Esther Rolle was an American actress. Rolle is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS television sitcom Maude, for two seasons (1972–1974) and its spin-off series Good Times, for five seasons (1974–77, 1978–79), for which Rolle was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1976. In 1979, Rolle accepted the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Special for the television film Summer of My German Soldier. 

Rolle was a member of Asadata Dafora's dance troupe, Shogolo Oloba (later renamed the Federal Theater African Dance Troupe). She became the troupe's director in 1960. Rolle's earliest roles were on the stage; her New York debut was in the 1962 play The Blacks. She was often cast in plays produced by Robert Hooks and the Negro Ensemble Company. She also appeared in productions of The Crucible and Blues for Mr. Charlie. Rolle's most prominent early role was as Miss Maybell in the 1973 Melvin Van Peebles play, Don't Play Us Cheap. 1 In 1977, Rolle portrayed Lady Macbeth in Orson Welles' Haitian-influenced version of William Shakespeare's Macbeth at the Henry Street New Federal Theater in Manh

Rolle is best known for her television role as Florida Evans, the character she played on two 1970s sitcoms. The feeling was introduced as Maude Findlay's housekeeper on Maude and was spun off in the show's second season into Good Times, a show about Florida's family. Rolle was nominated in 1975 for the Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role in Good Times. Rolle was 19 years older than the actor (John Amos) who played her husband, James (named Henry on Maude) Evans. The James Evans character was only added after Esther Rolle fought hard for a father figure and husband to be added to the show. Rolle had fought for the father character on the show, more relevant themes, and scripts and was unhappy with the success of Jimmie Walker's character, J.J. Evans, which she believed took the show in a frivolous direction. John Amos agreed with Rolle about Walker's character and was fired from the show after the third season ended. Later, in a stand-off with Good Times producer Norman Lear, Rolle quit when her contract ended. Although the show continued without her for the fifth season, she returned for the show's final season. In 1979 she won an Emmy for her role in Summer of My German Soldier, a made-for-television movie.

Among her guest-starring roles was one on The Incredible Hulk in an episode entitled "Behind the Wheel," in which she played a taxicab business owner. In the 1990s, Rolle was a surprise guest on RuPaul's VH-1 talk show. Her Maude co-star Bea Arthur was the guest, and Rolle was brought out to surprise Arthur. Arthur said the two had not seen each other in years and embraced warmly. Rolle also appeared in psychic hotline TV commercials in the 1990s. "Tell them Esther sent you," was her trademark line.

Rolle released an album of music titled The Garden of My Mind in 1975. Rolle's first screen appearance is a small, uncredited role in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), and she later appeared in Gordon Parks' The Learning Tree (1969). Her sister, actress Estelle Evans, appeared in both films as well. Esther Rolle appeared early in her career in the film Nothing But a Man (1964). After Good Times ended, she appeared in several made-for-television movies and films, including Driving Miss Daisy and My Fellow Americans.

A memorable role was that of Aunt Sarah in the film Rosewood (1997). She had a significant role in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing,s based on Maya Angelou's memoir of the same name, and has the distinction of having won the first Emmy Award for the category Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, in 1979, for her work in the television movie Summer of My German Soldier. She is also credited for her role in The Mighty Quinn (1989), starring Denzel Washington and Sheryl Lee Ralph and featuring Robert Townsend. Her last film, Train Ride, was released in 2000 despite being filmed in 1998.

Esther Rolle was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, to Bahamian immigrants Jonathan Rolle (1883–1953), a farmer, and Elizabeth Iris Rolle (née Dames; 1887–1981).

Her parents were both born and raised in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, and moved to Flosometime after marriage. She was the tenth of 18 children (children who included siblings and fellow actresses Estelle Evans and Rosanna Carter).

Rolle graduated from Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Florida. She initially studied at Spelman College in Atlanta before moving to New York City. While in New York, she attended Hunter College before transferring to The New School and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Rolle worked in a traditional day job in New York City's garment district for many years.

Rolle died on November 17, 1998, in Culver City, California, from diabetes complications nine days after her 78th birthday. A devout African Methodist Episcopal Church member, Rolle requested that her funeral be held at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is buried in Westview Community Cemetery in Pompano Beach, Florida.

The cemetery is a historically black burial ground created in 1952 when the laws and customs of Florida did not permit white people and black people to be buried in the same cemetery.

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