James "J.J." Evans. Jr. - On the sitcom GOOD TIMES/CBS/1974-79 Jimmy Walker starred as James Evans, Jr. (J.J.), a young black artist who lived with his family in a tenement housing project in Chicago. The paintings seen on the series, however, were actually painted by artist Ernie Barnes, a former AFL offensive guard whose street and sports influenced canvases have been displayed from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles. His talents made J.J. look like a ghetto Picasso.