‘Good Times’ Actress and Famous Mother Dead: Betty A. Bridges Was 83

Betty A. Bridges, a veteran guest actress who appeared on his series like Good Times and ER, has died. Bridges passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at the Phoenix home of her son, Diff’rent Strokes star Todd Bridges, where she’d been in hospice care, her representative Elizabeth Much confirmed to Deadline. Bridges’ cause of death was not disclosed. She was 83.

Following her passing, Bridges’ son took to social media Thursday to pay emotional tribute to his mother. In one post, the actor shared a photo of Bridges overlaid with the text “1941-2024. Betty Bridges.” He also shared a video montage with images of his mother over the years set to Everly Fair’s cover of Donna Lewis’ song “I Love You Always Forever.”

Born on August 1, 1941, Bridges enjoyed a prolific acting career that spanned four decades and began in the ’70s with a one-episode guest starring role on Police Woman in 1974, which she followed with appearances on two Norman Lear titles, per her IMDb profile. In the 1975 episode of Good Times titled “The Wiggler,” she took on the role of Charlene, also known as “The Nude,” starring opposite Jimmie Walker as her character asked J.J. to paint a nude portrait of her as a gift for her husband. The following year, she appeared in the recurring role of Bina on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. In 1976, she landed a guest role as Corporal Sedgewick on Charlie’s Angels.

In the decades that followed, Bridges made a career with guest roles on various shows, including Hill Street Blues, ER, 2 Broke Girls, Dallas, Beverly Hills, 90210, Ally McBeal, The Practice, Scrubs, NYPD Blue, CHiPs, Wonder Woman, Days of Our Lives, and Lou Grant. She also made two appearances on Diff’rent Strokes, the NBC sitcom on which her son starred as Willis Jackson, Arnold’s older brother and Phillip’s adoptive son.

Bridges’ acting career wasn’t reserved to the small screen, though. In addition to her many guest starring roles, the star also had several big screen credits to her name. She starred in films including Night at the Roxbury, The Concrete Jungle, and Building Bridges, the 1990 documentary written and directed by her sons Todd and Jimmy Bridges, who is also an actor.

Outside of acting, Bridges was a prominent Hollywood manager and acting coach. She co-founded Kane Bridge Academy, an acting school where she served as a teacher. The school was run out of her Los Angeles home, with her students including Nia Long, Tony O’Dell, Sanaa Lathan, Marcus Chong, Shashawnee Hall, and Regina and Reina King.

Along with Todd and Jimmy, Bridges is survived by daughter Verda Bridges Prpich, adopted son Zerondrick Hubbard, and several grandchildren.