"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:

Mon. Nov. 9	10:00 AM	TVLAND	Thelma's African Romance	#4.15
Mon. Nov. 9	10:30 AM	TVLAND	Thelma's African Romance	#4.16

Cast

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)

(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
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)

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:

Among J.J.'s many girlfriends, the ones that were mentioned the most were Henrietta, "Boom Boom" Belinda, Francine "The Furnace" and Samantha "the Human Panther". Henrietta played by Tina Andrews and Samantha played by Debbi Morgan were the only ones that appeared on-screen

Quotes:

[JJ's just been arrested on suspicion of armed robbery]
Policeman: J.J. you fit the description of the suspect - a tall, skinny, young, black man.
JJ: You just described most of Chicago!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Cameron Diaz/Jimmy Eat World (#27.16)" (2002)

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!