CineScope
John Amos picture

John Amos

Acting
Known For

84 Years Old

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.

Born

Newark, New Jersey, USA on 27th December 1939

Died

21st August 2024

All Credits

The A-Team Image
The A-Team
Rev. Taylor
The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Duke Taylor
Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
Bell Captain
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
Two and a Half Men Image
Two and a Half Men
Ed
The Merv Griffin Show Image
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
Touched by an Angel Image
Touched by an Angel
Sheriff James Mackey
Psych Image
Psych
Uncle Burton
King of the Hill Image
King of the Hill
Glen Johnson (voice)
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
Lie to Me Image
Lie to Me
Jim Weaver
The West Wing Image
The West Wing
Percy Fitzwallace
My Name Is Earl Image
My Name Is Earl
Joe
30 Rock Image
30 Rock
John Amos
Ballers Image
Ballers
Deacon Eller
Murder, She Wrote Image
Murder, She Wrote
Doc Penrose
The Cosby Show Image
The Cosby Show
Dr. Herbert
The New Dick Van Dyke Show Image
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Mark Cooper
Walker, Texas Ranger Image
Walker, Texas Ranger
Pastor Roscoe Jones
Hunter Image
Hunter
Capt. Dolan (uncredited)
The Movies That Made Us Image
The Movies That Made Us
Self
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Image
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Gordy Howard
The Ranch Image
The Ranch
Ed
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Image
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Fred Wilkes
In the House Image
In the House
Royal Pains Image
Royal Pains
Harrison Phillips
Good Times Image
Good Times
James Evans Sr.
Here's Boomer Image
Here's Boomer
The Last O.G. Image
The Last O.G.
Uncle D
Police Story Image
Police Story
NYC 22 Image
NYC 22
Pappy Science
The Chris Rock Show Image
The Chris Rock Show
Self
All About the Andersons Image
All About the Andersons
Joe Anderson
Roots Image
Roots
Older Kunta Kinte
Roots Image
Roots
Toby
Men in Trees Image
Men in Trees
Buzz
Suits LA Image
Suits LA
John Amos
The Outer Limits Image
The Outer Limits
Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
Dinah! Image
Dinah!
Self
The District Image
The District
Mayor Ethan Baker
Martin Image
Martin
Sgt. Strawn
Future Cop Image
Future Cop
Bill Bundy
Sanford and Son Image
Sanford and Son
704 Hauser Image
704 Hauser
Ernie Cumberbatch
Hardcastle and McCormick Image
Hardcastle and McCormick
Albie Meadows
Die Hard 2 Image
Die Hard 2
Major Grant
Coming to America Image
Coming to America
Cleo McDowell
Uncut Gems Image
Uncut Gems
Neighbor 33F
Coming 2 America Image
Coming 2 America
Cleo McDowell
No Image
The Funny Side
Minority Husband
The Last Rifleman Image
The Last Rifleman
Lincoln Jefferson Adams
Me Time Image
Me Time
Gil
Lock Up Image
Lock Up
Captain Meissner
The Beastmaster Image
The Beastmaster
Seth
Ricochet Image
Ricochet
Reverend Styles
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story Image
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Bumpy Johnson
Dr. Dolittle 3 Image
Dr. Dolittle 3
Jud
Vanishing Point Image
Vanishing Point
Super Soul's Engineer
My Baby's Daddy Image
My Baby's Daddy
Uncle Virgil
Madea's Witness Protection Image
Madea's Witness Protection
Pastor Nelson
Bad Asses on the Bayou Image
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Earl
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Image
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
American Flyers Image
American Flyers
Dr. Conrad
The Players Club Image
The Players Club
Freeman
Two Evil Eyes Image
Two Evil Eyes
Det. Legrand
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" Image
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Fred Davis
Let's Do It Again Image
Let's Do It Again
Kansas City Mack
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story Image
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Bumpy Johnson
The Watermelon Heist Image
The Watermelon Heist
Old Man Amos
Hologram Man Image
Hologram Man
Wes Strickland
Shadowboxing Image
Shadowboxing
Хилл
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song Image
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Biker
The World's Greatest Athlete Image
The World's Greatest Athlete
Coach Sam Archer
Bonanza: The Next Generation Image
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Mr. Mack
Disappearing Acts Image
Disappearing Acts
Mr. Swift
Countdown Image
Countdown
Admiral Melory
Mac Image
Mac
Nat
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You Image
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
Self
Act of Faith Image
Act of Faith
Mr. Brady
Voodoo Moon Image
Voodoo Moon
Dutch
Night Trap Image
Night Trap
Capt. Hodges
For Better or Worse Image
For Better or Worse
Gray
American Lowrider Image
American Lowrider
Slick
Dance of the Dwarfs Image
Dance of the Dwarfs
Esteban
Future Cop Image
Future Cop
Officer Bill Bundy
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration Image
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
Cops and Robin Image
Cops and Robin
Officer Bill Bundy
Shark's Paradise Image
Shark's Paradise
Taxi Driver
Christmas Belles Image
Christmas Belles
Pop Pop
Block Party Image
Block Party
Dennis
Touched by Love Image
Touched by Love
Tony
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda Image
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
Booker Hutch
The President's Plane Is Missing Image
The President's Plane Is Missing
Marine Corporal
Willa Image
Willa
Virgil
Devotion Image
Devotion
Roger
Something to Sing About Image
Something to Sing About
Rev. Washington
Zombie Hamlet Image
Zombie Hamlet
Edgar Mortimer
Tamales and Gumbo Image
Tamales and Gumbo
The Patron
The Truth About Santa Claus Image
The Truth About Santa Claus
Bob
The Beastmaster Chronicles Image
The Beastmaster Chronicles
Self
Christmas in Miami Image
Christmas in Miami
Chief Host
Mercy for Angels Image
Mercy for Angels
God
No Image
All Over Again
Coach Zeller
Ascension Day Image
Ascension Day
Henry
No Image
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
Officer Bundy
No Image
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
Self
Because of Charley Image
Because of Charley
Grandpa