Acting
Jimmie Walker
James Carter Walker Jr. (born June 25, 1947), known professionally as 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 Best Supporting Actor In A Television Series in 1975 and 1976 for his role. While on the show, Walker's character was known for the catchphrase "Dy-no-mite!" which he also used in his mid–1970s TV commercial for a Panasonic line of cassette and 8-track tape players. He also starred in Let's Do It Again with John Amos, and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened with James Earl Jones. Walker continues to tour the country with his stand-up comedy routine. In 1967, Walker began working full-time with WRVR, the radio station of the Riverside Church. In 1969, Walker began performing as a stand-up comedian and was eventually discovered by the casting director for Good Times, after making appearances on Rowan & Martin's Laugh In and on the Jack Paar Show. He eventually released one stand-up comedy album during the height of his Good Times popularity: Dyn-o-mite on Buddah Records (5635). During Good Times' 1974–75 season, Walker was 26 years old, though his character was much younger. John Amos, the actor who portrayed Walker's father on Good Times, was actually just eight years older than Walker. Walker credits producer/director John Rich for inventing "Dy-no-mite!" which Rich insisted Walker say on every episode. Both Walker and executive producer Norman Lear were skeptical of the idea, but the phrase and Walker's character caught on with the audience. Also, off- and on-camera, Walker did not get along with series' lead, Esther Rolle, who played Florida Evans, in the series, because she and Amos disapproved of Walker's increasingly buffoonish character and his popularity, and Walker felt hurt by their disdain. Dissatisfaction led Amos (before Rolle), to leave the show, making Walker the star of the show. Walker was the only Good Times star to not attend Rolle's funeral.
Filmography
Good Times
Series · 2024
Don't Suck
Film · 2023
Norman Lear: A Life on Television
Film · 2023
Show Business Is My Life (But I Can't Prove It)
Film · 2022
Dark Side of Comedy
Series · 2022
Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution
Series · 2022
Sherri
Series · 2022
A Wrestling Christmas Miracle
Film · 2020
The Comedy Store
Series · 2020
I Am Richard Pryor
Film · 2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Film · 2019
The Very Very Best of the 70s
Series · 2019
Jimmie JJ Walker & Michael Winslow: We Are Still Here
Film · 2018
The Comedian
Film · 2016
Sweet Lorraine
Film · 2015
David E. Talbert's What Goes Around Comes Around
Film · 2012
Gotham Comedy Live
Series · 2012
Super Shark
Film · 2011
Traffic Light
Series · 2011
Big Money Rustlas
Film · 2010
Worst Cooks in America
Series · 2010
Comedy.tv
Series · 2009
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Series · 2009
Chasing Robert
Film · 2007
Back to the Grind
Series · 2007
Everybody Hates Chris
Series · 2005
The Tony Danza Show
Series · 2004
George Lopez
Series · 2002
Beat the Geeks
Series · 2001
Scrubs
Series · 2001
Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th
Film · 2000
Son of the Beach
Series · 2000
Hollywood Squares
Series · 1998
Plump Fiction
Film · 1997
Monster Mash: The Movie
Film · 1995
Open Season
Film · 1995
The Drew Carey Show
Series · 1995
But... Seriously
Film · 1994
ER
Series · 1994
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Series · 1994
The John Larroquette Show
Series · 1993
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Film · 1992
The Larry Sanders Show
Series · 1992
The Guyver
Film · 1991
Blossom
Series · 1990
Kidnapped
Film · 1988
Going Bananas
Film · 1987
Bustin' Loose
Series · 1987
The Bold and the Beautiful
Series · 1987
Doin' Time
Film · 1985
Water
Film · 1985
The Jerk, Too
Film · 1984
Imps*
Film · 1983
At Ease
Series · 1983
Cagney & Lacey
Series · 1982
Late Night with David Letterman
Series · 1982
Airplane!
Film · 1980
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Film · 1980
Murder Can Hurt You!
Film · 1980
B.A.D. Cats
Series · 1980
The Concorde... Airport '79
Film · 1979
Rabbit Test
Film · 1978
The White Shadow
Series · 1978
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened
Film · 1977
Telethon
Film · 1977
The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here?
Film · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
Joys
Film · 1976
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular
Film · 1976
Donny & Marie
Series · 1976
Let's Do It Again
Film · 1975
Cher
Series · 1975
Saturday Night Live
Series · 1975
Sing Sing Thanksgiving
Film · 1974
Good Times
Series · 1974
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Series · 1974
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Series · 1973
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Series · 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Series · 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
Forgotten Fortune
Film