Johnny Brown of 'Good Times' Dies at 84

Johnny Brown, Bookman on the classic Norman Lear sitcom "Good Times," died March 2 at 84, his family announced Friday.

In an anguished Instagram post Friday, Brown's Broadway actress daughter Sharon Catherine Brown, wrote, "Our family is devastated. Devastated. Devastated. Beyond heartbroken. Barely able to breathe. We respectfully ask for privacy at this time because we need a minute to process the unthinkable. To articulate the depths of profound sadness."

She went on, "This is my mom’s husband for sixty one years, mine and JJ’s dad, Elijah and Levi’s Pop Pop, older brother to George and brother in law to Pat and extended family to Chris, Hihat, Damian and Derell. It’s too terrible. It will never not be. It’s a shock. He was literally snatched out of our lives. It’s not real for us yet. So there will be more to say but not now. Dad was the absolute best. We love him so very much."

Brown was born June 11, 1937, in St. Petersburg, Florida. He made his film debut in the 1966 film "A Man Called Adam" and also appeared in the hit "The Out of Towners" (1969).

Early TV work included "The Leslie Uggams Show" (1969), "Julia" (1969), "Love, American Style" (1970 & 1971), and a run of 52 episodes as part of the "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (1970-1972) troupe.

After guest spots on shows like "Maude" (1973) and "The Rookies" (1973), he was cast as goofy Nathan Bookman on "Good Times," appearing on 58 episodes from 1975-1979.

He appeared in the film version of "The Wiz" (1978) and provided voices for the Saturday morning cartoon series "Plastic Man" (1979-1980).

Brown continued his prolific TV career on such shows as "The Jeffersons" (1982), "Moonlighting" (1988), "Martin" (1994), "Family Matters" (1995), and "Everybody Hates Chris" (2008).

Brown's last film was 2013's "In Da Cut."