- Born
- Died
- Birth nameEsther Elizabeth Rolle
- Best known for the role of Florida Evans on the 1970s sitcoms Maude (1972) and Good Times (1974), African-American actress Esther Rolle proved to be as spirited and iron-willed off-camera as well. The gap-toothed actress with the gravelly voice was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, the 10th child of 18 born to Caribbean farming immigrants. Her first important work came with the Negro Ensemble Company and over the years would earn a solid careworn reputation in such theater plays as "The Blacks", "Blues for Mister Charlie", "The Amen Corner", "A Raisin in the Sun" and "A Member of the Wedding". Ironically, her father insisted she promise him that she would never become a servant or maid in real life. She didn't, and however Esther would have her biggest successes playing just those types of roles. She caught the attention of television producer Norman Lear while performing on stage who cast her in the Maude (1972) supporting role in 1972. Audiences loved her so much as the feisty domestic who stood her ground, and then some, against her volatile and liberal-minded employer Maude Findley (Bea Arthur), that Esther earned her own spin-off series with Good Times (1974). Compelled to fight racial stereotypes, she insisted before accepting the series that a strong father figure be central in the show (actor John Amos). And while she still played the role of a lower middle-class maid, the show's emphasis was to be on her home and family life, not her outside work. Still, Esther left the show for one season when she was unhappy about the negative role model perpetuated by Jimmie 'JJ' Walker's jive-talking character J.J., but later returned after the producers assured her that more responsibility would be taken. In other assignments, she won an Emmy Award for the television movie Summer of My German Soldier (1978) and gained further respect for her work in Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1979) and for her film work in Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and Rosewood (1997). Two of her sisters, Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter, were also character actresses. Afflicted with diabetes, Esther's health failed in the 1990s and toward the end of her life she was on kidney dialysis. The actress, who was divorced and had no children, died nine days after her 78th birthday on November 17, 1998.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
- SpouseOscar Robinson(1955 - 1975) (divorced)
- ParentsJonathan RolleElizabeth Rolle
- RelativesEliza Evans(Niece or Nephew)Ella Evans(Niece or Nephew)Estella Evans(Niece or Nephew)Estelle Evans(Sibling)Rosanna Carter(Sibling)
- Deep gravelly voice
- Gap between her two front teeth
- Her role as Florida Evans on Good Times (1974)
- Just before her death, Rolle was reunited with Bea Arthur on RuPaul's VH-1 talk show, where Rolle was brought out to surprise Arthur. This was the first time they had seen each in over 25 years.
- Became the first woman to receive the NAACP Chairman's Civil Rights Leadership Award for helping raise the image of blacks.
- When Rolle received the lead role of Florida Evans on Good Times (1974), she insisted that the family be headed by a male figure.
- Her former Good Times (1974) co-star, BernNadette Stanis said in an interview that Rolle was a good role model for her and she became a better person because of this relationship.
- Her sisters Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter made guest-appearances on Good Times (1974), with Rolle.
- Black college-educated people got to where they are on the backs of domestic help, meaning their parents and grandparents. So people should not forget how they got to where they are.
- [on her insisting to the producers of Good Times (1974) that the show have a husband and father figure] I told them 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.
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