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Ja'Net DuBois

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Jeannette Theresa Dubois (August 5[note 1] – February 17, 2020), known professionally as Ja'Net DuBois,[6] Ja'net DuBois,[4] and Ja'Net Du Bois[1][7][n 1] (/dʒɑːˈneɪ duːˈbwɑː/), was an American actress and singer. She was best known for her portrayal of Willona Woods, the neighborhood gossip maven and a friend of the Evans family on the CBS sitcom Good Times, which aired from 1974 to 1979.[8] DuBois additionally cowrote and sang the theme song "Movin' On Up" for The Jeffersons, which aired from 1975 until 1985.[9] After beginning her career on the stage in the early 1960s, DuBois appeared on television shows and in films into the mid-2010s.

Ja'Net DuBois
DuBois as Willona Woods on the television series Good Times, 1976
Born
Jeannette Theresa Dubois

August 5
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died(2020-02-17)February 17, 2020
Glendale, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1960–2019
Known forWillona Woods – Good Times
Ma Bell – I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
Ms. Avery – The PJs
Spouse(s)Sajit Gupta
(m. 1950–?; divorced)
Children4

Biography

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Early life and career

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DuBois was born Jeannette Theresa Dubois in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[10] She was the daughter of Lillian Gouedy (1910–1984) and Gordon Adelbert Dubois (1915–1960)[11][9] and was raised in Amityville, New York, on Long Island.[12]

In the early 1960s, DuBois moved to Brooklyn[10] and began her acting career onstage, making her Broadway debut with a small role in the short-lived play The Long Dream, which ran for four days in February 1960.[13] She appeared in the drama A Raisin in the Sun with Louis Gossett Jr., though not the original Broadway production.[13][14][15] After appearing in the play The Blacks in October 1963, she became an understudy for the housekeeper role, portrayed by Gertrude Jeannette, in the comedy Nobody Loves an Albatross, which ran through June 1964.[16][17][18][19] DuBois next appeared in the Broadway musical Golden Boy with Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Daniels, Lola Falana and Johnny Brown. DuBois portrayed Anna, the sister of Davis's character, through the entire original run from October 1964 to March 1966.[20][21]

Career

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DuBois's early television acting credits include the 1969 television film J.T. and as Loretta Allen on the soap opera Love of Life from 1970 until 1972, becoming one of the first African-American female regular cast members on a daytime series. DuBois's first film appearance was her portrayal of Vera in Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970). She landed the role of Stormy Monday in the 1973 comedy Five on the Black Hand Side[22] and appeared in Lanford Wilson's play The Hot l Baltimore that same year.[citation needed]

During her time in the play, television producer Norman Lear watched DuBois on stage at the Mark Taper Forum and was impressed with her performance. He cast her in his CBS sitcom Good Times as Wilona Woods, the Evanses' neighbor and best friend of family matriarch Florida Evans, portrayed by Esther Rolle.[23] DuBois appeared in the show from February 1974 until the show ended in August 1979.[7] DuBois began the show as a costar alongside Rolle and John Amos (who departed the show in 1976). In 1977, DuBois's role became more prominent during the fifth season after Rolle had left the cast. DuBois returned to her costarring role when Rolle returned in the sixth and final season in 1978.[24]

After Good Times ended in 1979, DuBois recorded the album Again, Ja'Net DuBois on her Peanuts and Caviar label in 1983.[25] She appeared in former Good Times co-star Janet Jackson's 1987 "Control" music video as her mother. In 1992, she costarred with Clifton Davis in And I Still Rise, a play written and directed by Maya Angelou.[26] DuBois co-starred in the films I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), and on television in Moesha, The Steve Harvey Show, A Different World, Touched by an Angel and The Wayans Bros.

