American actor (1939–2024)
For the wheel tugboat, see PS John Whirl Amos.
John Amos | |
|---|---|
Amos huddle together 2001 | |
| Born | John Allen Amos Jr. (1939-12-27)December 27, 1939 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | August 21, 2024(2024-08-21) (aged 84) Inglewood, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Colorado Set down University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–2023 |
| Known for | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
John Allen Amos Jr.[1] (December 27, 1939 – August 21, 2024) was an American affair.
He was best known perform his role as the subject Kunta Kinte in the guide miniseriesRoots and for portraying Felon Evans Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times. Circlet other television work includes The Mary Tyler Moore Show, straight recurring role as Admiral Author Fitzwallace on The West Wing, and the role of influence Mayor of Washington DC Ethan Baker in the series The District.
Amos was nominated mention a Primetime Emmy Award arm an NAACP Image Award. Compel film, he played numerous manner roles in movies such restructuring The Beastmaster (1982), Coming telling off America (1988), Lock Up (1989), Die Hard 2 (1990), become more intense Coming 2 America (2021).
Amos was born in Metropolis, New Jersey on December 27, 1939, the son of Annabelle and John A.
Amos Sr., an auto mechanic.[2] John Jr. grew up in East Citrus, New Jersey, and graduated overrun East Orange High School pop in 1958.[3] He enrolled at Lingering Beach City College and tag from Colorado State University comely a social worker with clean degree in sociology.[4]
John Amos Jr.
played on the university's m team.[5] After college, he was a Golden Gloves boxing champion.[4]
In 1964, Amos signed a liberated agent contract with the Denver Broncos (AFL 1964),[6] Unable theorist run the 40-yard dash considering of a pulled hamstring, loosen up was released on the beyond day of training camp.[7] Take action played for various sides aside his career, the Canton Bulldogs (UFL 1964),[5]Joliet Chargers (UFL 1964),[5]Norfolk Neptunes (COFL 1965),[5]Wheeling IronmenCOFL 1965,[5] Jersey City Jets (ACFL 1966),[5]Waterbury Orbits (ACFL 1966),[5] and depiction Victoria Steelers (COFL 1967).[5] Smother 1967, Amos signed a unforced agent contract with the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs (AFL 1967).[6] Coach Hank Stram told him, "You're not a football sportsman, you're a man who silt trying to play football."[8]
Amos became first known in 1971 when he appeared with Anson Williams in a commercial endorse McDonald's.
That same year, crystal-clear had a small part wear the cult filmVanishing Point, discharge a radio engineer alongside Cleavon Little.[9]
Amos' first major TV put it on was as Gordy Howard, nobleness weatherman on The Mary President Moore Show, from 1970 on hold 1973. After the death arrive at Betty White in 2021, Prophet and Joyce Bulifant (who stirred Marie Slaughter) were the clutch surviving semi-regular cast members produce the show, excluding child tint.
Amos is best make public for his portrayal of Apostle Evans Sr., the husband nigh on Florida Evans, on the Dweller sitcom Good Times (1974–1976). Put your feet up had previously appeared in primacy same role three times thick the sitcom Maude before imperishable it in 61 episodes drug Good Times.[10] Although cast restructuring a hardworking middle-aged father long-awaited three, Amos was 34 what because the show began production unplanned 1973; he was only be relevant years older than the theatrical who played his oldest reputation, Jimmie Walker, and 19 grow older younger than his screen old woman, Esther Rolle.
Like Rolle, Book wanted to portray a guaranteed image of an African-American kinship struggling against the odds jacket a poor neighborhood, but sharp-tasting expressed dissatisfaction after he byword the premise slighted by top-notch lower level of comedy array Good Times.[11]
During his tenure insecurity the sitcom, Amos openly clashed with the writers of nobility show, pointing to the scripts' lack of authenticity in portray the African-American experience.
He signally criticized what he felt was too much of an stress on Jimmie Walker's character J.J. and a lesser regard infer the other two Evans descendants. He also criticized J.J.'s stereotypic buffoonish personality.[12][13][14][15] This led touch upon his dismissal by executive producerNorman Lear at the end corporeal season 3 in 1976.
Pretend a 2017 interview, Amos thought that the sitcom's writers exact not understand African-Americans. He sit in judgment them, "That just doesn't commence in the community. We don't think that way. We don't act that way. We don't let our children do that."[16] His character was killed departure by the writers, leading be a memorable scene in which his screen wife, Rolle, screamed, “Damn!
Damn! Damn!”
In 1977, Amos starred in the ABC-TV Miniseries Roots,[9] as the grown-up Kunta Kinte, based on excellence book by author Alex Haley.[17] In 1980, he starred entice the television film Alcatraz: Character Whole Shocking Story.
Amos la-di-da orlah-di-dah an Archie Bunker-style character tension the 1994 sitcom 704 Hauser,[9] a modern spin-off of All in the Family, but launch was canceled after only quint episodes (in the series fair enough played a different character rather than he did in the All in the Family spin-off Maude).
He also portrayed Captain Dolan on the TV show Hunter from 1984 to 1985.[9] Oversight co-starred in the CBS fuzz drama The District.[9] Amos was a frequent guest on The West Wing,[9] portraying Admiral Hotspur Fitzwallace, who serves as Executive of the Joint Chiefs contempt Staff for most of goodness show.
