That scene reminded of when my dad died. Moma was trying to be so strong, but later that night, she broke down!!! That was one of the most gripping scenes of Good Time.
Every time they tried to get out the ghetto, something bad happened. This family had the worse luck but their matriarch, Florida Evans always kept the faith and held her family together.
@Richard Almeida It would be the final episode where that happened. They had a gazillion opportunities before that too but Florida always tried to keep James home or from doing something that would benefit the family tremendously
This show reached so many households during its time...my whole family (italian) sat in shock as this episode aired and no one said a word...even today at 48 watching this scene still gives me chills
@mr.b Of course It was just acting but please remember tv in the 70s wasn’t like now. People didn’t have access to television programs there was no streaming, black shows in prime time was few, when good times aired by the 4th season It was just as popular as the jeffersons and 227, people of color looked to these programs as representation for everywhere they didn’t see themselves. It was more than just tv
James wasn’t the show but he was the link that kept the show popular. Jimmy Walker thought it was him that he could carry the show due to his popularity at the time. If anyone of the cast members left the show or died off.....the show would have died as well. If I am wrong...who could the show had missed? Wineona?
One of the heartbreaking episodes ever Evans family preparing to leave Chicago to Mississippi for a much better life the three children left without a father figure
Where did he get a job at Mississippi, well Mississippi down south in the 70s was a lot more racist at the time. They could’ve moved to like Georgia or something
LOL OMG I was six years old when I seen this episode I remember crying LOL my grandmother told me cheer up its only a TV show and he will be back....LOL couple days later he did come back he was in coming to America movie I was happy LOL thanks Grandma love you
I was 13 when I saw this episode, and it was a big shock to me, and we kids were all talking about it in school the following day. Some of us (including me) thought it was probably a dream sequence, or that in the next episode, it would be discovered that it was a different James Evans who died, and that the telegram went to the wrong family, something like that. I was so disappointed when I watched part two of the show, and they all came back from the funeral in the opening scene. They truly killed this show when they killed James.
I was 13 as well when I saw this episode. I knew beforehand that Amos wasn't returning to the series. I had read in Jet Magazine that he wasn't going to return and that J.J.'s role would be revised to make his character more mature, as he would now be the man of the Evans' household. Hearing that the James character had died came as a shock, but because I knew Amos wasn't returning to the show, it wasn't a surprise.
I remember it to , I was a little boy at the time watching it with my parents and siblings on a Saturday night and part 2 had me in tears at the end when Florida had her meltdown. I remember it all too well. I still cry if I watch that episode even more now because my father is gone and he reminded me of James.
GOOD TIMES was never the same again, after the departure of John Amos. When they killed off his character of James Evans, the show died a slow death. Biggest mistake they ever made. Good Times without James Evans was like Dallas without Jock Ewing. When the actor Jim Davis who portrayed Jock Ewing on Dallas died in real life, the show was never the same. They had to keep his Portrait hanging up on the wall in the background to try to keep the show afloat.
I watched Good Times in the 2000s when reruns would air on UPN. I remembered this episode so clearly and Florida’s “Damn damn damn!!” Absolutley broke my heart.
@@JAWrightonlineThe ratings held steady the following season. But they dropped after Rolle left and it became the JJ show. Amos was fired after season 3, and Rolle left after season 4, both because of disagreements with the direction of the show. Writers got their way, and the ratings plummeted after that.
John Amos was initially positive about playing the role of James as he thought it would be a positive portrayal of an African American family. Overtime he clashed with the show's producers and writers over the authenticity of African American experiences as well as them having JJ say Dynomite in every episode. This is why he was fired from the show. Esther Rolle did not like the way they portrayed JJ and left the show at the end of the following season.
@@adamedwards2435 Your BOY JJ wasn't speaking to EITHER OF THEM... Understand this, these 2 ppl who played his parents ARE ACTORS. HE was a comedian who was put into a TV SHOW. HE WAS A MARGINAL COMEDIAN.. AT BEST SWEETIE...I KNOW CUZ I WAS THERE B4 HE EVER BECAME FAMOUS. DAVE CHAPPELLE HE'S NOT, AND HE SURE THE FUCK AIN'T RICHARD PRYOR... NOT IN THIS LIFETIME OF ANY OTHER. BUT REMEMBER...HE WAS WITHIN THE SAME TIMEFRAME. LET THAT sink in before you go talking about how he shines ok? He was a 1 trick pony honey🐴! Think about this....he's in his 70's and WHAT THE FUCK is Jimmy Walker even known for hmmm? Oh yeah....he said Dy-No-Miiiite back in the mid 1970s. HMMM... what WAS that next big move that JJ Walker moved onto after he got his foot in the entertainment door here. Oh you know...RIGHT AFTER "THE OLD MAN" who you claim was talking his "shine" 💩 away from him? Oh yeah... nothing. Sooo .. What WAS John Amos' next move AFTER being fired for wanting to have the show NOT MADE INTO A CARICATURE BY JJ WALKER....BUT JJ WAS totally ok with participating as a minstrel for them hmmm? JOHN AMOS DID THE 4 NIGHT/8 HOUR MINISERIES ROOTS. THINK about it like this....isn't it embarrassing for your Mr Shine to be in his MID 70's... YET STILL have less to show for his personal career OR his financial success. I mean after all, HE'S supposedly such the big star right? EVEN DEAD...SOME OF THE CAST MEMBERS HAVE HIGHER NET WORTH AND SOME OF THEM....THEY NEVER FUCKING WORKED IN TV>>>EVER AGAIN. LOL! #PickBETTERHeroes "'Good Times': Did John Amos Leave 'Good Times' Because of J.J. Evans?" www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/good-times-did-john-amos-leave-good-times-because-of-j-j-evans.html/
Thats because they had to remove his character of the show because Dwight man had to start the mind programming of our people to not have the father figure in the house. His intimidation of the black man/father is REAL
Great scene, but you have to wonder what was going through John Amos' co-stars' minds as this unfolded. They knew that he had been fired from the show due to creative differences with Norman Lear and the production staff. And it must have been especially awkward for Jimmie Walker. One of Amos' objections was that the character of JJ was too negatively stereotypical of young black men, yet was the most popular among all the characters.
The original plan was to enhance J.J.'s role on the show to become the man of the house. With James out of the picture, they tried to expand J.J.'s character to become more dramatic, but that obviously didn't work. They found out that James was actually the heart of the family as well as the show. Although he never admitted, Lear had to know that firing Amos was a terrible mistake that lead to the show's downfall.
@@lwmson The departure of Amos was indeed a mistake, although JJ later did become a responsible and accomplished commercial artist who held the family together when Florida temporarily left the scene. (That was another mistake, although Esther Rolle made that one. Florida was a religious woman and devoted mother who would never run off with an atheist boy friend to Arizona while leaving her children behind in the ghetto). Amos and Lear would reconcile to create the show 704 Hauser, but that was a disaster. The thought of another family living in Archie Bunker's house was not tolerable to the audience, and the show was simply bad.
@@nassauguy48 Esther Rolle left the show in protest. She disagreed with the way Jimmie Walker was acting on set, and the way the writers were playing it up in the scripts. The explanation they used to take Florida off the show for that time was ridiculous, and the show never recovered, even after her return the next season. Norman Lear realized too late that the show couldn’t be based around JJ. His character never showed any growth or progression for him to suddenly mature and play the role of helping Wilona parent Michael and Thelma.
Yeah I read somewhere yeah John Amos had issues with character of JJ. He felt that the character was a throw back of minstrel days of black entertainment
Loved this show as a kid. This episode was an absolute gut punch. Also, the show really went downhill when Mr Amos was booted... just like a real family.
Oh yes! I definitely remember watching this episode originally aired. It was back on September 22, 1976; just 10 days before my 19th birthday. Good Times had just moved from Tuesday nights to Wednesday nights that year. In fact, this was the fourth season opener (1976-77).
Wow! I never knew how he died until now. I knew I was sad when he was not longer on the show. James was that dude! He encompassed my dad and all of my uncles.
John Amos was fired because of creative differences, though. He wasn't killed off for a ratings boost. "Jumping the shark" is when a TV show works in some kind of gimmick-y story arc in a desperate attempt to drum up viewership. That wasn't the case in this scenario.
There is NO WAY the Evans family would have been informed of James' death via telegram. The authorities in Mississippi would have contacted the authorities in Chicago and an officer would have informed the family in person that someone matching James' description was involved in an accident. Not to mention a formal identification of the body would have been required as well. That would have fallen on Florida, Thelma or most likely JJ's shoulders to do. Wartime is the only instance (I can think of) where families were told of the death of a loved one via telegram.
