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.
110 acting credits
Acting · 110
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Two and a Half Men
2003
Psych
2006
The West Wing
1999
Murder, She Wrote
1984
King of the Hill
1997
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The Love Boat
1977
The A-Team
1983
30 Rock
2006
Love, American Style
1969
Hunter
1984
The Cosby Show
1984
My Name Is Earl
2005
Touched by an Angel
1994
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
Lie to Me
2009
The Outer Limits
1995
The District
2000
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
Martin
1992
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970
Ballers
2015
Royal Pains
2009
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
Sanford and Son
1972
Dinah!
1974
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983
Good Times
1974
Roots
1977
The Ranch
2016
Police Story
1973
In the House
1995
Suits LA
2025
Men in Trees
2006
The Last O.G.
2018
The Movies That Made Us
2019
Die Hard 2
1990
The Chris Rock Show
1997
Coming to America
1988
Uncut Gems
2019
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971
NYC 22
2012
Lock Up
1989
Coming 2 America
2021
The Beastmaster
1982
All About the Andersons
2003
Here's Boomer
1981
Ricochet
1991
Dr. Dolittle 3
2006
Me Time
2022
Vanishing Point
1971
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019
Bad Asses on the Bayou
2015
The Players Club
1998
Future Cop
1977
Two Evil Eyes
1990
Madea's Witness Protection
2012
The Last Rifleman
2023
704 Hauser
1994
Beauty and the Beast
1987
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016
American Flyers
1985
My Baby's Daddy
2004
The Funny Side
1971
Disappearing Acts
2000
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973
Hologram Man
1995
Mac
1992
Countdown
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
Shadowboxing
2005
Let's Do It Again
1975
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971
The President's Plane Is Missing
1973
For Better or Worse
1995
Willa
1979
Future Cop
1976
Cops and Robin
1978
Devotion
—
Zombie Hamlet
2012
Voodoo Moon
2006
Something to Sing About
2000
Bonanza: The Next Generation
1988
Shark's Paradise
1986
Block Party
2022
All Over Again
2007
American Lowrider
2013
Christmas Belles
2019
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
—
The Truth About Santa Claus
2020
Dance of the Dwarfs
1983
Touched by Love
1980
Night Trap
1993
The Watermelon Heist
2003
Remembering Roots
2002
Ascension Day
2007
Mercy for Angels
2015
Tamales and Gumbo
2015
Act of Faith
2014
The Beastmaster Chronicles
2020
Christmas in Miami
2021
Because of Charley
2021
Information Processing
—
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
—
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
1977