Florida Evans was originally Maude Findlay's maid until, in the spring of 1974, she got a show of her own. Florida and James Evans were lower middle-class blacks living with their three children in a high-rise ghetto on the south side of Chicago. J.J. was the oldest, Thelma was a year younger than he, and Michael was five years younger than she, 10 when the series started.
Trying to make ends meet on the erratic income provided by James, who was always in and out of jobs, made life difficult, but there was always plenty of love in the family. J.J. was an accomplished amateur painter who, though going to trade school, was always looking for some get-rich-quick scheme. His catch phrase "Dy-No-Mite" became very popular in the mid 1970s.
Cast & Characters
- Esther Rolle as Florida Evans
- John Amos as James Evans (1974-1976)
- Jimmie Walker a James Evans Jr. (JJ)
- Ja'net Dubois as Willona Woods
- Ralph Carter as Michael Evans
- Bernadette Stanis as Thelma Evans Anderson
- Moses Gunn as Carl Dixon (1977)
- Johnny Brown as Nathan Bookman (1977-1979)
- Janet Jackson as Penny Gordon Woods (1977-1979)
- Ben Powers as Keith Anderson (1978-1979)
- Theodore Wilson as Sweet Daddy (1978-1979)
Broadcast History
First Telecast: February 8, 1974Last Telecast: August 1, 1979
Network:
CBS
Seasons: 6
Episodes: 133
List of all Good Times episodes
Original Primetime TV Schedule:
- February 1974 - September 1974, Friday 8:30 - 9:00pm
- September 1974 - March 1976, Tuesday 8:00 - 8:30pm
- March 1976 - August 1976, Tuesday 8:30 - 9:00pm
- September 1976 - January 1978, Wednesday 8:00 - 8:30pm
- January 1978 - May 1978, Monday 8:00 - 8:30pm
- June 1978- September 1978, Monday 8:30 - 9:00pm
- September 1978 - December 1978, Saturday 8:30 - 9:00pm
- May 1979 - August 1979, Wednesday 8:30 - 9:00pm
Good Times Theme Song Lyrics & Opening Intro
"Good Times" by Jime Gilstrap and Blinky WilliamsWatch opening intro:
Good Times.
Any time you meet a payment.
Good Times.
Any time you need a friend.
Good Times.
Any time you're out from under.
Not getting hastled, not getting hustled.
Keepin' your head above water,
Making a wave when you can.
Temporary lay offs.
Good Times.
Easy credit rip offs.
Good Times.
Scratchin' and surviving.
Good Times.
Hangin in a chow line
Good Times.
Ain't we lucky we got 'em
Good Times.
Listen to theme song:
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Good Times Trivia
The Good Times TV show was a "spin-off" of the series, "Maude". Maude had also been a "spin-off" of the series, "All In The Family".In the fourth season, James (the father) left Good Times. He had become a partner in a garage and, just as things might be looking up for the family, he was killed in an auto accident! After a short time with J.J. supporting the family, his mother found a new love and got married again.
Before the next season of the Good Times TV show began, Esther Rolle pretended to be ill so she could leave the Good Times cast. In truth, she was upset over the way that Jimmy Walker's "jive-talking", womanizing and dishonest character (on screen) had become such a bad role model for black youth. The Good Times' writers explained her absence by saying that her new husband had developed cancer and they had moved to the South where the weather would better suit his condition.
Jimmy Walker, in his role as "J.J." was responsible for the catch phrase, "Dy-No-Mite", which became commonly used by the public when something really good happened.
Then, at the beginning of Good Time's sixth season, Esther Rolle reappeared on Good Times, back with her children and without her husband. No reason was ever given for his absence!
Good Times was cancelled due to low ratings in December of 1978 and the "final" episode aired on January 3rd of 1979. Then in May, the network decided to air the final nine episodes which had already been taped and the Good Times TV show truly ended.
