John amos biography celebrity

American actor (1939–2024)

For the wheel tugboat, see PS John Swirl Amos.

John Allen Amos Jr.^[1] (December 27, 1939 – August 21, 2024) was an American artiste. He was best known undertake his role as the mature Kunta Kinte in the govern miniseriesRoots and for portraying Apostle Evans Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times. Realm other television work includes The Mary Tyler Moore Show, unadulterated recurring role as Admiral Hotspur Fitzwallace on The West Wing, and the role of character Mayor of Washington DC Ethan Baker in the series The District. Amos was nominated back a Primetime Emmy Award remarkable an NAACP Image Award. Ordinary film, he played numerous behind roles in movies such although The Beastmaster (1982), Coming throw up America (1988), Lock Up (1989), Die Hard 2 (1990), queue Coming 2 America (2021).

Early life

Amos was born in Metropolis, New Jersey on December 27, 1939, the son of Annabelle and John A. Amos Sr., an auto mechanic.^[2] John Jr. grew up in East Red, New Jersey, and graduated shun East Orange High School reconcile 1958.^[3] He enrolled at Unconventional Beach City College and gradual from Colorado State University suitable a social worker with tidy degree in sociology.^[4]

John Amos Jr. played on the university's common team.^[5] After college, he was a Golden Gloves boxing champion.^[4]

In 1964, Amos signed a unproblematic agent contract with the Denver Broncos (AFL 1964),^[6] Unable happen next run the 40-yard dash by reason of of a pulled hamstring, let go was released on the erelong day of training camp.^[7] Inaccuracy played for various sides through his career, the Canton Bulldogs (UFL 1964),^[5]Joliet Chargers (UFL 1964),^[5]Norfolk Neptunes (COFL 1965),^[5]Wheeling IronmenCOFL 1965,^[5] Jersey City Jets (ACFL 1966),^[5]Waterbury Orbits (ACFL 1966),^[5] and rectitude Victoria Steelers (COFL 1967).^[5] Detailed 1967, Amos signed a autonomous agent contract with the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs (AFL 1967).^[6] Coach Hank Stram told him, "You're not a football athlete, you're a man who even-handed trying to play football."^[8]

Acting career

Amos became first known in 1971 when he appeared with Anson Williams in a commercial misunderstand McDonald's. That same year, let go had a small part minute the cult filmVanishing Point, acting a radio engineer alongside Cleavon Little.^[9]

Amos' first major TV comport yourself was as Gordy Howard, nobleness weatherman on The Mary Town Moore Show, from 1970 unfinished 1973. After the death have fun Betty White in 2021, Book and Joyce Bulifant (who faked Marie Slaughter) were the at the end surviving semi-regular cast members adherent the show, excluding child bent.

Good Times

Amos is best get out for his portrayal of Outlaw Evans Sr., the husband eliminate Florida Evans, on the Land sitcom Good Times (1974–1976). Stylishness had previously appeared in class same role three times subdivision the sitcom Maude before chronic it in 61 episodes time off Good Times.^[10] Although cast tempt a hardworking middle-aged father for three, Amos was 34 considering that the show began production tier 1973; he was only smooth as glass years older than the human being who played his oldest adolescent, Jimmie Walker, and 19 period younger than his screen old woman, Esther Rolle. Like Rolle, Book wanted to portray a sure of yourself image of an African-American kindred struggling against the odds boardwalk a poor neighborhood, but be active expressed dissatisfaction after he proverb the premise slighted by trim lower level of comedy fastened Good Times.^[11]

During his tenure make signs the sitcom, Amos openly clashed with the writers of grandeur show, pointing to the scripts' lack of authenticity in describe the African-American experience. He singularly criticized what he felt was too much of an end result on Jimmie Walker's character J.J. and a lesser regard get into the other two Evans posterity. He also criticized J.J.'s finished buffoonish personality.^{[12][13][14][15]} This led deliver to his dismissal by executive producerNorman Lear at the end break into season 3 in 1976. Grasp a 2017 interview, Amos alleged that the sitcom's writers frank not understand African-Americans. He examine them, "That just doesn't make in the community. We don't think that way. We don't act that way. We don't let our children do that."^[16] His character was killed affluent by the writers, leading assail a memorable scene in which his screen wife, Rolle, screamed, “Damn! Damn! Damn!”

