John Amos, Star of Good Times and Roots, Dead at 84
The small screen has lost a prolific presence.
John Amos, an actor whose work became a cornerstone of TV in the 1970s and beyond, died on Aug. 21 from natural causes, his son Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos confirmed in an Oct. 1 statement. He was 84.
“He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over,” his son shared with Deadline. “Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”
Thanking fans for support, he continued, “My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life…. most recently in Suits LA playing himself and our documentary about his life journey as an actor, America’s Dad. He was my dad, my best friend, and my hero.”
He is also survived by his daughter Shannon Amos, whom he shared with ex-wife Noel Mickelson.
While Amos first rose to TV prominence in his role as the weatherman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, it was his roles on the sitcom Good Times and the 1977 miniseries Roots that have been the most enduring.
On the former, Amos played James Evans, dad to three children in Chicago, alongside his TV wife Florida (Esther Rolle). After debuting in 1974, the series lasted six seasons and marked the first television sitcom to feature a two-parent, Black family.
Roots: The Saga of an American Family was likewise a historic series, depicting the life of Kunta Kinte after he is abducted from his home in The Gambia and sold into slavery. Amos played the adult version of Kunta, while Levar Burton played the adolescent version.
His work on the series earned him an Emmy nomination, and earned TV Land Awards for Roots, Good Times and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In 1996 he also earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for In The House.
The New Jersey native also portrayed Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on The West Wing, worked on The District and appeared in movies such as The Beastmaster, 1988’s Coming to America (plus its 2021 sequel), Lock Up and Die Hard 2.
On Good Times, Amos previously told PBS on its Pioneers of Television series in 2013, “It was a an intelligent show at times, other times, of course, we didn't go for a heavy message and it was just sheer entertainment. But even under the umbrella of entertaining people we got messages across.”
Yet it was Roots that was a particularly special experience for the actor.
“I didn't care after I did Roots,” he explained to PBS, “if I ever worked again in the industry because I felt like this is it this is as good as it's going to get.”
But continue to work he did, leaving behind a legacy that won’t be easily forgotten.
“We are so proud to have represented John,” President of Buchwald talent agency Julia Buchwald told Deadline. “He was not only a remarkable talent but also a deeply kind and generous soul. His impact on the industry and those who knew him will never be forgotten.”
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