‘Good Times’ Star Ja’Net Dubois Dies At 74

Former Good Times actress Ja’Net DuBois died unexpectedly in her sleep in her home in Glendale, California on February 17.

The police in Glendale said they received a report about DuBois’ death late Monday. She died from natural causes. She had appeared to be in good health and had not stated any specific ailments to those around her or family. DuBois appeared at a signing event two weeks ago in Hollywood.

BernNadette Stanis, a close friend of DuBois who, played Thelma Evans Anderson on Good Times learned about DuBois’s death from the actress’ daughter.

“She used to keep us laughing all the time,” Stanis said, recalling her friend. “She was very, very talented. If she wasn’t singing … she was creating a character to make us laugh.”

Stanis also stated that to her, DuBois seemed to be in good health when she saw her at the signing event. She even told DuBois she is lucky no one knows her age because she normally kept that to herself.

DuBois played the single neighbor and best friend to the star Esther Rolle‘s Flordia Evans alongside a young Janet Jackson. DuBois added extra doses of comedic relief. DuBois was also a two-time Emmy Award winner for her voice work on WB series PJs. She also wrote the song “Movin’ Up” that was used for the theme song for the TV show The Jeffersons during the shows ten season run. 

The actress also appeared in multiple films including Basic Instinct, Next Friday and Tropic Thunder.