Ralph Carter

Ralph David Carter (born May 30, 1961) is an American actor and singer best remembered as Michael Evans, the youngest child of Florida and James Evans Sr., on the CBS sitcom Good Times from 1974 to 1979.[1] Before joining Good Times, Carter appeared in the Broadway musical Raisin, based on the Lorraine Hansberry drama A Raisin in the Sun, as was noted in the credits during the first season.[2]

Ralph Carter
Ralph Carter in 1974
Born
Ralph David Carter

(1961-05-30) May 30, 1961
New York City, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1970–1987
Known forMichael Evans – Good Times

Early acting career

Carter started on Broadway at just nine years old in the musical The Me Nobody Knows. After runs in Tough To Get Help, Dude and Via Galactica,[3] he landed his breakout role as Travis Younger in Raisin, for which, he won the 1973 Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Performer as well as the 1974 Theatre World Award and a nomination for the 1974 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.[4]

Good Times

Norman Lear was enjoying huge success in the 1970s, with the hit televisions series All in the Family, Sanford and Son, and Maude. Lear developed Good Times as a spin-off series for Maude's housekeeper, Florida Evans (portrayed by Esther Rolle) and her husband Henry (John Amos), who was renamed James.[5] Because of Carter's success in Raisin, Lear bought out the remainder of his Broadway contract to cast him as the first original character of Good Times, James and Florida's youngest son, Michael.

On Good Times (1974), L-R: Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle, and John Amos.

Other work

In 1975, Carter recorded an album called Young and in Love[6] and performed the song "When You're Young and in Love" on Soul Train. That song, along with "Extra, Extra (Read All About It)", charted at No. 10 and No. 12 respectively.[7] In 1985, he released a single called "Get it Right".

In 2005, Carter appeared in the cast of "Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death" for the Classical Theatre of Harlem Company.[8]

References
  1. "Good Times". IMDB.
  2. Kovalchik, Kara (May 16, 2018). "10 Things You Might Not Know About Good Times". Mental Floss.
  3. "Ralph Carter". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  4. Vanselow, Arthur (September 3, 2018). "Where is actor Ralph Carter from "Good Times" now?". Showbiz Post.
  5. Pamala S. Deane. "Good Times". Museum of Broadcast Communications.
  6. "Ralph Carter". Discogs.
  7. Joel Whitburn Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003 Billboard.
  8. BET TV
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