Jimmie Walker
With a single explosive catchphrase, he became the breakout star of a groundbreaking sitcom that defined 1970s Black television.
Born 1947 (age 79)·American actor·Birthday: June 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jimmie Walker's journey from the Bronx housing projects to television stardom is a classic showbiz tale. He honed his timing in the gritty comedy clubs of New York before landing the role of a lifetime: James "J.J." Evans Jr. on 'Good Times.' Walker's lanky frame and elastic face turned J.J. into an instant sensation, his aspirational, struggling artist character providing both humor and heart. The cry of "Dyn-o-mite!" became a national phenomenon, transcending the show and embedding itself in the cultural lexicon. While the catchphrase defined his public persona, Walker was a dedicated stand-up comedian first, touring relentlessly for decades after the show ended. His work on 'Good Times' helped cement the sitcom's place as a vital, if sometimes controversial, portrait of a Black family striving for a better life, with J.J.'s irrepressible spirit at its center.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jimmie was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jimmie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Jimmie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as J.J. Evans on the landmark CBS sitcom 'Good Times' from 1974 to 1979.
- Received two consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for his role on 'Good Times.'
- Popularized the catchphrase "Dyn-o-mite!" which became a major cultural phenomenon of the 1970s.
- Maintained a successful decades-long career as a headlining stand-up comedian after his TV fame.
Did You Know?
He was discovered by comedian Jimmie Walker while performing at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
The "Dyn-o-mite!" catchphrase was ad-libbed by Walker during an early rehearsal for 'Good Times.'
He starred in a series of popular television commercials for Panasonic tape players in the 1970s.
Walker is an avid ham radio operator with the call sign WB4EGV.
“Dyn-o-mite!”
