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Esther Rolle
Age: 78 (passed away Nov. 17th, 1998)
Height:
Birth Place: Pompano Beach, Florida, USA
Born: Nov. 8th, 1920
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Esther Rolle's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: Affectionately known for the role of outspoken maid Florida Evans on the hit 70s sitcoms "Maude" and "Good Times," African-American actress Esther Rolle proved to be as spirited and iron-willed off-camera as well. The gap-toothed, rather plumpish and plain-looking actress with the gravelly voice was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, the 10th child of 18 born to Caribbean farming immigrants. Her first important work came with the Negro Ensemble Company and over the years would earn a solid careworn reputation in such theater plays as "The Blacks," "Blues for Mister Charlie," "The Amen Corner," "A Raisin in the Sun" and "A Member of the Wedding." Ironically, her father insisted she promise him that she would never becoming a servant or maid in real life. She didn't, and yet Esther would have her biggest successes playing just those types of roles. She caught the eye of TV producer Norman Lear while performing on stage who cast her in the "Maude" supporting role in 1972. Audiences loved her so much as the feisty domestic who stood her ground, and then some, against her volatile and liberal-minded employer Maude Findley (Bea Arthur), that Esther earned her own spinoff series with 1974's "Good Times." Compelled to fight racial stereotypes, she insisted before accepting the series that a strong father figure be central in the show (actor John Amos). And while she still played the role of a lower middle-class maid, the show's emphasis was to be on her home and family life, not her outside work. Still, Esther left the show for one season when she was unhappy about the negative role model perpetuated by Jimmie Walker's jive-talking J.J. character, but later returned after the producers assured her that more responsibility would be taken. In other assignments, she won an Emmy Award for the TV movie "Summer of My German Soldier" and gained further respect for her work in Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (1978) and for her film work in Driving Miss Daisy (1990) and Rosewood (1997). Two of her sisters, Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter, were also character performers. Afflicted with diabetes, Esther's health failed in the 90s and toward the very end of her life she was on kidney dialysis. The actress, who was divorced and had no children, died a little more than a week after her 78th birthday on November 8, 1998.
TRIVIA:
- Sister of 'Rosanna Carter' (qv).
- When she died in 1998, she left an estate valued in excess of $1.7 million including $200,000 in cash a $400,000 home, $1,072,000 in treasuries. In addition, she owned 1,000 shares of Bethdames Corporation, several Mutual Funds, and 2% interest in El Toro, Ltd.
- Graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1942.
- Is a honorary member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated
- Originated the role of 'Dorcas Moulineaux' in Steve Carter's play, 'Dame Lorraine, " at the Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago on 27 March 1981.
- Buried at Westview Cemetery, Broward County, Pompano Beach, Florida.
- Sister of 'Estelle Evans (II)' (qv).
- Last film was "Train Ride", an independent feature-film written and directed by Rel Dowdell, which was shot on location at the oldest African-American college in the U.S. at Cheyney University, Cheyney, Pennsylvania. She was also in Dowdell's multi-award winning short film version of "Train Ride", done while he was a graduate student at Boston University. She was appearing in "A Raisin in the Sun" at the Huntingdon Theatre in Boston at the time.
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