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Remember when actor, Ralph Wilcox, played “J.J.’s” friend, “Robert?” He was the character whom “J.J.” had to keep awake after “Robert” came out of the Evans’ bathroom overdosed on sleeping pills at “JJ’s” party. You may also remember some of his other memorable roles, such as his “Jammin’ Jim Jenkins” character on the ‘Emerald Cove segments’ of “The Mickey Mouse Club”…and as “Mugambi” in “Tarzan: The Epic Adventures” back in the day.

We were wondering what he’d been up to in the years that followed his acting days, and have learned that he made major moves behind the scenes. Ralph Wilcox is 74 years young now, and wait ’til you see all that he’s accomplished in the entertainment industry.

OWNED A FILM/TV/MUSIC PRODUCTION STUDIO

In 2006 Ralph Wilcox and his wife, Brenda, opened his very own 22,000 square foot production studio, The Jokara-Micheaux Film/Television/Music Production Studio, in Colquitt, Georgia.

WILCOX ALSO OWNS THREE PRODUCTION FUNDING COMPANIES

Wilcox and his wife, Brenda (pictured above), created three production companies, which according to his website, offer ‘potential gap funding is available through Schusters Cash, LLC., Georgia/Arizona Production Capital, LLC. and Laughing Crow 1 Entertainment, LLC. These rare and unique gap-financing entities offer financial support to low-budget production companies that shoot their projects in Southwest Georgia.’

WILCOX PRODUCED, DIRECTED, & WROTE FILM, “HOPE & REDEMPTION: THE LENA BAKER STORY”

Ralph Wilcox wrote, directed and produced the screen version of the film, “Hope & Redemption: Lena Baker Story” (which was a film adaptation of Lela Bond Phillips’ book).

The film chronicled the story of the late, Lena Baker, an African American mother of three, who was wrongly convicted of capital murder and executed in 1945 at the age of 44, but later pardoned posthumously for the crime in 2005. She worked as a maid and had been forced against her will by her white employer, Ernest Williams, to perform sex on him and he also sometimes held her at his home against her will as well. She shot him in self defense in 1944 during a horrific struggle where Ernest was abusing her, but in 1945 she was wrongly convicted by an all white male jury, making her the only woman electrocuted by electric chair and Tichina Arnold portrayed the dramatic role of Lena and it won great acclaims after it’s release.

It’s unclear if Ralph Wilcox has since retired, or is still active in the Hollywood game as of late. But it’s always great to see a fellow Old Schooler who continued to pursue their dreams decades later.

The post Remember JJ’s Troubled Friend On Good Times? Decades Later, He’s Made Big Money Moves 💵 appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

John Amos a.k.a. “James” from Good Times recently explained how his life was almost cut short when he was bidding for the role of “Kunta Kinte” in the miniseries, Roots.

Let’s just say some folks took his preparation for the role VERY seriously…like life-threatening seriously. While competing for the role of “Kunta Kinte,” Amos wanted to make sure that he nailed it with the appropriate African accent, even though the casting directors presumably doubted he could pull it off at the time. To be sure he had it down, Mr. Amos went to Liberia and only spoke in the African accent he’d planned on using for the role, if he were to get the part. Check out what he said about that and how he got the “Kunta Kinte” role below…

John Amos: “I knew I had the handle on it [the African accent], not because of ego, but one time when I was living in Liberia I was out drinking with some friends of mine –local guys– and we went to one of the local shebeens, which is just a bar in somebody’s house where they make homemade brew or whatever. And my friend, Charles Mitchell –an indigenous Liberian– said to me, ‘John!’ I said ‘What Charles?’ …I had my back to the crowd…Charles is facing me and I see a look of alarm on his face. ‘I said ‘Charles what’s wrong?!!’ He said, ‘Oh John, one bad guy [with a machete] coming for us.’ I said, ‘WHAT?!!’ …

I turn around…and there’s  a guy, [he] gets up from the table and sure enough he’s got his machete out, and he’s with two or three of his friends –and they’ve got they’re machetes or clubs. … The guy looked at me and said, ‘I know you! I told you when you were in Bowman Hill Diamond Mine, that I coming for you one day and now the day!’ “

Amos explained that his potential attacker had mistaken him for a former security guard who’d mistreated him back in the day, when he was an imprisoned worker at a diamond mine in the area. So, John Amos had to think quick on his feet in order to save his life:

J.A.: “This guy (the security guard) had mistreated him so bad that he’d vowed he was gonna cut his head off. He said ‘Now I’m coming for your head!’ I said, ‘Woah! Wait one minute buddy!’ … [I] dropped the accent, pulled out my wallet, pulled out my California [license] *gesturing to himself* this is ME, I’m just a player!'”

