John Amos
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 27, 1939
- Died
- August 21, 2024 (aged 84)
- Birthplace
- Newark, New Jersey, USA
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
Photos
Filmography
Devotion
Movie · as Roger
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
Movie · as Officer Bundy
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
Movie · as Self
Information Processing
Movie · as Self
Suits LA
TV · as John Amos · 1 ep
The Last Rifleman
Movie · as Lincoln Jefferson Adams
Block Party
Movie · as Dennis
Me Time
Movie · as Gil
Christmas in Miami
Movie · as Chief Host
Coming 2 America
Movie · as Cleo McDowell
Because of Charley
Movie · as Grandpa
The Truth About Santa Claus
Movie · as Bob
The Beastmaster Chronicles
Movie · as Self
Uncut Gems
Movie · as Neighbor 33F
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Movie · as Fred Davis
Christmas Belles
Movie · as Pop Pop
The Movies That Made Us
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Last O.G.
TV · as Uncle D · 1 ep
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
Movie · as Self
The Ranch
TV · as Ed · 1 ep
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Movie · as Earl
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Movie · as Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
Mercy for Angels
Movie · as God
Tamales and Gumbo
Movie · as The Patron
Ballers
TV · as Deacon Eller · 2 eps
Act of Faith
Movie · as Mr. Brady
American Lowrider
Movie · as Slick
Madea's Witness Protection
Movie · as Pastor Nelson
Zombie Hamlet
Movie · as Edgar Mortimer
NYC 22
TV · as Pappy Science · 1 ep
Lie to Me
TV · as Jim Weaver · 1 ep
Royal Pains
TV · as Harrison Phillips · 1 ep
All Over Again
Movie · as Coach Zeller
Ascension Day
Movie · as Henry
Dr. Dolittle 3
Movie · as Jud
Voodoo Moon
Movie · as Dutch
Psych
TV · as Uncle Burton · 1 ep
Men in Trees
TV · as Buzz Washington · 30 eps
30 Rock
TV · as John Amos · 1 ep
Shadowboxing
Movie · as Хилл
My Name Is Earl
TV · as Joe · 1 ep
Countdown
Movie · as Admiral Melory
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Movie · as (archive footage)
My Baby's Daddy
Movie · as Uncle Virgil
The Watermelon Heist
Movie · as Old Man Amos
Two and a Half Men
TV · as Ed · 3 eps
All About the Andersons
TV · as Joe Anderson · 16 eps
Remembering Roots
Movie · as Self
Something to Sing About
Movie · as Rev. Washington
Disappearing Acts
Movie · as Mr. Swift
The District
TV · as Ethan Baker · 10 eps
The West Wing
TV · as Percy Fitzwallace · 22 eps
The Players Club
Movie · as Freeman
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
Movie · as Booker Hutch
The Chris Rock Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
King of the Hill
TV · as Glen Johnson (voice) · 1 ep
For Better or Worse
Movie · as Gray
Hologram Man
Movie · as Wes Strickland
In the House
TV · 5 eps
The Outer Limits
TV · as Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski · 1 ep
Touched by an Angel
TV · as James Mackey · 1 ep
704 Hauser
TV · as Ernie Cumberbatch · 6 eps
Night Trap
Movie · as Capt. Hodges
Walker, Texas Ranger
TV · as Pastor Roscoe Jones · 2 eps
Mac
Movie · as Nat
Martin
TV · as Sgt. Strawn · 1 ep
Ricochet
Movie · as Reverend Styles
Die Hard 2
Movie · as Major Grant
Two Evil Eyes
Movie · as Det. Legrand
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV · as Fred Wilkes · 4 eps
Lock Up
Movie · as Captain Meissner
Coming to America
Movie · as Cleo McDowell
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Movie · as Mr. Mack
Beauty and the Beast
TV · as Farrell · 1 ep
Shark's Paradise
Movie · as Taxi Driver
American Flyers
Movie · as Dr. Conrad
Murder, She Wrote
TV · as Doc Penrose · 1 ep
The Cosby Show
TV · as Dr. Herbert · 1 ep
Hunter
TV · as Captain Dolan · 13 eps
Dance of the Dwarfs
Movie · as Esteban
Hardcastle and McCormick
TV · as Albie Meadows · 1 ep
The A-Team
TV · as Rev. Taylor · 1 ep
The Beastmaster
Movie · as Seth
Here's Boomer
TV · 1 ep
Touched by Love
Movie · as Tony
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Movie · as Bumpy Johnson
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
TV · as Bumpy Johnson · 2 eps
Willa
Movie · as Virgil
Cops and Robin
Movie · as Officer Bill Bundy
Roots
TV · as Toby, Kunta Kinte, Older Kunta Kinte
Future Cop
TV · as Bill Bundy · 6 eps
The Love Boat
TV · as Duke Taylor · 1 ep
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
TV · as Older Kunta Kinte · 1 ep
Future Cop
Movie · as Officer Bill Bundy
Let's Do It Again
Movie · as Kansas City Mack
Good Times
TV · as James Evans Sr. · 61 eps
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 6 eps
The World's Greatest Athlete
Movie · as Coach Sam Archer
The President's Plane Is Missing
Movie · as Marine Corporal
Police Story
TV · as Walt Kyles · 1 ep
Sanford and Son
TV · 1 ep
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Movie · as Biker
Vanishing Point
Movie · as Super Soul's Engineer (uncredited)
The Funny Side
TV · as Minority Husband · 14 eps
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
TV · as Mark Cooper · 1 ep
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
TV · as Gordy Howard · 13 eps
Love, American Style
TV · as Bell Captain · 1 ep
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep