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John Amos
Actor, Producer
Born December 27, 1939Died August 21, 2024 (84 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
John Amos Filmography
| 2023 | The Last Rifleman · as Lincoln Jefferson Adams |
| 2022 | Me Time · as Gil |
| 2022 | Block Party · as Dennis |
| 2021 | Christmas in Miami · as Chief Host |
| 2021 | Because of Charley · as Grandpa |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America · as Cleo Mcdowell |
| 2020 | The Truth About Santa Claus · as Bob |
| 2019 | Uncut Gems · as Neighbor 33f |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | Christmas Belles · as Pop Pop |
| 2019 | The Righteous Gemstones (TV Series) · as Roddey Lissons |
| 2018 | The Last O.G. (TV Series) · as Uncle D |
| 2016 | The Ranch (TV Series) · as Ed |
| 2015 | Tamales and Gumbo · as The Patron |
| 2015 | Ballers (TV Series) · as Deacon Eller |
| 2015 | Mercy for Angels · as God |
| 2015 | Bad Asses on the Bayou · as Earl |
| 2014 | Act of Faith · as Mr. Brady |
| 2013 | Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell (TV Series) · as War |
| 2012 | Madea's Witness Protection · as Pastor Nelson |
| 2012 | NYC 22 (TV Series) · as Pappy Science |
| 2012 | Zombie Hamlet · as Edgar Mortimer |
| 2012 | Untitled Martin Lawrence Project · as Captain Lorenzo |
| 2010 | American Lowrider · as Slick |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | Royal Pains (TV Series) · as Harrison Phillips |
| 2009 | Lie to Me (TV Series) · as Jim Weaver |
| 2007 | Ascension Day · as Henry |
| 2006 | Men in Trees (TV Series) · as Buzz Washington |
| 2006 | Psych (TV Series) · as Uncle Burton |
| 2006 | Voodoo Moon · as Dutch |
| 2006 | Dr. Dolittle 3 · as Jud |
| 2005 | My Name Is Earl (TV Series) · as Joe |
| 2005 | Shadowboxing · as Хилл |
| 2004 | Countdown · as Admiral Melory |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · as (archive Footage) |
| 2004 | My Baby's Daddy · as Uncle Virgil |
| 2003 | Two and a Half Men (TV Series) · as Ed |
| 2003 | All About the Andersons (TV Series) · as Joe Anderson |
| 2003 | The Watermelon Heist · as Old Man Amos |
| 2001 | All Over Again · as Coach Zeller |
| 2000 | Disappearing Acts · as Mr. Swift |
| 2000 | The District (TV Series) · as Ethan Baker |
| 2000 | Something to Sing About · as Rev. Washington |
| 1999 | The West Wing (TV Series) · as Percy Fitzwallace |
| 1998 | The Players Club · as Freeman |
| 1997 | The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda · as Booker Hutch |
| 1997 | King of the Hill (TV Series) · as Glen Johnson (voice) |
| 1995 | In the House (TV Series) |
| 1995 | Hologram Man · as Wes Strickland |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits (1995) (TV Series) · as Peter 'yas' Yastrzemski |
| 1995 | For Better or Worse · as Gray |
| 1995 | Murder Was the Case: The Movie · as Detective (segment: Natural Born Killaz) |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) · as Sheriff James Mackey |
| 1994 | 704 Hauser (TV Series) · as Ernie Cumberbatch |
| 1993 | Night Trap · as Capt. Hodges |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series) · as Pastor Roscoe Jones |
| 1993 | Two Evil Eyes · as Cast |
| 1992 | Mac · as Nat |
| 1992 | Martin (TV Series) · as Sgt. Strawn |
| 1991 | Ricochet · as Reverend Styles |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series) · as Fred Wilkes |
| 1990 | Die Hard 2 · as Major Grant |
| 1990 | Two Evil Eyes · as Det. Legrand |
| 1989 | Lock Up · as Captain Meissner |
| 1989 | Gideon Oliver (TV Series) · as Carl Manning |
| 1988 | Coming to America · as Cleo Mcdowell |
| 1988 | Bonanza: The Next Generation · as Mr. Mack |
| 1987 | Beauty and the Beast (TV Series) · as Farrell |
| 1986 | Shark's Paradise · as Taxi Driver |
| 1986 | Stingray (1985) (TV Series) · as Roy Jeffries |
| 1985 | American Masters (TV Series) · as Dr. Bledsoe |
| 1985 | American Flyers · as Dr. Conrad |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as Doc Penrose |