Yup. This is around 1976-'77, and Vietnam just ended. Thought why not also a phone call from the Authorities in Mississippi would have at least called them as well? So even as poor as the Evans was, at the very least then, the Mississippi officials could contacted Chicago PD to send an Officer to tell the terrible news.
Artistic license and who knows maybe someone did call them but they didn't have a answering machine and was going to call back again the next day but they got the voicemail which was sent as well at the same time
I thought he actually passed away. Sure, it wasn't a Mandela effect? 🤔 we cried when we watched it. There's was a big tribute for him at the end of the show.
This was heartbreaking, but I think when Florida finally broke down later in the episode....it just kills you. As a side question, were telegrams really that popular in the 70's? I was born in 76 and I can't remember my family ever getting a telegram.
Um…no. JJ’s character was a caricature and was reminiscent of the black face characters earlier in the century. That’s the main reason why the fired the actor. He spoke out against it behind the scenes.
Who's here after just hearing the news? R.I.P. John Amos. 😥🙏🕊
ME 🥲
Me 😞
Me 😢
He died two months ago…..
@@babyigotchomoney I know, but it was just publicly announced a few days ago.
RIP To Mr John Amos...................Rest In Heaven, Sir!!
May God Bless You always!!
Ms Rolle could show emotion like no other actress I've ever seen. She was amazing
You must not have seem very many actresses before
Yes, she surely was.
Damn, damn, damn!
That scene reminded of when my dad died. Moma was trying to be so strong, but later that night, she broke down!!! That was one of the most gripping scenes of Good Time.
@@a.beatty8747 sorry you had to experience the loss of a parent!💕💕
Every time they tried to get out the ghetto, something bad happened. This family had the worse luck but their matriarch, Florida Evans always kept the faith and held her family together.
She was also part of the problem they couldn't get out of the ghetto too
@Richard Almeida It would be the final episode where that happened. They had a gazillion opportunities before that too but Florida always tried to keep James home or from doing something that would benefit the family tremendously
She was so afraid James would leave her but I believe he finally did he did a Houdini
@Richard Almeida without her help
Too many subliminals with this show that triggered and scared the Black community!
This show reached so many households during its time...my whole family (italian) sat in shock as this episode aired and no one said a word...even today at 48 watching this scene still gives me chills
I’m glad you and your family watched this show
I'm sure it was extra traumatic since your name is also James
@@srso4660 an attempt at humor I see?
This was the most devastating scene for me when I was a kid. My house went quiet just like in the scene.
Mine too . This was hard for me
You know it was just acting right? He didn't really die.
@@HyperInflation2020 Of course but we bond with the characters on TV emotionally you know
TV= program
@mr.b Of course It was just acting but please remember tv in the 70s wasn’t like now. People didn’t have access to television programs there was no streaming, black shows in prime time was few, when good times aired by the 4th season It was just as popular as the jeffersons and 227, people of color looked to these programs as representation for everywhere they didn’t see themselves. It was more than just tv
He didn’t really die he’s in Queens New York changed his name to McDowell and opened the restaurant
Lmao
Yep! Remarried and his daughter married a prince
I was sad until i read this comment. Thank you :)
Then he moved to Zamunda
!!!!!!! Ok that got me
It's a shame they don't make shows like this anymore. One of the best shows I have ever seen.
The blacks would complain if they made a show like this again…
@@JudeTavonFenwick I think their complaints are for a completely different reason now...
They tried by making it an animated series and it bombed.,,supposedly it was about the grandkids of Florida.
Don't you know? They c on ing back with an animated reboot, it's FUVKINH GARBAGE!!!!!
Now he's really gone...rest in peace John Amos
This part his different knowing he’s really gone. RIP John Amos🙏🏽
This hit different now that he's gone in real life too....
RIP JOHN AMOS. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE FATHER SOME PEOPLE NEVER HAD🩵🕊️💯
Said it 48 years ago and saying it again today, RIP JAMES ❤❤❤
One of if not the saddest tv scene ever
I think it's the second saddest. The saddest is The Fresh Prince scene how come he don't want me man? Can't watch it without crying.
