John Amos
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
CREDITS
PHOTOS
TV Series
In the House
7.4
Murder, She Wrote
7.5
Hardcastle and McCormick
6.4
Good Times
8
Martin
7.6
The District
6.8
Psych
7.871
The A-Team
7.5
Touched by an Angel
7.2
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
7.923
Men in Trees
6.8
The Cosby Show
7.027
Two and a Half Men
7.452
Walker, Texas Ranger
7
Sanford and Son
7.4
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
7.5
30 Rock
7.448
704 Hauser
0
All About the Andersons
8.5
Police Story
6.9
Here's Boomer
5.3
Roots
7.381
Future Cop
7.2
Roots
7.381
Hunter
7.2
The Chris Rock Show
4.4
The Outer Limits
7.722
The Funny Side
0
The West Wing
8.258
The Ranch
7.412
The Movies That Made Us
7.193
My Name Is Earl
7.666
King of the Hill
7.353
Ballers
6.8
The Last O.G.
6.3
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
5
Dinah!
6.667
NYC 22
6.2
Suits LA
7.107
Love, American Style
6.056
Lie to Me
7.905
Royal Pains
6.7
The Love Boat
6.262
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
4
Love, American Style
6.056
The Merv Griffin Show
5.75
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.4
The Mike Douglas Show
5.375
Movies
Die Hard 2
6.958
The Truth About Santa Claus
2
Vanishing Point
7.126
Ricochet
6.09
The World's Greatest Athlete
5.3
Coming to America
6.885
Lock Up
6.817
Let's Do It Again
6.9
Two Evil Eyes
6.1
The Beastmaster
6.3
Dr. Dolittle 3
5.1
Shadowboxing
5.408
Countdown
5.733
Madea's Witness Protection
6.1
All Over Again
5
Zombie Hamlet
5.5
For Better or Worse
4
The President's Plane Is Missing
6.2
Devotion
0
Dance of the Dwarfs
3.625
Block Party
6.1
American Lowrider
5
Touched by Love
4.6
Cops and Robin
6
Me Time
5.9
Uncut Gems
7.16
Bad Asses on the Bayou
6
Night Trap
3.846
The Watermelon Heist
1
Shark's Paradise
6
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
4.5
Countdown
0
The Last Rifleman
6.6
Ascension Day
0
Christmas in Miami
0
Bonanza: The Next Generation
7.5
Future Cop
5
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
5.212
Something to Sing About
6.1
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
7.133
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
10
Hologram Man
4.2
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
5.8
Act of Faith
5.667
Voodoo Moon
3.9
Mercy for Angels
0
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
4
American Flyers
6.172
Disappearing Acts
6.175
Mac
5.667
My Baby's Daddy
4.6
Willa
3
Coming 2 America
6.383
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
6.143
The Players Club
6.3
Christmas Belles
2.3
Tamales and Gumbo
0
The Beastmaster Chronicles
0
Because of Charley
2.333
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
0
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
0