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Esther Rolle
Esther Rolle

Esther Rolle

Nov 8, 1920 — Nov 17, 1998 (78 years) Pompano Beach, Florida USA
18 Movies 10 Series
A career spanning 64+ years and 28+ titles makes Esther Rolle one of the trade's long-distance runners. her Idella in 'Driving Miss Daisy' ranks among the most remembered of her filmography. Drama has been her most frequent territory.
78R.I.P.
18Movies
10Series
A career spanning 64+ years and 28+ titles makes Esther Rolle one of the trade's long-distance runners. her Idella in 'Driving Miss Daisy' ranks among the most remembered of her filmography. Drama has been her most frequent territory.
78 R.I.P.
R.I.P.
18
Movies
10
Series
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Esther Rolle still alive?
Esther Rolle passed away on November 17, 1998 at age 78.
What are the most famous roles of Esther Rolle?
Esther Rolle is best known for roles in Cape Fear, To Kill a Mockingbird, Driving Miss Daisy.
How many movies has Esther Rolle been in?
Over a 36-year career (since 1962), Esther Rolle has appeared in 29 movies and 15 TV shows.
What was Esther Rolle's first movie?
The career of Esther Rolle began with To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).
What is Esther Rolle's most recent movie or series?
Esther Rolle's most recent release is Down in the Delta, which premiered on December 25, 1998.
What TV shows has Esther Rolle appeared in?
On television, Esther Rolle has appeared in The Incredible Hulk, Murder, She Wrote, Touched by an Angel, Good Times.
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Esther Rolle
Esther Rolle
1920-11-08 · Pompano Beach, Florida USA

Esther Elizabeth Rolle (November 8, 1920 – November 17, 1998) was a Bahamian American actress. Rolle is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (1972–1974), and its spin-off series Good Times, for five seasons (1974–77, 1978–79), for which Rolle was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1976.

Rolle is best known for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two 1970s 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 1975 for the Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role in Good Times. Rolle was 19 years older than the actor (John Amos) who played her husband James Evans. The James Evans character was only added after Esther 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 when the success of Jimmie Walker's character, J.J. Evans, 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 1979 she won an Emmy for her role in Summer of My German Soldier, a made-for-television movie.

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.

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