Afterwards, the potential attacker was so shocked that John Amos wasn’t who he’d thought he was, that he treated him and his friend to “a lot of beer” and the rest is history!

John continued:

“So the question of ‘whether or not I had the right accent’ wasn’t up for discussion, it almost got me KILLED! LOL.”

That story John Amos told is something to laugh at now, but I’m sure there was no chuckling going on back then.

Amos also said that he experienced an extremely emotional, surreal breakdown moment on the set of Roots during filming, after what he explained as “hearing voices of his ancestors speak directly to him.” They had to pause the filming process because of it. Turn the page to watch the video clip of Amos detailing that ‘spiritual incident.’

Very interesting. I’m not sure if Amos was hearing his ancestors, or just becoming overwhelmed by the emotional beating and pain that starring in such a powerful, raw depiction, like Roots, could cause.

Either way, every actor did an incredible job. They had to dig from someplace deep down mentally, psychologically, and spiritually that they’d probably never tapped into before and I’m sure the realness of the script and the scenes they were portraying, must have taken a psychological/emotional toll on them at that time, understandably so.

Much respect to the the late, great writer of Roots, Alex Haley, for bringing to life the story of his REAL family and allowing us all to feel a piece of our own personal family history through the story of his.

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Okay Old Schoolers, who remembers “Stymie” from “The Little Rascals” show? He was the cool, slick talking kid who knew how to run game and con his way into, or out of, just about anything. “Stymie” was also the most practical one of the “Rascals” crew. Well, guess what?  He played a character many of us remember on “Good Times,” it’s just that by then, he was an older cat, so he was pretty much unrecognizable from his “Little Rascals” days. A lot of you all will probably flip out when see who he is, I know all of us, here at ILOSM, sure did. See who he is below.

THE CHARACTER “STYMIE” PLAYED ON “GOOD TIMES”!!!

Matthew “Stymie” Beard Jr. played “Monty,” a friend of the ‘Evans’ family on “Good Times.” You may most remember him from the infamous ‘Damn, Damn, Damn’ funeral episode, when everyone was visiting the Evans’ home after James Evans’ funeral. “Monty” and two other friends gave “Florida” some beer and liquor to offer their condolences. Beard also had recurring roles on “Sanford and Son” and “The Jeffersons.”

DRUG PROBLEMS & JAIL STINTS PLAGUED MATTHEW “STYMIE” BEARD’S LIFE

Stymie was only 5 years old when he first starred in “The Little Rascals” and he stayed on for five years (from 1930-1935). He had other TV and film roles, but retired while in high school. By early adulthood, he was reportedly heavily addicted to heroin and spent many years going in and out of jail as a result. By the early 1960’s, Beard entered a California drug rehab, kicked his reported heroin habit for good, and was able to make a successful return to acting, which lead to his roles on “Good Times,” “Sanford & Son,” and “The Jeffersons.”

Beard passed away at the age of 56 in 1981 from pneumonia, after suffering a stroke and falling down stairs, which resulted in severe head injuries.

OLD SCHOOL FUN FACTS ABOUT MATTHEW “STYMIE” BEARD JR.

1. Beard’s “Rascals” salary was used to help take care of his 13 other brothers and sisters. Wow, the weight of that kind of responsibility on a five to ten years old child must have been pretty heavy to carry.

2. Four of his siblings and his mother all had smaller roles in “Little Rascals” or spin off projects of the Little Rascals.

3. Beard was a part of history when he starred on “The Little Rascals,” because the show made history by being the first to feature African Americans, Caucasians, and women as equals in mainstream media, which was a risky move in the 1930’s. Although there was some racial undertones in the storylines, the concept was still unheard of back then.

Rest on Matthew “Stymie” Beard Jr.

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If you’re a fan of What’s Happening or Good Times, chances are you have seen the real-life daughter of late actress, Ja’Net Dubois’ (“Willona”) and didn’t even know it. She made several appearances on those two sitcoms back in the day. Ja’Net’s daughter was oftentimes cast as the ‘pretty girl’, or the ‘puppy love interest’ of one of the male characters on the show.

Ja’Net Dubois’s Daughter, Rani Dubois

Meet Rani Dubois. Her most memorable role probably came from the What’s Happening “Shirley’s Date” episode (shown in the video below), where she played the girl who got stood up by “Dwayne” and threw a drink in his face. She’s played a student, a cheerleader and various other roles on Good Times and What’s Happening between 1976 and 1979. Check out this throwback video clip of Ja’Net’s daughter, Rani, below…

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Old School Fun Facts About Ja’Net Dubois

An Old School fun fact about Ja’Net Dubois, is that although she played the best friend of JJ’s mother, “Florida,” she was just two years older than 76-year-old Jimmie Walker (“JJ”). Wouldn’t have thought that based on their roles on Good Times.

