Rani stood out more than any other extra in the late 1970s on television because of her beauty, charm, and aura. According to TMZ, Ja'net DuBois has died at age 74. She was 74 and will be missed.: @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/j1TdcuA0q9, Dubois' career started in theater, where she appeared in Broadway productions of "Golden Boy" and "A Raisin in the Sun," according to a biography on her website. The birth mother wants Penny back. Ja'net's family confirmed that she passed away on February 18, 2020. Having appeared on "Good Times" as dubious and disreputable local politician Fred C. Davis, Albert Reed Jr. died aged 76 in 1986 the first of the sitcom's cast to . She died at age 66. The Actress Became a Millionaire Thanks To The Show, On Her Wedding Day, Woman Gets Hundreds of Letters from Her Late Mom 23 Years after Her Death Story of the Day, Erin Murphy AKA Tabitha from 'Bewitched' Is Now a Mom of 6 Inside Her Life 50 Years after the Show. Man, in a lot of ways, Willona Woods was the TV embodiment of the modern woman during her 1970s run on Good Times. She then made appearances on the small screen in series like Sanford and Son, Kojak, and Roots: The Next Generations.. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Dubois' song "Movin' on Up" provided a joyous intro to "The Jeffersons" during the show's 10-season run. She starts to accept him, but then Ray starts flirting with Thelma, proving he is still the same sleaze. Her cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but according to reports, the actress died "unexpectedly" in her sleep overnight while in her home in Glendale, California. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ja'Net DuBois, 'Good Times' Actress, Dies at 74. Ja'Net was best known for her role as Willona Woods on the sitcom Good Times. JaNet Dubois, circa 1975. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Right: Directed by Gerren Keith. Wrote and sang the theme song to the Jeffersons before she ever knew what the show was about. Thanks to her skills, Janet has received several prestigious awards, including a Primetime Emmy award in the category Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for her work on animated TV series The PJs, among others. Dubois was also a talented singer and released an album Again under Peanuts and Cavier Label in 1983. According to TMZ, Janet DuBois has died at age 74. ", Ja'Net's acting career began on Broadway, where she was cast in a number of plays including "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Gossett Jr. -- plus "A Raisin In The Sun. In remembrance of Janet DuBois, you can check out some beautiful photos of the actress below. Stanis said Dubois appeared to be in good health and they had appeared two weeks ago at a signing event. Dan Stubbs said. In case you forgot, Willona was the spunky next-door neighbor, played by Ja'Net DuBois, who kept the whole apartment building . Her net worth is estimated to be around $2 million. The TV star was loved by millions and will be missed by her family, friends and fans. The cause of death has yet to be revealed, and, according to TMZ, Dubois, who reportedly was 74, didnt complain of any ailments recently. Willona's ex-husband returns to town to help celebrate her birthday. She was found in her Glendale, California home on February 18, and according to her family's statement to TMZ, she passed away unexpectedly in her sleep. 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. Police officials in Glendale said that due to natural cause of death, no further investigation is done. She was a beautiful actress and lovely lady May she Rest In Peace God has her and only he know best. I pray for comfort for all her family and friends.Thank you JaNet, Ill miss you. She's also the eventual adoptive mother of Penny Gordon Woods. Yet another veteran actress died and this time it was 74 years old JaNet Dubois, a star from Good Times. Feb. 18, 2020, 3:43 PM PST. With Ja'net DuBois, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Johnny Brown. Ja'net's family confirmed that she passed away on February 18, 2020. Her most notable role was perhaps in the Whats Happening! (Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images), LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 08: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Singer-songwriter Janet Jackson meets Singer-songwriter and Actress Janet Dubois at the Janet Jacksons State Of The World Tour After Party at Lure on October 8, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. During the 1980s, Janet continued to feature in several TV series and films, however, usually in minor roles. All