Watch the All in the Family episode when Edith dies and Archie's monologue. omg Your heart will be in your throat.
Amen, brother. Talk about a buzzkill- having a party and, all of a sudden, hey- your dad’s dead 😔
debbieomi And when Gloria, Mike and Joey move away. 😭
@@juliefuraitor5610 Oh, yes! That's another heart string puller!
RIP John Amos, you will be sorely missed!! 😞
Cried my ass off when I was a kid. Still pulls my heart strings.
When James died, the show died with him.
Pretty much.
Fr
😭😭😭😭😭😭
For real
James wasn’t the show but he was the link that kept the show popular. Jimmy Walker thought it was him that he could carry the show due to his popularity at the time. If anyone of the cast members left the show or died off.....the show would have died as well. If I am wrong...who could the show had missed? Wineona?
One of the heartbreaking episodes ever Evans family preparing to leave Chicago to Mississippi for a much better life the three children left without a father figure
Where did he get a job at Mississippi, well Mississippi down south in the 70s was a lot more racist at the time. They could’ve moved to like Georgia or something
@@RealDaveTalk have you ever watched the show it was a celebration turned into a tragedy
@@RealDaveTalk He got a job in a garage.
@@RealDaveTalk Atlanta would have been the perfect city back then. If they had to go down south.
I was thinking Chicago to Mississippi just doesn't seem right..🤔
This and the episode where Penny was burned with a hot iron by her mama really stayed with me all these years.
yep, I was like 8 or 9 when Penny was on good times....Always stayed in my head.
LOL OMG I was six years old when I seen this episode I remember crying LOL my grandmother told me cheer up its only a TV show and he will be back....LOL couple days later he did come back he was in coming to America movie I was happy LOL thanks Grandma love you
I think you mean years
@@The_Old_Soul_Artist dude really 🫣
Welcome to McDowels what can we get for you
James passed away today, S.I.P to the Legend Mr. John Amos 🕊️
John Amos died over a month ago (08/21/24). The news was just released today.
Who else was waiting on Florida Evan's to say her famous "Damn, Damn, Damn!" ??
Your sort of a monster.
👋🏿I was!!!!😁👌🏿👍🏿
@@teenfromtexas7579 PHONY AZZ!
@Sharon Hudson when she said that i sorta felt her pain.
@Sharon Hudson do yxkfk for the same code you have a good Vu for the last
I was 13 when I saw this episode, and it was a big shock to me, and we kids were all talking about it in school the following day. Some of us (including me) thought it was probably a dream sequence, or that in the next episode, it would be discovered that it was a different James Evans who died, and that the telegram went to the wrong family, something like that. I was so disappointed when I watched part two of the show, and they all came back from the funeral in the opening scene. They truly killed this show when they killed James.
I was 13 as well when I saw this episode. I knew beforehand that Amos wasn't returning to the series. I had read in Jet Magazine that he wasn't going to return and that J.J.'s role would be revised to make his character more mature, as he would now be the man of the Evans' household. Hearing that the James character had died came as a shock, but because I knew Amos wasn't returning to the show, it wasn't a surprise.
I was 13 as well and I can’t remember if I knew that John Amos was leaving or not before this episode
I agree 100%
Why did they kill his character off? He was great on this show!
@@darkstarr2540 he had problems with the writers bc he said black ppl didn't act like that so they fired him
The emotion when she read that letter and couldn't finish it
RIP Ester Rolle and Ja'net Dubois
dubois died,when was that?
Dubois died last year. She was seventy to four years old. Seventy four years old.
@@staceyharper7827 She died earlier this year, 2020.
@@-elchoya9832 Earlier this year, 2020
@@kadrae5277 you were right. Ja net dubois died on February twentieth of this year. Thank you for correcting me.
I remember when this aired it was so sad.
I remember it to , I was a little boy at the time watching it with my parents and siblings on a Saturday night and part 2 had me in tears at the end when Florida had her meltdown. I remember it all too well. I still cry if I watch that episode even more now because my father is gone and he reminded me of James.
This show went down hill after john Amos who played James, left the show
Now this is hella funny❗🤦🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@KingD-light The scene where Florida (Estelle Rolls) dropped the glass punch bowl was so heartbreaking.
@@user-jk3bq8nr2v how was that funny?
