John Amos
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1939-12-27
Day of Death
2024-08-21 (84 years old)
Place of Birth
Newark, New Jersey, USA
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.
Acting
Devotion
as Roger
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
as Officer Bundy
Countdown
as Admiral
(2023)
The Last Rifleman
as Lincoln Jefferson Adams
(2022)
Me Time
as Gil
(2022)
Block Party
as Dennis
(2021)
Coming 2 America
as Cleo McDowell
(2021)
Because of Charley
as Grandpa
(2021)
(2020)
(2020)
The Beastmaster Chronicles
as Self
(2019)
Uncut Gems
as Neighbor 33F
(2019)
Christmas Belles
as Pop Pop
(2019)
(2016)
(2015)
Bad Asses on the Bayou
as Earl
(2015)
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
as Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
(2015)
Mercy for Angels
as God
(2015)
Tamales and Gumbo
as The Patron
(2014)
Act of Faith
as Mr. Brady
(2013)
American Lowrider
as Slick
(2012)
Madea's Witness Protection
as Pastor Nelson
(2012)
Zombie Hamlet
as Edgar Mortimer
(2007)
Ascension Day
as Henry
(2007)
All Over Again
as Coach Zeller
(2006)
Dr. Dolittle 3
as Jud
(2006)
Voodoo Moon
as Dutch
(2005)
Shadowboxing
as Хилл
(2004)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as (archive footage)
(2004)
My Baby's Daddy
as Uncle Virgil
(2004)
Countdown
as Admiral Melory
(2003)
The Watermelon Heist
as Old Man Amos
(2000)
Disappearing Acts
as Mr. Swift
(2000)
Something to Sing About
as Rev. Washington
(1998)
The Players Club
as Freeman
(1997)
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
as Booker Hutch
(1995)
Hologram Man
as Wes Strickland
(1995)
For Better or Worse
as Gray
(1993)
Night Trap
as Capt. Hodges
(1992)
Mac
as Nat
(1991)
Ricochet
as Reverend Styles
(1990)
Die Hard 2
as Major Grant
(1990)
Two Evil Eyes
as Det. Legrand
(1989)
Lock Up
as Captain Meissner
(1988)
Coming to America
as Cleo McDowell
(1988)
Bonanza: The Next Generation
as Mr. Mack
(1986)
Shark's Paradise
as Taxi Driver
(1985)
American Flyers
as Dr. Conrad
(1983)
Dance of the Dwarfs
as Esteban
(1982)
The Beastmaster
as Seth
(1980)
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
as Bumpy Johnson
(1980)
Touched by Love
as Tony
(1979)
Willa
as Virgil
(1978)
Cops and Robin
as Officer Bill Bundy
(1976)
Future Cop
as Officer Bill Bundy
(1975)
Let's Do It Again
as Kansas City Mack
(1973)
The World's Greatest Athlete
as Coach Sam Archer
(1973)
The President's Plane Is Missing
as Marine Corporal
(1971)
Vanishing Point
as Super Soul's Engineer
(1971)
Crew
(2014)
Althea
Executive Producer