John Amos, best known for his starring roles in “Good Times” and “Roots,” has died at the age of 84. John Amos, a TV writer turned Emmy-nominated actor, played James Evans Sr. on “Good Times,” which featured one of television’s first Black two-parent families.
The CBS sitcom ran for six seasons from 1974 to 1979, but Amos’s character was killed off after the actor was fired after three seasons for voicing his displeasure with the writing direction of the show. Amos also got an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Toby, the older version of Kunta Kinte, on the acclaimed 1977 ABC miniseries “Roots.” In 1967, he was offered a free-agent contract and suited up for the NFL off-season with the Kansas City Chiefs, before ultimately pursuing his passion for writing.
Amos held jobs in advertising and as a comedy writer before moving to showbiz after landing a gig to play WJN-TV weatherman Gordy Howard on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” He also frequently appeared on “The Tim Conway Comedy Hour” in 1970 and had other television stints before he rose to prominence on “Good Times.” His career on the big screen was propelled by his breakout role in the 1971 thriller “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” and his role as the manager of a fast-food restaurant in “Coming to America” with Eddie Murphy.
In addition to his son, K.C., a Grammy-nominated video music director and editor, Amos is survived by his daughter, Shannon Amos, a former entertainment exec.