family.

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