John Amos
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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Movies (63)
El último soldado
2023 · Lincoln Jefferson Adams
Tiempo para mí
2022 · Gil
Block Party
2022 · Dennis
Christmas in Miami
2021 · Chief Host
Because of Charley
2021 · Grandpa
Un príncipe en Nueva York 2
2021 · Cleo McDowell
The Truth About Santa Claus
2020 · Bob
The Beastmaster Chronicles
2020 · Self
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019 · Fred Davis
Diamantes en bruto
2019 · Neighbor 33F
Christmas Belles
2019 · Pop Pop
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016 · Self
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015 · Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
Tamales and Gumbo
2015 · The Patron
Mercy for Angels
2015 · God
Un tipo duro 3 - En el pantano
2015 · Earl
Althea
2014 · Executive Producer
Act of Faith
2014 · Mr. Brady
American Lowrider
2013 · Slick
Protección de testigos de Madea
2012 · Pastor Nelson
Zombie Hamlet
2012 · Edgar Mortimer
All Over Again
2007 · Coach Zeller
Ascension Day
2007 · Henry
Voodoo Moon
2006 · Dutch
Dr. Dolittle 3
2006 · Jud
Shadowboxing
2005 · Хилл
Countdown
2004 · Admiral Melory
My Baby's Daddy
2004 · Uncle Virgil
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · (archive footage)
The Watermelon Heist
2003 · Old Man Amos
Remembering Roots
2002 · Self
Disappearing Acts
2000 · Mr. Swift
Something to Sing About
2000 · Rev. Washington
The Players Club
1998 · Freeman
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997 · Booker Hutch
Hologram Man
1995 · Wes Strickland
For Better or Worse
1995 · Gray
Night Trap
1993 · Capt. Hodges
Mac
1992 · Nat
Ricochet
1991 · Reverend Styles
Die Hard 2
1990 · Major Grant
Two Evil Eyes
1990 · Det. Legrand
Lock Up
1989 · Captain Meissner
Coming to America
1988 · Cleo McDowell
Bonanza: The Next Generation
1988 · Mr. Mack
Shark's Paradise
1986 · Taxi Driver
American Flyers
1985 · Dr. Conrad
Dance of the Dwarfs
1983 · Esteban
The Beastmaster
1982 · Seth
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Bumpy Johnson
Touched by Love
1980 · Tony
Willa
1979 · Virgil
Cops and Robin
1978 · Officer Bill Bundy
Future Cop
1976 · Officer Bill Bundy
Let's Do It Again
1975 · Kansas City Mack
The President's Plane Is Missing
1973 · Marine Corporal
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973 · Coach Sam Archer
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971 · Biker
Vanishing Point
1971 · Super Soul's Engineer (uncredited)
Devotion
· Roger
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
· Officer Bundy
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
· Self
Information Processing
· Self
TV shows (48)
Suits LA
2025 · John Amos, In Memory Of
Las películas que nos formaron
2019 · Self
The Last Original Gangster
2018 · Uncle D
The Ranch
2016 · Ed
Ballers
2015 · Deacon Eller
NYC 22
2012 · Pappy Science
Royal Pains
2009 · Harrison Phillips
Miénteme (Lie to Me)
2009 · Jim Weaver
30 Rock
2006 · John Amos
Men in Trees
2006 · Buzz Washington
Psych
2006 · Uncle Burton
Mi nombre es Earl
2005 · Joe
Dos Hombres y Medio
2003 · Ed
All About the Andersons
2003 · Joe Anderson
The District
2000 · Ethan Baker
The West Wing
1999 · Percy Fitzwallace
The Chris Rock Show
1997 · Self
King of the Hill
1997 · Glen Johnson (voice)
In the House
1995
The Outer Limits
1995 · Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
Touched by an Angel
1994 · James Mackey
704 Hauser
1994 · Ernie Cumberbatch
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · Pastor Roscoe Jones
Martin
1992 · Sgt. Strawn
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · Fred Wilkes
Beauty and the Beast
1987 · Farrell
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · Doc Penrose
The Cosby Show
1984 · Dr. Herbert
Hunter
1984 · Captain Dolan
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983 · Albie Meadows
The A-Team
1983 · Rev. Taylor
Here's Boomer
1981
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Bumpy Johnson
The Love Boat
1977 · Duke Taylor
Future Cop
1977 · Bill Bundy
Roots
1977 · Toby, Kunta Kinte, Older Kunta Kinte
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
1977 · Older Kunta Kinte
Dinah!
1974 · Self
Good Times
1974 · James Evans Sr.
Police Story
1973 · Walt Kyles
Sanford and Son
1972
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971 · Mark Cooper
The Funny Side
1971 · Minority Husband
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 · Gordy Howard
Love, American Style
1969 · Bell Captain
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self