Dynomite!: Good Times, Bad Times, Our Times--A Memoir (16 page)

My sister Beverly and I during a stay in Alabama. This is about as close as we ever got, and she is obviously not happy about even that.

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

We were all unknowns at the time, as evidenced by the misspellings of the names of Bette Midler and a very young Irene Cara.

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

Working the Apollo theater, wearing my safari jacket and one of my lucky turtleneck sweaters. I still have all of them, hoping they’ll come back in style.

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

At the Improv in New York in the late ’60s. Did I mention how much I loved turtleneck sweaters?

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

My first publicity photos, except for the one with the broom. That is a current photo of what I’m doing now.

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

As you can see, they spared no expense advertising my appearance at a local event in Harlem.

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

Was it something I said?

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

Sell, sell, sell!

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

My mother explaining to me why none of my jokes are funny.

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

Dynamite
magazine from Scholastic Press premiered in March 1974, the month after
Good Times
, but there was no connection between the two—until I was on the cover in April 1975.

Mom and me on the
Mike Douglas Show
. What’s with the handholding, Mike?

Courtesy Jimmie Walker

Look ma, on top of the world!