John Amos Says He Was Kicked Off Good Times Because He Didnt Agree With the Shucking and Jiving Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude Send us a It seldomly is. It's hard to say which one is my favorite. He is doing an excellent job in his roles, even at this young age. Despite the story behind the scenes, this show was worth keeping on the air except I didn't like them killing off the father which I agreed with Esther Rolle who fought hard to keep the family together. James tried to work several jobs, just so Florida could stay home and tend to the needs of the house/family. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, Good Times is a sitcom that made its debut in 1974 on CBS. Good Times is a spin-off of a spin-off: this spun-off of Maude and Maude spun-off of All in the Family. Why John Amos Was Fired From 'Good Times' - Here's Why Get Updates About Stimulus Check 4 Expected Date Direct Deposit 2023, IRS Announces Possibility of Fourth Stimulus Check for Americans, Updates About Fed rate hike: All of Fed Chair Powells market-moving remarks following the rate hike, Who is Ivan Ardila-Perez? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 17C at 963 N.Gilbert Ave Housing Projects Chicago. Why Did John Amos Leave Good Times Christine Paduch, a teacher, is detained on suspicion of abusing a student with special needs. Damn! 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. After repeated disagreements with the production staff, Amos was fired from the show. She never had the chance to finish high school, because she wanted to help support her parents and she started working minimum wage jobs. J.J. (the eldest brother) was the tall comic relief in this show, and always fought with his sister Thelma (the curvacious beauty). What makes Good Times so awesome is that it defined the decade. 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. But Good Times corrected that imagery with its crazy teenage kids, a studious son Michael, as portrayed by Ralph Carter, and a beautiful young daughter with unlimited mental potential, as portrayed by BernNadette Stanis as Thelma.. 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Evans? something they didn't have very often. ),Bernadette Stanis(the teenage daughter Thelma),and Janet Jackson(who made her TV debut as Penny and also as Willona's daughter after she adopted her from a abusive stepmomvery touching episode),and Janet Dubois. This is one of my all time favorite shows. It is a crime that John Amos never received an Emmy nomination for his role on this show. The show lost something when Amos left, but the others were good enough to keep it going. Michael, involved in legal/justice. They are really what made Good Times GoodTimes. Well, John Amos played the character of James Evans. ABCs Live in Front of a Studio Audience promised to be full of surprises while bringing back to life Good Times and All in the Family. While he was eventually let go, he went on to bounce back with memorable roles in the original Roots miniseries, and later Coming to America. Much to the chagrin of the shows supporters, James Evans was killed during the height of Good Times popularity. Many wondered why the shows producers would make such a decision and, over the years, rumors surfaced that they and Amos could not reach an agreement in their contractual negotiations. | Pop culture Q&A: The story behind Amos leaving 'Good Times' As a child,this show was mandatory when me and my brother saw the show each week. 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. The Real Reason Esther Rolle Left Good Times - Grunge The gospelish theme song and title sequences shown over inner-city Chicago only added to the realism. 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. We Publish News 24/7. 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. Once Amos left the show, there was definitely a missing element. He reportedly left the show, after 3 seasons, because he disapproved of Jimmie Walker's character. She had the authority to discuss the plot in more detail. They used to live in the South Side of Chicago in a cold water flat where they had their two oldest children, James "J.J." Evans, Jr. and Thelma. He referred to himself as the disruptive element as well. Because he was always butting heads with producers, his character was killed off which came as a shock to him. 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. Damn! Amos February 25 2022, 6:52 PM PST. Everytime Willona came in with"great news", she would informed them that she was just made the "head buyer" for the boutique. On the Maude series, the Findlays up there in Tuckahoe had a maid played by Esther Rolle named Florida Evans. I ad-libbed quite a bit, and John Landis, the director, was very receptive to my ad-libs, Amos concludes proudly. Speaking of theme songs, Ja'net DuBois (neighbor Willona) co-wrote and sang another truly memorable one during this time. Metacritic Reviews. JJ has to be the unlikeliest playa in the history of television but he always had a lot of girls, which is funny to me. I was very sadden when James Evans was killed in an auto accident,and that was the show's very best episode and an emotional one as well in what the family was going through without a father figure for the children,but they continued on with J.J. stepping from a kid into manhood and the fatherly role after John Amos' character left the show. Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson in Chicago: We do not support that behavior.. The next day, that guy was gone never to be seen again. Due to proximate causes. | The way he was written out of the show was very abrupt. His I don't find it stereotypical or shuckin'/jivin' at all. It was a ground breaking, memorable and well acted for a sitcom. Amos recalled complete silence on the set. (on which he guest-starred) have Black writers and showrunners. Unexpectedly, Florida Evans, John Amos on-screen spouse, left the show after Good Times Season 4. This is one of the few shows that became just as big as its presider's. He also adds that two of his favorite comedians Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle are able to use humor to communicate in a way he wishes he could have at their age. He stuck to his guns, and it eventually got him fired. Will Downing on New Song Following Daughters Suicide, Advice to Parents, TikTok Food Critic Regrets Houston Hot Chicken Review | Watch, Issa Rae and Shameik Moore Would Unalive Spiders Matthew Lawrence Opens Up About Hollywood Casting Couch & More | PicVideos. Then? Good Times Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. John Amos Reveals How His Departure From 'Good Times' Went The show wasnt as good after he left. John Amos Says He Was Kicked Off 'Good Times' Because He Didn't Agree With The Shucking And Jiving. Good Times was a form of Roots, except it told the story of who we are on a comedic basis. A real true cut of reality, and it' cuts deep, which carries more weight, than many other black themed comedies, making this one especial, where the lives of the Evans, demand your attentiveness, as does the shows title song's lyrics. Drop your thoughts in the comments and click hereto check out all of our special Shades of Funny coverage dedicated to Black comedy trailblazers and rising stars. 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. When asked by Lear if he wanted to say something, he simply said no and hung up. I think JJ was a precursor to characters such as Horshack, Screech, Urkel, Rerun, etc. Good Times focuses on Florida and Jamess efforts to raise their three children in the best possible ways. The show wasnt as good after he left. Actually I loved the intro and ending to each show; the painting at the end, the camera sky-views of Chicago, the theme music, the bike rider and citizens. Good Times And with Roots, I dont think any of us involved in the production, particularly the network, were aware audiences would tune in to the extent that they did.. America and the world got to see what life could be like within a Black family on Good Times, Amos shares. He claimed that the sitcoms creative team demanded his departure because they could not stand that. To work with Eddie Murphy on Coming to America was a paid vacation for me because Im an Eddie Murphy fan. Heres Everything We Know About Him. 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. Despite the fact that I've never seen every episode, I still enjoy it. They were terrific actors and had great chemistry as James and Florida Evans. It was too often for Norman and the other writers to accept. 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.. I first saw the reruns once our local WB affiliate took off the weekday morning reruns of Happy Days and began airing this instead. The actor was never afraid to express his thoughts on writing. The Evans were a real family with real problems, but they also truly loved each other. Amos and Lear have since made amends, and Amos appeared in Lears 2019 special Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times. 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. Good Times The Real Reason John Amos Was Fired From Good Times. Without being to preachy, The Evans always tried to do the right thing rather than do something wrong to get out of the ghetto. Conclusion I certainly hope that the phrase "Kid Dynamite" will come back into common usage some day. Why Ive had a blessed career, and I attribute that to my faith in God and the fact that I was raised right. This was a good show for the first three seasons. Issues such as gun control, teen pregnancy, v.d., gangs and teen suicide. After Season 3, his contract was not renewed, and he was sacked. The movie also reunited him with his Roots costar, the late Madge Sinclair, who played Bell, the wife of his character, adult Kunta Kinte. In that way, Amos observes, Good Times and Roots had more in common than him. 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. Amos said he was shocked but not surprised, since he had already been labeled a disruptive element.. Who Is UAE's Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi Wife. The secret is to be happy! All guests were black people. 