Other ventures and accolades

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During the 1980s, DuBois operated the Ja'net DuBois Academy of Theater Arts and Sciences, a performing arts school for teenagers on Long Island, New York.[27] In 1992, DuBois, Danny Glover and Ayuko Babu cofounded the Pan African Film & Arts Festival in Los Angeles.[28][29] In 1995, DuBois won a CableACE award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Lifetime film Other Women's Children.[30] DuBois won Emmy Awards for her voiceover work on the animated program The PJs in 1999 and 2001. DuBois, along with the other cast members of Good Times, received the Impact Icon Award at the 2006 TV Land Awards.[31] In 2000, DuBois served as grand marshal for the North Amityville Community Parade and Festival Day in Amityville, New York.[32] DuBois was an honorary member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority.[33]

Personal life

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DuBois married Sajit Gupta in 1950.[34] According to her Brazilian consular document, DuBois was divorced from Gupta by April 1959,[35] but another source states that she was still married in 1964.[19] Together, DuBois and Gupta had four children: Provat Gupta, Rani Gupta, Kesha Gupta-Fields[10] and Raj Kristo Gupta, who died of cancer in 1987 at age 36.[27] Provat is a basketball coach based in California.[36] In 1959, DuBois was romantically involved with actor Brock Peters.[37]

Death

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DuBois died on February 17, 2020, of cardiac arrest at her residence in Glendale, California.[10][38][39]

Discography

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  • Movin' On Up (theme from The Jeffersons, 1975)
  • Queen of the Highway (Som Livre, 1980)
  • Again, Ja'Net DuBois (Peanuts & Caviar Internationale, 1983)
  • Hidden Treasures (Peanuts & Caviar Internationale, 2007)

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1966 A Man Called Adam Martha
1969 J.T. Rodeen Gamble
1973 Five on the Black Hand Side Stormy Monday
1977 A Piece of the Action Nellie Bond
1983 The Tom Swift and Linda Craig Mystery Hour Mrs. Gorman Television film
1986 Stranded Bettina Television film
1987 Kids Like These Mrs. Page Television film
1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Ma Bell
1990 Heart Condition Mrs. Stone
1990 Hammer, Slammer, & Slade Joanne Wilson Television film
1990 Penny Ante: The Motion Picture Aunt
1993 Harlan & Merleen Maxine Television film
1995 Magic Island Lucretia
1996 Sophie & the Moonhanger Agnes Television film
1996 Don't Look Back Mrs. Lawson Television film
1998 Best Friends for Life Katie Pegues Television film
1998 Hard Time Lefty Television film
1999 Hard Time: Hostage Hotel Lefty, Logan's Assistant Television film
2000 Waterproof Viola Battle
2003 Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Momma Bosley
2016 She's Got a Plan Betty Angelo

Television

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Year(s) Title Role Notes
1970–72 Love of Life Loretta Allen unknown episodes
1972 Sanford and Son Juanita Grismore 1 episode
1973 Shaft Diana Richie 1 episode
1973 The Blue Knight Celia Louise
1974–79 Good Times Willona Woods 133 episodes
1974 Kojak Paula Thomas 1 episode
1975 Caribe Melinda Jameson 1 episode
1979 Roots: The Next Generations Sally Harvey 1 episode
1980 The Love Boat Evelyn Hopkins 1 episode
1981 Hellinger's Law Dottie Singer
1981 The Facts of Life Ethel (Tootie's grandmother) 1 episode
1981 The Sophisticated Gents Onetha Wiggins TV miniseries
1989 Nearly Departed Clerk 1 episode
1990 New Attitude Irma 1 episode
1990 Doctor Doctor Ella Wilkes 1 episode
1991 A Different World Brenda Hanes 1 episode
1991 True Colors May Freeman 1 episode
1991 Dream On June 1 episode
1992 Beverly Hills, 90210 Arlene 1 episode
1992–93 The Golden Palace Louise Wilson 2 episodes
1994 Sister, Sister Mom O'Danielle 1 episode
1994 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Dorothy Cooper 1 episode
1995 Martin Herself 1 episode
1991/1995 Home Improvement Carol 2 episodes
1995 ER Macy Chamberlain 1 episode
1997 Moesha Mrs. Moss 1 episode
1997 Touched by an Angel Esther Hamilton 1 episode
1996–1998 The Wayans Bros. Grandma Ellington/Willona Woods (Unspoken Token Episode) 11 episodes
1999 Clueless Aunt Liddy 1 episode
1999–2001 The PJs Mrs. Florence Avery Voice, 43 episodes
2000 The Steve Harvey Show Delores 1 episode
2000 Everybody Loves Raymond Dottie 1 episode
2000/2002 As Told by Ginger Mrs. Patterson Voice, 2 episodes
2003 Boomtown Denise Smith 1 episode
2003 One on One Queen Esther 1 episode
2006 Crossing Jordan Mrs. Jones 1 episode
2007 Random! Cartoons Mom Voice, episode: "Samsquatch"
2007 Cold Case Edna Johnson 1 episode
2011 G.I. Joe: Renegades Grams Hinton Voice
2019 Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Good Times Herself

