John Amos
Acting
1939-12-27 · Newark, New Jersey, USA
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.
Filmography
Suits LA
2025 · Series
The Last Rifleman
2023 · Movie
Me Time
2022 · Movie
Block Party
2022 · Movie
Christmas in Miami
2021 · Movie
Because of Charley
2021 · Movie
Coming 2 America
2021 · Movie
The Truth About Santa Claus
2020 · Movie
The Beastmaster Chronicles
2020 · Movie
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019 · Movie
The Movies That Made Us
2019 · Series
Christmas Belles
2019 · Movie
Uncut Gems
2019 · Movie
The Last O.G.
2018 · Series
The Ranch
2016 · Series
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016 · Movie
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015 · Movie
Tamales and Gumbo
2015 · Movie
Ballers
2015 · Series
Mercy for Angels
2015 · Movie
Bad Asses on the Bayou
2015 · Movie
Althea
2014 · Movie
Act of Faith
2014 · Movie
American Lowrider
2013 · Movie
Madea's Witness Protection
2012 · Movie
NYC 22
2012 · Series
Zombie Hamlet
2012 · Movie
Royal Pains
2009 · Series
Lie to Me
2009 · Series
All Over Again
2007 · Movie
Ascension Day
2007 · Movie
30 Rock
2006 · Series
Men in Trees
2006 · Series
Psych
2006 · Series
Voodoo Moon
2006 · Movie
Dr. Dolittle 3
2006 · Movie
My Name Is Earl
2005 · Series
Shadowboxing
2005 · Movie
Countdown
2004 · Movie
My Baby's Daddy
2004 · Movie
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · Movie
Two and a Half Men
2003 · Series
All About the Andersons
2003 · Series
The Watermelon Heist
2003 · Movie
Remembering Roots
2002 · Movie
Disappearing Acts
2000 · Movie
The District
2000 · Series
Something to Sing About
2000 · Movie
The West Wing
1999 · Series
The Players Club
1998 · Movie
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997 · Movie
The Chris Rock Show
1997 · Series
King of the Hill
1997 · Series
Hologram Man
1995 · Movie
In the House
1995 · Series
The Outer Limits
1995 · Series
For Better or Worse
1995 · Movie
Touched by an Angel
1994 · Series
704 Hauser
1994 · Series
Night Trap
1993 · Movie
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · Series
Mac
1992 · Movie
Martin
1992 · Series
Ricochet
1991 · Movie
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · Series
Die Hard 2
1990 · Movie
Two Evil Eyes
1990 · Movie
Lock Up
1989 · Movie
Coming to America
1988 · Movie
Bonanza: The Next Generation
1988 · Movie
Beauty and the Beast
1987 · Series
Shark's Paradise
1986 · Movie
American Flyers
1985 · Movie
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · Series
The Cosby Show
1984 · Series
Hunter
1984 · Series
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983 · Series
Dance of the Dwarfs
1983 · Movie
The A-Team
1983 · Series
The Beastmaster
1982 · Movie
Here's Boomer
1981 · Series
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Series
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Movie
Touched by Love
1980 · Movie
Willa
1979 · Movie
Cops and Robin
1978 · Movie
The Love Boat
1977 · Series
Future Cop
1977 · Series
Roots
1977 · Series
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
1977 · Series
Future Cop
1976 · Movie
Let's Do It Again
1975 · Movie
Dinah!
1974 · Series
Good Times
1974 · Series
The President's Plane Is Missing
1973 · Movie
Police Story
1973 · Series
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973 · Movie
Sanford and Son
1972 · Series
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971 · Series
The Funny Side
1971 · Series
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971 · Movie
Vanishing Point
1971 · Movie
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 · Series
Love, American Style
1969 · Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Series
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Series
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Series
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
Movie
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
Movie
Information Processing
Movie
Devotion
Movie