John Amos
Known for: Acting
Born: December 27, 1939
Died: August 21, 2024
Place of birth: 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.
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Filmography
63 movies · 48 TV shows, newest first
6.8
Suits LA
2025
6.7
The Last Rifleman
2023
5.8
Me Time
2022
6.1
Block Party
2022
NR
Christmas in Miami
2021
2.3
Because of Charley
2021
6.3
Coming 2 America
2021
2.0
The Truth About Santa Claus
2020
NR
The Beastmaster Chronicles
2020
6.1
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019
7.3
The Movies That Made Us
2019
2.4
Christmas Belles
2019
7.2
Uncut Gems
2019
6.3
The Last O.G.
2018
7.4
The Ranch
2016
7.1
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016
8.5
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015
NR
Tamales and Gumbo
2015
6.8
Ballers
2015
1.0
Mercy for Angels
2015
6.0
Bad Asses on the Bayou
2015
7.0
Althea
2014
5.7
Act of Faith
2014
5.0
American Lowrider
2013
6.1
Madea's Witness Protection
2012
6.2
NYC 22
2012
5.5
Zombie Hamlet
2012
6.8
Royal Pains
2009
7.9
Lie to Me
20097.5
All Over Again
2007
NR
Ascension Day
2007
7.5
30 Rock
2006
6.6
Men in Trees
2006
7.9
Psych
2006
4.2
Voodoo Moon
2006
5.1
Dr. Dolittle 3
2006
7.6
My Name Is Earl
2005
5.4
Shadowboxing
2005
5.8
Countdown
2004
4.6
My Baby's Daddy
2004
5.3
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
7.5
Two and a Half Men
2003
8.3
All About the Andersons
2003
3.3
The Watermelon Heist
2003
NR
Remembering Roots
2002
6.2
Disappearing Acts
2000
6.9
The District
2000
5.8
Something to Sing About
2000
8.3
The West Wing
1999
6.4
The Players Club
1998
5.6
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997
4.6
The Chris Rock Show
1997
7.4
King of the Hill
1997
4.1
Hologram Man
1995
7.8
In the House
1995
7.7
The Outer Limits
1995
4.7
For Better or Worse
1995
7.2
Touched by an Angel
1994
9.0
704 Hauser
1994
4.0
Night Trap
1993
7.0
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
5.8
Mac
1992
7.5
Martin
1992
6.1
Ricochet
1991
7.9
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
7.0
Die Hard 2
1990
6.1
Two Evil Eyes
1990
6.8
Lock Up
1989
6.9
Coming to America
1988
7.7
Bonanza: The Next Generation
1988
7.4
Beauty and the Beast
1987
8.0
Shark's Paradise
1986
6.2
American Flyers
1985
7.5
Murder, She Wrote
1984
7.0
The Cosby Show
1984
7.1
Hunter
1984
6.5
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983
4.3
Dance of the Dwarfs
1983
7.5
The A-Team
1983
6.3
The Beastmaster
1982
6.2
Here's Boomer
1981
5.5
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980
5.0
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980
4.6
Touched by Love
1980
5.0
Willa
1979
6.5
Cops and Robin
1978
6.3
The Love Boat
1977
7.5
Future Cop
1977
7.4
Roots
1977NR
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
1977
7.5
Future Cop
1976
7.0
Let's Do It Again
1975
7.0
Dinah!
1974
8.0
Good Times
1974
6.3
The President's Plane Is Missing
1973
7.0
Police Story
1973
5.5
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973
7.5
Sanford and Son
1972
5.2
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
19719.0
The Funny Side
1971
5.1
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971
7.1
Vanishing Point
1971
7.7
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970
6.2
Love, American Style
1969
6.8
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
7.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
5.8
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
NR
Devotion
—NR
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
—NR
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
—NR
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