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Series Result
1998 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Touched by an Angel Nominated
1999 Primetime Emmy Outstanding Voice-Over Performance The PJs Won[40]
2001 Primetime Emmy Outstanding Voice-Over Performance The PJs: Let's Get Ready to Rumba Won[41]
2006 TV Land Image Award Good Times Won[42]

Notes

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  1. ^ Capitalization of "n" in first name is uncertain in Good Times title card, which credits her in capital letters "JA'NET du BOIS". Last name is given as two words, with "du" lowercase.
  1. ^ DuBois' year of birth is disputed. Sources state 1938[1][2] and 1945[3][4][5] as years of birth.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ja'Net Du Bois". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  2. ^ Windsor, Carl D. (2006). On This Day: Daily Inspiration for the History Buff, the Trivia Lover, and the Innately Curious. Howard Books. ISBN 978-1-58229-654-8.
  3. ^ Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (2015). "DUBOIS, JA'NET (1945– )". Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema (2 ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-4422-4702-4. This native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
  4. ^ a b LoBrutto, Vincent (2018). "Good Times". TV in the USA: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. Greenwood. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-4408-2972-7. ...Ja'net DuBois (1945– )...
  5. ^ Powers, Retha (2013). Bartlett's Familiar Black Quotations 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs from Voices Around the World. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316250689.
  6. ^ "Ja'Net DuBois". TV One. August 15, 2012. Archived from the original on October 27, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  7. ^ a b McCann, Bob (December 21, 2009). "Du Bois, Ja'Net". Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland & Company. pp. 103–04. ISBN 978-0-7864-5804-2. Retrieved April 19, 2015. Jeannette Dubois, better known as Ja'Net Du Bois (Ja-Nay Doo-Bwah)...
  8. ^ Foxx, Redd; Norma Miller, "Ja'Net DuBois", The Redd Foxx Encyclopedia of Black Humor, W. Ritchie Press, 1977, p. 225. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "TV Actress Ja'Net DuBois To Appear On 'Arsenio'". Jet. Vol. 82, no. 6. Johnson Publishing Company. June 1, 1992. p. 60. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d Garcia, Sandra E. (February 19, 2020). "'Good Times' Actress Ja'Net DuBois Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  11. ^ "U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947 for Gordon Adelbert Dubois". FamilySearch. 1940–1947 – via Imgur.
  12. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 19, 1976). "People: Rookie Who Looks Good". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2020. (abstract of page on subscription site)
  13. ^ a b "Jeannette DuBois". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "A Raisin in the Sun". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "'Good Times' actress Ja'Net Dubois Dies". The Chicago Crusader. February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  16. ^ "New York Beat". Jet. Vol. XXV, no. 17. Johnson Publishing Company. February 13, 1964. p. 63. Retrieved February 24, 2020 – via Google Books. Jeanette DuBois, who joined the cast of The Blacks last October and soon thereafter won the understudy slot to the housekeeper in the comedy hit Nobody Loves an Albatross...
  17. ^ "Nobody Loves an Albatross Opening-Night Cast". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  18. ^ "Golden Boy Opening Night Cast". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Negros on Broadway". Ebony. Vol. XIX, no. 6. Johnson Publishing Company. April 1, 1964. p. 63. Retrieved February 26, 2020 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ "Golden Boy". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  21. ^ "Why Can't Negro Male Star Win White Girl In End?". Jet. Vol. XXVII, no. 8. Johnson Publishing Company. November 27, 1964. p. 64. Retrieved February 24, 2020 – via Google Books.
