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.
Suits LA
The Movies That Made Us
The Last O.G.
The Ranch
Ballers
NYC 22
30 Rock
Men in Trees
Psych
My Name Is Earl
Two and a Half Men
All About the Andersons
The District
The West Wing
The Chris Rock Show
King of the Hill
The Outer Limits
Touched by an Angel
704 Hauser
Walker, Texas Ranger
Martin
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Murder, She Wrote
The Cosby Show
Hunter
Hardcastle and McCormick
The A-Team
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Here's Boomer
Future Cop
Roots
Good Times
Police Story
Sanford and Son
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Love, American Style
Coming to America
Die Hard 2
Lock Up
