Type in any movie or show to find where you can watch it, or type a person's name.

Esther Rolle

Esther Rolle

Actress

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Esther Elizabeth Rolle (November 8, 1920 – November 17, 1998) was a Bahamian American actress. Rolle is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (1972–1974), and its spin-off series Good Times, for five seasons (1974–77, 1978–79), for which Rolle was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1976. Rolle is best known for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two 1970s sitcoms. The character was 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. Rolle was 19 years older than the actor (John Amos) who played her husband James Evans. The James Evans character was only added after Esther Rolle fought hard for a father figure and husband to be added to the show. Rolle had fought for the father character on the show, more relevant themes and scripts and was unhappy when the success of Jimmie Walker's character, J.J. Evans, took the show in a frivolous direction. John Amos agreed with Rolle about Walker's character and was fired from the show after the third season ended. Later on, in a stand-off with Good Times producer Norman Lear, Rolle also quit when her contract ended. Although the show continued without her for the fifth season, she returned for the show's final season. In 1979 she won an Emmy for her role in Summer of My German Soldier, a made-for-television movie. Among her guest star roles was one on The Incredible Hulk in an episode entitled "Behind the Wheel" where she played a taxicab business owner. In the 1990s, Rolle was a surprise guest on RuPaul's VH-1 talk show. Her Maude co-star Bea Arthur was the guest, and Rolle was brought out to surprise Arthur. The two had not seen each other in years, Arthur said, and embraced warmly. Rolle also appeared in a series of psychic hotline TV commercials in the 1990s. "Tell them Esther sent you," was her trademark line.

Born: November 8, 1920 in Pompano Beach, Florida USA

Died: November 17, 1998 (Age 78)

Streaming Sources for all Esther Rolle Movies & TV Shows

Esther Rolle  Movies & TV Credits

Title Rating Job Role(s) Year
Movie
6.4
ActressAunt Pauline1995
Movie
6
ActressMrs. Johnson1973
Movie
6.7
ActressAnnie Sinclair1998
Movie
5.5
ActressMiss Maybell1972
Movie
6.6
ActressRita1996
Movie
7.8
ActressChurch Woman1964
Movie
7.5
ActressIdella1989
Movie
7.2
ActressSelf1992
Movie
7.4
ActressWoman Watching Cady Get Out from Under the Car (uncredited)1991
Movie
7.5
ActressTeacher1967
Movie
7.8
ActressNarrator1986
Movie
4.3
ActressNurse1982
Movie
6.3
ActressAdelle1993
Movie
7.4
ActressClara Brown1995
Movie
5.9
ActressUbu Pearl1989
Movie
7.4
ActressAunt Sarah1997
Movie
6
ActressMaid1971
Movie
7.2
ActressLena 'Mama' Younger1989
TV Show
7.6
ActressFlorida Evans
109 Episodes
1974-1979
TV Show
7.2
Actress4 Episodes1990-1990
TV Show
7.1
ActressFlorida Evans
46 Episodes
1972-1978
TV Show
6.7
ActressMary Harding
1 Episode
1996-1999
TV Show
6.3
Actress2 Episodes1980-1982
TV Show
6.2
ActressMary Harding
1 Episode
1994-2003
TV Show
6
ActressSelf
1 Episode
1975-1979
TV Show
7.4
ActressMargaret
1 Episode
1984-1996
TV Show
6.8
Actress1 Episode1977-1982
TV Show
6.6
ActressNellie
1 Episode
1984-1985
TV Show
8
Actress1 Episode1951-1978
Movie
6.7
ActressMomma Sykes1981
Movie
7.1
ActressNeelie1993
Movie
6.8
ActressMomma1979
Movie
6
ActressQueenie / Elizabeth McQueen1993
Movie
6.1
ActressEsther Clayton1990
Movie
7.6
ActressRuth1978
Limited Series
6.6
Actress4 Episodes1994-1994
Title Rating Job Role(s) Year
Back to Top