‘Good Times’ was a show that debuted more than 40 years ago on CBS and the surviving original cast members have gotten together to try and drum up support for a ‘Good Times’ reunion movie. That’s right, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ja’Net Dubois have teamed up and have a Kickstarter campaign going to raise money for the film. Their target? One-million-dollars. The iconic show ran for 133 episodes between 1974 and 1979 and have been playing in syndication one way or another around the world ever since.
‘Good Times’ was a spin-off of a spin-off of ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Maude’ starring John Amos and Esther Rolle. The show was full of controversy leading to the end of its run. John Amos played James Evans, the head of the family, and the late-great Esther Rolle played wife Florida Evans. The pair were reportedly upset after the show lost focus of the struggle of a family in poverty and chose to rely more heavily on the Jimmie Walker character ‘J.J.’ after his catchphrase “DY-NO-MITE!” became a hit. The ‘J.J.’ character became a walking stereotype of buffonery which did not sit well with Amos or Rolle who did not sign up for this negative image.
The dissatisfaction grew to the point where the studio told Amos that his contract option would not be picked up for season four and they killed him off on the season four premiere. Rolle left a season later being written off the show as it continued to slide downhill. Rolle was coaxed back for the final season six but by the end, the show was a shell of it’s former self losing it’s roots about a poor African American family struggling in inner-city Chicago.
Now the cast wants a chance to get a do-over and make things right with a reunion movie and you can help it happen. The goal of $1 million is not crazy in this day and age and every little bit helps. If ‘Veronica Mars’ can raise $2 million in ten hours then ‘Good Times’ should be able to hit $1 million in fifteen days. If you want to break open your piggy bank and throw in a few dollars to help this project actually happen go to the Original Good Times Cast Movie Kickstarter page and read more for yourself. They have raised a little north of $4,800 as of this writing and have fifteen more days to reach their goal. I am definitely rooting for them and if you are too, share the story and the Kickstarter campaign with friends and family. I am sure there are plenty of people willing to donate something.
Come on America, let’s do something good for once. We would be lucky to have a ‘Good Times’ movie in 2016.