John Amos
Acting
Born: December 27, 1939 · Newark, New Jersey, USA
Died: August 21, 2024 (aged 84)
Highest Rated
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
Die Hard 2
1990
Uncut Gems
2019
Coming to America
1988
Two and a Half Men
2003
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
Coming 2 America
2021
Lie to Me
2009
Lock Up
1989
My Name Is Earl
2005
The A-Team
1983
Me Time
2022
Psych
2006
Photos (3)
Movies (53)
Uncut Gems
Neighbor 33F
Die Hard 2
Major Grant
Coming to America
Cleo McDowell
Coming 2 America
Cleo McDowell
Lock Up
Captain Meissner
Me Time
Gil
Ricochet
Reverend Styles
The Beastmaster
Seth
Vanishing Point
Super Soul's Engineer (uncredited)
Madea's Witness Protection
Pastor Nelson
The Last Rifleman
Lincoln Jefferson Adams
The Players Club
Freeman
Dr. Dolittle 3
Jud
Two Evil Eyes
Det. Legrand
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Earl
American Flyers
Dr. Conrad
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Biker
Voodoo Moon
Dutch
Disappearing Acts
Mr. Swift
Night Trap
Capt. Hodges
American Lowrider
Slick
Let's Do It Again
Kansas City Mack
Hologram Man
Wes Strickland
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Fred Davis
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
Booker Hutch
My Baby's Daddy
Uncle Virgil
The World's Greatest Athlete
Coach Sam Archer
Mac
Nat
For Better or Worse
Gray
Touched by Love
Tony
Willa
Virgil
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Bumpy Johnson
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
The President's Plane Is Missing
Marine Corporal
Zombie Hamlet
Edgar Mortimer
Shark's Paradise
Taxi Driver
Future Cop
Officer Bill Bundy
Shadowboxing
Хилл
Dance of the Dwarfs
Esteban
Cops and Robin
Officer Bill Bundy
Christmas Belles
Pop Pop
Block Party
Dennis
Ascension Day
Henry
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Mr. Mack
Countdown
Admiral Melory
The Watermelon Heist
Old Man Amos
Because of Charley
Grandpa
Tamales and Gumbo
The Patron
Act of Faith
Mr. Brady
Mercy for Angels
God
Something to Sing About
Rev. Washington
The Truth About Santa Claus
Bob
Christmas in Miami
Chief Host
TV Shows (42)
King of the Hill
Glen Johnson (voice) · 1 eps
The West Wing
Percy Fitzwallace · 22 eps
Two and a Half Men
Ed · 3 eps
The Love Boat
Duke Taylor · 1 eps
Psych
Uncle Burton · 1 eps
The A-Team
Rev. Taylor · 1 eps
Murder, She Wrote
Doc Penrose · 1 eps
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Gordy Howard · 13 eps
30 Rock
John Amos · 1 eps
Lie to Me
Jim Weaver · 1 eps
Touched by an Angel
James Mackey · 1 eps
Love, American Style
Bell Captain · 1 eps
Love, American Style
1 eps
The Cosby Show
Dr. Herbert · 1 eps
My Name Is Earl
Joe · 1 eps
The Outer Limits
Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski · 1 eps
Hunter
Captain Dolan · 13 eps
Walker, Texas Ranger
Pastor Roscoe Jones · 2 eps
Royal Pains
Harrison Phillips · 1 eps
The District
Ethan Baker · 10 eps
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Fred Wilkes · 4 eps
Martin
Sgt. Strawn · 1 eps
Sanford and Son
1 eps
Ballers
Deacon Eller · 2 eps
The Ranch
Ed · 1 eps
Police Story
Walt Kyles · 1 eps
Hardcastle and McCormick
Albie Meadows · 1 eps
Good Times
James Evans Sr. · 61 eps
Suits LA
John Amos · 1 eps
The Last O.G.
Uncle D · 1 eps
Roots
Toby
Roots
Kunta Kinte · 3 eps
In the House
5 eps
Men in Trees
Buzz Washington · 30 eps
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Mark Cooper · 1 eps
Here's Boomer
1 eps
NYC 22
Pappy Science · 1 eps
All About the Andersons
Joe Anderson · 16 eps
Future Cop
Bill Bundy · 6 eps
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Bumpy Johnson · 2 eps
704 Hauser
Ernie Cumberbatch · 6 eps
Beauty and the Beast
Farrell · 1 eps
Self / Appearances (10)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · 1 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · 1 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · 1 eps
Dinah!
Self · 6 eps
The Movies That Made Us
Self · 1 eps
The Chris Rock Show
Self · 1 eps
Remembering Roots
Self
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
Self
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
The Beastmaster Chronicles
Self