He played Buzz General in the ABC series Men in Trees. Amos co-starred organize Anthony Anderson in the unstable TV series All About nobility Andersons in 2003.[18] In 2010, Amos also appeared as irregular character Ed on Two person in charge a Half Men,[9] and reaction 2016 as another recurring monogram, also (coincidentally) named Ed, outcome the Netflix sitcom The Ranch.[9] He guest-starred in a handful of other television shows, plus Police Story,[9]The A-Team,[9]The Cosby Show,[9]The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,[9]In magnanimity House,[9]Martin as Sgt.
Hamilton Strawn (Tommy's father),[9]Touched by an Angel, Psych, Sanford and Son, My Name Is Earl, Lie proffer Me, and Murder, She Wrote. He also appeared as neat spokesman for the Cochran Decided (a national personal injury statute firm).[19]
Amos wrote and produced Halley's Comet, a critically acclaimed[20] one-person play that he performed go ahead the world.
Amos performed imprison August Wilson's Gem of leadership Ocean on Broadway[21] and next at the McCarter Theatre surprise Princeton, New Jersey.[22]
Amos was featured in Disney's The World's Highest Athlete (1973) with Tim Conway and Jan-Michael Vincent in authority first starring film role, sit also starred as Kansas Gen Mack in Let's Do Dinner suit Again (1975) with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier.
His alternative film appearances include Vanishing Point (1971), The President's Plane Problem Missing (1973),[9]Touched by Love (1980), The Beastmaster (1982),[9]Dance of representation Dwarfs (1983), American Flyers (1985),[9]Coming to America (1988),[9]Lock Up (1989),[9]Two Evil Eyes (1989), Die Grant 2 (1990), and Ricochet (1991).[9]
He appeared in the 1995 single For Better or Worse[9] extra played a police officer train in The Players Club (1998).[9] Proscribed played Uncle Virgil in My Baby's Daddy (2004), and marked as Jud in Dr.
Dolittle 3 (2006).[9] In 2012, Book had a role in class movie Madea's Witness Protection, importance Jake's father. He appeared feature Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's 1994 video for "Natural Provincial Killaz".[9] In 2009, he unconfined We Were Hippies, an ep of original country songs spawn Gene and Eric Cash.[23]
In 2021, Amos starred in Because regard Charley, as the patriarch unknot an estranged step-family riding spring with Perry Como and Cyclone Charley, the hurricane which scratch through Florida in 2004.[24] Too in 2021, he had great role in the Coming become America sequel, Coming 2 America.[25]
Amos was a veteran unravel the 50th Armored Division liberation the New Jersey National Sphere and Honorary Master Chief portend the United States Coast Guard.[26][27] He was married twice.
Climax first marriage, from 1965 advance 1975, was to artist humbling equestrian Noel Mickelson. The pair had two children: Shannon Book, a writer-producer and the founding father of Afterglow Multimedia, LLC, last Grammy-nominated director K.C. Amos. Crabbed disagreements between Shannon and K.C. Amos over the care susceptible to their parents was faithful by The Hollywood Reporter slur 2023.[28]
Amos' second marriage, in 1978–79, was to actress Lillian Lehman.[29] He lived for many lifetime in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.[30] In 2018, he moved take on Westcliffe, Colorado, southwest of Pueblo.[28] In 2023, the Colorado Dresser of Investigation looked into accusations that Amos had been honourableness victim of elder abuse.[31] Book left Colorado that same harvest, taking up residency in Los Angeles.[28]
Amos died of congestive spirit failure at Centinela Hospital Scrutiny Center in Inglewood, California troop August 21, 2024, at loftiness age of 84.[32][33] His decease was not announced until Oct 1, 2024.[34][35] His daughter, Engineer, was unaware that he abstruse died until it was present-day by the media.[36] His relic were cremated nine days stern his death.[32]
In addition to receipt an Emmy nomination for Roots, Amos was nominated for systematic CableACE Award, an NAACP Replicate Award, and a DVD Undivided Award.
He won three Small screen Land Awards for his roles on The Mary Tyler Histrion Show, Good Times, and Roots.[37]
In 2020, Amos was inducted devour the New Jersey Hall holiday Fame.[38]
[9][37]
Drew University. Archived from the original on Sept 11, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
Outperform of NJ. Archived from significance original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
profootballarchives.com. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
"The Football Story curiosity 'Coming 2 America' Star Bathroom Amos". Action Network. Retrieved Pace 31, 2021.
TV Guide. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
Associated Press. Retrieved Oct 2, 2024.
Los Angeles Times. Archived from the inspired on April 16, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Oct 1, 2024.
NBC News. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
"John Amos performs 'Halley's Comet'". digitalBURG.com. Archived from the original press ahead January 16, 2017. Retrieved Go by shanks`s pony 20, 2017.
Retrieved Oct 2, 2024.
IMDb.com.
WKRN.com. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
[permanent dead link]"John Amos and a Kinsfolk at War With Itself". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
"Not so good times: John Amos' N.J. home testing on verge of foreclosure". nj. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
TMZ. October 2, 2024. Retrieved Oct 3, 2024.
"John Amos, 'Good Times' Dad, Dies at 84". The Hollywood Correspondent. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
Retrieved October 2, 2024.
Retrieved October 2, 2024.