- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- December 27, 1939
- Place of Birth
- Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Died
- August 21, 2024
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 …
Filmography
tvSuits LA
2025 · John Amos, In Memory Of
movieThe Last Rifleman
2023 · Lincoln Jefferson Adams
movieMe Time
2022 · Gil
movieBlock Party
2022 · Dennis
movieChristmas in Miami
2021 · Chief Host
movieBecause of Charley
2021 · Grandpa
movieComing 2 America
2021 · Cleo McDowell
movieThe Truth About Santa Claus
2020 · Bob
movieThe Beastmaster Chronicles
2020 · Self
movieLive in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019 · Fred Davis
tvThe Movies That Made Us
2019 · Self
movieChristmas Belles
2019 · Pop Pop
movieUncut Gems
2019 · Neighbor 33F
tvThe Last O.G.
2018 · Uncle D
tvThe Ranch
2016 · Ed
movieNorman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016 · Self
movieMary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015 · Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
movieTamales and Gumbo
2015 · The Patron
tvBallers
2015 · Deacon Eller
movieMercy for Angels
2015 · God
movieBad Asses on the Bayou
2015 · Earl
movieAlthea
2014 · Executive Producer
movieAct of Faith
2014 · Mr. Brady
movieAmerican Lowrider
2013 · Slick
movieMadea's Witness Protection
2012 · Pastor Nelson
tvNYC 22
2012 · Pappy Science
movieZombie Hamlet
2012 · Edgar Mortimer
tvRoyal Pains
2009 · Harrison Phillips
tvLie to Me
2009 · Jim Weaver
All Over Again
movieAll Over Again
2007 · Coach Zeller
movieAscension Day
2007 · Henry
tv30 Rock
2006 · John Amos
tvMen in Trees
2006 · Buzz Washington
tvPsych
2006 · Uncle Burton
movieVoodoo Moon
2006 · Dutch
movieDr. Dolittle 3
2006 · Jud
tvMy Name Is Earl
2005 · Joe
movieShadowboxing
2005 · Хилл
movieCountdown
2004 · Admiral Melory
movieMy Baby's Daddy
2004 · Uncle Virgil
movieTV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · (archive footage)
tvTwo and a Half Men
2003 · Ed
tvAll About the Andersons
2003 · Joe Anderson
movieThe Watermelon Heist
2003 · Old Man Amos
movieRemembering Roots
2002 · Self
movieDisappearing Acts
2000 · Mr. Swift
tvThe District
2000 · Ethan Baker
movieSomething to Sing About
2000 · Rev. Washington
tvThe West Wing
1999 · Percy Fitzwallace
movieThe Players Club
1998 · Freeman
movieThe Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997 · Booker Hutch
tvThe Chris Rock Show
1997 · Self
tvKing of the Hill
1997 · Glen Johnson (voice)
movieHologram Man
1995 · Wes Strickland
tvIn the House
1995
tvThe Outer Limits
1995 · Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
movieFor Better or Worse
1995 · Gray
tvTouched by an Angel
1994 · James Mackey
tv704 Hauser
1994 · Ernie Cumberbatch
movieNight Trap
1993 · Capt. Hodges
tvWalker, Texas Ranger
1993 · Pastor Roscoe Jones
movieMac
1992 · Nat
tvMartin
1992 · Sgt. Strawn
movieRicochet
1991 · Reverend Styles
tvThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · Fred Wilkes
movieDie Hard 2
1990 · Major Grant
movieTwo Evil Eyes
1990 · Det. Legrand
movieLock Up
1989 · Captain Meissner
movieComing to America
1988 · Cleo McDowell
movieBonanza: The Next Generation
1988 · Mr. Mack
tvBeauty and the Beast
1987 · Farrell
movieShark's Paradise
1986 · Taxi Driver
movieAmerican Flyers
1985 · Dr. Conrad
tvMurder, She Wrote
1984 · Doc Penrose
tvThe Cosby Show
1984 · Dr. Herbert
tvHunter
1984 · Capt. Dolan (uncredited)
tvHardcastle and McCormick
1983 · Albie Meadows
movieDance of the Dwarfs
1983 · Esteban
tvThe A-Team
1983 · Rev. Taylor
movieThe Beastmaster
1982 · Seth
tvHere's Boomer
1981
movieAlcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Bumpy Johnson
tvAlcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Bumpy Johnson
movieTouched by Love
1980 · Tony
movieWilla
1979 · Virgil
movieCops and Robin
1978 · Officer Bill Bundy
tvThe Love Boat
1977 · Duke Taylor
tvFuture Cop
1977 · Bill Bundy
tvRoots
1977 · Toby, Kunta Kinte
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
tvRoots: The Complete Miniseries
1977 · Older Kunta Kinte
movieFuture Cop
1976 · Officer Bill Bundy
movieLet's Do It Again
1975 · Kansas City Mack
tvDinah!
1974 · Self
tvGood Times
1974 · James Evans Sr.
movieThe President's Plane Is Missing
1973 · Marine Corporal
tvPolice Story
1973 · Walt Kyles
movieThe World's Greatest Athlete
1973 · Coach Sam Archer
tvSanford and Son
1972
tvThe New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971 · Mark Cooper
The Funny Side
tvThe Funny Side
1971 · Minority Husband
movieSweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971 · Biker
movieVanishing Point
1971 · Super Soul's Engineer
tvThe Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 · Gordy Howard
tvLove, American Style
1969 · Bell Captain
tvThe Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
tvThe Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self
movieDevotion
— · Roger
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
movieFuture Cop: Cops and Robin
— · Officer Bundy
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
movieJohn Amos: Roots of an American Legend
— · Self
Information Processing
movieInformation Processing
— · Self