RIP Ja'Net DuBois (Willona From "Good Times")

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www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/good-times-star-ja-net-dubois-dies-74-n1138356

'Good Times' star Ja'Net Dubois dies at 74

Dubois played the vivacious neighbor Willona Woods on "Good Times" and composed and sang "Movin' on Up," the theme song for "The Jeffersons."

Feb. 18, 2020, 6:43 PM EST
By The Associated Press

Ja'Net Dubois, who played the vivacious neighbor Willona Woods on "Good Times" and composed and sang the theme song for "The Jeffersons," has died. She was believed to be 74.

Dubois' song "Movin' on Up" provided a joyous intro to "The Jeffersons" during the show's 10-season run.

BernNadette Stanis, who played Thelma Evans Anderson on "Good Times," said she learned of Dubois' death Tuesday from the actress' daughter.

Police in Glendale, California, said they received a report about Dubois' death late Monday. She appeared to have died of natural causes and no investigation is ongoing, police Sgt. Dan Stubbs said. No additional details, including her exact age, were immediately available.

Stanis said Dubois appeared to be in good health and they had appeared two weeks ago at a signing event. She noted that Dubois kept to herself and no one knew exactly how old she was.

Dubois had a prolific career beyond the 1970s hit "Good Times," winning two Emmy Awards for her voice work on the WB series "The PJs."

Dubois' Willona was the single, sexy neighbor and best friend to star Esther Rolle's Florida Evans. Though the comedy had plenty of one-liners, DuBois' appearances gave an extra dose of comedic relief.

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.

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. A performance in "The Hot l Baltimore" in Los Angeles caught the eye of Norman Lear, who developed "Good Times" and "The Jeffersons."

Her film credits included 1970's "Diary of a Mad Housewife," "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle."

She was credited in numerous other films as varied as "Basic Instinct," "Next Friday" and "Tropic Thunder," which included "Movin' on Up."

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Very sad, RIP. She's been in so many great things. A legend.

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Official cause of death was cardiac arrest. And her family is claiming that Cab Calloway was her father.

www.tmz.com/2020/03/13/janet-dubois-cab-calloway-secret-birth-father-death-certificate/

'Good Times' Star Ja'Net DuBois Fam Claims Secret Dad Was Jazz Icon Cab Calloway!!!

3/13/2020 12:50 AM PT

Ja'Net DuBois' family is revealing an amazing hidden fact about the "Good Times" star -- her biological father was none other than jazz legend Cab Calloway ... or so they believe.

It's turning into quite a showbiz mystery, actually ... one that started when Ja'Net's death certificate was released this week by L.A. County. The document, obtained by TMZ, lists her father as Cab -- and says she was also known as Jeannette T. Calloway-DuBois.

It's interesting because, in addition to acting, Ja'Net was a singer. She co-wrote and sang the theme song to "The Jeffersons" ... which makes ya think the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

If you don't know, Calloway's swing era, singing and dancing, helped put Harlem's famed Cotton Club on the map in the 1930s.

However, before anyone starts rewriting history ... there's a dispute. Every online bio for Ja'Net lists her dad was Gordon Dubois and her mother was Lillian Gouedy. Her mom's name is the same on the death certificate, but Mr. Dubois is nowhere on the document.

Ja'Net's daughter provided the info for the death certificate, and when we asked her to clarify, she would only say Gordon was married to Lillian and "instrumental" in raising Ja'Net. Basically, a stepfather.

Now, Cab died in 1994, but his estate has no clue about the alleged connection. The estate tells TMZ .. "While we have a great appreciation for Ja'Net DuBois' long and successful career, the Calloway Estate has nothing to add to this single document that has numerous mistakes and no verification."

For instance, the estate points out there are multiple birthplaces and birth dates listed online for Ja'Net. We're told they'd be open to a conversation with her family if there were any "compelling facts to substantiate" their claim.

Translation: Ball's in the Dubois family's court now.