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Esther Rolle

American actress (–)

Esther Rolle

Rolle in

Born

Esther Elizabeth Rolle


()November 8,

Pompano Beach, Florida, U.S.

DiedNovember 17, () (aged&#;78)

Culver City, California, U.S.

Resting placeWestview Community Cemetery, Pompano Beach, Florida
NationalityAmerican, Bahamian
OccupationActress
Years&#;active–
Known&#;forFlorida Evans on Maude and Good Times
Spouse

Oscar Robinson

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(m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;
RelativesEstelle Evans (sister)
Rosanna Carter (sister)
Awards Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special
Summer of My German Soldier

Esther Elizabeth Rolle (November 8, – November 17, ) was an American actress.

Esther Rolle was an actress primarily established for her role as principled, spirited Florida Evans who was first the maid on the Norman Lear sitcom Maude starring Beatrice Arthur and later was spun off into the starring role as the mother in the Lear sitcom Good Times Despite the success of the series, Rolle clashed with the Hollywood producers because of their depiction of the oldest son, J. She and her co-star, John Amos, who played the father and shared her concerns, briefly quit the series. Rolle returned during the final series to show the television family had reconciled.

She is foremost known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (–), and its spin-off series Good Times, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Optimal Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in In , Rolle won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Exceptional for the television film Summer of My German Soldier.[1]

Early life

Esther Rolle was born in Pompano Beach, Florida to Bahamian immigrants Jonathan Rolle (–), a farmer, and Elizabeth Iris Rolle (née Dames; –).

Her parents were both born and raised in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas and moved to Florida some time after their marriage. She was the tenth of 18 children (children who included siblings and fellow actresses Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter).[2] Rolle graduated from Blanche Ely High College in Pompano Beach.[3] She initially studied at Spelman College in Atlanta, before moving to Unused York City.[3] While in Fresh York, she attended Hunter College before transferring to The Recent School and then Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.[4] For many years, Rolle worked in a traditional day job in New York City's garment district.[5]

Career

Dance and theater

Rolle was a member of Asadata Dafora's dance troupe, Shogolo Oloba[2] (later renamed the Federal Theater African Dance Troupe).

She became the troupe's director in [3] Rolle's earliest roles were on the stage; her New York stage debut was in the play The Blacks. She was often cast in plays produced by Robert Hooks and the Negro Ensemble Firm.

All All. Sign In. Esther Rolle Actress Soundtrack. Play trailer Down in the Delta

She also appeared in productions of The Crucible and Blues for Mr. Charlie.[5] Rolle's most prominent early role was as Long for Maybell in the Melvin Van Peebles Broadway musical Don't Compete Us Cheap, and its subsequent film adaptation.[6]1 In , Rolle portrayed Lady Macbeth in Orson Welles' Haitian-influenced version of William Shakespeare's Macbeth at the Henry Street New Federal Theater in Manhattan.

Television

Rolle is best famous for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two s 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 for the Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role in Good Times.

Rolle shot to prominence once she started acting for the incredibly famous sitcom, ‘Maude’, in Rolle played ‘Florida Evans’; an open minded, ‘no-nonsense’ housekeeper to the lead nature of the show.

Rolle was 19 years older than the actor (John Amos) who played her husband James (named Henry on Maude) Evans. The James Evans character was only added after 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 with the success of Jimmie Walker's character, J.J.

Evans, which she believed 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 she won an Emmy for her role in Summer of My German Soldier, a made-for-television movie.

Among her guest-starring roles was one on The Incredible Hulk in an episode entitled "Behind the Wheel", in which she played a taxicab business owner.[5] In the s, Rolle was a surprise guest on RuPaul's VH-1 discuss 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.

Her parents were both born and raised in NassauNew Providence, The Bahamas and moved to Florida some time after their marriage. She was the tenth of 18 children children who included siblings and fellow actresses Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter. She became the troupe's director in She also appeared in productions of The Crucible and Blues for Mr.

