Webthe program aired for five years on cbs and followed the lives of the evans family in chicago: Florida (esther rolle), james (john amos), and their three children. Webat the sitcom’s inception, esther rolle was 53 versus only 34 for john amos. Amos, meanwhile, was only eight years older than his tv son jimmie walker. Webthe show ran for six seasons and starred the late esther rolle as florida evans, john amos as james evans, ja’net dubois as willona woods, ralph carter as.