  22. ^ Weiler, A.H. (October 26, 1973). "Film: 'Black Hand Side': Stage's Brooks Family Arrives on Screen The Cast". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  23. ^ Campbell, Sean (December 24, 2014). "Good Times (1974–1979)". The Sitcoms of Norman Lear. McFarland & Company. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-4766-0255-4. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  24. ^ Forbes, 'Good Times' Star Ja'net DuBois Dies at 74, Feb 18, 2020.Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  25. ^ "Celebrity Beat – New York to Hollywood". Jet. Vol. 64, no. 10. Johnson Publishing Company. May 16, 1983. p. 53.
  26. ^ "Actor Clifton Davis Stars in Maya Angelou's New Musical". Jet. Vol. 82, no. 20. Johnson Publishing Company. September 7, 1992. p. 60. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  27. ^ a b "Ja'Net DuBois' Son Dies of Cancer, in New York". Jet. Vol. 73, no. 5. Johnson Publishing Company. October 26, 1987. p. 61. ISSN 0021-5996. Raj Kristo Gupta, the son of popular TV and movie actress Ja'Net DuBois, died recently in New York following a three-year battle with cancer. He was 36. At the time of his death, Gupta was producing a training workshop with his family's organization, Ja'net DuBois Academy [of] Theater Arts and Sciences for teenagers in Long Island, N.Y.
  28. ^ "2019 Highlights". Pan African Film & Arts Festival. 2019. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019.
  29. ^ Kelley, Sonaiya (February 7, 2018). "The Pan African Film Festival aims to correct misconceptions about African and Caribbean countries". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019.
  30. ^ "Ja'net DuBois, Chris Rock win CableAce Awards". Jet. Vol. 87, no. 13. Johnson Publishing Company. February 6, 1995.
  31. ^ Christian, Margena A. (January 28, 2008). "Where Is... The Cast of 'Good Times'?". Jet. Vol. 113, no. 3. p. 31.
  32. ^ "Newsmakers". Jet. Vol. 98, no. 8. Johnson Publishing Company. July 31, 2000. p. 32.
  33. ^ "Heritage: Notable Zetas > Entertainment". Zeta Phi Beta Sorority International Website. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  34. ^ "Sajit Gupta". New York City Marriages, 1950–2017. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2020 – via MyHeritage.
  35. ^ "Ja'Net DuBois Dead: 'Good Times' & 'Charlie's Angels' Star Dies at 74". Entertainment. Heavy. February 18, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  36. ^ Gary, Parrish (July 30, 2015). "The Ball family -- coming to a basketball court (and TV) near you". CBS Sports. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  37. ^ "New York Beat". Jet. Vol. XVII, no. 3. Johnson Publishing Company. November 12, 1959. p. 64. Retrieved February 19, 2020 – via Google Books.
  38. ^ "Good Times Actress Ja'Net DuBois Dies At 74". BET. February 19, 2020. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  39. ^ Boone (March 12, 2020). "'Good Times' Star Ja'Net DuBois's Cause Of Death Revealed". Essencefirst=Keyaira. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  40. ^ "Ja'Net DuBois And Judith Jamison Win Primetime Emmy Awards". Jet. Vol. 96, no. 16. Johnson Publishing Company. September 20, 1999. p. 34. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  41. ^ Dutka, Elaine (August 14, 2001). "Morning Report". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  42. ^ Christian, Margena A. (January 28, 2008). "The Cast of 'Good Times'?". Jet. Vol. 113, no. 3. p. 31. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
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