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John Amos
Born · December 27, 1939
Died · August 21, 2024 (84 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, USA
Bio
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.
The Last Rifleman
Lincoln Jefferson Adams
6.5
2023
Me Time
Gil
5.9
2022
Block Party
Dennis
6.1
2022
Christmas in Miami
0.0
2021
The Truth About Santa Claus
Bob
2.0
2020
Uncut Gems
Neighbor 33F
7.2
2019
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
Self
7.0
2016
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
10.0
2015
Mercy for Angels
God
0.0
2015
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Earl
6.1
2015
Act of Faith
Mr. Brady
5.0
2014
American Lowrider
Slick
5.6
2013
Madea's Witness Protection
Pastor Nelson
6.1
2012
Zombie Hamlet
Edgar Mortimer
5.5
2012
Against Time
Coach
5.0
2007
Ascension Day
Henry
0.0
2007
Voodoo Moon
Dutch
3.9
2006
Dr. Dolittle 3
Jud
5.1
2006
Shadowboxing
Хилл
5.4
2005
Countdown
Admiral Melory
6.1
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
(archive footage)
4.0
2004
The Watermelon Heist
Old Man Amos
1.0
2003
Disappearing Acts
Mr. Swift
6.5
2000
Something to Sing About
Rev. Washington
5.8
2000
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
Booker Hutch
5.2
1997
Hologram Man
Wes Strickland
4.1
1995
For Better or Worse
Gray
4.6
1995
Night Trap
Capt. Hodges
4.1
1993
Mac
Nat
5.8
1992
Ricochet
Reverend Styles
6.1
1991
Die Hard 2
Major Grant
7.0
1990
Two Evil Eyes
Det. Legrand
6.1
1990
Lock Up
Captain Meissner
6.8
1989
Coming to America
Cleo McDowell
6.9
1988
Bonanza: The Next Generation
Mr. Mack
7.5
1988
Shark's Paradise
Taxi Driver
7.0
1986
American Flyers
Dr. Conrad
6.2
1985
Dance of the Dwarfs
Esteban
4.0
1983
The Beastmaster
Seth
6.3
1982
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Bumpy Johnson
4.5
1980
Touched by Love
Tony
4.6
1980
Cops and Robin
Officer Bill Bundy
6.0
1978
Future Cop
Officer Bill Bundy
5.0
1976
Let's Do It Again
Kansas City Mack
6.7
1975
The President's Plane Is Missing
Marine Corporal
6.2
1973
The World's Greatest Athlete
Coach Sam Archer
5.3
1973
Vanishing Point
Super Soul's Engineer
7.1
1971
Devotion
Roger
0.0
Countdown
Admiral
0.0
Suits LA
John Amos · (1 episode)
0.0
2025
Because of Charley
Grandpa
3.0
2021
Coming 2 America
Cleo McDowell
6.4
2021
The Beastmaster Chronicles
Self
0.0
2020
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
Fred Davis
6.1
2019
The Movies That Made Us
Self · (1 episode)
7.2
2019
Christmas Belles
Pop Pop
2.3
2019
The Last O.G.
Uncle D · (1 episode)
6.8
2018
The Ranch
Ed · (1 episode)
7.4
2016
Tamales and Gumbo
The Patron
0.0
2015
Ballers
Deacon Eller · (2 episodes)
6.8
2015
NYC 22
Pappy Science · (1 episode)
6.2
2012
30 Rock
John Amos · (1 episode)
7.4
2006
Men in Trees
Buzz · (36 episodes)
6.9
2006
Psych
Uncle Burton · (1 episode)
7.9
2006
My Name Is Earl
Joe · (1 episode)
7.7
2005
My Baby's Daddy
Uncle Virgil
4.7
2004
Two and a Half Men
Ed · (3 episodes)
7.5
2003
All About the Andersons
Joe Anderson · (16 episodes)
8.5
2003
The District
Mayor Ethan Baker · (10 episodes)
6.9
2000
The West Wing
Percy Fitzwallace · (22 episodes)
8.3
1999
The Players Club
Freeman
6.3
1998
The Chris Rock Show
(1 episode)
4.4
1997
King of the Hill
Glen Johnson (voice) · (1 episode)
7.3
1997
In the House
(5 episodes)
7.3
1995
The Outer Limits
Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski · (1 episode)
7.7
1995
Touched by an Angel
Sheriff James Mackey · (1 episode)
7.2
1994
704 Hauser
Ernie Cumberbatch · (6 episodes)
0.0
1994
Walker, Texas Ranger
Pastor Roscoe Jones · (2 episodes)
7.0
1993
Martin
(1 episode)
7.7
1992
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Fred Wilkes · (4 episodes)
7.9
1990
Murder, She Wrote
Doc Penrose · (1 episode)
7.5
1984
The Cosby Show
Dr. Herbert · (1 episode)
7.0
1984
Hunter
Capt. Dolan · (13 episodes)
7.2
1984
Hardcastle and McCormick
(1 episode)
6.4
1983
The A-Team
Rev. Taylor · (1 episode)
7.5
1983
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Bumpy Johnson · (2 episodes)
5.0
1980
Here's Boomer
(1 episode)
5.3
1980
Willa
Virgil
3.0
1979
Future Cop
Bill Bundy · (6 episodes)
7.2
1977
Roots
Toby · (0 episode)
7.4
1977
Roots
Older Kunta Kinte · (8 episodes)
7.4
1977
Dinah!
Self · (1 episode)
6.5
1974
Good Times
James Evans Sr. · (61 episodes)
7.9
1974
Police Story
(1 episode)
7.1
1973
Sanford and Son
(1 episode)
7.4
1972
The Funny Side
Minority Husband · (14 episodes)
0.0
1971
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Biker
5.2
1971
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Gordy Howard · (12 episodes)
7.5
1970
Love, American Style
Bell Captain · (1 episode)
5.8
1969