Esther Rolle Collection African American Research Library and Cultural Center Broward County Public Library 2006 Provenance: The collection was donated to the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in 2005. Ownership: Call Number: Size: Twenty-seven boxes and 65 items Processed By: Indi Harrison Date: January 2006 ______________________________________________________________________________ Biographical Note Esther Rolle was born in Pompano Beach, Florida to Bahamian immigrants Jonathan Rolle and Elizabeth Dames Rolle on November 8, 1920. Esther Rolle was the tenth child of eighteen children. According to a Newsmakers 1999 (Issue 2) article, Jonathan Rolle "had a knack for storytelling", which inspired Esther Rolle and her older siblings to form a drama troupe, and perform throughout Florida in the 1930s. During that time, Esther Rolle was still a teenager. She graduated from Booker T. Washington high school in Miami Beach, Florida ("Homegoing for Esther Elizabeth Rolle: A Celebration of Life, Saturday, November 28, 1998" funeral program brochure). In 1942, Esther Rolle graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Rolle was also a dancer in the Asadata Dafora dance troupe for twelve years, and later joined the Calypso Carousel company. When Esther Rolle was in her early thirties (1955), she married Oscar Robinson, who pressed slacks in a dry cleaner. They divorced in 1960. Esther Rolle was known for her role as Florida Evans in two successful 1970s sitcoms: Maude and Good Times. According to an article from Contemporary Black Biography, “Good Times debuted in early 1974, and became known as the first African American sitcom.” Esther Rolle fought to break down negative stereotypes about African Americans. Ms. Rolle played the role of a sassy maid on Maude, and she played the role of a gentle but strict matriarch figure on Good Times. Esther Rolle insisted that her character (Florida Evans) be “an independent, proud figure who did not neglect her family for that of her employer, and she made sure that her onscreen family had a strong father figure” (Newsmakers 1999, Issue 2). She also won an Emmy Award for her role in Summer of My German Soldier in 1979. Ms. Rolle appeared in other movies, including “I know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (1979), “Cleopatra Jones” (1973), the 1989 PBS televised play “A Raisin in the Sun”, “The Mighty Quinn” (1989), “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989), “How to Make an American Quilt” (1995), and “Rosewood” (1997). Just before her death, Esther Rolle appeared in two more movies: Down in the Delta and Train Ride. In Train Ride, Ms. Rolle played the role of a college dean (Newsmakers 1999, Issue 2. Gale Group, 1999). Esther Rolle was awarded an Image Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1974 for best actress in a comedy for her work in Good Times. In 1987 she was inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame. Known for her commitment to promoting a positive image of African Americans, Esther Rolle was the first woman to be honored with the NAACP Chairman’s Civil Rights Leadership Award in 1990 (Newsmakers 1999, Issue 2. Gale Group, 1999). Esther Rolle was 78 years old, when she died on November 17, 1998 in Los Angeles, CA. She did not have children, and is survived by her brother, Isaiah Cornelius Rolle, and two sisters, Zilpha Sawyer and Rosanna Carter. Esther Rolle is buried at the Westview Cemetery in Pompano Beach, Florida (http://www.nndb.com/people/343/000094061/). ______________________________________________________________________________ Scope and Content The Esther Rolle collection consists of news clippings and articles about her success as an actress. The collection also includes photographs and a painting of Esther Rolle. There are photographs of her with her family and friends in the collection. The collection also contains awards she has won, such as the NAACP Eighth Image Award (statuette) for Best Actress In A Series (1974), 20th Annual NAACP Image Awards 1987 Hall of Fame Award (statuette), NAACP Image Award (statuette) 1973 Best T.V. Actress Series, and Esther Rolle’s 1978-1979 Television Academy Award (statuette) for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special – Summer of My German Soldier, October 30, 1978 – NBC. The 1998 NASDA Lifetime Achievement Award (plaque) and other awards are in the Esther Rolle collection, as well as video cassettes. Arrangement The first three boxes consists of photographs and pictures divided into three categories: Film/Stage/Television images (ESR Box 1), Publicity & Ceremonies (ESR Box 2), and