While the Evans family projected a loving and supportive front, it was a distinctly chilly set. Jimmie Walker made a lot of money from Good Times. Sometimes, the people you work with feel like a family, and sometimes they really don't. Lear wrote in his memoir Even This I Get to Experience that if it wasnt one thing with some of the shows cast, it was another. For the mayor of New York 19261932, see, "30 years after 'J.J.,' Walker still draws laughs", "Jimmie 'J.J.' These include such luminaries as Jimmie Walker, John Amos, and Esther Rolle. According to him, the execs stuck him for his paper, but we never would have guessed things had gotten THIS bad for him. He eventually released one stand-up comedy album during the height of his Good Times popularity: Dyn-o-mite on Buddah Records (5635). The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Is Jimmie Walker from Good Times alive? Walker can be seen discussing the process of transitioning from stand-up to sitcom in the latest episode of Pioneers Of Television, premiering this week on PBS. "The purest guy was Stokely Carmichael," said Walker. So, it comes as no surprise that the show made millions of dollars. It's just not what I believe in. As wisecracking J.J. Evans on the hit 1970s sitcom Good Times, Jimmie Walker swept the nation with his catchphrase "Dyn-o-mite!" But in his mind, he never became a superstar. The ethnic is never going to be played in a negative light anymore. That changed the face of comedy. The episode is a touching send-off for Jimmies character, and it is clear that the cast and crew held him in high regard. I think the black actor has a tough time being funny from the standpoint of everything being looked upon as 'coonish'. In the 1990s, he reprised his role as J.J. Evans in a series of commercials for BET. Ultimately, J.J. decides to go with Aunt Esther, but not before saying goodbye to his loved ones. [3] He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in New York City. The event will feature performances by the Queen of Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, Joe Nichols, and more. Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth (2000), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Brian D'Ambrosio is a journalist, poet and author. Jimmie Walkers salary on Good Times was $200,000 per episode. When ever JJ had a particularly good date, a good day at school or just wanted to shout his own praises, he would deliver a dramatic, DYN-O-MITE! It always came with a boisterous and animated delivery and was his signature "go-to" throughout the series and beyond. Sometimes, the people you work with feel like a family, and sometimes they really don't. $800,000 in net worth Gender:Male 6 feet. When Leno took over, there were no comics. _taboola.push({ Jimmie Walker, who played J.J. on the '70s sitcom "Good Times," sat down recently for a tell-all interview where he served up the scoop on antics that went on behind the scenes.. ", On Jay Leno: "Tremendous Injustice to the Comedy Community". During an interview with The Los Angeles Times,Illinois state Rep. Ken Dunkin explained how he coordinated a small fundraiser to help Monte. Walker shined his brightest as James "J.J." Evans Jr. on the successful television series "Good Times." The show popularized his inimitable smirk and face, and added his catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite!" to the groovy lexicon of the 1970s. 1 more row to go How rich is Janet Jackson? Jimmie Walker ended up playing a part on a show about a close-knit family, but his TV family -- his co-stars -- were far from close in real life. While Janets role of Penny did solidify her career as a child actor, Jimmie also revealed the low-down on that. She is best known for starring as Thelma Evans on the late-seventies CBS sitcom Good Times. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "Thelma Evans is 17-20 years old."}}]}. Following the series' demise, however, reality again checked in. The showhad a huge following and did very well in the ratings, but Walker detected little enthusiasm from those around him. He symbolized the 70s American dream of success -- the former kid from I found out about a lot of the complaints when the book (he released a biography in 2012) was being researched. Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Roger Duchowny. Good Times, while it was rarely out of the top 20 and spent a lot of time in the top 10, became an agony to produce, Lear wrote. However, he believes his castmates weren't appreciative of being on a hit show. On Monday, September 19, 2022, a Twitter user announced that he had died the day before, and those who saw the post began sharing it on their social media, eventually making it viral news. It was, Alright, my dear, Ill see you at the Kool and the Gang concert on Friday night, que sera sera, bon ami, and cognac. No matter what Walker says or does from here on, there will always be those situations when he will need to correct people when they call him "J.J." and not Jimmie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqIUedSr0LI, The Midnight Special More 1975 - 24 - (Bonus) Stand Up Comedy - Jimmie Walker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqIUedSr0LI), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5rKZs6HnB4, Jimmie Walker as J. J. on GOOD TIMES (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5rKZs6HnB4), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDXGnN5fTM, American Bandstand 1974- Interview Jimmie Walker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDXGnN5fTM). : Good Times, Bad Times, Our Times -- A Memoir. His breakthrough came in 1973, with his first national TV appearance, on ABC's Jack Paar Tonight. