John Amos, actor from 'Good Times,' 'Roots,' many more, dies at 84
John Amos during 5th Annual TV Land Awards - Arrivals at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, CA, United States. (Photo by J.Sciulli/WireImage)
John Amos, known for his memorable roles in "Good Times," "Roots" and many more, has died. He was 84 years old.
Amos died in Los Angeles of natural causes, according to a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter by Amos’ son, K.C. Amos.
"It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned," he said in a statement. "He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor."
The pioneering family patriarch
Amos played James Evans Sr. on "Good Times," which featured one of television's first Black two-parent families.
"That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African American family living in those circumstances as it could be," Amos told Time magazine in 2021.
His character, along with wife Florida, played by Esther Rolle, originated on another Lear show, "Maude." James Evans often worked two manual labor jobs to support his family that included three children, with Jimmie Walker becoming a breakout star as oldest son J.J.
Such was the show's impact that Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, the Wu-Tang Clan are among the musicians who name-checked Amos or his character in their lyrics.
After three seasons of critical acclaim and high ratings, Amos was fired. He had become critical of the show’s white writing staff creating storylines that he felt were inauthentic to the Black characters.
"There were several examples where I said, ‘No, you don’t do these things. It’s anathema to Black society. I’ll be the expert on that, if you don’t mind,‘" he told Time magazine. "And it got confrontational and heated enough that ultimately my being killed off the show was the best solution for everybody concerned, myself included."
After ‘Good Times’ and beyond
Another one of Amos' most memorable roles after leaving "Good Times" was his portrayal of an adult Kunta Kinte in "Roots," based on Alex Haley's novel set during and after the era of slavery in the United States.
"I knew that it was a life-changing role for me, as an actor and just from a humanistic standpoint," he told Time magazine. "It was the culmination of all of the misconceptions and stereotypical roles that I had lived and seen being offered to me. It was like a reward for having suffered those indignities."
In recent years, Amos was featured in recurring roles on hit TV shows such as "The West Wing" and "The District," as well as many one-time roles.
Amos is survived by his son and daughter, Shannon Amos, and one granddaughter, according to IMDB.