Veteran American actor John Amos has passed away at the age of 84.
The ‘Roots’ and ‘Good Times’ star’s death was announced on Tuesday, with his family confirming the sad news. According to a statement issued by his publicist, Amos died of natural causes in Los Angeles on August 21, 2024.
“With a career spanning over five decades, Amos leaves behind a legacy of groundbreaking work in both television and film, and a dedication to positive African American representation in media,” the statement read.
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Kelly Christopher Amos, John’s son, described his father as “my dad, my best friend, and my hero.”
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has passed,” the younger Amos said. “He was a man with the kindest heart … and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on through his outstanding work in television and film.”
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Before becoming an actor, John Amos played football at Colorado State and had a brief stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. His big acting break came in 1970 when he was cast as Gordy the weatherman on the popular “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
However, the role that solidified him as one of TV’s iconic sitcom dads came in 1974 when he was cast as James Evans, the stern yet loving father on “Good Times.” He appeared in 61 episodes of the Norman Lear sitcom, which focused on a hardworking family struggling to get by in a Chicago housing project.
Amos also portrayed the adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark 1977 miniseries “Roots,” acting alongside some of the era’s most prominent Black actors, including Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, Louis Gossett Jr., and Leslie Uggams.
Film fans may remember him as Cleo McDowell, the fast-food tycoon in the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy “Coming to America,” or as Bruce Willis’ antagonist in “Die Hard 2” (1990).
In 1999, Amos enjoyed a career resurgence when he was cast in the acclaimed drama “The West Wing,” where he played Admiral Percy “Fitz” Fitzwallace for five seasons.
“My father loved acting throughout his life,” Kelly Amos said, “most recently in Suits LA, where he played himself, and in our documentary about his journey as an actor, ‘America’s Dad.'”
