Esther Rolle was an American actress, best known for her role as ‘Florida Evans’ in the TV show ‘Maude.’ She reprised the role in ‘Good Times,’ from 1974 to 1977, and then from 1978 to 1979. She earned a ‘Golden Globe’ nomination for the role in 1976, and won an ‘Emmy Award’ for her performance in the TV film ‘Summer of My German Soldier,’ in 1979. She started as a stage artist, and made her screen debut in the drama film ‘Nothing But a Man’ (1964). Her popular films include ‘Cleopatra Jones’ (1973), ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ (1989), ‘House of Cards’ (1993), ‘Rosewood’ (1997), and ‘Down in the Delta’ (1998). Apart from several successful films, some of her unsuccessful films are ‘The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’ (1982), ‘P.K and the Kid’ (1987), and ‘Train Ride’ (2000). Some of her popular TV performances came on series, such as ‘The Incredible Hulk’ (1979), ‘Flamingo Road’ (1982), ‘Murder, She Wrote’ (1985), and ‘Singer & Sons (1990).
Nothing But a Man is a romantic drama film which tells the story of an African American man and his school-teacher wife, who faces oppression and discrimination during the 1960s.
Adapted by Alfred Uhry from his own play, this movie begins when Miss Daisy’s son decides that his old mother needs to hire a chauffeur. Despite protests from her, he employs an African-American driver Hoke Colburn. After initial resistance, she eventually allows him to drive her. Over the next 25 years, as they learn more about life and each other, gradually a bond develops between them.
Based on actual events, Rosewood is a drama film which takes us to 1923, Rosewood, Florida, a small peaceful town with mostly middle-class African-American people. Things get ugly when a lynch mob from a neighboring white community storms the town. Few people take a stand against the invaders, in order to help the people of the town escape.
Max Cady, who served 14 years in jail for raping and brutalizing a young woman, believes that his defense attorney Sam Bowden deliberately withheld crucial evidence that would have lightened his sentence. He studied law and sculpted his body while in jail, and is now hell-bent on taking revenge by terrorizing the Bowden family.
Kramer and Douglas are two former US Presidents who are well-known for their rivalry. However, when they uncover a conspiracy against them by the current corrupt president, they join forces to expose him and clear their names.
Barney is the owner of the last working farm in Manhattan, which he uses for giving pony rides to children. When city officials decide to close it down, he tries his best to save it along with his helper.
Finn is a young graduate student who is going to get married to her fiancé Sam shortly. She visits her grandmother’s place, where she hears stories of romance and sorrow from her elders, as they are making a quilt.
The Mighty Quinn is a mystery comedy film which tells the story of Xavier Quinn, who is the police chief in Jamaica. He finds himself in conflict with the governor, when a millionaire named Donald Pater is murdered, and a petty crook, who happens to be Quinn’s friend, is suspected to be the culprit.
Esther Rolle Awards
| Summer of My German Soldier | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | 1979 |
