Suits LA
2025 · TV Show
as John Amos
John Amos
1939-12-27
•
Newark, New Jersey, USA
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
The Last Rifleman
2023 · Movie
as Lincoln Jefferson Adams
Block Party
2022 · Movie
as Dennis
Me Time
2022 · Movie
as Gil
Christmas in Miami
2021 · Movie
as Chief Host
Coming 2 America
2021 · Movie
as Cleo McDowell
Because of Charley
2021 · Movie
as Grandpa
The Truth About Santa Claus
2020 · Movie
as Bob
The Beastmaster Chronicles
2020 · Movie
as Self
Uncut Gems
2019 · Movie
as Neighbor 33F
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"
2019 · Movie
as Fred Davis
Christmas Belles
2019 · Movie
as Pop Pop
The Movies That Made Us
2019 · TV Show
as Self
The Last O.G.
2018 · TV Show
as Uncle D
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You
2016 · Movie
as Self
The Ranch
2016 · TV Show
as Ed
Bad Asses on the Bayou
2015 · Movie
as Earl
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
2015 · Movie
as Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage)
Mercy for Angels
2015 · Movie
as God
Tamales and Gumbo
2015 · Movie
as The Patron
Ballers
2015 · TV Show
as Deacon Eller
Act of Faith
2014 · Movie
as Mr. Brady
American Lowrider
2013 · Movie
as Slick
Madea's Witness Protection
2012 · Movie
as Pastor Nelson
Zombie Hamlet
2012 · Movie
as Edgar Mortimer
NYC 22
2012 · TV Show
as Pappy Science
Lie to Me
2009 · TV Show
as Jim Weaver
Royal Pains
2009 · TV Show
as Harrison Phillips
No image
All Over Again
2007 · Movie
as Coach Zeller
Ascension Day
2007 · Movie
as Henry
Dr. Dolittle 3
2006 · Movie
as Jud
Voodoo Moon
2006 · Movie
as Dutch
Psych
2006 · TV Show
as Uncle Burton
Men in Trees
2006 · TV Show
as Buzz Washington
30 Rock
2006 · TV Show
as John Amos
Shadowboxing
2005 · Movie
as Хилл
My Name Is Earl
2005 · TV Show
as Joe
Countdown
2004 · Movie
as Admiral Melory
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · Movie
as (archive footage)
My Baby's Daddy
2004 · Movie
as Uncle Virgil
The Watermelon Heist
2003 · Movie
as Old Man Amos
Two and a Half Men
2003 · TV Show
as Ed
All About the Andersons
2003 · TV Show
as Joe Anderson
Remembering Roots
2002 · Movie
as Self
Something to Sing About
2000 · Movie
as Rev. Washington
Disappearing Acts
2000 · Movie
as Mr. Swift
The District
2000 · TV Show
as Ethan Baker
The West Wing
1999 · TV Show
as Percy Fitzwallace
The Players Club
1998 · Movie
as Freeman
The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda
1997 · Movie
as Booker Hutch
The Chris Rock Show
1997 · TV Show
as Self
King of the Hill
1997 · TV Show
as Glen Johnson (voice)
For Better or Worse
1995 · Movie
as Gray
Hologram Man
1995 · Movie
as Wes Strickland
In the House
1995 · TV Show
The Outer Limits
1995 · TV Show
as Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski
Touched by an Angel
1994 · TV Show
as James Mackey
704 Hauser
1994 · TV Show
as Ernie Cumberbatch
Night Trap
1993 · Movie
as Capt. Hodges
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · TV Show
as Pastor Roscoe Jones
Mac
1992 · Movie
as Nat
Martin
1992 · TV Show
as Sgt. Strawn
Ricochet
1991 · Movie
as Reverend Styles
Die Hard 2
1990 · Movie
as Major Grant
Two Evil Eyes
1990 · Movie
as Det. Legrand
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · TV Show
as Fred Wilkes
Lock Up
1989 · Movie
as Captain Meissner
Coming to America
1988 · Movie
as Cleo McDowell
Bonanza: The Next Generation
1988 · Movie
as Mr. Mack
Beauty and the Beast
1987 · TV Show
as Farrell
Shark's Paradise
1986 · Movie
as Taxi Driver
American Flyers
1985 · Movie
as Dr. Conrad
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · TV Show
as Doc Penrose
The Cosby Show
1984 · TV Show
as Dr. Herbert
Hunter
1984 · TV Show
as Capt. Dolan (uncredited)
Dance of the Dwarfs
1983 · Movie
as Esteban
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983 · TV Show
as Albie Meadows
The A-Team
1983 · TV Show
as Rev. Taylor
The Beastmaster
1982 · Movie
as Seth
Here's Boomer
1981 · TV Show
Touched by Love
1980 · Movie
as Tony
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · Movie
as Bumpy Johnson
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980 · TV Show
as Bumpy Johnson
Willa
1979 · Movie
as Virgil
Cops and Robin
1978 · Movie
as Officer Bill Bundy
Roots
1977 · TV Show
as Toby, Kunta Kinte
Future Cop
1977 · TV Show
as Bill Bundy
The Love Boat
1977 · TV Show
as Duke Taylor
No image
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
1977 · TV Show
as Older Kunta Kinte
Future Cop
1976 · Movie
as Officer Bill Bundy
Let's Do It Again
1975 · Movie
as Kansas City Mack
Good Times
1974 · TV Show
as James Evans Sr.
Dinah!
1974 · TV Show
as Self
The World's Greatest Athlete
1973 · Movie
as Coach Sam Archer
The President's Plane Is Missing
1973 · Movie
as Marine Corporal
Police Story
1973 · TV Show
as Walt Kyles
Sanford and Son
1972 · TV Show
Vanishing Point
1971 · Movie
as Super Soul's Engineer
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
1971 · Movie
as Biker
No image
The Funny Side
1971 · TV Show
as Minority Husband
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971 · TV Show
as Mark Cooper
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 · TV Show
as Gordy Howard
Love, American Style
1969 · TV Show
as Bell Captain
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · TV Show
as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · TV Show
as Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · TV Show
as Self
Devotion
· Movie
as Roger
No image
Future Cop: Cops and Robin
· Movie
as Officer Bundy
No image
John Amos: Roots of an American Legend
· Movie
as Self
No image
Information Processing
· Movie
as Self
