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