"Good Times" Cast Reunion

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the renowned sitcom Good Times. The program aired for five years on CBS and followed the lives of the Evans family in Chicago: Florida (Esther Rolle), James (John Amos), and their three children J.J. (Jimmie Walker), Thelma (BernNadette Stanis), and Michael (Ralph Carter).

Join us as BernNadette Stanis and Jimmie Walker reflect on the show’s legacy in conversation with comedian Chris Paul.

About the Speakers:

BernNadette Stanis is the first African American female teenager to be cast in a full family show as Thelma Evans on the mega hit TV show Good Times. The legendary actress and author continues her stellar career currently as Nee Nee Duncan on Carl Weber's The Family Business on BET and BET Carl Weber's The Family Business New Orleans. BernNadette Stanis is a spokeswoman for Alzheimer’s disease in which she lost her mother in 2011, by educating and empowering caregivers.

Jimmie Walker is an American actor and comedian. Walker is best known for portraying James Evans Jr. (J. J.), the oldest son of Florida and James Evans Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times which originally ran from 1974–1979. Walker was nominated for Golden Globe awards for Best Supporting Actor In A Television Series in 1975 and 1976 for his role.

Even after the historically successful run of Good Times ended, Jimmie continued to stay in the limelight as seen by his countless appearances on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Merv Griffin, and The Mike Douglas Show. He’s also kept his acting skills sharp with guest appearances on Everybody Hates Chris, The George Lopez Show, and Scrubs and classic movies Airplane and Let’s Do It Again with Sidney Poitier as well as finding time to write a New York Times best-selling book, two Grammy Nominated Comedy Albums and film an up-coming stand-up special.

About the Moderator:

Hailing from our Nation’s Capital, Chris Paul has emerged as one of the most respected writers and comedians in the country. Chris has performed his stand-up on Comedy Central and BET, and he has shared the stage with comedy giants such as Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, Drew Carey, and Steve Harvey. In 2006 Chris co-headlined a 2-man show at the famous Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with Dave Chappelle. Chris has also performed with some of the biggest names in music, such as The Isley Brothers, War, and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. Chris Paul is a veteran of broadcast radio, co-hosting the Donnie Simpson Show on WPGC-FM, Washington D.C. for 16 years. Now Chris is a part of the syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show and can be heard on stations across the country. On the Tom Joyner Morning Show Chris is the head writer for Huggy Lowdown, and he writes and performs popular parody songs for the show like the weekly “NFL Rap-Up’s” during football season.

Program Information:

• Doors will open to registered attendees at 6 pm.
• Seating for registered attendees in Central Hall is first come, first served.
• Free parking vouchers are available to program attendees who park at the Franklin Street Garage (15 W. Franklin Street) after 4pm. Ask Pratt event staff for your parking voucher prior to or after the program.
• There is no registration required for virtual attendance, simply visit the Enoch Pratt Free Library's Facebook or Youtube page.

Host or Publisher Enoch Pratt Free Library