| Photos (see all 11 | slideshow) |
| Ralph Carter | ... | Michael Evans (132 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| BernNadette Stanis | ... | Thelma Evans / ... (132 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| Jimmie Walker | ... | James 'J.J.' Evans, Jr. (126 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| Ja'net DuBois | ... | Willona Woods (123 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) |
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 | ||
| Norman Lear | (133 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| Eric Monte | (66 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| Mike Evans | (64 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| Norman Paul | (26 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
| 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 (81 episodes, 1974-1977) | |
| Norman Paul | .... | executive producer / producer (48 episodes, 1975-1979) | |
| Austin Kalish | .... | executive producer / producer (48 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Irma Kalish | .... | executive producer / producer (48 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Norman Lear | .... | executive producer (37 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Viva Knight | .... | associate producer (29 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Jack Elinson | .... | producer (24 episodes, 1975-1976) | |
| Gordon Mitchell | .... | producer (24 episodes, 1977-1978) | |
| Lloyd Turner | .... | producer (24 episodes, 1977-1978) | |
| Sid Dorfman | .... | producer (24 episodes, 1978-1979) | |
| Camilla Dunn | .... | associate producer (13 episodes, 1974) | |
| George Sunga | .... | associate producer (10 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Whitney J. LeBlanc | .... | associate producer (9 episodes, 1975-1976) | |
| Ken Stump | .... | associate producer (5 episodes, 1978-1979) | |
Series Film Editing by | |||
| Tucker Wiard | (25 episodes, 1974-1975) | ||
Series Casting by | |||
| Jane Murray | (29 episodes, 1974-1976) | ||
Series Art Direction by | |||
| Edward Stephenson | (28 episodes, 1974-1976) | ||
| Don Roberts | (4 episodes, 1976-1978) | ||
Series Set Decoration by | |||
| Charles Kreiner | (28 episodes, 1974-1975) | ||
Series Makeup Department | |||
| Billie Jordan | .... | hair stylist / makeup artist (4 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Jim Kail | .... | makeup artist (2 episodes, 1976) | |
Series Production Management | |||
| Martin Vagts | .... | production supervisor (14 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Dick Brooks | .... | unit manager (14 episodes, 1975-1977) | |
| Rita Burton | .... | production supervisor (13 episodes, 1974) | |
| Norman Lear | .... | production supervisor (11 episodes, 1975-1977) | |
| Alan Horn | .... | production supervisor (2 episodes, 1978) | |
| Tyna Huebner | .... | unit manager (2 episodes, 1978) | |
Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Carl Ginnow | .... | associate director (12 episodes, 1974) | |
| Samn Sherman | .... | associate director / assistant director (11 episodes, 1974) | |
| Jim Drake | .... | associate director (3 episodes, 1975) | |
| Hal Alexander | .... | assistant director / associate director (3 episodes, 1976) | |
| Drew Handley | .... | assistant director (2 episodes, 1978) | |
Series Art Department | |||
| Ernie Barnes | .... | paintings by (29 episodes, 1974-1976) | |
Series Sound Department | |||
| Terry Hensey | .... | audio (17 episodes, 1974) | |
| Ray Kemper | .... | audio / sound (5 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Marshall King | .... | audio (4 episodes, 1974) | |
Series Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Walter Glover | .... | lighting director (70 episodes, 1975-1978) | |
| Ed S. Hill | .... | lighting director (26 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
Series Casting Department | |||
| Jane Murray | .... | casting (5 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
Series Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Rita Riggs | .... | wardrobe / costumes / ... (31 episodes, 1974-1976) | |
Series Music Department | |||
| Dave Grusin | .... | composer: theme music (32 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
| Alan Bergman | .... | composer: theme music (31 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
| Marilyn Bergman | .... | composer: theme music (31 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
Series Other crew | |||
| Norman Paul | .... | script supervisor / executive story editor / ... (42 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
| Jack Elinson | .... | executive story editor / script supervisor / ... (40 episodes, 1974-1976) | |
| Bob Peete | .... | production consultant / program consultant / ... (31 episodes, 1974-1977) | |
| Buddy Borgen | .... | stage manager (28 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Charlotte McDaniel | .... | assistant to producer / assistant to producers (27 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Norman Lear | .... | developer / developed for television by / ... (26 episodes, 1974-1979) | |
| John Baskin | .... | story editor / production consultant (23 episodes, 1974-1977) | |
| Roger Shulman | .... | story editor / production consultant (23 episodes, 1974-1977) | |
| Richard Draney | .... | stage manager (17 episodes, 1974-1978) | |
| Allan Manings | .... | script supervisor (17 episodes, 1975-1977) | |
| George Chilton | .... | stage manager (13 episodes, 1974) | |
| Eric Monte | .... | script supervisor (13 episodes, 1974) | |
| Leslie Vaught | .... | technical director (13 episodes, 1974) | |
| Hal Alexander | .... | associate director (10 episodes, 1975-1977) | |
| Sid Dorfman | .... | executive script consultant / script editor / ... (10 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Charles Franklin | .... | technical director (8 episodes, 1974-1975) | |
| Jay Sommers | .... | script editor (6 episodes, 1976) | |
| Drew Handley | .... | associate director (6 episodes, 1977-1979) | |
| Bob Schulz | .... | technical director (5 episodes, 1974) | |
| Gary Shimokawa | .... | associate director (4 episodes, 1975) | |
| Gloria Vinson | .... | assistant: producer / production assistant (4 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Dick Woodka | .... | technical director (4 episodes, 1976-1978) | |
| Austin Kalish | .... | script supervisor (4 episodes, 1976-1977) | |
| Irma Kalish | .... | script supervisor (4 episodes, 1976-1977) | |
| Joseph Bonaduce | .... | story editor (4 episodes, 1978-1979) | |
| Bruce Howard | .... | story editor (3 episodes, 1978-1979) | |
|
|
|
|
|
| "Saved by the Bell" | "Friends" | "Family Matters" | "What's Happening!!" | Sullivan's Travels |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
| Episode guide | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb TV section | IMDb Comedy section |
| IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |
You may add a new episode for this TV series by clicking the 'add episode' button
When "Good Times" premiered in 1974, it was one the first black family sitcoms. It centered on the poor Chicago-based Evans family and their struggles to make ends. Most of the early episodes focused on the parents, James and Florida Evans, and their struggle to provide for the family. John Amos and Esther Rolle were the best part of the show. They were terrific actors and had great chemistry as James and Florida Evans. They had three kids: J.J., Thelma, and Michael. J.J. was the skirt-chasing but well-meaning teenage son who made up for his lack of subtletly with artistic talent. Thelma was an attractive, bright girl who was constantly trading insults with J.J. Michael was a near child prodigy who was well-educated on social issues and was destined to become a lawyer.
In 1976, the producers made a huge mistake by firing John Amos, literally killing off his character. This really changed the focus, and not for the good I might add. The shows began to focus more on J.J. and his buffoon-like behavior which angered black viewers as well as series star Esther Rolle, who left after the next season. Instead of a show that focused on key African-American issues that existed in society at the time, viewers got shows that were overloaded with skirt chasing and fat jokes.
Once Esther Rolle left, the quality of the show suffered even more. Although it was still watchable, it was no longer the great ground-breaking show that it once was.
Although Esther Rolle came back for the 1978 season, it became obvious that the show was on its last legs. All loose ends were tied up during that season and the show quietly faded off the air.
First three season: A. Last three seasons: C+.