Rights Reserved. She was a honourable member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. She was, in fact, many people s crush. Good Times Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. In fact, the star appeared to be in great spirits when she attended a fan event in Hollywood at the beginning of 2020. She has been accumulating her net worth through a successful career in the entertainment industry as a professional actress. Willona is a close family friend and neighbor to the Evans family who's always up on the gossip of others who live in the project building. [14] She also attended a fan event at the Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel on Feb. 1 in Burbank, California. Willona's New Job: Directed by Gerren Keith. Along with being an actress, DuBois also let her musical talents shine. She even attended a fan event in Hollywood a couple weeks ago. She also co-wrote and sang the sitcom The Jeffersons' theme song that originally aired from 1975 until . Willona is interested in a man who is deaf. She was born on 5th August 1945 in Brooklyn, New York and gained so much love and fane through her role of Willona Woods in sitcom Good Times. She died at age 66. According to her family members, she died in her sleep unexpectedly and naturally. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Speaking about her personal life, Janet Dubois is a single mother of three children; one of them is actress Rani Dubois. The news of DuBois death comes only hours after news of another T.V. Janet has also been recognized as a voice actress, lending her voice to characters from such animated TV series as The PJs (1999-2001), and As Told by Ginger (2000-2004), which also added to her net worth. Good Times (TV Series 1974-1979) Ja'net DuBois as Willona Woods. Billed as Jeanette DuBois, she also starred on Broadway opposite Sammy Davis Jr. in Golden Boy from 1964 to 1966. Good Times | Bookman and Willona Are In Trouble! Dubois showed off more of her dramatic skills when a young Janet Jackson joined the show as the abused child Penny; DuBois' character would go on to adopt Penny, and the storyline also forged a long, close relationship with Jackson, who would go on to become a multiplatinum superstar; she cast DuBois as her mother in her 1986 "Control" video. According to family, DuBois died unexpectedly in her sleep at her home in Glendale, California. Biography, Net Worth, Hus Where is Dee Jay Daniels from 'Sky High' today? (single, married, in relation or divorce), How many children does Janet Dubois had? In addition to being the Evans familys lovable neighbor, Willona, Dubois composed and sang Movin on Up the iconic theme song for The Jeffersons. She was 74 and will be missed., The actress is survived by three children: Yovanne DuBois, Burghardt DuBois and Rani DuBois, who had roles on Good Times and Whats Happening! ", She also won two Emmy awards for her voice-over work on "The PJs.". She appears in four episodes of Good Times; "The Evans Get Involved: Part 1", "Part 2", "Part 3", and "Part 4" in Season 5 and "A Matter of Mothers" in Season 6. And who wouldn t crush on a beautiful lady who is also good at what she does? No additional details, including her exact age, were immediately available. - Janet has a daughter, Rani Dubois, who also appeared on an episode of the 1970s sitcom Whats Happening!!. actress has passed away. DuBois as Willona in 'Good Times' (CBS) Iconic TV actress Ja'net DuBois, still widely acclaimed for her six-season run on the CBS sitcom 'Good Times', is dead. I saw first hand how she broke stereotypes and changed the landscape for Black women in entertainment.Im grateful in recent years I had a chance to see her and create more lasting memories. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Brian Hickerson Biography, Age, Height, Girlfriend, Net Worth, John Shrapnel Biography, Age, Death, Wife, Net Worth, Charlie Heaton net worth Career and Personal Life, Joe Arpaio Net Worth Career and Personal Life, Wyatt Russell Net Worth Career and Personal Life, Eric Decker Net Worth, Career and Personal Life, Brandon Sheets Net Worth, Personal Life and More, Christy Martin Net Worth, Early Life and Career, Sanya Richards-Ross Net Worth, Career and Personal Life, Julius Peppers Net Worth, Career and Personal Life, Austin Trout Net Worth, Early Life, Physical Measures, Kyle Kuzma Biography, Age, Height, Spouse and Net Worth, Mavado, His Career, Net Worth and Personal Life, Christopher Martin, his Net Worth, Career, Personal Life, Arlo Guthrie Net Worth, Biography and More, Johnny Van Zant Net Worth, Biography, Lifestyle and More, Tommy James Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height and Spouse, Willie Falcon Net worth, Biography and Information, Jack Canfield Net Worth, Career, Biography and More, Dr. Michael Beckwith Net Worth, Biography and More, Isaac Mizrahi, Biography, Net Worth, Family, John Maxwell Net Worth, Biography, Bibliography and More, What was Janet Dubois marital status? GOOD Times star Ja'Net DuBois has sadly passed away. She turns him down because she now has Penny to consider. Jeannette Dubois was born on the 5th August 1945, in Brooklyn, New York City, USA of African and American ancestry. Devastated, Linella respected Penny's decision and left, and was never seen again. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. Menu. But the singer-songwriter is also known for co-writing and singing the theme song, Movin' on Up for The Jeffersons. (Photo by M. Tran/FilmMagic), UNITED STATES SEPTEMBER 28: BET Comedy Awards Arrivals in Pasadena, United States on September 28, 2004 Janet Dubois arrives at the BET Comedy Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. The following year she was selected for the role of Willona Woods in the TV series Good Times, which aired until 1979, increasing her net worth by a large margin, and also boosting her popularity. ! and Good Times in the 1970s as an extra. In addition to being the Evans family's lovable neighbor, Willona, Dubois composed and sang "Movin' on Up" the iconic theme song for "The Jeffersons." Her cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but according to reports, the actress died "unexpectedly" in her sleep overnight while in her home in Glendale, California. Over the course of six years as the sassy, stylish Willona. 8,435 talking about this. She sang the theme song to the 70s sitcom The Jeffersons., Before landing the Good Times role, Dubois started her career on Broadway. Not only this, she has co-write and sang the iconic Movin on Up in the The Jeffersons that quite often recognized as greatest TV theme songs of all time. When Penny finds out, she runs away because she thinks she is ruining Willona's life. Willona's Mr. In the final episode, after learning Thelma and Keith are expecting a baby, she's overjoyed at becoming a godmother and that she, Penny, and the Evans Family will remain neighbors. In the late 70s she also featured in the film A Piece of the Action (1977). Ja'Net played the Evans family's sassy neighbor Willona Woods on the classic '70s TV series. Did you get to see Good Times or Whats Happening??. and then soap opeta Love of Life. Dubois also released an album titled Queen of the Highway in 1980 and another LP in 2007 titled Hidden Treasures.. The actress was also known for co-writing and singing Movin On Up, the theme song for the long-running sitcom The Jeffersons, which aired on CBS from 1975 to 1985. Willona Woods, played by DuBois, was an essential part of the comedy show. DuBois has appeared in various movies over the years, including Tropic Thunder, Im Gonna Git You Sucka and Charlies Angels: Full Throttle. And Rani looks so much like her famous mom! According to, passed away a couple of days after suffering a heart attack last Tuesday. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. A Matter of Mothers: Directed by Gerren Keith. Willona . BernNadette Stanis, who played Thelma Evans Anderson on "Good Times," said she learned of Dubois' death Tuesday from the actress' daughter. She was always fashion goals on the show.. DuBois was 74. We are moving on uplove always, Kaseem k Gupta.. (name), Four (Rani DuBois, Burghardt Dubois, Yovanne Dubois), The Tom Swift and Linda Craig Mystery Hour. The Untold Truth Of Edward Norton's Wife - Shauna Jang Wooyoung (2PM) Age, Height, Girlfriend, Net W Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, Rani DuBois, Yovanne Dubois, Burghardt Dubois, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Despite the controversy, she enjoyed working with. Willona gets a promotion to a buyer at work. Dubois and Jackson reunited many years later in the video for the singers 1986 single Control, where the actress played her mother. She's also the eventual adoptive mother of Penny Gordon Woods. Rani and her mom Janet still look as beautiful as ever. Independent, generous, and always up for fun, Willona can also be nosy at times and a little gossipy, but as Florida's best friend, Willona is always there with a helping hand in good and bad times. Jimmie Walker, Who Played J.J. on Good Times, Disses Cast Mates Badly: We Were Never Friends. Jeannette Dubois is professionally known as Ja'net Dubois. This is a lady that will be truly missed by many read another comment. Ja'Net was best known for her role as Willona Woods on the sitcom Good Times. Good Times | Willona's Ex Wants Her Back | Classic TV Rewind Classic TV Rewind 176K subscribers Subscribe 1.9K 195K views 2 years ago #GoodTimes #BestMoments Ray (Carl Lee) is back in town. actress passing. A cause of death has not been disclosed. She also charted eight times on Hot Country Songs, with her only Top 40 hit . Her role as Willona is probably her most lasting legacy, considering she brought another fiery female perspective to the Evans family. But then Frank returns and wants to marry her - and she has to give up her job. