John Amos
- Acting
- December 27, 1939 · Newark, New Jersey, USA
- August 21, 2024
Biography
John Amos (December 27, 1939 – August 21, 2024) was an American actor and retired football player. He is best known for his role as the adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries "Roots" and for portraying James Evans Sr. on the CBS television series "Good Times." He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and an NAACP Image Award. On film, he played numerous supporting roles in movies such as "The Beastmaster" (1982), "Coming to America" (1988), "Lock Up" (1989), "Die Hard 2" (1990) and "Coming 2 America" (2021). Prior to acting, he played on the Colorado State Rams football team and in 1964, he signed a free agent contract with the American Football League's Denver Broncos and in 1967 signed a free agent contract with the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. Both of these contracts did not land him a spot on the teams and played a final season in the Continental Football League with the Victoria Steelers before pursuing acting.
Known for
Filmography
- Suits LA · John Amos, In Memory Of
- The Last Rifleman · Lincoln Jefferson Adams
- Me Time · Gil
- Block Party · Dennis
- Christmas in Miami · Chief Host
- Because of Charley · Grandpa
- Coming 2 America · Cleo McDowell
- The Truth About Santa Claus · Bob
- The Beastmaster Chronicles · Self
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" · Fred Davis
- Uncut Gems · Neighbor 33F
- The Movies That Made Us · Self
- Christmas Belles · Pop Pop
- The Last O.G. · Uncle D
- The Ranch · Ed
- Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You · Self
- Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration · Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
- Tamales and Gumbo · The Patron
- Ballers · Deacon Eller
- Mercy for Angels · God
- Bad Asses on the Bayou · Earl
- Althea · Executive producer
- Act of Faith · Mr. Brady
- American Lowrider · Slick
- Madea's Witness Protection · Pastor Nelson
- NYC 22 · Pappy Science
- Zombie Hamlet · Edgar Mortimer
- Royal Pains · Harrison Phillips
- Lie to Me · Jim Weaver
- All Over Again · Coach Zeller
- Ascension Day · Henry
- 30 Rock · John Amos
- Men in Trees · Buzz Washington
- Psych · Uncle Burton
- Voodoo Moon · Dutch
- Dr. Dolittle 3 · Jud
- My Name Is Earl · Joe
- Shadowboxing · Хилл
- Countdown · Admiral Melory
- My Baby's Daddy · Uncle Virgil
- TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · (archive footage)
- Two and a Half Men · Ed
- All About the Andersons · Joe Anderson
- The Watermelon Heist · Old Man Amos
- Remembering Roots · Self
- Disappearing Acts · Mr. Swift
- The District · Ethan Baker
- Something to Sing About · Rev. Washington
- The West Wing · Percy Fitzwallace
- The Players Club · Freeman
- The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda · Booker Hutch
- The Chris Rock Show · Self
- King of the Hill · Glen Johnson (Voice)
- Hologram Man · Wes Strickland
- In the House
- The Outer Limits · Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
- For Better or Worse · Gray
- Touched by an Angel · James Mackey
- 704 Hauser · Ernie Cumberbatch
- Night Trap · Capt. Hodges
- Walker, Texas Ranger · Pastor Roscoe Jones
- Mac · Nat
- Martin · Sgt. Strawn
- Ricochet · Reverend Styles
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air · Fred Wilkes
- Die Hard 2 · Major Grant
- Two Evil Eyes · Det. Legrand
- Lock Up · Captain Meissner
- Coming to America · Cleo McDowell
- Bonanza: The Next Generation · Mr. Mack
- Beauty and the Beast · Farrell
- Shark's Paradise · Taxi Driver
- American Flyers · Dr. Conrad
- Murder, She Wrote · Doc Penrose
- The Cosby Show · Dr. Herbert
- Hunter · Captain Dolan
- Hardcastle and McCormick · Albie Meadows
- Dance of the Dwarfs · Esteban
- The A-Team · Rev. Taylor
- The Beastmaster · Seth