Esther Rolle Net Worth: How Much Did the ‘Good Times’ Star Earn?

What is Esther Rolle Net Worth?

Esther Rolle Net Worth is US$ 3 Million as of 2022.

Biography

Esther Rolle’s net worth was estimated at $3 million. She was married to Oscar Robinson from 1955 to 1975. Jonathan Rolle, was her father, and a farmer by profession, and her mother, Elizabeth Iris Rolle, was a housewife. She was a proud member of the Negro Ensemble Company. Rolle began her acting career after she turned 39.

Rolle, died nine days after she turned 78. Rolle was a faithful member of the ‘African Methodist Episcopal Church’ and requested that her funeral be held in ‘Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.’ She is buried at ‘Westview Community Cemetery’, Pompano Beach (Florida). This cemetery is a historic black burial ground, which was established in 1952. At that time, Florida’s laws and customs did not allow white and black people to be buried together in one cemetery. She was a diabetic as well as a heavy smoker.

Early Life

Esther Elizabeth Rolle was the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Rolle. She was born in Pompano Beach on November 8, 1920. Elizabeth gave birth to 18 children. Three of them went on to be actresses. Rolle attended the Booker T. Washington High School, Miami, Florida. After her family moved to Pompano Beach, Rolle graduated from Blanche Ely High School. She studied at the Spelman College in Atlanta. However, she moved quickly to Hunter College in New York City. There, she worked several jobs in the New York City Garment District to help pay for her college education. Rolle was also a member the highly regarded Zeta Phi Beta fraternity.

Career

Theater and Dance

Rolle was a member ‘Asadata Dafora’s dance troupe,’ Shogolo Oloba. (later renamed Federal Theater African Dance Troupe). In 1960, she became the troupe’s director. She was frequently cast in plays by Robert Hooks, and the ‘Negro Ensemble Company.’ she was also seen, in productions of “Blues For Mr. Charlie. Rolle’s first prominent role was that of ‘Miss Maybell’ in 1973 Melvin Van Peebles Play, “Do Not Play Us Cheap.” Rolle played Lady Macbeth in Orson Wees’ Haitian-influenced adaptation of “William Shakespeare’s Macbeth” at New York’s Henry Street Federal Theater, in the year 1977.

Television

Rolle is most well-known for her TV role as Florida Evans in two 1970s sitcoms. After the second season of “Maude Findlay’s show”, Rolle was introduced as Maude’s housekeeper in the spun off series “Good Times” (Bern Nadette Stanis appeared as “Thelma” in Good Times.) which is a series about Florida’s family. Rolle won the Best Actress in a ‘Golden Globe Award in Musical/Comedy’ in 1975 for her role as the housekeeper in “Good Times.” Rolle was 19 years younger than the actor John Amos who played her husband James (named Henry in the show “Maude”).

Esther Rolle fought for the addition of a husband and father figure to the show. The James Evans character was added only after Esther Rolle had fought hard. Rolle was a strong advocate for the father character on the show and more relevant themes and scripts. She was also unhappy with J.J. Evans’s success as a character performed by Jimmie Walker. She felt that Jimmie Walker took the show too far.

John Amos was in agreement wih Rolle regarding Walker’s character, and was fired from the series after the third season. After her contract was over, Rolle also quit “Good Times” due to dispute with the producer Norman Lear. She returned to the show for its final season even though the show ran without her for the fifth time. She won an Emmy in 1979 for her role as a German Soldier in a movie made for television.

In 1989, she starred in Bruce Beresford’s “Driving Miss Daisy” and Peter Segal’s “My Fellow Americans”. Her most famous role was in Fielder Cook’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, a film based on Maya Angelou’s memoir. In 1997, she also appeared in John Singleton’s “Rosewood”. She acted in fifteen plays on the stage from 1965-1989 and twenty-two television roles between 1964-1998.

Rolle was also a guest star on “The Incredible Hulk’s” episode “Behind the Wheel”, where she was a taxicab owner. Rolle was invited to surprise her co-star on “Maude”, Bea Arthur. Arthur stated that they hadn’t seen each other for many years and hugged. In the 1990s, Rolle was also featured in a series psychic TV commercials. Her signature line was “Tell them Esther sent You.”

Film and Music

In 1975, Rolle released “The Garden of My Mind,” an album of music. She later appeared in Gordon Parks’ “The Learning Tree (1969)”. Estelle Evans, her sister, also appeared in both films. Esther Rolle was a young actress who appeared in the 1964 film “Everything But a Man”. After “Good Times” ended she was featured in several made-for-television films and movies, such as “Driving Miss Daisy” and “My Fellow Americans,” among others. The memorable role of Aunt Sarah in “Rosewood (1997)” was a standout.

She played a significant role in “I Know Why the Bird Sings”, based on Maya Angelou’s memoir. In 1979, she won the ‘Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category’ in a Miniseries/Movie for her performance in “Summer of My German Soldier”. Rolle was also credited for her role in “The Mighty Quinn.” Sheryl Lee Ralph and Denzel Washington starred in the film along with Robert Townsend. Even though it was filmed in 1998, her last film, “Train Rider” was released in 2000.

Awards

• Emmy Award, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 1978, for The Summer of My German Soldier;
• Human Rights Award, American Federation of Teachers, 1983;
• Oscar Micheaux Award, Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, 1991;
• Leadership Award, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, for community activism.

Esther Rolle Net Worth Growth

Esther Rolle net worth was estimated to US$ 3 Million

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Esther Rolle’s career:

• Florida Evans (Maude and Good Times, 1972 and1974)
• The Garden of My Mind (Music album, 1975)
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1979)
• Esther Rolle

Favorite Quotes from Esther Rolle

“I’m not so in love with material things that I’ll do anything for money. That allows me the luxury of doing things of value.”  

– Esther Rolle

“We feel we have to put concrete on every inch of land. It disturbs the ecology, and it takes away the experience of a child going out into the woods and seeing all of nature.” 

– Esther Rolle

Keys Life Lessons from Esther Rolle

We now know everything about Esther Rolle and his net worth. Let’s look at some of his lessons.

Integrity

Have moral principles in life. Take up the jobs in which you believe honestly and not otherwise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

American actress Esther Rolle is best known for her role in “Good Times” and “Maude” as Florida Evans

She was married to Oscar Robinson from 1955 – 1975.
Esther Rolle’s net worth was estimated at $3 million as of September 2022.

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