| 1984 | The Cosby Show (TV Series) · as Dr. Herbert |
| 1984 | |
| 1983 | Dance of the Dwarfs · as Esteban |
| 1983 | Hardcastle and McCormick (TV Series) · as Albie Meadows |
| 1983 | The A-Team (TV Series) · as Rev. Taylor |
| 1982 | The Beastmaster · as Seth |
| 1980 | Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story · as Bumpy Johnson |
| 1980 | Touched by Love · as Tony |
| 1980 | Here's Boomer (TV Series) |
| 1979 | Trapper John, M.D. (TV Series) · as Ins. Roland Hackett |
| 1979 | Willa · as Virgil |
| 1978 | Cops and Robin · as Officer Bill Bundy |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Duke Taylor |
| 1977 | Roots (TV Series) · as Kunta Kinte |
| 1976 | Future Cop (TV Series) · as Bill Bundy |
| 1975 | Let's Do It Again · as Kansas City Mack |
| 1974 | Good Times (TV Series) · as James Evans Sr. |
| 1973 | The President's Plane Is Missing · as Marine Corporal |
| 1973 | Police Story (TV Series) · as Walt Kyles |
| 1973 | The World's Greatest Athlete · as Coach Sam Archer |
| 1972 | Maude (TV Series) · as Henry Evans |
| 1972 | Sanford and Son (TV Series) |
| 1971 | The New Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series) · as Mark Cooper |
| 1971 | The Funny Side of... (TV Series) · as Minority Husband |
| 1971 | Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song · as Biker |
| 1971 | Vanishing Point · as Super Soul's Engineer |
| 1970 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show (TV Series) · as Gordy Howard |
| 1970 | The Tim Conway Comedy Hour (TV Series) · as Various |
| 1969 | Love, American Style (TV Series) · as Bell Captain |
| 1969 | The Bill Cosby Show (TV Series) · as 1st Salesman |
| 1968 | One Life to Live (TV Series) · as Bill Moore |
| 1960 | Insight (TV Series) · as Josh Cameron |
Devotion · as Roger |
| 2026 | Booo · as Self (1988) |
| 2025 | Suits LA (TV Series) · as John Amos |
| 2022 | Uncle Tom II: An American Odyssey · as Self |
| 2019 | The Movies That Made Us (TV Series) · as Self - Actor, 'cleo Mcdowell' |
| 2016 | Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You · as Self |
| 2015 | Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration · as Self / Gordy Howard (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | The Seventies (2015) (TV Series) · as Self - Actor, 'good Times' |
| 2012 | Oprah: Where Are They Now? (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Life After (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2008 | The Wendy Williams Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | Speechless · as Self |
| 2008 | Pioneers of Television (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | The 5th Annual TV Land Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2007 | The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2006 | 30 Rock (TV Series) · as John Amos |
| 2004 | TV Land Moguls (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The 2nd Annual TV Land Awards · as Self |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | CBS at 75 · as Self |
| 2003 | I Love the 80s Strikes Back (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | I Love the 70s (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | 3rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self |
| 1997 | The Chris Rock Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Extra (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1990 | The Howard Stern Channel 9 Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | The Arsenio Hall Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1978 | 20/20 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1974 | Dinah! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1974 | Tony Orlando And Dawn (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | The Hollywood Squares (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2014 | Althea · as Executive Producer |
| 2012 | Zombie Hamlet · as Co-Producer |
| 1985 | American Masters (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |