Esther Rolle

Esther Rolle Born (1920-11-08)November 8, 1920, Pompano Beach, Florida, US Died November 17, 1998(1998-11-17) (aged 78), Culver City, California, US Cause of death Complications from diabetes Resting place Westview Community Cemetery Nationality American Occupation Actress Years active 1964-1998 Spouse(s) Oscar Robinson (1955-1960) Esther Rolle (November 8, 1920 - November 17, 1998) was an American actress. She was perhaps best known for her portrayal of Florida Evans on the CBS television sitcom Maude and its spin-off series Good Times. Early life: Esther Rolle was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, to Bahamian immigrants Jonathan Rolle (a farmer) and Elizabeth Rolle. Esther was the tenth of 18 children. Rolle attended Booker T. Washington High School in Miami, Florida and graduated from Blanche Ely High School. She initially studied at Spelman College in Atlanta, but she moved to New York City. She attended Hunter College, The New School for Social Research, and Yale University. She was also a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority. For many years, Rolle worked in a traditional "day job" in New York City's garment district. Career: Dance: Rolle was a member of Asadata Dafora's dance troupe, Shogolo Oloba (later renamed the Federal Theater African Dance Troupe). She became the troupe's director in 1960. Theater: Rolle's earliest roles were on the stage; her New York stage debut was in the 1962 play The Blacks. She was often cast in plays produced by Robert Hooks and the Negro Ensemble Company. She also appeared in productions of The Crucible and Blues for Mr. Charlie. Rolle's most prominent early role was as Miss Maybell in the 1973 Melvin Van Peebles play, Don't Play Us Cheap. In 1977, Rolle portrayed Lady Macbeth in Orson Welles' Haitian-influenced version at the Henry Street New Federal Theater in Manhattan. Television: Rolle is perhaps best known for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two 1970s sitcoms. The character was initially 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 1975 for the Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role in Good Times. Rolle herself was nearly twenty years older than her "husband" on the show John Amos. Rolle fought for more relevant themes and scripts, and was unhappy that the success of Jimmie Walker's character J.J. Evans took the show in what she thought was a frivolous direction. As a result, actor John Amos, who played the role of the father, James Evans, left 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 concluded. Although the series continued without her for the fifth season, she returned for the show's final season. In 1979 she won an Emmy for her role in the TV movie Summer of My German Soldier (TV film). Among her guest star roles was one on The Incredible Hulk in an episode entitled "Behind the Wheel" where she played a taxicab business owner. In the 1990s, Rolle was a surprise guest on RuPaul's VH-1 talk 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. Rolle also appeared in a series of psychic hotline TV commercials in the 1990s. "Tell them Esther sent you," was her trademark line. Music: Rolle released an album of music titled The Garden of My Mind in 1975. Film: Rolle's first screen appearance is a small, uncredited role in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), and she later appeared in Gordon Parks' The Learning Tree (1969). Her sister, actress Estelle Evans, performs in both films as well. Esther Rolle appears early in her career in the 1964 feature film, Nothing But a Man. After Good Times, she performed in a number of made-for-television movies and feature films, including Driving Miss Daisy and My Fellow Americans. A memorable role was that of Aunt Sarah in the 1997 film Rosewood. She had a major role in I Know 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 1979, for her work in the television movie Summer of My German Soldier. Her last film, Train Ride was released in 2005 despite being filmed in 1998. Personal life and death: Rolle's only marriage ended in divorce, and she had no children. After residing in Los Angeles, California, Rolle died on November 17, 1998 in Culver City, California, from complications of diabetes. Her body was flown back to her hometown, Pompano Beach, Florida. A devout Methodist, Rolle requested her funeral be held at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The family requested that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to such organizations as the African American Chapter of the American Diabetes Association, The Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters in Dallas, Texas, The Jenesse Center in Los Angeles, and Marcus Garvey Elementary and Junior High School in Los Angeles. Selected filmography: Year Title Role Notes 1964 Nothing But a Man Church woman 1967 Up the Down Staircase Teacher Uncredited 1971 The Bold Ones: The Senator Black Woman Episode: "A Single Blow of a Sword" 1972 to 1974 Maude Florida Evans 29 episodes 1973 Cleopatra Jones Mrs. Johnson 1974 Summer of My German Soldier Ruth Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie 1974 to 1979 Good Times Florida Evans 109 episodes, Nominated-Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy 1974 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Momma Television film 1981 Darkroom Grandmother/Old Woman Episode: "Needlepoint" 1982 Flamingo Road Julia 3 episodes 1983 Fantasy Island Mama Episode: "Edward/The Extraordinary Miss Jones" 1984 Finder of Lost Loves Nellie Episode: "Goodbye, Sara" 1985 Murder, She Wrote Margaret Episode: "Reflections of the Mind" 1987 P.K. and the Kid Mim 1989 The Mighty Quinn Ubu Pearl 1989 Driving Miss Daisy Idella 1993 House of Cards Adelle 1995 How to Make an American Quilt Aunt Pauline 1996 My Fellow Americans Rita 1997 Rosewood Aunt Sarah Nominated-Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture 1998 Poltergeist: The Legacy Grandma Rose Episode: "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" 1998 Down in the Delta Annie Sinclair 2000 Train Ride Dean of students Released posthumously Stage work: Day of Absence (1965), Happy Ending (1965), The Amen Corner (1965), Man Better Man (1969), Akokawe (1970), Ride a Black Horse (1971), The Dream on Monkey Mountain (1971), Rosalee Pritchett (1971), Don't Play Us Cheap! (1972), A Ballet Behind the Bridge (1972), Horowitz and Mrs. Washington (1980), Nevis Mountain Dew (1980), Dame Lorraine (1981), A Raisin in the Sun (1989), Member of the Wedding (1989)

Source: Wikipedia

Text from this biography licensed under creative commons license