Personal (ESR Box 3). Boxes 4 through 18 contain awards. Boxes 19-25 contain artifacts. Box 26 contains news clippings. Box 27 contains files. The separate items are then listed as they are on the shelves. Inventory of Accession Box Item Information Year Location (Row/Shelf) Box 1 F1 Esther Rolle and John Amos in a N/A 32/1 photograph together signed by both (7 inches – height) Box 1 F1 A Slimmer Esther Rolle sitting on N/A 32/1 a stair rail wearing a dress and pearl necklaces posing (10 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F2 Esther Rolle acting and wearing a N/A 32/1 scarf on her head, pearl necklaces, And bracelets (6.5 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F3 Esther Rolle and Morgan Freeman 1989 32/1 In Driving Miss Daisy – In kitchen Ms. Rolle is wearing a black and white uniform (8.5 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F4 Esther Rolle performing with Molly N/A 32/1 Ringwald and Paul Le Mat (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F5 Esther Rolle wearing a red fish net 1987 32/1 cap, a sweater, and red loop earring in the filming of P.K. and the Kid (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F6 Esther Rolle sitting down in a black N/A 32/1 sleeveless blouse and skirt holding a glass/cup of water or drink (10 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F7 Esther Rolle in a red and white N/A 32/1 dress leaning forward (3 photos) (10.5 inches – height; 9.8 inches – height; 9.8 inches – height) Box 1 F8 Esther Rolle with a white scarf on N/A 32/1 her head and a flowery dress with apron performing on stage with a young man and a young woman (4 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F9 Esther Rolle and Jimmie Walker in N/A 32/1 Good Times (5.2 inches – height photo) Box 1 F10 Esther Rolle with a cigarette and N/A 32/1 straight hair sitting down at a table that has a cup and two small plates on it (10 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F11 Esther Rolle in a housekeeper 1989 32/1 uniform with apron with her fingers and two hands twiddling (10 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F12 Esther Rolle (wearing blouse with N/A 32/1 Xs) and Ralph Carter (wearing Black and white sweat shirt) in a Good Times episode (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F13 P.K. & the Kid (Drama), Esther N/A 32/1 Rolle and Alex Rocco (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F14 Esther Rolle with cast of Train N/A 32/1 Ride (12 photos, 4 inches – height) Box 1 F15 Esther Rolle in a red knit cap in P.K. N/A 32/1 and the Kid scenes (7.5 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F15 Esther Rolle wearing a knit cap and N/A 32/1 loop ear ring sitting down smiling (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F16 Esther Rolle in a P.K. and the Kid N/A 32/1 scene with Charles Hallahan (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F17 Esther Rolle wearing a fishnet hat in N/A 32/1 a P.K. and the Kid scene with a man wearing a white coat, and with Charles Hallahan and Paul Le Mat (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F18 Esther Rolle at a sink with a silver N/A 32/1 pitcher and straight black hair (10 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F19 Esther Rolle with her hand on her N/A 32/1 forehead in the brightness of the day – 2 photographs (8.5 inches – height; 10 inches – height) Box 1 F20 A skinny Esther Rolle performing N/A 32/1 on stage with a white head scarf, flowery dress, and apron (3 photos – 9.5 inches – height; 9.9 inches – height; 11 inches – height) Box 1 F21 Esther Rolle hugging a little girl N/A 32/1 (picture image on sheet of paper) Box 1 F22 Esther Rolle in scenes from P.K. N/A 32/1 and the Kid with Alex Rocco (3 photos – 7.8 inches height; 7.8 inches height; 6.6 inches height) Box 1 F23 Good Times episode: Esther Rolle N/A 32/1 (wearing blouse with S’s on it) and with Ralph Carter (wearing shirt with horizontal lines) in a photo that shows more of the apartment they were living in (8.2 inches – height) Box 1 F24 Esther Rolle in a P.K. and the Kid N/A 32/1 scene with Molly Ringwald and Johe de Santi sitting in a truck (7.8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F25 Esther Rolle sitting next to a blonde N/A 32/1 lady wearing jeans (9.9 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F26 Esther Rolle with “A Raisin in the N/A 32/1 Sun” cast members on stage (8 inches – height, photo) Box 1 F27 Esther Rolle in a commercial with N/A 32/1 June from “Leave it to Beaver”, Alice and her supervisor from the Brady Bunch and others with a car crashing in and holding a blue cup (2 photos – 6.