Another fun fact is that Ja’Net Dubois and Janet Jackson (who views Ja’Net as a mentor) were still very close up until the time of Ja’Net’s passing.

Thank you “Willona” for making us laugh and having that sassy attitude while doing it. Rest on beautiful queen.

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In the unfortunate, ongoing family drama within “Good Times” legend, John Amos’s, family…things have gotten turned way up within the past week or so. As y’all have probably heard, the Amos fam’ is making headlines left n’ right over the beef between John’s kids, Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos. This past weekend, Shannon had K.C. arrested for reportedly making terroristic threats against her life, which also exposed new details about their apparent family tension. And now Shannon is speaking out about her brother’s recent arrest.

What John Amos’s Daughter, Shannon Amos, Said After Brother, K.C. Amos’s Arrest

In a statement shared by People Magazine, here’s what Shannon shared:

[Shannon Amos] noted in a statement provided to Parade on July 19, “My family and I continue to advocate and fight for the proper care of my father,” referencing the elder abuse claims she made back in June.

As for her brother—who, according to a complaint obtained by People, was arrested over the weekend after allegedly sending Shannon seemingly threatening messages—Shannon said she’s “pleased that Kelly is being held accountable for his actions which have put my father’s health at risk, and look forward to resolving this matter in private with the proper authorities.”

Shannon Claims K.C. Amos Made Her ‘Fear For Her Life’

Prior to Shannon’s July 19, 2023 statement, legal docs surrounding their case revealed what she told West Orange, NJ police at the time of calling in K.C. Amos’s alleged threats to her:

Via TMZ- Shannon told West Orange, NJ police her brother texted about his supposed gang affiliations, showing a handgun and a rifle. She claims he also sent her videos of him firing a handgun in an open field, and wrote, “Gonna sleep much better tonight big sis.”

According to Robert Florida, a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office … Shannon said K.C. suffers from bipolar disorder, which has led him to believe she hired someone to kill him — and now she’s worried he might retaliate.

John Amos’s Daughter Clarifies GoFundMe Page She Started For Dad

In her latest statement, Shannon also addressed the controversial GoFundMe page she’d started for their pops in June of this year, to raise funding for his ‘medical care.’..which John Amos later claimed he did not need and was perplexed by. Here’s what Shannon had to say about it:

Via People- “Despite false accusations and defamatory statements being made against me, I remain committed to ensuring that he receives the best medical care. John Amos may be known as ‘America’s Dad’, but for me, he is my father.”

After Shannon created the GoFundMe page, John Amos released a video – from his hospital – bed claiming that his “main issues” were with his daughter, Shannon, and further adding, “who I feel has taken advantage of me and she would be the primary suspect if you would. … She’s the one that I would attribute my elderly abuse to.”

Needless to say…after John rejected the GoFundMe donations, the page was taken down.

So uh…yeah…this story has many odd twists and turns, where the math just ain’t ‘mathing’ at times 🤷🏾‍♂️. But nevertheless, only time will tell what the actual truth is, as more details emerge about this heartbreaking Amos family dynamic. Wishing them all the best going forward.

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Back in the day, when Good Times dominated television, many fans probably thought the ‘Evans family’ dynamic was pretty typical. On camera, it was hard to tell they weren’t really a close-knit family, but behind closed doors, the actors’ dynamic was anything but typical. In fact, for the first time ever, Good Times star, Jimmie Walker a.k.a. “J.J.”, is giving fans the low-down on what he says it was REALLY like when the cameras weren’t rollin.’ During a prior tell-all interview, he spilled all the beans.

Tellin’ It All:

According to Jimmie, the vast majority of the cast barely interacted with each other at all when they weren’t filming. In fact, the former J.J. actor admitted he doesn’t remember ever having an actual conversation with his co-star, Esther Rolle. Jimmie revealed John Amos, the ‘Evans family’ patriarch, was very much like Esther. “I will honestly say, I don’t remember ever speaking a word to Ester the whole time she was there,” remembered Walker.

While Jimmie and John Amos have a better relationship now, he admits things weren’t so great when the show was at it’s popularity peak. Jimmie went on to offer an example of how real the gap was between him and his co-stars. “I think the same basically goes for John. We talk more now but very, very little. We were never friends, never talked. If you said at that time ‘Call Esther and ask her about [something],’ I wouldn’t even have her number,” he added.” I couldn’t have called John. I wouldn’t have had his number … We never spoke to each other. Only on the set … We never did anything together.”

