POMPANO BEACH: NEW EXHIBIT HONORS ESTHER ROLLE; 5 FUN FACTS ABOUT THE HOMETOWN STAR
LOCAL NEWS
November 8, 2019
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
For the remainder of November, Historic Ali Cultural Arts is hosting an art exhibit, gala and walk down memory lane revealing the life of actress Esther Rolle, a long time resident of Pompano Beach.
You can learn all about one of the pioneers of Pompano Beach, who made it big on the stage and screen. Esther Rolle is remembered by many as an actress of integrity and character who only accepted roles of dignity. While she is most remembered for her starring role as Florida Evans, on the television show “Good Times”, Rolle also had memorable roles on the big screen including the movie “Driving Miss Daisy.”
Most locals know that Esther Rolle was born right here in Pompano Beach. Here are some fun facts that you might not have known Pompano Beach’s Esther Rolle.
1- Rolle was the 10th of 18 children, lived in what we now consider the Northwest part of Pompano Beach and graduated from Blanche Ely High School.
2- She attended Yale University among other colleges including Spelman College in Georgia.
3- Before her acting career kicked off, Esther Rolle worked full-time in the New York City garment district.
4- Despite coming from a big family (or maybe because of it), Rolle never had any children of her own. She was married for twenty years to Oscar Robinson.
5- Even though she passed away in California and hadn’t lived in Pompano Beach for decades, Rolle is buried in Pompano Beach at the Westview Community Cemetery.
If you’d like to learn more about Esther Rolle of Pompano Beach, here are some links to check out:
>>>ESTHER ROLLE WON AN EMMY AWARD, BUT IT WASN’T FOR GOOD TIMES.
>>>THE NEW YORK TIMES 1998 OBITUARY FOR ESTHER ROLLE
>>>AND, OF COURSE HERE IS THE OFFICIAL ESTHER ROLLE WIKIPEDIA PAGE
And here are the details on how to join the Rock Road Restoration Historical Group and Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department in celebrating the contributions of Esther Rolle this November:
November 8 – 30 | FREE
Historic Ali Cultural Arts
353 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Pompano Beach, FL 33060
954-786-7877
Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 6 pm and Saturdays 10 am – 4 pm
https://aliarts.org | pompanobeacharts.org
This story was prepared by our Pompano Beach news desk with additional information from various public sources and other websites.
For more Pompano Beach news and things to do in Pompano Beach read Pompano! magazine and search our website.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”8384″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9478″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
