Happy Birthday actor Jimmie Walker

Born: June 25, 1947 in Bronx, New York, USA

He symbolized the 70s American dream of success — the former kid from the ghetto who rose to wisecracking TV superstardom. While in his element as the broadly strutting, gleamy-toothed J.J. Evans of the popular urban-styled sitcom Good Times (1974), Jimmie Walker lived the extremely good life. Following the series’ demise, however, reality again checked in. Still and all, he has not self-destructed as others before him have and continues to enjoy a comedy career now approaching four decades.

QUOTES:

I’m no actor. I’m a comic who lucked into a good thing.

I think the black actor has a tough time being funny from the standpoint of everything being looked upon as ‘coonish’.

Believe me when I tell you I am lucky to be able to get a laugh here and there in America, And that’s a constant fight. Showbiz, I will tell you, is like climbing a greasy pole. Sometimes you get to the top and slide right back down again.