The Big Move: Part 2 

Following the news of James' passing, everyone begins to worry about Florida who seems to be emotionally unaffected.

Director:

Gerren Keith

Writers:

Eric Monte (created by), Mike Evans (created by) (as Michael Evans)

Stars:

Esther Rolle, Ja'net DuBois, Ralph Carter

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Esther Rolle	...	Florida Evans
Ja'net DuBois	...	Willona Woods (as Ja'net Du Bois)
Ralph Carter	...	Michael Evans
BernNadette Stanis	...	Thelma Evans (as Bern Nadette Stanis)
Jimmie Walker	...	James 'J.J.' Evans, Jr.
Johnny Brown	...	Nathan Bookman
Helen Martin	...	Weeping Wanda Williams
Irwin C. Watson	...	Calvin Ferguson
Nick LaTour	...	Rev. Gordon
Minnie Summers Lindsey	...	Mrs. Gordon (as Minnie Lindsey)
Raymond Allen	...	Ned the Wino (as Raymond G. Allen)
Henry Harris	...	1st Man
Lee Weaver	...	2nd Man
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Monty (as Stymie Beard)

Storyline

Following James' funeral the JJ, Thelma and particularly Michael are grieving their father's passing. In fact, the Michael thinks that everyone is disrespecting his father's memory by laughing and carrying on and the kids wonder why Florida is leading the laughter. However, later on Florida soon comes to grips with losing the love of her life and her rock.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1976 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metromedia Square - 5746 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tandem Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was Matthew 'Stymie' Beard's final appearance as Monty. However, he did return for a later appearance in a different role in the episode Good Times: The Evans Get Involved: Part 2 (1977)

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Quotes

Florida: [shouts] Damn, damn, damn!

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Connections

Referenced in Madea's Family Reunion (2002)

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Soundtracks

Good Times
Music by Dave Grusin
Lyrics by Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman
Performed by James Gilstrap and Blinky (as Blinky Williams)

User Reviews

After the funeral

"The Big Move" concludes with the Evans family coming home from their father's funeral. Everyone who pays their respects brings a ham, among them Bookman, Weeping Wanda (Helen Martin, fourth of seven), Ned the Wino (Raymond Allen, third of four), and James' friend Monty (Stymie Beard, last of four). Florida plays the perfect hostess, keeping her husband's memory alive with such joyous abandon that her children wonder how she's able to do it, not even breaking down during the service. Even when they confront her in anger her implacable façade does not yield, bidding her guests a fond goodbye before setting out to start cleaning up. Though the kids are willing to help Florida proudly refuses, silently going about her business until her long suppressed emotions finally rise to the surface, unable to speak as her children gather around her to grieve together. In firing John Amos, the producers essentially went with the show as first envisioned, no father figure present, only with the well established JJ character now becoming the man of the house. It was a brutal way to kill off such a beloved character however, and for some viewers unforgivable. The series would never be the same, and the ratings reflected that.