We may earn a commission from links on this page. I liked Good Times. This series is not only entertaining but instructive at the same time. With her stern, but loving disposition, Florida does her best to to give her often unemployed husband emotional support and be a good mother and role model for their three children. Then? Here are the explanations for John Amos departure from Good Times. He claimed that the sitcoms creative team demanded his departure because they could not stand that. 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. In 2014, Amos gave a lengthy interview with the Television Academy Foundation, during which he discussed his career and, in particular, his experiences on "Good Times" and the series of events that led to his firing. Part of the problem was that he didn't see eye to eye with the producers over the directions of the characters of his three children. While Amos doesnt mention Walker or his character JJ, his fond recollections do include the late Esther Rolle. Damn! I had the chance to portray a father on a situational comedy that so many Black fathers and men of all races could identify with and appreciate., Amos adds that up until that point, there had never been a complete Black family portrayed on television. John also revealed that he had shared creatively divergent ideas with the Good Times shows founders and producers. I'm getting emotional, too! Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Is Our TV Pick Of The Week, Small Town Horror Story: The Racist Attack Of A FedEx Worker. A disruptive factor Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, Good Times is a sitcom that made its debut in 1974 on CBS. When asked by Lear if he wanted to say something, he simply said no and hung up. This is one of my all time favorite shows. Due to proximate causes. Most of the early episodes focused on the parents, James and Florida Evans, and their struggle to provide for the family. Yet why? Micheal (the youngest of the Evans children) was always the militant of the family and always keeping the family together even after the mom(Florida played by Esther Rolle)had a emotional breakdown after James' funeral. But Good Times creator Norman Lear gave him a call to let him know that he would also be absent from Season 4. He is doing an excellent job in his roles, even at this young age. Q: I was wondering why networks dont show TV shows like Dynasty, Dallas, Knots Landing and L.A. It is a crime that John Amos never received an Emmy nomination for his role on this show. After repeated disagreements with the production staff, Amos was fired from the show. By Well, John Amos played the character of James Evans. Amos stated that during the shows hiatus, Lear called him. Some folks need bracing, as my uncle used to say. Some of the people who star in the series like cast regulars Jimmie Walker(J.J. She and JJ have one last hassle. America and the world got to see what life could be like within a Black family on Good Times, Amos shares. An explanation of the cause of death of the former mayor of EL Cerrito, California, Gut-wrenching: Rep. Quentin Williams, a rising political star, killed in wrong-way accident. 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. John said that was the last he heard from him for months, he never called back to check on him and even today, many fans can agree that after Mr. Evans death, The secret is to be happy! However, there was one little pesky problem that always seemed to bother me. This pocket Bluetooth printer lets you print your precious memories before they hit Instagram. Also, I really love the theme song. We may say that John did not want to leave the Good Times. Are you curious as to why John Amos left Good Times? So does JJ. This show was groundbreaking to show despair in drugs, gangs, and alcoholism. Unexpectedly, Florida Evans, John Amos on-screen spouse, left the show after Good Times Season 4. 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. The movie also reunited him with his Roots costar, the late Madge Sinclair, who played Bell, the wife of his character, adult Kunta Kinte. Throughout those times, many African American families consisted of a single mom with numerous kids. He occasionally disagreed with the writings and questioned the writers about how long they had been black. So when I was being fed a line that was bullst, I wasnt apprehensive at all about saying, Uh-uh. All Rights Reserved. In 85, my second best year, I begin to take notice of it, where recently it has come back on the new channel 76 Flix, like Benson has. The gospelish theme song and title sequences shown over inner-city Chicago only added to the realism. Amos was a force to be reckoned with on the show, and apparently, because of his personality and the fact that he realized the show was making a coonery out of the family, he couldnt be a part of it any more. During a trip to Mississippi, his character James Evans was fatally injured in a vehicle accident. He reportedly left the show, after 3 seasons, because he disapproved of Jimmie Walker's character. John Amos left the series immediately following the third season of Good Times. We watched Janet Jackson's Penny grow up a little. Great acting. Most importantly it had a black family that stuck together through thick and thin. . 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. They find humor and have strong family values and morals. WebGood Times is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979.Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African American two-parent family sitcom. A great show! . He depicted a strong father figure-something likely missing in many people's lives. That's when I got hooked!!! "Dynomite"! He took no bull from any of the kids. All posters in there rooms were black people, furniture pieces were African. (on which he guest-starred) have Black writers and showrunners. Everytime Willona came in with"great news", she would informed them that she was just made the "head buyer" for the boutique. The parental figures in "Good Times" didn't last the duration of the series. This is the most memorable TV series that I saw in my youth and it left a strong impression on me. You have entered an incorrect email address! They are really what made Good Times GoodTimes. Despite the fact that I've never seen every episode, I still enjoy it. Thelma, a dancer. According to rumours, Good Times emphasises the dynamics of African-American households. 