J. J. Evans
Encyclopedia
James Evans, Jr. is a fictional character
on the 1970s sitcom
, Good Times
. He was created by Norman Lear
and portrayed by Jimmie Walker
. The character was known as simply "J.J.", and is commonly seen as the show's breakout character
. His favorite expression was "Dyno-MITE!"
to Florida
and James Evans, Sr.
(in real-life, Walker was actually born eight years earlier in 1947). Although most often called J.J., he was called simply "Junior" by his father and James Junior in the first episode by his mother. Easily identifiable because of his thin structure and jive talking
personality, J.J. was a notorious ladies man, or at least he liked to give the impression that he was one. His girlfriends to whom he gave nicknames included Henrietta, Boom-Boom Belinda, Samantha the Panther, Diana (who was a heroin addict), and other girls who made brief appearances.
He grew up in an impoverished section of Chicago, in a cold water flat
. His mother, Florida, worked as a maid
while J.J.'s father James worked at various jobs. His sister Thelma
was born June 18, 1957, a year after J.J. They still lived in the same apartment.
After J.J.'s younger brother Michael
was born, his family finally moved out of a cold water flat and into a housing project development, thanks in part to James's friendship with Alderman Fred C. Davis. It was in a poor African-American section where unemployment
was at its highest. James Sr. worked at several jobs to keep his family in a home he could afford.
The series drew some criticism for J.J.'s frequent remark, "I never steal anything. I just find things!". However, this larcenous aspect of his personality receded as the series progressed. As J.J. grew, he found an interest in painting
. He was very good at it and carried it on throughout his developing life. His father strongly supported his painting, seeing it as his son's ticket out of the ghetto. He painted a number of paintings and sold them as well. He had a number of patron
s to help him out. His painting focused on capturing the look and feel of ghetto life. The actual paintings in the series were painted for the show by renowned artist and former AFL football player Ernie Barnes
. Many paintings were also purchased by The Commonwealth of Classic Sitcoms Committee in 1980.
J.J. was often known for his running battle with his sister Thelma. He often made disparaging remarks about her cooking talents or lack thereof. Despite this, he did love his sister. He also tried to look after his brother Michael, but level-headed Michael was more wise to him than J.J. understood.
.
He also had a running battle, as did the rest of his family, with the dim-witted and unpleasant building superintendent
, Nathan Bookman, whom he called "Buffalo Butt".
J.J.'s three best friends were Poppo, Cool Breeze, and Head. Collectively, the quartet referred to themselves as "The Awesome Foursome". In a later episode, J.J., Poppo, and Head became "The Gleesome Threesome", with no reference to Cool Breeze, who had left the show due to his ongoing struggle with alcohol abuse.
At the end of the series, he became a comic book
artist with an ongoing series thus ensuring he would gainfully employed with his art for the foreseeable future. He also gave Thelma and Keith a honeymoon that they couldn't have. A trip to the Bahamas.
When the show ended, he gets his own apartment.
Comedian Dave Chappelle
often made reference to J.J. Walker on his self titled comedy show
. Chappelle reacted to his own physical resemblance to Walker, as well as rapper "Jay-Z"'s and would often use the catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite" or comment on being mistaken for Walker.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the 1970s sitcom
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, Good Times
Good Times
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
. He was created by Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear is an American television writer and producer who produced such 1970s sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude...
and portrayed by Jimmie Walker
Jimmie Walker
James Carter "Jimmie" Walker is an American actor and stand-up comedian, known for portraying J. J. Evans on the television series Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979...
. The character was known as simply "J.J.", and is commonly seen as the show's breakout character
Breakout character
A breakout character is a fictional character in different episodes, books or other media that becomes the most popular, talked about, and imitated. Most often a breakout character in a television series captures the audience's imagination and helps to popularize the show, sometimes inadvertently...
. His favorite expression was "Dyno-MITE!"
Character background
James Evans, Jr. was born in 1956 in Chicago, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to Florida
Florida Evans
Florida Evans Dixon was the fictional supporting character on the sitcom Maude and the lead character in its spin-off, Good Times. She was the hard-working mother of the Evans family...
and James Evans, Sr.
James Evans, Sr.
James Evans Sr. was a supporting character portrayed by TV actor John Amos in the 1970s American sitcom Good Times, from the first season in 1974, until the end of the third season in 1976....