Rolle also appeared in a series of psychic hotline TV commercials in the s. "Tell them Esther sent you," was her trademark line.[8]

Music and film

Rolle released an album of music titled The Garden of My Mind in [9] Rolle's first screen appearance is a small, uncredited role in To Kill a Mockingbird (), and she later appeared in Gordon Parks' The Learning Tree ().[10] Her sister, actress Estelle Evans, appeared in both films as well.[10] Esther Rolle appeared early in her career in the film Nothing But a Man ().

After Good Times ended, she appeared in a number of made-for-television movies as well as films, including Driving Miss Daisy and My Fellow Americans. A lasting role was that of Aunt Sarah in the film Rosewood ().

Esther Rolle ~ Finish Biography with Photos | Videos: She is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (–), and its spin-off series Pleasant Times, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in

She had a major role in I Recognize Why the Caged Bird Sings based on Maya Angelou's memoir of the same name, and has the distinction of having won the first Emmy Award for the category Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, in , for her work in the television film Summer of My German Soldier.

She is also credited for her role in the clip The Mighty Quinn (), starring Denzel Washington and Sheryl Lee Ralph, and featuring Robert Townsend. Her last film, Train Ride, was released in despite organism filmed in

Personal life

Rolle was married to Oscar Robinson from until their divorce in She had no children, but did have one ex-stepdaughter, Sherley Mae Robinson (born ), from Oscar's previous marriage.[2]

Death

Rolle died on November 17, , in Culver Metropolis, California,[2] from complications of diabetes, at the age of A devout member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Rolle requested that her funeral be held at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in her hometown of Pompano Beach, Florida.[11]

She is buried in Westview Community Cemetery in Pompano Beach.

The cemetery is a historically black burial land created in , a period when the laws and customs of Florida did not let white people and black people to be buried in the same cemetery.[12]

Legacy

Collection of Esther Rolle's personal works

Rolle's family donated over items of hers to the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The collection includes gowns, a black Raggedy Andy doll she endorsed, a recording of poems recited by Rolle, and awards such as the NAACP Eighth Image Award for Best Actress in a Series and her Emmy for her role in Summer of My German Soldier.[13]

Filmography/television

Stage work

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ^"Esther Rolle".
  2. ^ abcdSterngold, James (November 19, ).

    "Esther Rolle, 78, Who Played Feisty Maid and Matriarch". The New York Times.

    All All. Sign In. Esther Elizabeth Rolle. Best known for the role of Florida Evans on the s sitcoms Maude and Good TimesAfrican-American actress Esther Rolle proved to be as spirited and iron-willed off-camera as well.

    New York City.

  3. ^ abcEsther RolleArchived at the Wayback Machine at the African American Registry
  4. ^"Esther Rolle biography".

    DLife. Westport, Connecticut: LifeMed Media, Inc. June 14, Archived from the original on April 16, Retrieved April 16,

  5. ^ abcErickson, Hal.

    "Esther Rolle biography". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 5, Retrieved April 28,

  6. ^"'Good Times' matriarch Esther Rolle dies at 78". CNN. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System.

    Associated Flatten. November 18, Archived from the original on June 15, Retrieved April 28,

  7. ^90's Commercials - FOX February , May 2, , retrieved May 19,
  8. ^"WFMU - Days Project ()".
  9. ^ abEsther Rolle at the TCM Feature Database
  10. ^"Esther Rolle Memorial Set for Saturday".

    Los Angeles Times.

    Esther Rolle. Actress: Driving Miss Daisy. Best known for the role of Florida Evans on the s sitcoms Maude () and Good Times (), African-American actress Esther Rolle proved to be as spirited and iron-willed off-camera as well.

    Los Angeles. November 25,

  11. ^"Families say graves are being covered up at neglected Pompano Beach cemetery". May 30, Retrieved June 26,
  12. ^"AFRICAN-AMERICAN Explore LIBRARY GETS MEMENTOS OF Excellent TIMES' ESTHER ROLLE".

    Sun-Sentinel. August Retrieved February 21,

Sources

External links