John Amos

John Amos

Acting
Born 1939-12-27 Died 2024-08-21 Newark, New Jersey, USA 111 credits New Jersey Hall of Fame 1

Awards

Won 1 New Jersey Hall of Fame Award

New Jersey Hall of Fame 1 won

  • 2019 New Jersey Hall of Fame Won

Award data from Wikidata (CC0). Coverage may be incomplete.

Read 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.
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Filmography — top 60 of 111
Acting 57 credits
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · ★ 7.5 · Self
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
2003 · ★ 7.5 · Ed
King of the Hill
King of the Hill
1997 · ★ 7.4 · Glen Johnson (voice)
The West Wing
The West Wing
1999 · ★ 8.3 · Percy Fitzwallace
Psych
Psych
2006 · ★ 7.9 · Uncle Burton
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · ★ 7.5 · Doc Penrose
The Love Boat
The Love Boat
1977 · ★ 6.3 · Duke Taylor
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self
Hunter
Hunter
1984 · ★ 7.1 · Capt. Dolan (uncredited)
The A-Team
The A-Team
1983 · ★ 7.5 · Rev. Taylor
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 · ★ 7.7 · Gordy Howard
30 Rock
30 Rock
2006 · ★ 7.5 · John Amos
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
1984 · ★ 7.0 · Dr. Herbert
Love, American Style
Love, American Style
1969 · Bell Captain
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
Lie to Me
Lie to Me
2009 · ★ 7.9 · Jim Weaver
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl
2005 · ★ 7.6 · Joe
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel
1994 · ★ 7.2 · James Mackey
Ballers
Ballers
2015 · ★ 6.8 · Deacon Eller
Royal Pains
Royal Pains
2009 · ★ 6.8 · Harrison Phillips
The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits
1995 · ★ 7.7 · Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · ★ 7.0 · Pastor Roscoe Jones
The District
The District
2000 · Ethan Baker
Martin
Martin
1992 · ★ 7.5 · Sgt. Strawn
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · ★ 7.9 · Fred Wilkes
Die Hard 2
Die Hard 2
1990 · ★ 7.0 · Major Grant
The Ranch
The Ranch
2016 · ★ 7.4 · Ed
Dinah!
Dinah!
1974 · Self
Good Times
Good Times
1974 · ★ 8.0 · James Evans Sr.
Coming to America
Coming to America
1988 · ★ 6.9 · Cleo McDowell
Hardcastle and McCormick
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983 · Albie Meadows
Police Story
Police Story
1973 · Walt Kyles
The Last O.G.
The Last O.G.
2018 · Uncle D
Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems
2019 · ★ 7.2 · Neighbor 33F
Suits LA
Suits LA
2025 · ★ 6.8 · John Amos, In Memory Of
The Movies That Made Us
The Movies That Made Us
2019 · ★ 7.3 · Self
Roots
Roots
1977 · ★ 7.4 · Toby, Kunta Kinte
Men in Trees
Men in Trees
2006 · Buzz Washington
The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show
1997 · Self
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971 · Mark Cooper
Coming 2 America
Coming 2 America
2021 · ★ 6.3 · Cleo McDowell
Lock Up
Lock Up
1989 · ★ 6.8 · Captain Meissner
NYC 22
NYC 22
2012 · Pappy Science
Me Time
Me Time
2022 · ★ 5.8 · Gil
Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point
1971 · ★ 7.1 · Super Soul's Engineer
The Beastmaster
The Beastmaster
1982 · ★ 6.3 · Seth
Ricochet
Ricochet
1991 · ★ 6.1 · Reverend Styles
All About the Andersons
All About the Andersons
2003 · Joe Anderson
Dr. Dolittle 3
Dr. Dolittle 3
2006 · ★ 5.1 · Jud
Madea's Witness Protection
Madea's Witness Protection
2012 · ★ 6.1 · Pastor Nelson
Two Evil Eyes
Two Evil Eyes
1990 · ★ 6.1 · Det. Legrand
American Flyers
American Flyers
1985 · ★ 6.2 · Dr. Conrad
The Players Club
The Players Club
1998 · ★ 6.4 · Freeman
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Bumpy Johnson
Future Cop
Future Cop
1977 · Bill Bundy
The Last Rifleman
The Last Rifleman
2023 · ★ 6.7 · Lincoln Jefferson Adams
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Bad Asses on the Bayou
2015 · ★ 6.0 · Earl
Other credits 3 credits
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
1972 · ★ 7.5
In the House
In the House
1995
Here's Boomer
Here's Boomer
1981
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