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. When many people think about the most memorable moments in black television history, the first storyline to pop into their minds is when Florida Evans read a letter informing her that her husband, James Evans, had died. John Amos Reveals How His Departure From 'Good Times' Went External Reviews Tulsa Library Shooting: Two People Died, Others Injured At Convenience Store, Phoenix Bar Shooting, Several People Injured, How Did Elizabeth Santos Die? WebTrivia 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. What do you want to hear first? Amos said Lear asked him. He had been with the show since its inception. Amos said he regretted leaving the show, but the offer from Norman Lear to portray James Evans on Good Times couldnt wait. Why? This is a classic show. Damn! And of course theres the scene when Florida had her breakdown in the kitchen, when she could no longer play strong in her time of mourning. Having recently watched a few episodes, I was happy to see that it still holds up after all these years. 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. Ive had a blessed career, and I attribute that to my faith in God and the fact that I was raised right. JJ was never stupid-he only acted that way most of the time. Read Also Where is Pumpkin Pie Wars Filmed? Smart-TV Maker Vizio Launches Branded Content Studio, Building, Bruins' Historic Loss Wasn't the Week's Biggest Upset: DataViz, Patti LuPone Didn't Know Marvel Before 'Agatha: Coven of Chaos', 'Beef' Breakout Young Mazino Signs With M88 (EXCLUSIVE), Editor's Choice: I Purchased This TikTok-Viral Walking Pad and I, TVLine is a part of Penske Media Corporation. I would like to know why John Amos left the show, and how did he die off the show again? I initially ad-libbed the line at a reading of the script, and when Eddie Murphy dropped the script, hollered, and released that signature laugh that he has, I knew my line had gotten the laughing approval of a master comedian.. It also dated politics, recession, wages, history. Who Is UAE's Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi Wife. Very cool. 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. 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. Claim: Actor John Amos died from a heart attack on 28 December 2016. If Amos believed this, he was wrong. My favorite moment in the series is Thelma's wedding day. It was a ground breaking, memorable and well acted for a sitcom. Whether or not, you live in the inner cities, ghettos, suburbs, or rural countryside, this show is still a treasure to watch and observe a family being just a family rather than a show about a poor black family. His Once Amos left the show, there was definitely a missing element. Has Tension risen Between President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris? I think the critics of this show miss the point of the show. In an interview with the American Archive of Television, Amos discussed why he received the boot from the show: I felt that with two other younger children, one of whom aspired to become a Supreme Court justicethat would be Ralph Carter, or Michaeland the other, BernNadette Stanis she aspired to become a surgeon. When Norman Lear who just dominated television in the 70s decided to give Rolle her own series, he took her character and moved them to the south side of Chicago where they lived in the projects. We got to see them experience a few good times. It was then that Lear told him that they were being picked up for another season, which wasnt a surprise to Amos. JJ is about to insult her, but he breaks down and tells her he'll miss her. Some may find that chauvinistic by today's standards, but, I'm not so sure about that. When questioned about it, John Amos responded that the reason for his departure was that Good Times higher-ups informed him that his contributions were no longer required at the time. 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. They tried to show their kids to strive for more in life, DESPITE obstacles. The Real Reason John Amos Was Fired From Good Times Aaron Homer The 1970s represented a period of drastic changes in the TV landscape. Metacritic Reviews. What better representation of a family values can you ask for? Better than most of the family comedies today! It concluded with Season 6, [] COPYRIGHT 2022 EURweb.com/Rabercom Enterprises. Thank God for reruns! I think JJ was a precursor to characters such as Horshack, Screech, Urkel, Rerun, etc. Devastated, the now-widowed Florida had to support herself and their three children alone. 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. In a new interview with It's hard to say which one is my favorite. The 1970s represented a period of drastic changes in the TV landscape. 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 But while the show would air for an additional three years without Amos, his career would hardly stop there. 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. In that way, Amos observes, Good Times and Roots had more in common than him. Hey, its your dime, you made the call, Amos replied. Dont Miss A Story. She is the beautiful mother of J.J., Thelma, and Michael Evans, and the widow of James Evans and Carl Dixon after the untimely death of James, who died in a automobile accident while preparing his family to move to Mississippi. 