Esther Rolle

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Esther Rolle

Born November 8, 1920
Flag of United States Pompano Beach, Florida, USA
Died November 17, 1998
(age 78)
Culver City, California
Years active 1964-1998
Spouse(s) Oscar Robinson (1955-1960)
Notable roles Florida Evans
in Good Times
Florida Evans
in Maude
Emmy Awards
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
1979 Summer of My German Soldier

Esther Rolle (November 8, 1920 – November 17, 1998) was an American actress of Bahamian descent.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Rolle was the ninth child in a family that would total 18 children. She was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, to Bahamian immigrants.

Rolle moved to New York City and attended Hunter College, Spelman College and the New School for Social Research. She was also a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority. For many years, Rolle worked in a traditional "day job" in New York City's garment district. [1]

[edit] Career

[edit] Theater

Rolle's earliest roles were on the stage; her New York stage debut was in the 1962 play The Blacks. She was often cast in plays produced by Robert Hooks and the Negro Ensemble Company. She also appeared in productions of The Crucible and Blues for Mr. Charlie.

Rolle's most prominent early role was as Miss Maybell in the 1973 Melvin Van Peebles play, Don't Play Us Cheap. [2]

[edit] Television

Rolle is perhaps best known for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two successful 1970s sitcoms: Maude and its spinoff, Good Times.

The character was initially introduced as Maude Findlay's housekeeper on Maude, and was spun off in the show's second season into Good Times, a show about Florida's family. Rolle was nominated in 1975 for the Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role in Good Times.

Although Good Times was successful, Rolle fought for more relevant themes and scripts, and was not happy when the success of Jimmie Walker and his character J.J. took the show in what she perceived as a more frivolous direction. As a result of this change, actor John Amos left, and in a stand-off with the show's producer Norman Lear, Rolle quit as well when her contract concluded. The series continued without her for a time, but she returned for the show's final season. [3]

[edit] Film

After Good Times, she performed in a number of made-for-television movies and feature films, including Driving Miss Daisy and My Fellow Americans.

She had a major role in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings based on Maya Angelou's memoir of the same name, and has the distinction of having won the very first Emmy Award for the category “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie,” in 1979 for her work in the television movie Summer of My German Soldier. Another memorable role was that of Aunt Sarah in the 1997 film Rosewood. Her last film, Train Ride was released in 2000.

[edit] Death

Rolle died 17 November 1998, in hospital in Culver City, a community in Los Angeles, due to complications from diabetes just nine days after her 78th birthday.

[edit] Stage appearances

[edit] Filmography

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Awards
Preceded by
none		 Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress - Miniseries or a Movie
1979
Summer of My German Soldier		 Succeeded by
Mare Winningham
Amber Waves
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