It’s been almost 21 years since actor Theodore “Teddy” Wilson passed away on July 21, 1991 at the age of 47, but the priceless memories he left in the hearts of millions will forever live on.

In celebration of the man most of us came to know affectionately as “Sweet Daddy,” the gangster from Good Times, we wanted to highlight five very interesting facts about “Teddy” Wilson that very few people knew about.

1. Theodore “Teddy” Wilson started out as a soul singer before he was an actor. He was a lead singer for a band called the Counts before he made his acting debut in the film, Cotton Comes to Harlem.