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. in 1985, where before then, it played in the late 70's. Amos worked with Murphy on the 1988 classic Coming to America, in which he played Cleo McDowell, a businessman who owned a fast-food restaurant that too hilariously and closely resembled McDonalds. | 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. due to the scripts' lack of authenticity in portraying the African-American experience. As a stay-at-home mother, she's the super-glue that keeps the family together. something they didn't have very often. But he did return to Good Times in a way in 2019, when he made a surprise appearance during a live re-creation of a Good Times episode on ABC. Conclusion Which of his works do you like, if youre a fan? Will Downing on New Song Following Daughters Suicide, Advice Kandi Burruss Hustles Up KFC Ad Based on Scene Dr. Phil Calls Professors $350,000-Per-Person Reparations Idea an Absolute Four Tops Singer to Sue Racist Hospital: They Told Suge Knight Says Snoop Dogg and Harry-Os Death Row Barbies Racial Justice Dolls Continue Mattels Path Toward Representation Daveed Diggs Planned Twister Sequel with All-Black and Brown Laura Coates Unlikely to Host CNNs 11 p.m. By the way, did they ever make it out of the ghetto? 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. James tried to work several jobs, just so Florida could stay home and tend to the needs of the house/family. He stuck to his guns, and it eventually got him fired. Now you say one more word about Lisa, and Ill break my foot off in your royal ass., I have to take credit for that. Yes, we are talking about the sitcom and his sudden departure. This affected the quality in later years. Damn! Big John, I got some good news and some bad news. WebJohn Amos discusses why he stopped doing Good Times - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG - YouTube 0:00 / 2:54 John Amos discusses why he stopped doing Good Times - She did, however, make a return in Season 6 under one condition. Headed by two parents who realized there own shortcomings (lack of education, money), but didn't they try to lead by example by teaching their kids values, strong work ethic and didn't they try to IMPROVE the lives of THEIR children? Additionally, he used to assert that in practice, he wouldnt permit his kids to do that. The creators soon became irate over these variances. Between the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and shopping, Florida often squeezes in a part-time job to help stretch the family dollar, and she even returned to school to get her high school diploma. It's not an overly funny show, but does has some good hearty chuckle moments. Personally, even while watching repeats when I was younger, I seem to remember asking myself what happened with James Evans, and eventually I stopped watching altogether. My husband and I enjoy this movie so much, we began our wedding ceremony with quotes from this movie. 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. John, who was born in 1939, is now 82 years old. Television Images: My Favorite TV Characters of All-Time: (1970s edition). 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. It was actually quite funny> All references in the show had to be "black". When Florida was pregnant with their third child, Michael, they moved to the North Side of Chicago in the Housing Projects. He was tough, but loving and kind. But the remaining Esther Role was very good, Ralph Carter too, as the younger son, Michael, who sadly, and very disappointingly, didn't pursue the acting after his stint here. These are my questions and comments. Good Times is a spin-off of Maude, which itself is a spin-off of All in the Family, arguably "GOOD TIMES," in my opinion, is a must-see CBS hit! They didn't dwell on it. She starts to cry. 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. We Publish News 24/7. His departure so soon caught everyone off guard. 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. This is All We Know, 4 Factors That May Increase Chances of Long COVID-19, New Study Shows, COVID-19 Origin: American Scientists, Federal Health Officials Found Out Conflicting Root of the Virus, Surge of Omicron Variant Hampers Economic Recovery in the Country, 2 More $1,400 Stimulus Checks Could Be Released Anytime To Millions of Americans, Children Infected With COVID-19 Has Reached 1 Million, Wayne Brown Jr Died Read Now To Know More, $660 Monthly Stimulus Check Now Open For Application, $15,775 Can Now Be Claimed from IRS Open, $500 Million Child Care Assistance Remains Unclaim, Heres How To Apply. 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? Man, I can't remember ever seeing a white guy in that show! 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. Without being to preachy, The Evans always tried to do the right thing rather than do something wrong to get out of the ghetto. Well, John Amos played the character of Christine Paduch, a teacher, is detained on suspicion of abusing a student with special needs. To receive additional updates, you can follow John on Instagram. Yes, we are talking about the sitcom and his sudden departure. Good Times embraces the reality of what hard living in the ghetto is like, and what one must do, to overcome many hindrances, and the Evan's really have it tough. She had the authority to discuss the plot in more detail. It centered on the poor Chicago-based Evans family and their struggles to make ends meet. Common, Chicago wasn't all black! He worked hard. Famous words by Jimmie Walker as JJ the breakout character and due to providing over in very bad role model for African-American teens there led both the parents on the TV show, the late Esther Rolle and John Amos to leave the show with the latter's character dying in a car wreck. I had innumerable arguments with the writers on the set in regards to my characters demeanor, or what he would say in certain given situations. There is no more complete source for urban news than the Electronic Urban Report. JJ wanted to be an artists. Ester Rolle was handling the death all well untill the end. Although the Evans family was poor and lived in the projects, they had each other. America and the world got to see what life could be like within a Black family on Good They struggle a lot since they reside in a low-income black Chicago area where nothing is simple. what cereal is ok for gout,
