John Amos

Biography

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.

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Two and a Half Men

The West Wing

Psych

King of the Hill

Murder, She Wrote

The A-Team

The Mike Douglas Show

All Movies (62)

• The Last Rifleman2023 · as Lincoln Jefferson Adams
• Me Time2022 · as Gil
• Block Party2022 · as Dennis
• Christmas in Miami2021 · as Chief Host
• Because of Charley2021 · as Grandpa
• Coming 2 America2021 · as Cleo McDowell
• The Truth About Santa Claus2020 · as Bob
• The Beastmaster Chronicles2020 · as Self
• Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"2019 · as Fred Davis
• Christmas Belles2019 · as Pop Pop
• Uncut Gems2019 · as Neighbor 33F
• Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You2016 · as Self
• Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration2015 · as Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
• Tamales and Gumbo2015 · as The Patron
• Mercy for Angels2015 · as God
• Bad Asses on the Bayou2015 · as Earl
• Act of Faith2014 · as Mr. Brady
• American Lowrider2013 · as Slick
• Madea's Witness Protection2012 · as Pastor Nelson
• Zombie Hamlet2012 · as Edgar Mortimer
• All Over Again2007 · as Coach Zeller
• Ascension Day2007 · as Henry
• Voodoo Moon2006 · as Dutch
• Dr. Dolittle 32006 · as Jud
• Shadowboxing2005 · as Хилл
• Countdown2004 · as Admiral Melory
• My Baby's Daddy2004 · as Uncle Virgil
• TV in Black: The First Fifty Years2004 · as (archive footage)
• The Watermelon Heist2003 · as Old Man Amos
• Remembering Roots2002 · as Self
• Disappearing Acts2000 · as Mr. Swift
• Something to Sing About2000 · as Rev. Washington
• The Players Club1998 · as Freeman
• The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda1997 · as Booker Hutch
• Hologram Man1995 · as Wes Strickland
• For Better or Worse1995 · as Gray
• Night Trap1993 · as Capt. Hodges
• Mac1992 · as Nat
• Ricochet1991 · as Reverend Styles
• Die Hard 21990 · as Major Grant
• Two Evil Eyes1990 · as Det. Legrand
• Lock Up1989 · as Captain Meissner
• Coming to America1988 · as Cleo McDowell
• Bonanza: The Next Generation1988 · as Mr. Mack
• Shark's Paradise1986 · as Taxi Driver
• American Flyers1985 · as Dr. Conrad
• Dance of the Dwarfs1983 · as Esteban
• The Beastmaster1982 · as Seth
• Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story1980 · as Bumpy Johnson
• Touched by Love1980 · as Tony
• Willa1979 · as Virgil
• Cops and Robin1978 · as Officer Bill Bundy
• Future Cop1976 · as Officer Bill Bundy
• Let's Do It Again1975 · as Kansas City Mack
• The President's Plane Is Missing1973 · as Marine Corporal
• The World's Greatest Athlete1973 · as Coach Sam Archer
• Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song1971 · as Biker
• Vanishing Point1971 · as Super Soul's Engineer
• Devotion— · as Roger
• Future Cop: Cops and Robin— · as Officer Bundy
• John Amos: Roots of an American Legend— · as Self
• Information Processing— · as Self

All TV Shows (50)

• Suits LA2025 · as John Amos
• The Movies That Made Us2019 · as Self
• The Last O.G.2018 · as Uncle D
• The Ranch2016 · as Ed
• Ballers2015 · as Deacon Eller
• NYC 222012 · as Pappy Science
• Royal Pains2009 · as Harrison Phillips
• Lie to Me2009 · as Jim Weaver
• 30 Rock2006 · as John Amos
• Men in Trees2006 · as Buzz Washington
• Psych2006 · as Uncle Burton
• My Name Is Earl2005 · as Joe
• Two and a Half Men2003 · as Ed
• All About the Andersons2003 · as Joe Anderson
• The District2000 · as Ethan Baker
• The West Wing1999 · as Percy Fitzwallace
• The Chris Rock Show1997 · as Self
• King of the Hill1997 · as Glen Johnson (voice)
• In the House1995
• The Outer Limits1995 · as Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
• Touched by an Angel1994 · as James Mackey
• 704 Hauser1994 · as Ernie Cumberbatch
• Walker, Texas Ranger1993 · as Pastor Roscoe Jones
• Martin1992 · as Sgt. Strawn
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air1990 · as Fred Wilkes
• Beauty and the Beast1987 · as Farrell
• Murder, She Wrote1984 · as Doc Penrose
• The Cosby Show1984 · as Dr. Herbert
• Hunter1984 · as Capt. Dolan (uncredited)
• Hardcastle and McCormick1983 · as Albie Meadows
• The A-Team1983 · as Rev. Taylor
• Here's Boomer1981
• Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story1980 · as Bumpy Johnson
• The Love Boat1977 · as Duke Taylor
• Future Cop1977 · as Bill Bundy
• Roots1977 · as Toby
• Roots1977 · as Kunta Kinte
• Roots: The Complete Miniseries1977 · as Older Kunta Kinte
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• Good Times1974 · as James Evans Sr.
• Police Story1973 · as Walt Kyles
• Sanford and Son1972
• The New Dick Van Dyke Show1971 · as Mark Cooper
• The Funny Side1971 · as Minority Husband
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show1970 · as Gordy Howard
• Love, American Style1969 · as Bell Captain
• Love, American Style1969
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self