(in real-life, Walker was actually born eight years earlier in 1947). Although most often called J.J., he was called simply "Junior" by his father and James Junior in the first episode by his mother. Easily identifiable because of his thin structure and jive talking
African American Vernacular English
African American Vernacular English —also called African American English; less precisely Black English, Black Vernacular, Black English Vernacular , or Black Vernacular English —is an African American variety of American English...
personality, J.J. was a notorious ladies man, or at least he liked to give the impression that he was one. His girlfriends to whom he gave nicknames included Henrietta, Boom-Boom Belinda, Samantha the Panther, Diana (who was a heroin addict), and other girls who made brief appearances.
He grew up in an impoverished section of Chicago, in a cold water flat
Cold water flat
A cold water flat is an apartment that has no running hot water.In most developed countries, current building codes make cold water flats illegal, but they used to be common in cities such as Detroit and Chicago, through the mid-twentieth century....
. His mother, Florida, worked as a maid
Maid
A maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
while J.J.'s father James worked at various jobs. His sister Thelma
Thelma Evans
Thelma Evans Anderson is a supporting character of the 1970s family sitcom Good Times. She was portrayed by Bern Nadette Stanis. She was the middle child of the Evans family....
was born June 18, 1957, a year after J.J. They still lived in the same apartment.
After J.J.'s younger brother Michael
Michael Evans (Good Times)
Michael Evans is an American supporting character from the 1970s American sitcom Good Times. The character was apparently named after Good Times co-creator Michael Evans. He was portrayed by Ralph Carter....
was born, his family finally moved out of a cold water flat and into a housing project development, thanks in part to James's friendship with Alderman Fred C. Davis. It was in a poor African-American section where unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
was at its highest. James Sr. worked at several jobs to keep his family in a home he could afford.
The series drew some criticism for J.J.'s frequent remark, "I never steal anything. I just find things!". However, this larcenous aspect of his personality receded as the series progressed. As J.J. grew, he found an interest in painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. He was very good at it and carried it on throughout his developing life. His father strongly supported his painting, seeing it as his son's ticket out of the ghetto. He painted a number of paintings and sold them as well. He had a number of patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
s to help him out. His painting focused on capturing the look and feel of ghetto life. The actual paintings in the series were painted for the show by renowned artist and former AFL football player Ernie Barnes
Ernie Barnes
Ernest “Ernie” Eugene Barnes, Jr. was an African-American painter, well-known for his unique style of elongation and movement. He was also a professional football player, actor and author.- Childhood :...
. Many paintings were also purchased by The Commonwealth of Classic Sitcoms Committee in 1980.
J.J. was often known for his running battle with his sister Thelma. He often made disparaging remarks about her cooking talents or lack thereof. Despite this, he did love his sister. He also tried to look after his brother Michael, but level-headed Michael was more wise to him than J.J. understood.
After his father's passing
James Sr. died in a car accident in Mississippi, a new job which kept him away from his family. This job was very lucrative and was supposed to earn James enough money to finally move his family out of the ghetto. After James, Sr.'s death, J.J. became the man of the house. He was also instrumental in meeting Penny Gordon who was subsequently adopted by their neighbor, Willona Woods after Penny's mother abandoned her. Penny was played by Janet JacksonJanet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
.
He also had a running battle, as did the rest of his family, with the dim-witted and unpleasant building superintendent
Building superintendent
A building superintendent or building supervisor is a manager responsible for repair and maintenance in a residential building. They are the first point of contact for residents of the building. They are expected to take care of minor issues and repairs, such as small leaks or blockages, the...
, Nathan Bookman, whom he called "Buffalo Butt".
J.J.'s three best friends were Poppo, Cool Breeze, and Head. Collectively, the quartet referred to themselves as "The Awesome Foursome". In a later episode, J.J., Poppo, and Head became "The Gleesome Threesome", with no reference to Cool Breeze, who had left the show due to his ongoing struggle with alcohol abuse.
At the end of the series, he became a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist with an ongoing series thus ensuring he would gainfully employed with his art for the foreseeable future. He also gave Thelma and Keith a honeymoon that they couldn't have. A trip to the Bahamas.
When the show ended, he gets his own apartment.
Comedian Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle
David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
often made reference to J.J. Walker on his self titled comedy show
Chappelle's Show
Chappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedian Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various skits. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22,...
. Chappelle reacted to his own physical resemblance to Walker, as well as rapper "Jay-Z"'s and would often use the catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite" or comment on being mistaken for Walker.