Esther Rolle
Actress, Esther Rolle, Died On This Date In 1998.
Best Known For Her Role As Florida Evens On The 1970's Sitcoms, Maude And Good Times, The Pampano Beach, Florida Native Had An Extensive Stage, Television And Film Career. Her Other Television Work Includes Appearances On The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Murder She Wrote, Touched By An Angel And Amazing Grace. In 1979, She Had The Distinction Of Winning The Very First Emmy Award In The Category Of “Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or Movie,” For Her Work In The Television Movie, Summer Of My German Soldier.
Adamantly Opposed To Hollywood's Stereotyping Of Black Actors, Rolle Allowed TV Producer Norman Lear To Lure Her Away From Broadway For His Maude Series, Only After He Promised That She Could Portray A Fully Developed Character And Not "Just A (Typical) Hollywood Maid.'' And Despite The Commercial Success Of The Maude Spin-Off, Good Times, Rolle Left The Show In The Fall of 1977 -- Protesting That The Occasionally Shady Though Humorous Character, J.J., Played By Jimmy Walker Set A Bad Example For Black Youths. She Returned To A Reformed J.J. For The Series' Final Year.
Early In Her Career Rolle Was Part Of The New York-Based, Negro Ensamble Company --- Often Starring In Productions By Actor, Robert Hooks. She Debuted In The 1962 Play, The Blacks, And Was Later Cast In Productions Of The Crucible And Melvin Van Peeples' Don't Play Us Cheap.
Rolle's Film Credits Include I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1979), The Mighty Quinn (1989), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Rosewood (1997), Down In The Delta (1998) And The Train Ride (Her Last Film, Released In 2000).
Esther Rolle Died In Culver City, California From Diabetes Complications, Just Nine days After Her 78th Birthday.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