GOOD TIMES was never the same again, after the departure of John Amos. When they killed off his character of James Evans, the show died a slow death. Biggest mistake they ever made. Good Times without James Evans was like Dallas without Jock Ewing. When the actor Jim Davis who portrayed Jock Ewing on Dallas died in real life, the show was never the same. They had to keep his Portrait hanging up on the wall in the background to try to keep the show afloat.
Dallas did well after Jock died lasted a long time
Edith when they killed her off form All in the Family
Ir ChArmed?Without Shannen Doherty
jr was the main character on dallas
Or when Dallas had Bobby Ewing die. Heard they never recovered from that . Or the New Dallas where Jr. Ewing Died Never recovered from that
Rest In Peace John Amos aka James Evans.
I watched Good Times in the 2000s when reruns would air on UPN. I remembered this episode so clearly and Florida’s “Damn damn damn!!” Absolutley broke my heart.
Heart shattering and sad moment.
it was
The beginning...of the end.
of the world, come New EArth new Heavens. they world is a system it clouded up everthing but burns nicely
Oh please. It was still good after his demise.
@@TF-gf3fs You're wrong. The ratings declined irreversibly without John Amos (James Evans).
@@TF-gf3fs There were a few good episodes, but once Florida also left it just wasn't the same
@@JAWrightonlineThe ratings held steady the following season. But they dropped after Rolle left and it became the JJ show. Amos was fired after season 3, and Rolle left after season 4, both because of disagreements with the direction of the show. Writers got their way, and the ratings plummeted after that.
I saw that episode, I'm 53 yrs old now, it still stings!
DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!!
😂
I just heard the news.
R.I.P John Amos 😢
RIP Ester Rolle and Ja'Net Dubois they were great actresses.
On this Day 10/1/2024 this is for real
John Amos R.I.P.
He died in August
R.I.P. John Amos.
You and Esther Rolle made this show what it was.
You were also great in the West Wing.
John Amos is a legend.
And still kicking
He a AllStar **In my Primms voice**
RIP John Amos.
Really Rip John A❤😢
One of the greatest shows ever. ☮️ ❤️
I remember watching the re-runs back in the day and now my kids are watching the re-runs.
Sad seeing this now that he has actually passed away
.show was never the same after they killed him off ..bad move he was one of the best t.v dads
I agree with you I stopped watching when took James off.
John Amos was initially positive about playing the role of James as he thought it would be a positive portrayal of an African American family.
Overtime he clashed with the show's producers and writers over the authenticity of African American experiences as well as them having JJ say Dynomite in every episode.
This is why he was fired from the show.
Esther Rolle did not like the way they portrayed JJ and left the show at the end of the following season.
Too strong of a character. He was taking the shine from Kid Dynamite.
@@adamedwards2435 Your BOY JJ wasn't speaking to EITHER OF THEM... Understand this, these 2 ppl who played his parents ARE ACTORS. HE was a comedian who was put into a TV SHOW. HE WAS A MARGINAL COMEDIAN.. AT BEST SWEETIE...I KNOW CUZ I WAS THERE B4 HE EVER BECAME FAMOUS. DAVE CHAPPELLE HE'S NOT, AND HE SURE THE FUCK AIN'T RICHARD PRYOR... NOT IN THIS LIFETIME OF ANY OTHER. BUT REMEMBER...HE WAS WITHIN THE SAME TIMEFRAME. LET THAT sink in before you go talking about how he shines ok?
