John Amos

Personal Info

Known For Actor

Gender Male

Birthday 1939-12-27

Deathday 2024-08-21 (84 years old)

Place of Birth Newark, New Jersey, USA

Also Known As Jon Amos, Johnny Amos, John A. Amos Jr.

John Amos

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

Actor

Devotion

as Roger

Countdown

as Admiral

2025
Suits LA

as John Amos

2023
The Last Rifleman

as Lincoln Jefferson Adams

2022
Me Time

as Gil

2022
Block Party

as Dennis

2021
2021
Coming 2 America

as Cleo McDowell

2019
Christmas Belles

as Pop Pop

2019
Uncut Gems

as Neighbor 33F

2018
The Last O.G.

as Uncle D

2016
The Ranch

as Ed

2015
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration

as Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)

2015
Tamales and Gumbo

as The Patron

2015
2015
Ballers

as Deacon Eller

2014
Act of Faith

as Mr. Brady

2013
2012
2012
Zombie Hamlet

as Edgar Mortimer

2012
NYC 22

as Pappy Science

2007
Against Time

as Coach

2007
Ascension Day

as Henry

2006
Voodoo Moon

as Dutch

2006
2006
30 Rock

as John Amos

2006
Men in Trees

as Buzz

2006
Psych

as Uncle Burton

2005
Shadowboxing

as Хилл

2005
2004
Countdown

as Admiral Melory

2004
My Baby's Daddy

as Uncle Virgil

2004
2003
The Watermelon Heist

as Old Man Amos

2003
All About the Andersons

as Joe Anderson

2000
Disappearing Acts

as Mr. Swift

2000
Something to Sing About

as Rev. Washington

2000
The District

as Mayor Ethan Baker

1999
The West Wing

as Percy Fitzwallace

1998
The Players Club

as Freeman

1997
King of the Hill

as Glen Johnson (voice)

1995
Hologram Man

as Wes Strickland

1995
The Outer Limits

as Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski

1994
Touched by an Angel

as Sheriff James Mackey

1994
704 Hauser

as Ernie Cumberbatch

1993
Night Trap

as Capt. Hodges

1993
Walker, Texas Ranger

as Pastor Roscoe Jones

1992
Mac

as Nat

1992
1991
Ricochet

as Reverend Styles

1990
Die Hard 2

as Major Grant

1990
Two Evil Eyes

as Det. Legrand

1990
1989
Lock Up

as Captain Meissner

1988
Coming to America

as Cleo McDowell

1986
Shark's Paradise

as Taxi Driver

1985
American Flyers

as Dr. Conrad

1984
Murder, She Wrote

as Doc Penrose

1984
The Cosby Show

as Dr. Herbert

1984
Hunter

as Capt. Dolan

1983
1983
The A-Team

as Rev. Taylor

1982
1980
1979
Willa

as Virgil

1978
Cops and Robin

as Officer Bill Bundy

1977
Future Cop

as Bill Bundy

1977
Roots

as Toby

1977
Roots

as Older Kunta Kinte

1976
Future Cop

as Officer Bill Bundy

1975
Let's Do It Again

as Kansas City Mack

1974
Dinah!

as Self

1974
Good Times

as James Evans Sr.

1973
1973
The World's Greatest Athlete

as Coach Sam Archer

1971
Vanishing Point

as Super Soul's Engineer

1971
The Funny Side

as Minority Husband

1970
1969
Love, American Style

as Bell Captain

Producer

2014
Althea

as Executive Producer