Here at “Ain’t We Lucky We Got ‘Em,” we were saddened to learn that actor T.K. Carter died on January 9, 2026, at the age of 69. Carter made two memorable appearances on Good Times, playing J.J.’s friend, Head, in Season 5, Episode 7 (“Wheels”), and Season 5, Episode 15 (“J.J. and the Boss’s Daughter”) – one of the “Awesome Foursome” in the first, and the “Gleesome Threesome” in the second. Carter’s appearance on the “Wheels” episode marked his TV sitcom debut.

Born Thomas Kent Carter, the actor grew up in the San Gabriel Valley area of Southern California; he was interested in performing from an early age – he won a talent show at the age of 10 by imitating bits made famous by Bill Cosby, wrote school plays, and developed a stand-up routine when he was barely a teenager. During his high school years, he demonstrated his talent for acting as well as sports – he was a track star while at Duarte High School and appeared in plays including a local production of The Odd Couple. (Incidentally, according to some sources, Carter attended Monrovia High School, while others say he went to John Muir High School in Pasadena). According to Internet sources, he attended Citrus Junior College, where he was the president of the Black Student Union.

Carter demonstrated his flair for comedy at a number of venues in Los Angeles, including The Comedy Store, The Improvisation Café, and Ye Little Club. He made his acting debut in 1976 on an episode of the TV series Police Woman and the following year – the year of his first appearance on Good Times – he was seen in a made-for-TV movie called Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid (part of a stellar cast that included Levar Burton, Ossie Davis, Roxie Roker, Michael Constantine, Dolph Sweet, and Tina Andrews – who you may recall as Henrietta, J.J.’s pregnant girlfriend in a Season 2 episode of Good Times).

In an interview in early 2025 on “Live From the Green Room,” a podcast hosted by Tony Rock, Trey Elliott, and Joe Fox, Carter recalled some of his influences in honing his comedic craft; before he started his professional career as a performer, he said that he always wanted to work jobs where he would be able to observe others, from local liquor stores and gas stations, to Disneyland, where he was a ride operator for Pirates of the Caribbean and other attractions. He also shared the circumstances that led to his casting on the Good Times episodes – a friend who worked as a page at Metromedia Square, where the show was produced, allowed him to watch the tapings. Before the actual tapings began, audience members were invited to tell jokes, and Carter volunteered. After the third taping where Carter performed a few routines, he received the offer to appear on the show, where he demonstrated his talent for mimicry, serving up impressions of Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell. As one of four of J.J.’s pals, Carter was a standout – he offered something that made you think about him even when he wasn’t on the screen. He was warm and funny, attractive and smart, and even a tiny bit goofy. He clearly made the most of his few minutes in front of the camera, and he looked like he’d been there for years. Carter said he was also responsible for coming up with the cadence for the rhyme recited by the group: “United, we stand. Divided, we fall. We’re tighter than pantyhose two sizes small . . .”

“And that’s how I really got started,” Carter said, adding that he went on to do the warm-ups for popular shows like Chico and the Man and Welcome Back, Kotter: “That’s how I paid my rent.”

As his career grew over the years, Carter was a standout in a variety of films, including Seems Like Old Times (1980), which starred Chevy Chase; The Thing (1982), playing a roller skating cook named Nauls; Dr. Detroit (1983), where he was seen as Dan Akyroyd’s streetwise chauffeur; and He’s My Girl (1987), in which he was singled out by critics, including the reviewer for Variety, who applauded his “considerable talent.” On the small screen, Carter demonstrated his versatility in numerous roles, including the teacher of the title character on Punky Brewster; a custodian in Good Morning, Miss Bliss; a drug addict on The Corner, for which he was nominated for an NAACP Image Award; and the wise-cracking best friend of the star of The Sinbad Show. Carter’s most recent credit was on the ABC-TV series The Company You Keep, in 2023, when he was seen in three episodes.

In January 2026, following a wellness check that was initiated by his family, Carter’s body was found in his home by authorities. According to his brother, Harold, the actor had been suffering from several ailments in recent months, including diabetes and heart problems.

“My brother was a very uplifting person, always funny,” Harold said in an interview with TMZ. “He was a good person. We miss him . . . We will always cherish him.” 

After his death, tributes for Carter poured in from friends, colleagues, and fans alike. Keith David, who made his big screen debut on The Thing, told Syfy Wire that he and Carter “bonded from then ’til now.” In a Facebook post, Jamie Foxx called Carter “a cornerstone of comedy,” writing that he was “an inspiration to me and a lot of other comedians.” And on her Instagram page, Bern Nadette Stanis of Good Times remembered Carter as “a great talent” who “will be missed but never forgotten.”

Around these parts, we’ll always remember T.K. Carter – not just for his memorable performances as Head on Good Times, but for the numerous other productions in which he demonstrated his many talents. As his brother stated, he will be missed . . . and cherished.

Rest in power, T.K.