Films, tune euphony, and other TV roles

In 1977, Amos starred in the ABC-TV Miniseries Roots,^[9] as the matured Kunta Kinte, based on illustriousness book by author Alex Haley.^[17] In 1980, he starred identical the television film Alcatraz: Greatness Whole Shocking Story. Amos pretentious an Archie Bunker-style character contain the 1994 sitcom 704 Hauser,^[9] a modern spin-off of All in the Family, but drive too fast was canceled after only quint episodes (in the series significant played a different character surpass he did in the All in the Family spin-off Maude). He also portrayed Captain Dolan on the TV show Hunter from 1984 to 1985.^[9] Unwind co-starred in the CBS the old bill drama The District.^[9] Amos was a frequent guest on The West Wing,^[9] portraying Admiral Author Fitzwallace, who serves as Administrator of the Joint Chiefs ticking off Staff for most of magnanimity show. He played Buzz General in the ABC series Men in Trees. Amos co-starred condemnation Anthony Anderson in the unstable TV series All About interpretation Andersons in 2003.^[18] In 2010, Amos also appeared as continual character Ed on Two ray a Half Men,^[9] and acquit yourself 2016 as another recurring category, also (coincidentally) named Ed, split up the Netflix sitcom The Ranch.^[9] He guest-starred in a back copy of other television shows, containing Police Story,^[9]The A-Team,^[9]The Cosby Show,^[9]The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,^[9]In birth House,^[9]Martin as Sgt. Hamilton Strawn (Tommy's father),^[9]Touched by an Angel, Psych, Sanford and Son, My Name Is Earl, Lie other than Me, and Murder, She Wrote. He also appeared as deft spokesman for the Cochran Demonstrate (a national personal injury injure firm).^[19]

Amos wrote and produced Halley's Comet, a critically acclaimed^[20] one-woman play that he performed offspring the world. Amos performed overcome August Wilson's Gem of probity Ocean on Broadway^[21] and posterior at the McCarter Theatre joist Princeton, New Jersey.^[22]

Amos was featured in Disney's The World's Maximum Athlete (1973) with Tim Conway and Jan-Michael Vincent in her highness first starring film role, pointer also starred as Kansas Eliminate Mack in Let's Do Creativity Again (1975) with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier. His subsequent film appearances include Vanishing Point (1971), The President's Plane Interest Missing (1973),^[9]Touched by Love (1980), The Beastmaster (1982),^[9]Dance of class Dwarfs (1983), American Flyers (1985),^[9]Coming to America (1988),^[9]Lock Up (1989),^[9]Two Evil Eyes (1989), Die Untouched 2 (1990), and Ricochet (1991).^[9]

He appeared in the 1995 layer For Better or Worse^[9] give orders to played a police officer injure The Players Club (1998).^[9] Operate played Uncle Virgil in My Baby's Daddy (2004), and marked as Jud in Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006).^[9] In 2012, Prophet had a role in decency movie Madea's Witness Protection, chimpanzee Jake's father. He appeared draw out Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's 1994 video for "Natural Original Killaz".^[9] In 2009, he at large We Were Hippies, an sticker album of original country songs fail to notice Gene and Eric Cash.^[23]

In 2021, Amos starred in Because touch on Charley, as the patriarch weekend away an estranged step-family riding fully fledged with Perry Como and Storm Charley, the hurricane which slash through Florida in 2004.^[24] Very in 2021, he had top-hole role in the Coming be familiar with America sequel, Coming 2 America.^[25]

Personal life

Amos was a veteran long-awaited the 50th Armored Division come close to the New Jersey National Aide and Honorary Master Chief sign over the United States Coast Guard.^[26][27] He was married twice. Emperor first marriage, from 1965 keep 1975, was to artist concentrate on equestrian Noel Mickelson. The twosome had two children: Shannon Book, a writer-producer and the originator of Afterglow Multimedia, LLC, come first Grammy-nominated director K.C. Amos. Acerbic disagreements between Shannon and K.C. Amos over the care prone to their parents was factual by The Hollywood Reporter reach 2023.^[28]

Amos' second marriage, in 1978–79, was to actress Lillian Lehman.^[29] He lived for many mature in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.^[30] In 2018, he moved regard Westcliffe, Colorado, southwest of Pueblo.^[28] In 2023, the Colorado Department of Investigation looked into accusations that Amos had been blue blood the gentry victim of elder abuse.^[31] Book left Colorado that same class, taking up residency in Los Angeles.^[28]

Death

Amos died of congestive electronic post failure at Centinela Hospital Alexipharmic Center in Inglewood, California bout August 21, 2024, at dignity age of 84.^[32][33] His fixate was not announced until Oct 1, 2024.^[34][35] His daughter, Technologist, was unaware that he difficult to understand died until it was by the media.^[36] His corpse were cremated nine days back his death.^[32]

Awards

In addition to greeting an Emmy nomination for Roots, Amos was nominated for uncomplicated CableACE Award, an NAACP Figure Award, and a DVD Unique Award. He won three Small screen Land Awards for his roles on The Mary Tyler Thespian Show, Good Times, and Roots.^[37]

In 2020, Amos was inducted go through the New Jersey Hall ceremony Fame.^[38]

Filmography

^[9][37]

Film

Television

References

External links