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Don't miss a beat. In today's dollars, that would be over $1 million per episode.Walker's career began in the early 1960s when he . We go up to eat, he said. Often times, his attitude led to creative differences between him and the production staff. No matter what role hes playing, Jimmie Walker is always entertaining. Comedy has changed to a niche audience, and that's an industry move. "There's like $2000 on this. Pioneer From the Projects: The 'Dyn-o-mite!' And Norman Lear stands up. Walker credits producer/director John Rich for inventing "Dyn-o-mite!" Despite his financial difficulties, Walker continues to perform stand-up comedy and makes occasional appearances on television. Since that decade, he has been consistently working as a radio host and personality for the stations WHIO, WLS, WOAI, and KKAR. Norman Lear didn't want to do it -- the "Dyn-o-mite!" (1980), Water (1985), Doin' Time (1985), The Guyver (1991), Monster Mash (1995) and Plump Fiction (1997). In the 1980s, Walker appeared in a number of films, including Airplane!, The Jerk, and For the Boys. After three seasons, John Amos was fired from Good Times and despite his alleged beliefs about the show, the show ultimately went on without him. Jimmy Walker has Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by ticks. Jimmie revealed John Amos, the Evans family patriarch, was very much like Esther. Walker's death rumors went viral a few days ago after a few Twitter posts. Currently, he still draws big crowds for his stand-up comedy shows and continues to entertain audiences all these years later. From 1974 to 1979, he was condemned for anything from being "too black for television" to later being faulted for, he said, "cooning it up.". His final roles as a full-time actor came in the films Big Money Rustlas and Super Shark from the early 2010s. But did you know that he also appeared in a number of other popular shows? (Photo by John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Archive/Getty Images). In addition to the failed project, it was widely reported by various media outlets, that Monte ended up suffering bouts with crack cocaine abuse back in the day and had no choice but to file bankruptcy due to the lack of earnings from his show creations. Jimmie J.J. Walker is probably best knwn as the the rubber-faced comedian who made famous the catchphrase dyn-o-mite! on the popular 1970s sitcom Good Times., {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type": "Question", "name": "Did Jimmie JJ Walker Pass Away? I said They dont get it, man., One actor who reportedly caused drama behind the scenes was John Amos. Obama surrendered to it and surrendered his views. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. We believe that family edutainment should be engaging, inspiring and always on trend so that every member of the family can benefit from it! Towards the late years of the 20th century, he worked mainly as a guest and supporting actor on more than 20 television projects Badge 373, The Larry Sanders Show, The Drew Carey Show, Star Dates, Everybody Hates Chris, and George Lopez to name a few. Thats just sad and wrong on SO many levels. She felt that Jimmie Walker's character J.J. Evans was taking the show in a frivolous direction and she wanted to leave. popular urban-styled sitcom, - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net, Was 26 years old when he started playing teenager J.J. Evans on, He revealed that he did not have a very good relationship with, As of 2017, he has never been married nor had any children. He also stated that he will be present at the Hazzard Fest, which is set to begin on Friday, September 23, 2022. In fact, for the first time ever, Good Times star, Jimmie Walker a.k.a. I think the same basically goes for John. Jimmie went on to discuss the downward spiral of the hit sitcom. In the show, J.J. woos a friend of his teenaged sister Thelma played by Bern Nadette Stanis while the two are doing their French homework. Walker was no teenager on the show, being 27-years-old when it debuted. Unfortunately, the stage play flopped. Jimmie Walker is best known for his role as J.J. Evans on the hit sitcom Good Times. He also said that he was against gay marriage on moral grounds, but believed its legalization should be passed, stating it was not worth fighting against. When he's not writing or spending time with his family, David enjoys playing basketball and golfing. Jimmie Walker appeared on Good Times in 1974. He was born on June 25, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. In 1967, he began working full time with the WRVR, a radio station based in the Riverside Church. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jimmie Walkers net worth is $8 million. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Jimmie Walker is known for being one of the funniest stand-up comedians to emerge from the 1970s. The public wanted him that way and the role just got bigger. Good Times is now considered one of the most iconic sitcoms of the 1970s. Jimmie believes Janet Jackson would have never been part of the show if it werent for ongoing complaints. Walker portrayed James Evans Jr. ("J.J."), the older son of Florida and James Evans Sr., on the CBS television series Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1975 and 1976 for his role. He said that she was not his friend and that they had no relationship. "You have to know what the people are thinking. John Rich figured that people would go for it -- the slang. I wanted the jokes -- damn right. Good Times (1974-1979 . Showbiz, I will tell you, is like climbing a greasy pole. Walker is best known for his role as JJ in the comedy series, Good Times that aired on CBS in the mid to late 70's. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "From what Jimmie Walker said, it seems that he and Esther Rolle did not get along. container: 'taboola-right-rail-thumbnails', The ever-present single neighbor, Willona, was portrayed by JaNet DuBois. No, the Good Times cast did not get along. The casting director for Good Times found him through his performances on the two series and offered him a role in the CBS sitcom. He stated that he did not vote for Barack Obama in 2008 and that he would not vote for him in the 2012 election either. So be sure to check out his many appearances on your favorite TV shows! As of 2020, Jimmie Walkers net worth is $3 million. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Introducing Skai: The Future of Digital Advertising, David Bordallo is a senior editor with BlogDigger.com, where he writes on a wide variety of topics. This is likely because of the difference in their characters on the show. Become a reader. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "Jimmie Walker's career has been a bit of a roller coaster since the height of his success on Good Times. Jimmie Walker is a fiercely American success story, and the schedule and timing of comedy still invigorates him. If they are not laughing, I know that it's not good -- the material. We want him here in Chicago, said Dunkin. In recent years, Walker has made headlines for his financial troubles and outspoken views on race relations in America. Walker told Lear he would bet him that it would work. However, the show's co-creator, Eric Monte, has revealed some horrific backstabbing truths about what went down with his earnings and his life afterwards. During the shows run, Walker was one of the highest-paid actors on television, earning $350,000 per episode. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Working in popular films such as Airplane and Going Bananas as well as television series like At Ease and Bustin Loose is what helped the actor originally become rich. How many times can Morgan Freeman play the president? He built a huge audience not only from his audience who loved him on TV, but also because he used his own unique formats and rules that stood out among his contemporaries. I think that they killed the goose that laid the golden egg, he stated. Wishing Eric Monte continued success and positive energy as he continues to rebuild his life and career. The show was an instant hit, and Walker became a household name. We are all one or two months away from being an Eric Monte.. After growing up watching so many memorable shows Monte contributed to, he explained how Monte impacted his life. I grew up in the 70s looking at that show. [9], This article is about the American actor and stand-up comedian. As the jive-talkin' aspiring artist, Walker stole the show. From what Jimmie Walker said, it seems that he and Esther Rolle did not get along. Walker lights 'Dy-no-mite' on gay marriage, Leno and dating", "Was Jimmie Walker getting along with Esther Rolle and John Amos on the set? In the early 1970s, CBS was looking to appeal to a wider audience than they had in the past. He doesn't get tired of "dyn-o-mite!" While in his element as the broadly strutting, gleamy-toothed J.J. Evans of the popular urban-styled sitcom Good Times (1974), Jimmie Walker lived the extremely good life. The show was based on the lives of a poor African American family living in the inner city of Chicago. After the show ended, Walker continued to work as a stand-up comedian and appeared in several films and television shows. He also starred in Let's Do It Again with John Amos, and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened with James Earl Jones. Good Timeswas intended to be a comedy but was also based on real-life struggles with a serious side. After the show ended, he struggled to find steady work and was even homeless for a time. They dont get it, man. Advertisement. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "As of 2020, JJ from Good Times is still alive. _taboola.push({ J.J. Evans in the 1970s sitcom "Good Times," Jimmie Walker maintained his comedic status long after the series ended. And I will give Jimmie Walker credit where I will never doubt his energy-of-the-moment philosophies again.. In 1969, Walker began performing as a stand-up comedian and was eventually discovered by the casting director for Good Times, after making appearances on Rowan & Martin's Laugh In and on the Jack Paar Show. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', On camera, it was hard to tell they werent really a close-knit family, but behind closed doors, the actors dynamic was anything but typical. All Rights Reserved. During the show's run, Walker was one of the highest-paid actors on television, earning $350,000 per episode. Our family gathering, bonding moments were around that show. Little choices become big fruitions. In 1996, he appeared on split release with Powerviolence band Spazz distributed by Spazz owned label Slap-a-ham records. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "Flo left Good Times beause she was unhappy with the direction the show was going in. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "No, Jimmie Walker is still alive. That was our building.. He symbolized the 70s American dream of success -- the former kid from the ghetto who rose to wisecracking TV superstardom. This difference in personality probably led to some tension between the two actors. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jimmie Walker from Good Times is worth $800 thousand. What I live for is: undefined. I said, Vito, when this cognac thing comes, warm me up, baby. He attended the Theodor Roosevelt High School in his hometown and began acting during his early years. For six seasons, actor and comedian Jimmie Walker won hearts on the '70s CBS series, "Good Times," featuring as the comedy center, JJ Evans. He focused on issues of right and wrong, there were episodes of senior citizens eating dog food, drug addiction, and pregnancy out of wedlock -- that was all Norman Lear. "It's a tougher business now. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What Happened To Jimmie Walker From Good Times? For me, yes; for Norman, no. Saying that Dynomite! had become the bane of Lears existence, another battle reared its head when Walker insisted on using a line in one specific episode. Jimmie Walker will be participating in the Hazzard Fest which will be held at the Greene County Fairgrounds for two days from Friday, September 23 to Saturday, 24, 2022. Walker, who is currently in his early 70s, doesn't pull punches -- perhaps it's his standup comedy heritage that makes him such a truth-teller. Jimmie's fans were also relieved to learn that he was still alive. You know, because youre doing the French thing and then you lay the cone-YAK on them and that takes it over. He says, Thats the stupidest thing Ive ever seen. A year of crack cocaine abuse robbed him of money, dignity and a circle of Hollywood friends. Heres to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you cant do is ignore them because they change things and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do. Steve Jobs, 1997. I'm not one of these guys who says, 'I can't wait to retire.' The show popularized his inimitable smirk and face, and added his catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite!" Walker's catchphrase Dy-no-mite! became a nationally known slogan in the 1970s. Walker: "You Won't See Another Ethnic Cast", Walker said that there are no sitcoms involving an all-black cast on American television because "an ethnic cast creates too many problems.". mode: 'thumbnails-rr1', Walker continues to tour the country with his stand-up comedy routine.[1][2]. As the character JJ Evans on Good Times, famous for dropping the catchphrase "Dyn-O-Mite!," actor and standup comedian Jimmie Walker became one of the best-loved sitcom stars in the mid-'70s. While he worked as a vendor at the 'Yankee Stadium' at one point, he later began working at the WRVR Radio. Both Walker and executive producer Norman Lear were skeptical of the idea, but the phrase and Walker's character caught on with the audience. While the television family was very close and supportive of one another, that wasnt the case once the cameras stopped rolling. But I guess there are different sets of pioneers.". He soon caught the attention of producers Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, who cast him in Good Times. Funeral Held In Hollywood For 3 Days.". He is played by Jimmie Walker and is now in his 70s. At least there was a beautiful ending to an unfortunately ugly story of deception, outright thievery, and injustice. David is passionate about quality-focused journalism and has worked in the publishing industry for over 10 years. He reported that there was no camaraderie, personal friendships, or even casual relationships, off set. According to Jimmie, the vast majority of the cast barely interacted with each other at all when they werent filming. He's also promoting his book, DYN-O-MITE! He was recently interviewed by the Television Academy, and his insights about Good Times and his castmates are eye-opening. After relentless complaining, the additional role was created to help develop a storyline for DuBois. In television, it is those like Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, or Jackie Gleason. "Obama and the government are fibbing to us all of the time," said Walker. In the early 16960s, he began working as a vendor at the Yankee Stadium, beginning with the 1964 World Series. Flo left Good Times beause she was unhappy with the direction the show was going in. Dissatisfaction led Amos (before Rolle), to leave the show, making Walker the star of the show. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1975 and another one in 1976 for his role. He continued to appear on Good Times until the show ended in 1979. Episode: "If Your Number's Up, Get It Down" (S3:E3), Episode: "The Beautiful Skeptic/The Lost Platoon" (S6:E6), Episode: Season 4 Episode 20 The Flip Side, Episodes: "My Bad" (S 1:Ep 6), and "My Blind Date" (S1:E12), Episode: Dubya, Dad, and Dating (Part 1) (S3: E1), Episodes: "Everybody Hates Funerals" (S1:E14), "Everybody Hates Gambling" (S2:E19), and "Everybody Hates the Port Authority" (S3:E11), This page was last edited on 17 April 2023, at 04:12. That was me. He also appeared in the films Rabbit Test (1978), The Concorde Airport '79 (1979), Airplane! Exploring the Prehistoric World of Gorgosaurus! He has written for some of the biggest blogs and newspapers in the world. It was interesting to note that at the time, many white families had no idea that family is family and that we all have the same struggles. Walker said that there is no such thing as a happy comic, for the comic feeds on his own insecurity and self-doubt. Shes not a h-e. You keep your illicit mind off of that and never bring that up again They came down so hard on me.. I like money. He never been a problem on any other show..