Good Times Star Johnny Brown Passes Away At 84

Johnny Brown, the actor and comedian best remembered for his role on the hit comedy Good Times, has died. He starred alongside Esther Rolle, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Bern Nadette Stanis, and Jimmie Walker on the Norman Lear-created sitcom Nathan Bookman for numerous seasons.

Brown won amateur night at the Apollo when he was younger and later performed with Gregory Hines Jr. and Gregory Hines Sr. His cause of death is still unknown at this time. Sharon Catherine Brown, Brown’s daughter, took to her Instagram to share the devastating news

Our family is devastated. Devastated. Devastated. Beyond heartbroken. Barely able to breathe. We respectfully ask for privacy at this time because we need a minute to process the unthinkable. To articulate the depths of profound sadness. This is my mom’s husband for sixty one years, mine and JJ’s dad, Elijah and Levi’s Pop Pop, older brother to George and brother in law to Pat and extended family to Chris, Hihat, Damian and Derell. It’s too terrible. It will never not be. It’s a shock. He was literally snatched out of our lives. It’s not real for us yet. So there will be more to say but not now. Dad was the absolute best. We love him so very much.

Brown was also a musician who collaborated with Sam “The Man” Taylor on songs and performances. He also collaborated with Sammy Davis Jr. on a project. Brown made two Broadway appearances in the 1960s and was a three-season regular on Dan Rowan and Dick Martin’s Laugh-In.

He was considered for the role of Lamont in Sanford & Son with Redd Foxx, but was unable to land the part due to his Laugh-In contract. Good Times was produced by Allan Manings of Laugh-In, and Brown joined the show in season 2. He also appeared on The Flip Wilson Show and The Jeffersons as a guest star.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he appeared in a number of Black sitcoms, including Family Matters, Sister, Sister, The Jamie Foxx Show, The Wayans Brothers, and Martin. At this time, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. RIP