
John Amos
Department: Acting
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

The Truth About Santa Claus
2020

Vanishing Point
1971

Ricochet
1991

The World's Greatest Athlete
1973

Coming to America
1988

Lock Up
1989

Let's Do It Again
1975

Two Evil Eyes
1990

The Beastmaster
1982

Dr. Dolittle 3
2006

Shadowboxing
2005

Countdown
2004

Madea's Witness Protection
2012

All Over Again
2007

Zombie Hamlet
2012

For Better or Worse
1995

The President's Plane Is Missing
1973

Devotion
—

Dance of the Dwarfs
1983

Block Party
2022

American Lowrider
2013

Touched by Love
1980

Cops and Robin
1978

Me Time
2022

Uncut Gems
2019

Bad Asses on the Bayou
2015

Night Trap
1993

The Watermelon Heist
2003

Shark's Paradise
1986

Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980

The Last Rifleman
2023

Ascension Day
2007

Christmas in Miami
2021

Bonanza: The Next Generation
1988

Future Cop
1976

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971

Something to Sing About
2000

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016

Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015

Hologram Man
1995

The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997

Act of Faith
2014

Voodoo Moon
2006

Mercy for Angels
2015

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004

American Flyers
1985

Disappearing Acts
2000

Mac
1992

My Baby's Daddy
2004

Willa
1979

Coming 2 America
2021

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019

The Players Club
1998

Christmas Belles
2019

Tamales and Gumbo
2015

The Beastmaster Chronicles
2020

Because of Charley
2021

Future Cop: Cops and Robin
—

John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
—

Information Processing
—

Remembering Roots
2002

In the House
1995

Murder, She Wrote
1984

Hardcastle and McCormick
1983

Good Times
1974

Martin
1992

The District
2000

Psych
2006

The A-Team
1983

Touched by an Angel
1994

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990

Men in Trees
2006

The Cosby Show
1984

Two and a Half Men
2003

Walker, Texas Ranger
1993

Sanford and Son
1972

The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970

30 Rock
2006

704 Hauser
1994

All About the Andersons
2003

Here's Boomer
1981

Roots
1977

Future Cop
1977

Hunter
1984

The Chris Rock Show
1997

The Outer Limits
1995

The Funny Side
1971

The West Wing
1999

The Ranch
2016

The Movies That Made Us
2019

My Name Is Earl
2005

King of the Hill
1997

Ballers
2015

The Last O.G.
2018

Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980

Dinah!
1974

NYC 22
2012

Suits LA
2025

Love, American Style
1969

Lie to Me
2009

Royal Pains
2009

The Love Boat
1977

The New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971

Love, American Style
1969

The Merv Griffin Show
1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962

The Mike Douglas Show
1961

Roots
1977

Police Story
1973