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. This series is not only entertaining but instructive at the same time. Additionally, he used to assert that in practice, he wouldnt permit his kids to do that. The creators soon became irate over these variances. John Amos left the series immediately following the third season of Good Times. In a new interview with | This show was excellent. If Amos believed this, he was wrong. Like most shows, it went on a little too long but for fans, each season has it's moments. Everybody had afros, went rollerskating, danced around a disco, and had platform shoes. When and how did Janet Abelson die? Damn! What many dont realize is that John Amos was just about as shocked as Florida when he learned that he was no longer on the show. The show was a huge success since it was a spinoff of Maude in which Florida was the Maude's housekeeper,and it ran on CBS from 1974-1979. Id want to send John Amos my warmest wishes for the remainder of his days. He also states that he wasnt the most diplomatic guy back then and producers got tired of having their lives threatened over jokes.. If you got past all the stereotypes, you would notice that many of the episodes discussed issues that are just as relevant today as they were back then. They make The Jefferson's look really sickly rich. Good Times was originally great, thanks to John Amos. Having recently watched a few episodes, I was happy to see that it still holds up after all these years. Florida Evans I would like to know why John Amos left the show, and how did he die off the show again? Roots? John Amos Says He Was Kicked Off Good Times Because He Didn In an interview with the American Archive of Television. STEVE HARVEYS STEVE IS DONE DAYTIME TALKER OFFICIALLY CANCELED, KENYA BARRIS ANNOUNCES FIRST NETFLIX SERIES (WITH RASHIDA JONES): BLACK EXCELLENCE, Blac Chyna Accused of Pulling Knife Hair Stylist who Defended Her Self with Soda Cans: Report, Polish Instagram Influencer Denies Accusations of Blackfishing for Clout, Gladys Knights Farewell Tour Continues This Summer in US. Amos got the call that ended his time on the show while they were on a hiatus and he recalled Norman Lears voice saying, Big John, Ive got some good news and some bad news. The good news was that Good Times had renewed for another season, which wasnt exactly big news and he wasnt surprised to hear this as they had a solid spot with high ratings and then Lear hit him with you want the bad news? To which the actor replied sure how bad can it be Lear then said to him, you wont be with us.. What I do know is that when Janet Jackson, Bookman, and that annoying neighbor Willona; Miss Big Mouth, I'm beautiful, took over, this show was lost forever(but I did like sweet daddy). How did things turn out for John Amos in the movie Good Times? 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. FAQ COPYRIGHT 2022 EURweb.com/Rabercom Enterprises. If you ask me, even though I like everyone, it would have been nice if everyone had stayed on the show throughout its entire run. 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. Florida Evans (later Florida Evans-Dixon) is the protagonist of Good Times in Seasons 1-4 and 6. Like The Jeffersons, Good Times was one of the those classic American sitcoms which was never aired in the UK, not to mention it came out in the 1970s- a decade where of which I wasn't born yet. 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. They were actually trying to do everything they could to get out of the projects. It concluded with Season 6, [] I had to make a commitment, he said. This is a good show steered by characters I like, of course, loose, fat lipped Jimmy Walker as J.J., as the strikingly brilliant artist, and too, fat maintenance man, Bookman, where Est her Rolle and John Amos, lend strong support as Mother and father team, Amos in particular, who sadly was kicked off the storm, while acting up a bit of the storm, off the set, where the quality of the show, kind of dropped, in the absence of his killed off character, as they went into the second season, where really it was up to J.J to carry it on. I liked many things about this show. JJ wanted to be an artists. I don't think a movie or a new show would work. The original lineup could've easily gone on a few more years. The reason I like the show is that of John Amos'character of James Evans. Are you curious as to why John Amos left Good Times? Some of the people who star in the series like cast regulars Jimmie Walker(J.J. John Amos John Amos and Esther Rolle were the best part of the show. There's no denying the shows impact, it still holds, after forty years. He was let go. According to rumours, Good Times emphasises the dynamics of African-American households. She and JJ have one last hassle. His departure so soon caught everyone off guard. 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. Throughout those times, many African American families consisted of a single mom with numerous kids. The Real Reason John Amos Was Fired From Good Times However, once John Amos left, the show was not the same and suffered as a result. It's not an overly funny show, but does has some good hearty chuckle moments. 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. Q: I was wondering why networks dont show TV shows like Dynasty, Dallas, Knots Landing and L.A. This is not gonna work. I just didnt do it in the most diplomatic terms.. There's Michael (Ralph Carter), who is intelligent beyond his years and very outspoken (He is often heard saying that "Boy is a white racist word. I'm sure a lot of even the most liberal thinking people have no conception of the fact that the help which was what Florida was go home to a whole different world. He took no bull from any of the kids. Issa Rae and Shameik Moore Would Unalive Spiders Matthew Lawrence Shaquille ONeal Releasing New Hip-Hop Track to Celebrate NBA Playoffs, Elon Musk Announces Charging Option for Publishers on Twitter.