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Esther Rolle (1920–1998)


Affectionately known for the role of outspoken maid Florida Evans on the hit 70s sitcoms "Maude" and "Good Times," African-American actress Esther Rolle proved to be as spirited and iron-willed off-camera as well. The gap-toothed, rather plumpish and plain-looking actress with the gravelly voice was born in Pompano Beach... See full bio »

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Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations See more awards »

Known For


Filmography

Hide HideActress (43 titles)
2000 Train Ride
Dean of Students
 
1998 Down in the Delta
Annie Sinclair
 
1998 Poltergeist: The Legacy (TV series)
Grandma Rose
La Belle Dame Sans Merci (1998) … Grandma Rose
 
1996-1997 Touched by an Angel (TV series)
Mary Harding / Mary
Amazing Grace: Part 2 (1997) … Mary Harding
Amazing Grace: Part 1 (1997) … Mary Harding
Promised Land (1996) … Mary
 
1997 Rosewood
Aunt Sarah
 
1996 My Fellow Americans
Rita
 
1995 How to Make an American Quilt
Aunt Pauline
 
1994 Scarlett (TV mini-series)
Mammy
Episode #1.1 (1994) … Mammy
 
1993 To Dance with the White Dog (TV movie)
Neelie
 
1993 Message from Nam (TV movie)
Queenie/Elizabeth McQueen
 
1993 House of Cards
Adelle
 
1991 Blackbird Fly (short)
 
1990 Singer & Sons (TV series)
Sarah Patterson
Our's Not to Reason Why Shmy (1990) … Sarah Patterson
Once Bitten (1990) … Sarah Patterson
The Boxer Rebellion (1990) … Sarah Patterson
Two Sons for Singer (1990) … Sarah Patterson
 
1990 The Kid Who Loved Christmas (TV movie)
Esther Clayton
 
1989 Age-Old Friends (TV movie)
Mrs. Baker
 
1989 The Mighty Quinn
Ubu Pearl
 
1989 American Playhouse (TV series)
Lena 'Mama' Younger
 
1987 P.K. and the Kid
Mim
 
1985 Murder, She Wrote (TV series)
Margaret
Reflections of the Mind (1985) … Margaret
 
1983-1985 The Love Boat (TV series)
Judge Kramer / Lillian Randolph
 
1985 The New Mike Hammer (TV series)
Viola Green
Deadly Reunion (1985) … Viola Green
 
1984 Finder of Lost Loves (TV series)
Nellie
Goodbye, Sara (1984) … Nellie
 
1983 Fantasy Island (TV series)
Mama
 
1982 The New Odd Couple (TV series)
Mrs. Gibbs
The Ides of April (1982) … Mrs. Gibbs
 
1982 Flamingo Road (TV series)
Julia
The Harder They Fall (1982) … Julia
The Bad and the Beautiful (1982) … Julia
The High and the Mighty (1982) … Julia
 
1981 Darkroom (TV series)
Grandmother / Old Woman
Needlepoint (1981) … Grandmother/Old Woman
 
1981 See China and Die (TV movie)
Momma Sykes
 
1979 The Incredible Hulk (TV series)
Colleen Jensen
Behind the Wheel (1979) … Colleen Jensen
 
1974-1979 Good Times (TV series)
Florida Evans
The Physical (1979) … Florida Evans
J.J. and T.C. (1979) … Florida Evans (credit only)
 
1979 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (TV movie)
Momma
 
1978 Summer of My German Soldier (TV movie)
Ruth
 
1972-1974 Maude (TV series)
Florida Evans
The Wallet (1974) … Florida Evans
Maude's Guest (1974) … Florida Evans
 
1973 Cleopatra Jones
Mrs. Johnson
 
1973 Don't Play Us Cheap
Miss Maybell
 
1972 Every Little Crook and Nanny
Prospective Nanny (uncredited)
 
1971 One Life to Live (TV series)
Sadie Gray #2
 
1971 The Bold Ones: The Senator (TV series)
Black Woman
A Single Blow of a Sword (1971) … Black Woman
 
1967 Up the Down Staircase
Teacher (uncredited)
 
1964 Nothing But a Man
Church Woman
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (1 title)
1974-1978 Good Times (TV series)
The Traveling Christmas (1978) (performer: "Steam Heat" - uncredited)
Florida's Night Out (1976) (performer: "I Could Have Danced All Night" - uncredited)
The Rent Party (1976) (performer: "Stop! In the Name of Love" - uncredited)
The TV Commercial (1974) (performer: "Fly Me to the Moon" - uncredited)
 
Show ShowThanks (1 title)
1998 Down in the Delta (dedicatee)
 
Show ShowSelf (17 titles)
1998 The RuPaul Show (TV series)
Herself
Episode dated 28 March 1998 (1998) … Herself
 
1995 Nobody's Girls: Five Women of the West (documentary)
Clara Brown
 
1992 Color Adjustment (documentary)
Herself
 
1990 The 11th Annual Black Achievement Awards (TV special)
Herself
 
1990 22nd NAACP Image Awards (TV special)
Herself
 
1986-1989 Ebony/Jet Showcase (TV series)
Herself
Episode dated 2 June 1989 (1989) … Herself
Episode dated 16 May 1986 (1986) … Herself
 
1986 Ethnic Notions (documentary)
Narrator
 
1985 The 37th Annual Emmy Awards (TV special)
Herself - Performer
 
1979 The 31st Annual Emmy Awards (TV special)
Herself - Winner: Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special
 
1978 The 1st Annual Black Achievement Awards (TV special)
Herself
 
1978 CBS: On the Air (TV mini-series documentary)
 
1976 Donny and Marie (TV series)
Herself
Episode #1.6 (1976) … Herself
 
1975 Celebrity Sweepstakes (TV series)
Herself
Episode dated 1 September 1975 (1975) … Herself
Episode dated 21 July 1975 (1975) … Herself
 
1975 Match Game PM (TV series)
Herself
Episode #1.12 (1975) … Herself
 
1975 Match Game 73 (TV series)
Herself - Panelist
Episode #3.228 (1975) … Herself - Panelist
 
1974 The 28th Annual Tony Awards (TV movie)
Herself - Presenter
 
1974 The Merv Griffin Show (TV series)
Herself
Episode dated 29 March 1974 (1974) … Herself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (6 titles)
2004 TV's Greatest Sidekicks (TV special)
 
2004 TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (video documentary)
 
2000 E! True Hollywood Story (TV series documentary)
 
1999 The 71st Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Herself - Memorial Tribute
 
1999 The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (TV special)
Herself - Memorial Tribute
 
1994 The American Experience (TV series documentary)
 

Related Videos

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Personal Details

Other Works:

(1958) Stage: Appeared with Shologa Olaba, an African-American dance troupe, in a revival of Asadata Dafora's "Zunguru". See more »
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

I told them [the producers] I couldn't compound the lie that Black fathers don't care about their children. I was proud of the family life I was able to introduce to television. - ER, referring to her show "Good Times" and her insistence on having a husband and father figure See more »

Trivia:

Last film was "Train Ride", an independent feature-film written and directed by Rel Dowdell, which was shot on location at the oldest African-American college in the U.S. at Cheyney University, Cheyney, Pennsylvania. She was also in Dowdell's multi-award winning short film version of "Train Ride", done while he was a graduate student at Boston University... See more »

Star Sign:

Scorpio