Esther Rolle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Esther Rolle
Rolle in 1978
Born	Esther Elizabeth Rolle (1920-11-08)November 8, 1920 Pompano Beach, Florida, U.S.
Died	November 17, 1998(1998-11-17) (aged 78) Culver City, California, U.S.
Resting place	Westview Community Cemetery, Pompano Beach, Florida
Nationality	American, Bahamian
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1964–1998
Known for	Florida Evans in Maude and Good Times
Spouse(s)	Oscar Robinson ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1975)​
Relatives	Estelle Evans (sister) Rosanna Carter (sister)
Awards	1979 Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special Summer of My German Soldier

On Good Times (1974), L-R: Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle, and John Amos

Esther Elizabeth Rolle (born November 8, 1920 – died November 17, 1998) was an American actress. She was famous for playing Florida Evans. This character appeared on the TV show Maude and its spin-off series Good Times.

For her role in Good Times, Esther Rolle was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1976. She also won an Emmy Award in 1979. This award was for her role in the TV movie Summer of My German Soldier.

Early life and education

Esther Rolle was born in Pompano Beach, Florida. Her parents, Jonathan and Elizabeth Rolle, were immigrants from The Bahamas. She was the tenth of 18 children. Her sisters, Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter, also became actresses.

Esther went to Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach. She then studied at Spelman College in Atlanta. Later, she moved to New York City. In New York, she attended Hunter College, The New School, and Yale University. For many years, she worked a regular job in New York City's clothing area.

Acting career

Dance and theater roles

Esther Rolle started her career in dance. She was part of a dance group called Shogolo Oloba. She became the director of this group in 1960.

Her first acting roles were on stage. She made her New York stage debut in 1962 in the play The Blacks. She often acted in plays by the Negro Ensemble Company. She also appeared in famous plays like The Crucible. In 1977, she played Lady Macbeth in a special version of William Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Television success

Esther Rolle is best known for her TV character, Florida Evans. She first played Florida as a housekeeper on the show Maude. After two seasons, her character got her own show, Good Times. This new show was about Florida's family.

In 1975, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her work on Good Times. Esther Rolle was 19 years older than John Amos, who played her husband, James Evans. She strongly believed the show needed a father figure. She also wanted the show to talk about more important topics. She was not happy with how popular the character J.J. Evans became. She felt it made the show too silly. John Amos agreed with her and left the show. Esther Rolle also left for a while but returned for the final season.

In 1979, she won an Emmy Award for her role in the TV movie Summer of My German Soldier. She also made guest appearances on other shows. One was The Incredible Hulk. In the 1990s, she appeared in TV commercials for a psychic hotline. Her famous line was, "Tell them Esther sent you."

Music and film roles

In 1975, Esther Rolle released a music album called The Garden of My Mind. Her first movie role was a small part in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). She also appeared in The Learning Tree (1969). Her sister, Estelle Evans, was in both of these films too.

After Good Times ended, she acted in many TV movies and films. These included Driving Miss Daisy and My Fellow Americans. A memorable role was Aunt Sarah in the film Rosewood (1997). She also had a big role in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her last film, Train Ride, was released in 2000.

Personal life

Rolle's gravesite and headstone

Esther Rolle was married once to Oscar Robinson. They were married from 1955 to 1975. They did not have any children.

Death

Esther Rolle passed away on November 17, 1998. She was in Culver City, California. She died from problems related to diabetes, nine days after her 78th birthday. She was buried in Westview Community Cemetery in Pompano Beach, Florida. This cemetery was created in 1952 for Black people. At that time, laws in Florida did not allow Black and white people to be buried in the same cemetery.

Legacy

Esther Rolle's personal collection

Esther Rolle's family gave over 100 of her items to the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center. This center is in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The collection includes her dresses, a Raggedy Andy doll she supported, and recordings of her reading poems. It also has awards like her 1974 NAACP Image Award and her 1979 Emmy Award.

Filmography and television roles

Stage performances

• 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 Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (1982)
• A Raisin in the Sun (1989)
• Member of the Wedding (1989)

See also

In Spanish: Esther Rolle para niños