He was a 1 trick pony honey🐴! Think about this....he's in his 70's and WHAT THE FUCK is Jimmy Walker even known for hmmm? Oh yeah....he said Dy-No-Miiiite back in the mid 1970s. HMMM... what WAS that next big move that JJ Walker moved onto after he got his foot in the entertainment door here. Oh you know...RIGHT AFTER "THE OLD MAN" who you claim was talking his "shine" 💩 away from him? Oh yeah... nothing. Sooo .. What WAS John Amos' next move AFTER being fired for wanting to have the show NOT MADE INTO A CARICATURE BY JJ WALKER....BUT JJ WAS totally ok with participating as a minstrel for them hmmm? JOHN AMOS DID THE 4 NIGHT/8 HOUR MINISERIES ROOTS. THINK about it like this....isn't it embarrassing for your Mr Shine to be in his MID 70's... YET STILL have less to show for his personal career OR his financial success. I mean after all, HE'S supposedly such the big star right? EVEN DEAD...SOME OF THE CAST MEMBERS HAVE HIGHER NET WORTH AND SOME OF THEM....THEY NEVER FUCKING WORKED IN TV>>>EVER AGAIN. LOL! #PickBETTERHeroes
"'Good Times': Did John Amos Leave 'Good Times' Because of J.J. Evans?" www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/good-times-did-john-amos-leave-good-times-because-of-j-j-evans.html/
Thats because they had to remove his character of the show because Dwight man had to start the mind programming of our people to not have the father figure in the house. His intimidation of the black man/father is REAL
Let's give it up to Brass Construction's Movin' On playing in the background. 🎸🎷🎺✊🏾
Guess what I was going through the bank and see you tomorrow at all I can do
Guys, it might be a sad time but, who's here because of John Amos's passing? 💔🙏🏿😞🙏🏿💔
Great scene, but you have to wonder what was going through John Amos' co-stars' minds as this unfolded. They knew that he had been fired from the show due to creative differences with Norman Lear and the production staff. And it must have been especially awkward for Jimmie Walker. One of Amos' objections was that the character of JJ was too negatively stereotypical of young black men, yet was the most popular among all the characters.
The original plan was to enhance J.J.'s role on the show to become the man of the house. With James out of the picture, they tried to expand J.J.'s character to become more dramatic, but that obviously didn't work. They found out that James was actually the heart of the family as well as the show. Although he never admitted, Lear had to know that firing Amos was a terrible mistake that lead to the show's downfall.
@@lwmson The departure of Amos was indeed a mistake, although JJ later did become a responsible and accomplished commercial artist who held the family together when Florida temporarily left the scene. (That was another mistake, although Esther Rolle made that one. Florida was a religious woman and devoted mother who would never run off with an atheist boy friend to Arizona while leaving her children behind in the ghetto). Amos and Lear would reconcile to create the show 704 Hauser, but that was a disaster. The thought of another family living in Archie Bunker's house was not tolerable to the audience, and the show was simply bad.
@@nassauguy48 Esther Rolle left the show in protest. She disagreed with the way Jimmie Walker was acting on set, and the way the writers were playing it up in the scripts. The explanation they used to take Florida off the show for that time was ridiculous, and the show never recovered, even after her return the next season. Norman Lear realized too late that the show couldn’t be based around JJ. His character never showed any growth or progression for him to suddenly mature and play the role of helping Wilona parent Michael and Thelma.
even though they humbly worked with each other on the movie lets do it again?
Yeah I read somewhere yeah John Amos had issues with character of JJ. He felt that the character was a throw back of minstrel days of black entertainment
R.I.P John Amos
Good times went downhill after John Amos was fired from the show.
😍😍😍
True
FACTS!
True
@jasondeebee it's a slap in the face
Years later watching this and the tears are flowing!!! Saddest scene ever!!
Never get tired of watching good times
Loved this show as a kid. This episode was an absolute gut punch. Also, the show really went downhill when Mr Amos was booted... just like a real family.
Who else is back to this video after hearing John Amos’ bad news 😢. RIP for real James Evan’s/John Amos 1939-2024
It always makes me cry no matter how many times I look at it
Omg I can’t imagine how sad and traumatizing this scene was for a lot of people. 😔
It was just a TV show but that scene gave me chills🥺
Oh yes! I definitely remember watching this episode originally aired. It was back on September 22, 1976; just 10 days before my 19th birthday. Good Times had just moved from Tuesday nights to Wednesday nights that year. In fact, this was the fourth season opener (1976-77).
yup. I was just about to be 5 years old, in kindergarten
I think we ALL know why we're here. RIP John Amos, aka James Evans Sr.
RIP JOHN AMOS 🙏 🙏🙏
DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN!
RIP JOHN AMOS
Yeah he's passed away in real life God bless John Amos and his family
Still here June 2024 I'm a 84 baby never forget where u come from💯💯💪🏾
James Evans was the best Tv Dad
Extremely sad. James Evans Sr. was my favorite TV dad. 😭😭😭
The way she paused then said “ klld in an automotive “ sends chills down my spine every time 😢😢😢😢
😢all these years later, and this episode is STILL emotional
Wow! I never knew how he died until now. I knew I was sad when he was not longer on the show. James was that dude! He encompassed my dad and all of my uncles.
