an actor who appeared on the long running sitcom good times has died ben powers played the character of thelma's husband keith in the show's sixth and final season between 1978 1979 he passed away at his new bedford, massachusetts home on april 6 at the age of 64 his family has not revealed the cause of his death powers' on screen wife bern nadette stanis wrote an emotion message on facebook on thursday to mark the actor's death actor ben powers (left) died april 6 at the age of 64 he is best known for his part on the cbs sitcom good times, playing the husband of main character thelma (right, played by bern nadette stanis) 'my condolences goes out to the family of ben powers who past a few days ago he was a great actor and great friend who is gone too soon he will be missed by many until next lifetime my friend,' stanis wrote good times focused on the family of florida and james evans and their children jj, thelma and michael, living in a chicago housing project the show was a spin off of another series, maude, which was also spin off of all in the family in the third episode of the final season, thelma gets married to a professional football player named keith (played by powers) but their marriage runs into problems when he gets injured powers was born in brooklyn and raised by his grandparents in providence, rhode island before getting into acting, he studied painting and sketching at the rhode island school of design he was discovered while performing stand up routines in providence in addition to his work on good times, powers also played the character of moochie on cbs detective drama mickey spillane's mike hammer between 1984 and 1985 he also had guest appearances on shows like gimme a break, flamingo road, the greatest american hero and laverne & shirley some of his film credits include cheech & chong's next movie in 1980, things are tough all over in 1982, and the man who loved women in 1983 which starred burt reynolds powers is survived by his mother and two sisters
new bedford the final season of the long running massachusetts april 6 the age of 64
powers appeared in the final season of the long running sitcom  he played the husband of main character thelma  powers died april 6 at his home in new bedford, massachusetts at the age of 64 his family have not revealed the cause of death 