"Good Times" (1974) TV series 1974-1979

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Creators:

Mike Evans
Eric Monte
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

8 February 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A poor Afro-American family make the best of things in the Chicago housing projects.

Plot Keywords:

Inner City | Housing Project | Urban | Spin Off | Chicago Illinois

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 14	11:00 AM	TVLAND	J.J.'s New Career	#4.7
Tue. July 14	11:30 AM	TVLAND	J.J.'s New Career	#4.8

Cast

BernNadette Stanis	...	Thelma Evans / ... (132 episodes, 1974-1979)
Ralph Carter	...	Michael Evans (131 episodes, 1974-1979)
Jimmie Walker	...	James 'J.J.' Evans, Jr. (126 episodes, 1974-1979)
Ja'net DuBois	...	Willona Woods (120 episodes, 1974-1979)
Esther Rolle	...	Florida Evans (102 episodes, 1974-1979)
John Amos	...	James Evans, Sr. / ... (57 episodes, 1974-1976)
Johnny Brown	...	Nathan Bookman (53 episodes, 1975-1979)

(more)

Series Directed by
Gerren Keith		(72 episodes, 1976-1979)
Herbert Kenwith		(57 episodes, 1974-1976)
Bob LaHendro		(3 episodes, 1974)
Donald McKayle		(3 episodes, 1974)

Series Writing credits
Eric Monte		(55 episodes, 1974-1979)
Mike Evans		(52 episodes, 1974-1979)
Norman Paul		(26 episodes, 1974-1978)
Norman Lear		(25 episodes, 1974-1979)
Jack Elinson		(19 episodes, 1974-1976)
John Baskin		(18 episodes, 1974-1977)
Roger Shulman		(18 episodes, 1974-1977)
Bob Peete		(11 episodes, 1974-1977)
Sid Dorfman		(9 episodes, 1976-1978)
Michael G. Moye		(9 episodes, 1978-1979)
Allan Manings		(7 episodes, 1974-1977)
Michael S. Baser		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Kim Weiskopf		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Bruce Howard		(5 episodes, 1975-1978)
Dick Bensfield		(5 episodes, 1975)
Perry Grant		(5 episodes, 1975)
Austin Kalish		(5 episodes, 1976-1977)
Irma Kalish		(5 episodes, 1976-1977)
Bill Davenport		(4 episodes, 1974-1976)
Lou Derman		(4 episodes, 1974-1976)
John Donley		(4 episodes, 1974-1976)
Kurt Taylor		(4 episodes, 1974-1976)
Joseph Bonaduce		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Mark Fink		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Wayne Kline		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bruce Kalish		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Robert Wolterstorff		(2 episodes, 1974-1977)
Thad Mumford		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Roland Wolpert		(2 episodes, 1974)
Patricia Edwards		(2 episodes, 1975)
Phillip Wickham Taylor		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
John Ashley Hamilton		(2 episodes, 1977)
Gordon Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1977)
Lloyd Turner		(2 episodes, 1977)
Gene Farmer		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Judi Ann Mason		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Len Riley		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bud Slocomb		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Produced by
Allan Manings	....	executive producer / producer (20 episodes, 1974-1977)
Norman Paul	....	producer / executive producer (17 episodes, 1975-1979)
Jack Elinson	....	producer (14 episodes, 1975-1977)
Whitney J. LeBlanc	....	associate producer (9 episodes, 1975-1976)
Austin Kalish	....	executive producer / producer (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Irma Kalish	....	executive producer / producer (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
George Sunga	....	associate producer / producer (8 episodes, 1977-1978)
Viva Knight	....	associate producer (5 episodes, 1975)
Norman Lear	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1974-1975)
Sid Dorfman	....	producer (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ken Stump	....	associate producer (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Camilla Dunn	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1974)
Gordon Mitchell	....	producer (2 episodes, 1978)
Lloyd Turner	....	producer (2 episodes, 1978)
Don Nicholl	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Bernard West	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Tucker Wiard		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Marco Zappia		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Jane Murray		(3 episodes, 1974-1976)

Series Art Direction by
Edward Stephenson		(2 episodes, 1974-1976)
Don Roberts		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Charles Kreiner		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Makeup Department
Al Schultz	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1976)