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. A cause of death has yet to be determined. In the days of Janet as Willona Woods on Good Times, she was a very funny actress. Phil Mattingly (CNN) Wiki: Age, Height, Wife, Sala Who is Chrystale Wilson? Rani Dubois is her name and she appeared in several episodes of Whats Happening! Willona's Surprise: Directed by Gerren Keith. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)as Momma Bosley, Your email address will not be published. The actress was found deceased on Tuesday in her home in Glendale, California. She has also done voice over jobs which garnered her two Emmy awards as well. Showing all 37 items Jump to: Photos (34) Quotes (3) Photos . And who wouldnt crush on a beautiful lady who is also good at what she does? She was believed to be 74. (Photo by Getty Images), American actresses Janet Jackson (left) and Janet DuBois in a scene from the television series Good Times, Los Angeles, California, late 1970s. A performance in "The Hot l Baltimore" in Los Angeles caught the eye of Norman Lear, who developed "Good Times" and "The Jeffersons. View our online Press Pack. Ja'net DuBois and Janet Jackson on "Good Times" Courtesy. Leona Gordon Edit Linella Gordon is the biological mother of Penny Gordon Woods, who Willona Woods winds up adopting. (Photo by Gilles Petard/Redferns), JaNet Dubois during Women in Film LA Present the 2007 Power Breakfast Minority Report at Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California, United States. Yet another veteran actress died and this time it was 74 years old Ja'Net Dubois, a star from Good Times. Willona Woods Videos Still Bring the 'Good Times'. Like our content? Ms. DuBois is credited as the first African-American woman to appear regularly on a daytime soap, Her first assignment as a professional model was the cover of. after moving into a new apartment building. I loved her character, one person wrote. Janet Dubois net worth: Working as an American regular television as well film actress, she had earned lot of love and respect. Always a star in my eyes, and I also dont hear about my uncle private. That would have been difficult to guess, especially with their roles on Good Times.. Dubois played the vivacious neighbor Willona Woods on "Good Times" and composed and sang "Movin' on Up," the theme song for "The Jeffersons.". Honorary Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Best-known for her portrayal of the sassy, energetic busybody and neighbor, "Willona Woods", on the classic 70s TV series, The Tom Swift and Linda Craig Mystery Hour, Documentary performer: "Movin' On Up Theme for The Jeffersons" written by nm0058033 & nm0238840, performer: "Whoa Now" - as Ja'net Du Bois / writer: "Whoa Now" - as Janet Dubois, performer: "Movin' On Up" 1975 - as Janet Dubois / writer: "Movin' On Up" 1975 - as Janet Dubois, performer: "Movin' On Up" 1975 - as Ja'Net DuBois / writer: "Movin' On Up" 1975 - as Jeannette DuBois, performer: "Whoa Now" / writer: "Whoa Now", TV Series performer - 1 episode, 2004 writer - 1 episode, 2004, TV Series performer - 1 episode, 2002 writer - 1 episode, 2002, Documentary writer: "Movin' On Up" - as Janet Dubois, performer: "Movin' On Up" / writer: "Movin' On Up", performer: "Movin' on Up" - as Janet' DuBois / writer: "Movin' on Up" - as Janet' DuBois, TV Series performer - 3 episodes, 1976 - 1978 lyrics - 1 episode, 1976 music - 1 episode, 1976 writer - 1 episode, 1976, TV Series performer: "Movin' On Up" / writer: "Movin' On Up", TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV, TV's Illest Minority Moments Presented by Ego Trip, Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The TV star was loved by millions and will be missed by her family, friends and fans. Another fun fact is that Janet Jackson sees JaNet Dubois as a mentor, and they are still very close. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Working in 1960s broadways for several years, she appeared in television roles which include J.T. She was born in Brooklyn, New York while raised in Amityville. Alright! She noted that Dubois kept to herself and no one knew exactly how old she was.