John Amos
Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
Dec 27, 1939 (86 years old)
Place of Birth
Newark, New Jersey, USA
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
| 2025 | Suits LAJohn Amos | |
| 2023 | The Last RiflemanLincoln Jefferson Adams | |
| 2022 | Block PartyDennis | |
| 2022 | Me TimeGil | |
| 2021 | Christmas in MiamiChief Host | |
| 2021 | Coming 2 AmericaCleo McDowell | |
| 2021 | Because of CharleyGrandpa | |
| 2020 | The Truth About Santa ClausBob | |
| 2020 | The Beastmaster ChroniclesSelf | |
| 2019 | Uncut GemsNeighbor 33F | |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"Fred Davis | |
| 2019 | Christmas BellesPop Pop | |
| 2019 | The Movies That Made UsSelf | |
| 2018 | The Last O.G.Uncle D | |
| 2016 | Norman Lear: Just Another Version of YouSelf | |
| 2016 | The RanchEd | |
| 2015 | Bad Asses on the BayouEarl | |
| 2015 | Mary Tyler Moore: A CelebrationSelf / Gordy Howard (archive footage) | |
| 2015 | Mercy for AngelsGod | |
| 2015 | Tamales and GumboThe Patron | |
| 2015 | BallersDeacon Eller | |
| 2014 | Act of FaithMr. Brady | |
| 2013 | American LowriderSlick | |
| 2012 | Madea's Witness ProtectionPastor Nelson | |
| 2012 | Zombie HamletEdgar Mortimer | |
| 2012 | NYC 22Pappy Science | |
| 2009 | Lie to MeJim Weaver | |
| 2009 | Royal PainsHarrison Phillips | |
| 2007 | All Over AgainCoach Zeller | |
| 2007 | Ascension DayHenry | |
| 2006 | Dr. Dolittle 3Jud | |
| 2006 | Voodoo MoonDutch | |
| 2006 | PsychUncle Burton | |
| 2006 | Men in TreesBuzz Washington | |
| 2006 | 30 RockJohn Amos | |
| 2005 | ShadowboxingХилл | |
| 2005 | My Name Is EarlJoe | |
| 2004 | CountdownAdmiral Melory | |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years(archive footage) | |
| 2004 | My Baby's DaddyUncle Virgil | |
| 2003 | The Watermelon HeistOld Man Amos | |
| 2003 | Two and a Half MenEd | |
| 2003 | All About the AndersonsJoe Anderson | |
| 2002 | Remembering RootsSelf | |
| 2000 | Something to Sing AboutRev. Washington | |
| 2000 | Disappearing ActsMr. Swift | |
| 2000 | The DistrictEthan Baker | |
| 1999 | The West WingPercy Fitzwallace | |
| 1998 | The Players ClubFreeman | |
| 1997 | The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden PagodaBooker Hutch | |
| 1997 | The Chris Rock ShowSelf | |
| 1997 | King of the HillGlen Johnson (voice) | |
| 1995 | For Better or WorseGray | |
| 1995 | Hologram ManWes Strickland | |
| 1995 | In the House | |
| 1995 | The Outer LimitsPeter 'Yas' Yastrzemski | |
| 1994 | Touched by an AngelSheriff James Mackey | |
| 1994 | 704 HauserErnie Cumberbatch | |
| 1993 | Night TrapCapt. Hodges | |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas RangerPastor Roscoe Jones | |
| 1992 | MacNat | |
| 1992 | MartinSgt. Strawn | |
| 1991 | RicochetReverend Styles | |
| 1990 | Die Hard 2Major Grant | |
| 1990 | Two Evil EyesDet. Legrand | |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirFred Wilkes | |
| 1989 | Lock UpCaptain Meissner | |
| 1988 | Coming to AmericaCleo McDowell | |
| 1988 | Bonanza: The Next GenerationMr. Mack | |
| 1986 | Shark's ParadiseTaxi Driver | |
| 1985 | American FlyersDr. Conrad | |
| 1984 | Murder, She WroteDoc Penrose | |
| 1984 | The Cosby ShowDr. Herbert | |
| 1984 | HunterCapt. Dolan (uncredited) | |
| 1983 | Dance of the DwarfsEsteban | |
| 1983 | Hardcastle and McCormickAlbie Meadows | |
| 1983 | The A-TeamRev. Taylor | |
| 1982 | The BeastmasterSeth | |
| 1981 | Here's Boomer | |
| 1980 | Touched by LoveTony | |
| 1980 | Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking StoryBumpy Johnson | |
| 1980 | Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking StoryBumpy Johnson | |
| 1979 | WillaVirgil | |
| 1978 | Cops and RobinOfficer Bill Bundy | |
| 1977 | RootsToby | |
| 1977 | Future CopBill Bundy | |
| 1977 | The Love BoatDuke Taylor | |
| 1977 | RootsKunta Kinte | |
| 1976 | Future CopOfficer Bill Bundy | |
| 1975 | Let's Do It AgainKansas City Mack | |
| 1974 | Good TimesJames Evans Sr. | |
| 1974 | Dinah!Self | |
| 1973 | The World's Greatest AthleteCoach Sam Archer | |
| 1973 | The President's Plane Is MissingMarine Corporal | |
| 1973 | Police StoryWalt Kyles | |
| 1972 | Sanford and Son | |
| 1971 | Vanishing PointSuper Soul's Engineer | |
| 1971 | Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss SongBiker | |
| 1971 | The Funny SideMinority Husband | |
| 1971 | The New Dick Van Dyke ShowMark Cooper | |
| 1970 | The Mary Tyler Moore ShowGordy Howard | |
| 1969 | Love, American StyleBell Captain | |
| 1969 | Love, American Style | |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin ShowSelf | |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf | |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas ShowSelf | |
| - | DevotionRoger | |
| - | Future Cop: Cops and RobinOfficer Bundy | |
| - | John Amos: Roots of an American LegendSelf | |
| - | Information ProcessingSelf |
| 2014 | AltheaExecutive Producer |
| 2025 | Suits LAIn Memory Of |