Jimmie Walker
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 25, 1947 (age 79)
- Birthplace
- The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Biography
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.
Known For
Filmography
Forgotten Fortune
Movie
Good Times
TV · as Jim Bean (voice) · 2 eps
Don't Suck
Movie · as Dale
Norman Lear: A Life on Television
Movie · as Self
Show Business Is My Life (But I Can't Prove It)
Movie · as Self
Dark Side of Comedy
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Sherri
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
A Wrestling Christmas Miracle
Movie · as Dr. Lemon
The Comedy Store
TV · as Self · 5 eps
I Am Richard Pryor
Movie · as Self - Actor and Comedian
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Movie · as Self
The Very Very Best of the 70s
TV · as Self - Commentator · 1 ep
Jimmie JJ Walker & Michael Winslow: We Are Still Here
Movie · as Himself
The Comedian
Movie · as Jimmie Walker
Sweet Lorraine
Movie · as Rudy ray
David E. Talbert's What Goes Around Comes Around
Movie · as Preacher
Gotham Comedy Live
TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep
Super Shark
Movie · as Dynamite Stevens
Traffic Light
TV · as Swinger Dude · 1 ep
Big Money Rustlas
Movie · as The Husband
Worst Cooks in America
TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep
Comedy.tv
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Celebrity Ghost Stories
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Chasing Robert
Movie · as Himself
Back to the Grind
TV · 1 ep
Everybody Hates Chris
TV · as Gene · 3 eps
The Tony Danza Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
George Lopez
TV · as Lionel · 1 ep
Beat the Geeks
TV · 1 ep
Scrubs
TV · as Jimmie Walker · 2 eps
Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th
Movie · as Pimp
Son of the Beach
TV · 1 ep
Hollywood Squares
TV · as Self - Panelist · 1 ep
Plump Fiction
Movie · as Stingy Costumer
Monster Mash: The Movie
Movie · as Hathaway
Open Season
Movie · as Homer (as Jimmy Walker)
The Drew Carey Show
TV · as Lewis' stunt double · 1 ep
But... Seriously
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
ER
TV · as Jay Jay · 1 ep
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
TV · 1 ep
The John Larroquette Show
TV · as Slyde Wilson · 1 ep
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Movie · as Celeb #3
The Larry Sanders Show
TV · as Jimmie Walker · 1 ep
The Guyver
Movie · as Striker
Blossom
TV · 1 ep
Kidnapped
Movie · as Chester
Going Bananas
Movie · as Mozambo
Bustin' Loose
TV · as Sonny Barnes · 26 eps
The Bold and the Beautiful
TV · as Count Bouche · 2 eps
Doin' Time
Movie · as Shaker
Water
Movie · as Jay Jay
The Jerk, Too
Movie · as Card Player (uncredited)
Imps*
Movie · as Thomas
At Ease
TV · 14 eps
Cagney & Lacey
TV · as Tony Brown · 1 ep
Late Night with David Letterman
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Airplane!
Movie · as Windshield Wiper Man
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Movie · as Self - Village People
Murder Can Hurt You!
Movie · as Parks the Pusher
B.A.D. Cats
TV · 8 eps
The Concorde... Airport '79
Movie · as Boisie
Rabbit Test
Movie · as Umbuto
The White Shadow
TV · as Jimmie Walker · 1 ep
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened
Movie · as Morris Bird III
Telethon
Movie · as Himself
The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here?
Movie · as Self
The Love Boat
TV · as Ronald Baker, Mickey Garner, Wally, Marvin Jones · 1 ep
Joys
Movie · as Self
Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular
Movie · as Self
Donny & Marie
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Let's Do It Again
Movie · as Bootney Farnsworth
Cher
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self (uncredited) · 1 ep
Sing Sing Thanksgiving
Movie · as Self
Good Times
TV · as James "JJ" Evans · 133 eps
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 3 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 3 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self - Guest, Self - Co-Host · 4 eps