Drama Behind The Scenes:

Jimmie went on to discuss the downward spiral of the hit sitcom. While we all know good things don’t always last forever, it appears Jimmie Walker believes Good Times actually could have lasted a bit longer than it did. However, he believes his castmates weren’t appreciative of being on a hit show. “I think that they killed the goose that laid the golden egg,” he stated. “These people, anytime you said anything, they get crazy, they get upset. I said ‘They don’t get it, man.’”

One actor who reportedly caused drama behind the scenes was John Amos. To Jimmie, it seemed as if Good Times wasn’t good enough for the rising actor. Often times, his attitude led to creative differences between him and the production staff. “John is a good actor, a solid actor,” said Jimmie. “And I think it was just this show, this situation, that was against anything and everything he believed in. He never been a problem on any other show.”

After three seasons, John Amos was fired from Good Times and despite his alleged beliefs about the show, the show ultimately went on without him.

On Bernadette Stanis:

Jimmie also had a tad bit to say about Bernadette Stanis, the beautiful upcoming actress who portrayed JJ’s sister, “Thelma Evans” on the show. While he believed all of his former castmates were talented in their own right, he believed there was something special about Bernadette. However, he thinks she missed many opportunities to capitalize on her image. Jimmie revealed he was shot down completely when he made suggestions.

“Norman Lear and John Amos came to me and said ‘How dare you put our girl in a position like that?” he recalled. “She’s not a h-e. You keep your illicit mind off of that and never bring that up again … They came down so hard on me.”

On Ja’Net Dubois & Janet Jackson:

As Good Times progressed, more recurring actors were added to the cast. Ben Powers and a young Janet Jackson were two talented actors who became staples on the show as John Amos and Esther Rolle’s characters were gradually phased out. While Janet’s role of Penny did solidify her career as a child actor, Jimmie also revealed the low-down on that. Apparently, the writers created the role of Penny after ongoing complaints from Ja’Net DuBois.

Embed from Getty Images

The talented late actress, who portrayed “Willona” on the show, allegedly complained about her character not having enough time in the spotlight. After relentless complaining, the additional role was created to help develop a storyline for DuBois. Jimmie believes Janet Jackson would have never been part of the show if it weren’t for ongoing complaints.

“Without Ja’Net, I don’t think Janet Jackson would’ve ever gotten on our show,” said Walker. “Because she laid out her side of whatever so much, that the writer said ‘We’ve got to do something to get her off our backs.’”

Well damn, didn’t know it was like THAT! Good Times is still a CLASSIC though.

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“Good Times” icon, John Amos, and his daughter are speaking out, following his recent stint in the hospital…but their details are conflicting as hell.

Daughter’s Claims Of Elder Abuse Against John Amos

John Amos’s daughter, Shannon Amos, has just made a public announcement about her dad’s health status. According to Shannon, her father has fallen victim to elder abuse and possibly financial abuse at the hands of his “caregiver” (unnamed). She says John was fighting for his life as he lay hospitalized in the ICU.

Shannon stated that her dad made a painful call to her last month, informing her that he was in severe pain and hospitalized in a Memphis hospital. Shannon says they were able to have a brief Facetime chat shortly before John had to get off the call due to the extreme pain he was enduring.

There’s more. The 83-year-old acting legend “had fallen victim to elder abuse and financial exploitation”, says his daughter.

Shannon didn’t pinpoint who the alleged abusive “caregiver” is. However, she did state that John Amos’s “home had been violated, stripped of anything valuable”…and that Amos’s family is currently working with law enforcement officers, as well as the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, in an attempt to get justice for her pops.

A GoFundMe campaign with a $500K goal, has also been started by Shannon to reportedly help John cover his legal fees, medical expenses, and aftercare.

Typically, this is where this story would end…BUT, John Amos has now come back with a whole ‘notha side of the story. Check out what he had to say below….

John Amos Shuts Down His Daughter’s Claims

It wasn’t long after Shannon Amos posted her statement about her dad’s health and the alleged “elder abuse,” that John Amos spoke out to shut all that down! He basically axed every single claim she made.

In a statement to TMZ, John, says ‘the details laid out by Shannon are a lie’ … and that ‘no one is abusing him and he hasn’t been fighting for his life. He says he’s got no idea as to why Shannon may have started the GoFundMe.’

‘As for the hospitalization, John’s rep, Belinda Foster, tells us he’s been in the hospital because his lower body was filling with fluid, all the way to his abdomen, and causing issues with his heart. Foster says doctors have been able to drain all of it, and John’s recently started to feel 100%.’

This is all kinds of strange. John is known to have beautiful relationships with both of his children – Shannon and K.C. Amos – as he oftentimes displays on social media. So, after hearing the two conflicting sides of the story from Shannon and John…we now have more questions, than answers 🤷🏽‍♂️. Nevertheless, we sincerely hope John Amos’s health is actually back to tip-top shape.

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