Series Production Management
Dick Brooks	....	unit manager (12 episodes, 1975-1977)
Norman Lear	....	production supervisor (9 episodes, 1975-1977)
Alan Horn	....	production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Shimokawa	....	assistant director (1 episode, 1975)
Hal Alexander	....	associate director (1 episode, 1976)
Donald Roberts	....	unit director (1 episode, 1979)

Series Art Department
Ernie Barnes	....	paintings by (3 episodes, 1974-1976)
Larry Vigus	....	carpenter (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Terry Hensey	....	audio (1 episode, 1974)
Ray Kemper	....	sound (1 episode, 1975)
Hal Kolker	....	audio consultant (1 episode, 1976)
James L. Mylenek	....	audio (1 episode, 1976)
Art Warshaw	....	audio consultant (1 episode, 1976)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Glover	....	lighting director (72 episodes, 1975-1978)
Ed S. Hill	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Steven Castaneda	....	dimmer operator (unknown episodes)
Art Roberts	....	lighting director (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rita Riggs	....	wardrobe / costumer (3 episodes, 1974-1976)

Series Music Department
Dave Grusin	....	composer: theme music (1 episode, 1975)

Series Other crew
Norman Lear	....	developer / developed for television by / ... (26 episodes, 1974-1979)
John Baskin	....	story editor (15 episodes, 1975-1977)
Allan Manings	....	script supervisor (15 episodes, 1975-1977)
Bob Peete	....	production consultant / program consultant / ... (15 episodes, 1975-1977)
Roger Shulman	....	story editor (15 episodes, 1975-1977)
Jack Elinson	....	script supervisor / story editor (14 episodes, 1974-1976)
Norman Paul	....	script supervisor / story editor (14 episodes, 1974-1976)
Hal Alexander	....	associate director (10 episodes, 1975-1977)
Jay Sommers	....	script editor (6 episodes, 1976)
Drew Handley	....	associate director (6 episodes, 1977-1979)
Sid Dorfman	....	executive script consultant / script editor (6 episodes, 1977)
Gary Shimokawa	....	associate director (4 episodes, 1975)
Buddy Borgen	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Richard Draney	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1975-1976)
Austin Kalish	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1977)
Irma Kalish	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1977)
Joseph Bonaduce	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1979)
Len Uslaner	....	technical director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Bud Yorkin Productions
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974-1979)
• Norman Lear/Tandem Productions (1974-1979)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974-1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (seasons 2 and 3)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Embassy Telecommunications
• P*I*T*S Films
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (seasons 4 and 5)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (season 6)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Other Companies

• CBS Television City  taping location
• Metromedia Square  taping location

Runtime:

USA:30 min (including commercials) (133 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bud Yorkin Productions

Trivia:

During the first season, J.J. would answer the phone by saying "Heloooooooo", but in later years he would answer it by saying "Cello".

Quotes:

J.J.: Looks just like me, slim, black and DYN-O-MITE.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Drawn Together: Breakfast Food Killer (#3.10)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Good Times

THE most misunderstood show of all time

I realize everyone has their own opinion, but, I don't know . . . I think the critics of this show miss the point of the show. I don't find it stereotypical or shuckin'/jivin' at all. This was a family that just happened to be black and live in the projects. They didn't dwell on it. They were actually trying to do everything they could to get out of the projects. JJ wanted to be an artists. Thelma, a dancer. Michael, involved in legal/justice. Seems to me nowadays, the projects or ghetto life is romanticized (see BET videos or MTV videos), whereas the Evans family in "Good Times" was trying to get out and onto something better. Headed by two parents who realized there own shortcomings (lack of education, money), but didn't they try to lead by example by teaching their kids values, strong work ethic and didn't they try to IMPROVE the lives of THEIR children? They tried to show their kids to strive for more in life, DESPITE obstacles. James tried to work several jobs, just so Florida could stay home and tend to the needs of the house/family. Some may find that chauvinistic by today's standards, but, I'm not so sure about that. Seems to me when at least one parent was in the home, children were a bit more manageable. What better representation of a family values can you ask for? A great show! Better than most of the family comedies today!