Florida Evans

Infobox character
name = Florida Evans
born = 1929 [In a first season episode, Florida tells her husband James that when they first started dating, that he was three years older than her.]
alias = Florida Wilson
children = Michael (younger son)
J. J. Evans (older son)
Thelma Evans (daughter)
Keith Anderson (son-in-law)
occupation = Housewife
age = 43 (in 1972)
49 (in 1978)
parents = Henry Evans Jr. (1915-1981)
gender = Female
first = Maude Meets Florida
last = The End of the Rainbow
portrayer = Esther Rolle
spouse = James Evans (deceased; 1955-1976)
Carl Dixon (deceased; 1977-1978)

Florida Evans Dixon (born 1929 [The character Florida is made to be in her mid-40s] ) was the 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. She first appeared as Maude and Walter's housekeeper on "Maude" (1972–1974), but later she quit to be a housewife, which she was when "Good Times" began (1974–1977, 1978–1979). Florida Evans Dixon was portrayed by Emmy Award-winning actress Esther Rolle.

Florida was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on August 4, 1929. Originally, her character had worked for Maude and Walter Findlay, who lived in Tuckahoe, New York, while appearing on "Maude". However, Florida's background was rewritten when "Good Times" began, with the character now having spent most of her life in Chicago; no further references were made to the Findlays or New York. Florida grew up poor. She never finished high school because she wanted to support her parents and did so by working at minimum wage jobs. As a young adult, she met the man of her dreams: James Evans, Sr. They were later married, made the move to north-side Chicago from south-side, and had three children together: James Evans Jr., Thelma, and Michael. The family lived in various housing projects for many years after living in a cold water flat.

Her husband James fought to get out of the ghetto. At the beginning of the show's fourth season, the children and Florida learned that James Sr. died in an automobile accident in Mississippi, while working at his new job. (The family was planning to join him there, when they received the news.) That left Florida to support herself and her three children. Also giving her much needed moral support was her best friend, Willona Woods.

Halfway through the fourth season (1976–1977), and all throughout the fifth season (1977—1978) Florida met a man named Carl Dixon(played by Moses Gunn) and fell in love with him, despite the fact that he was an Atheist, and Florida was a Christian, and devout Churchgoer. However, due to his diagnosis and subsequent battle with lung cancer, he moved to Arizona, where the dry air would be better for his condition, and improve his chances of longevity. To be with Carl, whom she loved. Florida moved with him. (This was done to accommodate Esther Rolle's departure from the show during the 76—77 and 77—78 seasons departure). Florida returned to Chicago for the final 78—79 season, but little mention was made of Carl, leaving the viewers to wonder if he either lost his battle with lung cancer, or he decided to remain in Arizona without Florida. (Carl was never mentioned again because Esther Rolle did not like the marriage between Florida and Carl. Part of Rolle's agreement to return was contingent to the show's writers writing the character out of the series.)

In the final season of the show, Florida finally moved to an apartment with Keith and Thelma, after Thelma revealed that she was pregnant. She said she didn't know how to raise a baby and would feel more comfortable if Florida was there. Also, Florida's best friend Willona wound up moving to the same luxury apartment around the same time as Florida, making the two best friends once again neighbors.

References