Jimmie Walker
Acting • Born 1947-06-25
Biography
James Carter Walker Jr. (born June 25, 1947), known professionally as Jimmie Walker, is an American actor and comedian. Walker is best known for portraying James Evans Jr. (J. J.), the oldest son of Florida and James Evans Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times which originally ran from 1974–1979. Walker was nominated for Golden Globe awards Best Supporting Actor In A Television Series in 1975 and 1976 for his role. While on the show, Walker's character was known for the catchphrase "Dy-no-mite!" which he also used in his mid–1970s TV commercial for a Panasonic line of cassette and 8-track tape players. He also starred in Let's Do It Again with John Amos, and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened with James Earl Jones. Walker continues to tour the country with his stand-up comedy routine. In 1967, Walker began working full-time with WRVR, the radio station of the Riverside Church. In 1969, Walker began performing as a stand-up comedian and was eventually discovered by the casting director for Good Times, after making appearances on Rowan & Martin's Laugh In and on the Jack Paar Show. He eventually released one stand-up comedy album during the height of his Good Times popularity: Dyn-o-mite on Buddah Records (5635). During Good Times' 1974–75 season, Walker was 26 years old, though his character was much younger. John Amos, the actor who portrayed Walker's father on Good Times, was actually just eight years older than Walker. Walker credits producer/director John Rich for inventing "Dy-no-mite!" which Rich insisted Walker say on every episode. Both Walker and executive producer Norman Lear were skeptical of the idea, but the phrase and Walker's character caught on with the audience. Also, off- and on-camera, Walker did not get along with series' lead, Esther Rolle, who played Florida Evans, in the series, because she and Amos disapproved of Walker's increasingly buffoonish character and his popularity, and Walker felt hurt by their disdain. Dissatisfaction led Amos (before Rolle), to leave the show, making Walker the star of the show. Walker was the only Good Times star to not attend Rolle's funeral.
Filmography
83 credits
Airplane!
Movie • 1980
Windshield Wiper Man
Monster Mash: The Movie
Movie • 1995
Hathaway
Rabbit Test
Movie • 1978
Umbuto
Imps*
Movie • 1983
Thomas
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Movie • 1980
Self - Village People
Let's Do It Again
Movie • 1975
Bootney Farnsworth
The Guyver
Movie • 1991
Striker
Don't Suck
Movie • 2023
Dale
Doin' Time
Movie • 1985
Shaker
David E. Talbert's What Goes Around Comes Around
Movie • 2012
Preacher
Chasing Robert
Movie • 2007
Himself
Norman Lear: A Life on Television
Movie • 2023
Self
Show Business Is My Life (But I Can't Prove It)
Movie • 2022
Self
Going Bananas
Movie • 1987
Mozambo
The Concorde... Airport '79
Movie • 1979
Boisie
Sweet Lorraine
Movie • 2015
Rudy ray
Murder Can Hurt You!
Movie • 1980
Parks the Pusher
Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth
Movie • 2000
Pimp
Kidnapped
Movie • 1988
Chester
Water
Movie • 1985
Jay Jay
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened
Movie • 1977
Morris Bird III
The Comedian
Movie • 2016
Jimmie Walker
Plump Fiction
Movie • 1997
Stingy Costumer
Joys
Movie • 1976
Self
Super Shark
Movie • 2011
Dynamite Stevens
But... Seriously
Movie • 1994
Self (archive footage)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Movie • 1992
Celeb #3
Jimmie JJ Walker & Michael Winslow: We Are Still Here
Movie • 2018
Himself
I Am Richard Pryor
Movie • 2019
Self - Actor and Comedian
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Movie • 2019
Self
Telethon
Movie • 1977
Himself
A Wrestling Christmas Miracle
Movie • 2020
Dr. Lemon
Open Season
Movie • 1995
Homer (as Jimmy Walker)
Sing Sing Thanksgiving
Movie • 1974
Self
Big Money Rustlas
Movie • 2010
The Husband
Forgotten Fortune
Movie
The Shirley MacLaine Special: Where Do We Go from Here?
Movie • 1977
Self
The Jerk, Too
Movie • 1984
Card Player (uncredited)
Beat the Geeks
TV • 2001
Good Times
TV • 1974
James "JJ" Evans
Son of the Beach
TV • 2000
Everybody Hates Chris
TV • 2005
Gene
The Tony Danza Show
TV • 2004
Self
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Ronald Baker
George Lopez
TV • 2002
Lionel
Donny & Marie
TV • 1976
Self
Cagney & Lacey
TV • 1982
Tony Brown
B.A.D. Cats
TV • 1980
Blossom
TV • 1990
ER
TV • 1994
Jay Jay
The Comedy Store
TV • 2020
Self
The White Shadow
TV • 1978
Jimmie Walker
Bustin' Loose
TV • 1987
Sonny Barnes
Back to the Grind
TV • 2007
Cher
TV • 1975
Self
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV • 1974
Self
At Ease
TV • 1983
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV • 1973
Self
The Larry Sanders Show
TV • 1992
Jimmie Walker
The Bold and the Beautiful
TV • 1987
Count Bouche
Dark Side of Comedy
TV • 2022
Self
Gotham Comedy Live
TV • 2012
Self - Host
Hollywood Squares
TV • 1998
Self - Panelist
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self - Guest
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
TV • 1994
Comedy.tv
TV • 2009
The Very Very Best of the 70s
TV • 2019
Self - Commentator
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self - Co-Host
Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution
TV • 2022
Self
Celebrity Ghost Stories
TV • 2009
Self
The Drew Carey Show
TV • 1995
Lewis' stunt double
The John Larroquette Show
TV • 1993
Slyde Wilson
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
Good Times
TV • 2024
Jim Bean (voice)
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Mickey Garner
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Wally
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Marvin Jones
Sherri
TV • 2022
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Worst Cooks in America
TV • 2010
Self - Contestant
Scrubs
TV • 2001
Jimmie Walker
Late Night with David Letterman
TV • 1982
Self