Viola Davis to play ‘Good Times’ mom Florida Evans on live ABC episode

The ’70s sitcom “Good Times” starred Ralph Carter (from left), Bernadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle and John Amos. | ABC

“Good Times” is getting a great cast.

ABC announced Thursday that Oscar winner Viola Davis will play matriarch Florida Evans, with Andre Braugher as her husband, James, in the re-creation of an original episode of the ’70s sitcom that’s part of “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times’ ” (7 p.m. Wednesday on WLS-Channel 7).

Tiffany Haddish will join them as the Evans’ lively friend and neighbor, Willona Woods, in the second edition of the ”Live” collaboration between TV mega-producer Norman Lear and ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Viola Davis (clockwise from top left), Tiffany Haddish, Jay Pharoah and Andre Braugher

The talented cast for “Good Times,” the story of a loving Chicago family struggling to make ends meet, also includes Jay Pharoah as J.J., Corinne Foxx as Thelma and Asante Blackk as Michael. They would appear to be playing slightly older versions of the Evans children than those in the original.

Jharrel Jerome, who won an Emmy for his role in “When They See Us,” is also part of the cast, but his role was not revealed.

If that’s not enough, music legend Patti LaBelle will perform the “Good Times” theme song with Anthony Anderson of “Black-ish.”

”Good Times” will be paired with a re-created ’70s episode of “All in the Family,” which features the return of the actors who played them in the May “Live” outing: Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei as Archie and Edith Bunker, along with Ellie Kemper as their daughter Gloria, and Ike Barinholtz as her husband, Mike.

Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg and Justina Machado are newcomers to the “Family” cast. As with Jerome, their roles have not been announced, most likely to avoid revealing the specific episodes that will be presented Wednesday.

The first “Live” broadcast in May, which featured episodes of “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons,” attracted big ratings (14.3 million viewers) and won an Emmy for outstanding variety special.

“Good Times,” still remembered for Jimmie “J.J.” Walker’s “Dy-no-mite!” catchphrase, and “Family” share a sitcom connection. Before moving to “Good Times,” Florida Evans was a housekeeper on “Maude,” the “Family” spinoff that centered on Edith Bunker’s cousin, Maude Findlay.

Lear produced “Family,” which ran from 1971 to 1979 and starred Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton, with Bud Yorkin and developed “Good Times,” which was created by Mike Evans and Eric Monte and ran from 1974 to 1979. Esther Rolle and John Amos played Florida and James Evans in the original series.