Still gives me the chills
Best episode emotional 🙏🙏😢
If u didn't live it or relived it when the show was on you wouldn't understand the pain of this moment
The nerve of Thelma to think Florida wasn't feeling that harder than anybody
RIP John Amos 💔🕊️🪦🙏🏾🥀
As a child I was always hopeful the Evans would make it out of the projects.
I felt the same way about the castaways getting off the island.
I think they did in the final episode
John Amos portrayed a dear father and a loving husband to his family but as soon as he got fired the show's ratings took a nose dive and very few viewers watched this program since then.
Please enjoy this day to its max. ©®
May 09, 2021 @ 10:00 am ©®
Why was he fired?
Tuesday October 1st, 2024
John Amos(who plays James) died on August 21st, 2024.
It still makes you sad almost 50 years later. We need more TV shows like this today.
Was moving, very, very. Great writers, show.
I love this show so much. Esther was such a great actress!
That's when the show jumped the shark.
John Amos was fired because of creative differences, though. He wasn't killed off for a ratings boost. "Jumping the shark" is when a TV show works in some kind of gimmick-y story arc in a desperate attempt to drum up viewership. That wasn't the case in this scenario.
and once it jumps the shark, it's downhill from there.
I agree with Afi James on this one.
No matter how many times I watch this part, it hurts the same every single time.
Who's here after hearing about John Amos
Me & I'm heartbroken. God rests his poor precious soul. He's a true Newark, New Jersey Finest. 🙏🏿😞🙏🏿
Scene still gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes.
🥺MG, I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I SAW THIS SCENE, I FELT IT LIKE IT WAS REAL 🙁. YEAH THEM WERE THE GOOD'OL DAYS 💞
I still get teary eyed.
The show was never the same without James...........
Every time I see this episode I cry
I felt that in 2021 like I did years ago when this episode aired ,,! My goodness
I LOVED this show way back .... ❤️❤️❤️❤️🏆
There is NO WAY the Evans family would have been informed of James' death via telegram.
The authorities in Mississippi would have contacted the authorities in Chicago and an officer would have informed the family in person that someone matching James' description was involved in an accident.
Not to mention a formal identification of the body would have been required as well. That would have fallen on Florida, Thelma or most likely JJ's shoulders to do.
Wartime is the only instance (I can think of) where families were told of the death of a loved one via telegram.
Yup. This is around 1976-'77, and Vietnam just ended. Thought why not also a phone call from the Authorities in Mississippi would have at least called them as well? So even as poor as the Evans was, at the very least then, the Mississippi officials could contacted Chicago PD to send an Officer to tell the terrible news.
@Hulk Tosado - No we're joking *cue eye roll*
Artistic license and who knows maybe someone did call them but they didn't have a answering machine and was going to call back again the next day but they got the voicemail which was sent as well at the same time
I still cry when I see this scene
Nearly 50 years later and it's still a tear jerker.
Who is here after the passing of John Amos?
Watched live back when. Was devastating as a child. Still can't watch but incredible performance anyway.
It really is heart-breaking.
Love THIS show. It was SOO good. J. J. WAS SOO FUNNY 😘😘😘😂😂😂😂😂😂
Kids today sure could use a good old fashioned ass whooping!
James Evans style!
Word!!!
🚗 🔥
PRREACH!!!
Louder for the people in the back
You ain't kidding that is what's wrong with today's kids being bratty
Damn it,made me cry when I was a kid,made me just cry again.
I thought he actually passed away. Sure, it wasn't a Mandela effect? 🤔 we cried when we watched it. There's was a big tribute for him at the end of the show.
No good times without James Evans!
...PREACH!
This was heartbreaking, but I think when Florida finally broke down later in the episode....it just kills you. As a side question, were telegrams really that popular in the 70's? I was born in 76 and I can't remember my family ever getting a telegram.
Telegrams still are widely used.
It was more reliable than calling in the telephone.
Still.actually did broke down for real
The only time I saw a telegram used in a show or movie was A League Of Their Own
JJ was the DRIVING FORCE behind Good Times in place of James Evans
Um…no. JJ’s character was a caricature and was reminiscent of the black face characters earlier in the century. That’s the main reason why the fired the actor. He spoke out against it behind the scenes.