The iconic figure played a crucial role in groundbreaking Black-led sitcoms and the landmark TV mini-series about slavery.
In recent actor news, John Amos, renowned for his portrayal of a tough but loving father on “Good Times,” the first sitcom to feature a two-parent African American family, and his memorable performance in “Roots,” the slavery saga that captivated America in the late 1970s, has died in Los Angeles. He was 84. This actor’s death occurred on Aug. 21 and was confirmed by his publicist, Belinda Foster, on Tuesday. No cause was given, nor was a reason provided for the delayed announcement of what actor died today.
Mr. Amos’s acting career spanned more than five decades. His big break came in 1970 on CBS’s “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” where he played Gordy, the weatherman on a local news program, alongside Ms. Moore’s Mary Richards, an associate producer. After three seasons, Mr. Amos moved to “Good Times,” a Norman Lear production spun off from the producer’s sitcom “Maude.”
“Good Times” and Its Impact
“Good Times,” aired from 1974-79 on CBS, followed a Black working-class family in Chicago’s public housing. The show tackled challenging social issues like racial prejudice, drug abuse, and poverty – all with a touch of humor.
Mr. Amos portrayed James Evans Sr., a strict disciplinarian with a soft heart who worked various jobs to support his wife, Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), sons Michael (Ralph Carter) and J.J. (Jimmie Walker), and daughter Thelma (Bernadette Stanis, whose net worth has been a topic of interest). In one poignant scene, James reminisces with a childhood friend about their humble beginnings, joking that he was so poor he had “patches on my patches!”
Challenges and Departure from “Good Times”
“Good Times” achieved high ratings and was praised for breaking new ground – it was among the first sitcoms with an all-Black cast, preceding Mr. Lear’s “The Jeffersons” (1975-85). However, Ms. Rolle and Mr. Amos felt there was room for improvement in Black representation behind the scenes. They urged Mr. Lear to allow them to revise scripts, which were primarily written by white writers.
Mr. Amos recalled how writers would boast about their credentials during a SiriusXM interview on “Sway in the Morning.” He’d then ask them, “How long have you been Black? That’s not how we think or act in our community. We don’t let our kids behave that way.”
At first, his outspokenness was welcomed. But it eventually led to his firing in 1976 for being a “disruptive element,” as Mr. Amos explained in the radio interview. His character was written out of Season 4, killed off in a car crash. This led many to wonder why did John Amos leave Good Times and about Good Times James death.
“I had a way of expressing my disagreements with the script that the creative team didn’t like,” Mr. Amos said.
“Roots” and Its Cultural Impact
“Roots,” a 1977 miniseries based on Alex Haley’s semi-autobiographical novel, tells the story of a family starting with Kunta Kinte, a Mandinka teen from The Gambia. It follows his capture, enslavement in America, and his descendants’ journey through colonialism, the Civil War, and Jim Crow, ending with Mr. Haley in modern times.
Mr. Amos played the older Kunta Kinte, with LeVar Burton as the younger version. The show received 37 Primetime Emmy nominations, including one for Mr. Amos as outstanding lead actor, and won nine. The finale drew a record-breaking 100 million viewers.
The show’s impact went beyond TV ratings. Frank Rich, later a New York Times critic and columnist, wrote in Time magazine that hundreds of colleges started Roots courses. The National Archives saw a surge in requests for ancestry information. Mr. Amos told NY1 in a 2022 interview marking the show’s 45th anniversary that the series “raised American awareness” about slavery in America’s history and its lasting effects.
Early Life and Sports Career
John Allen Amos Jr. was born on Dec. 27, 1939, in Newark, N.J. His parents were John and Annabelle Amos, and he grew up in East Orange, N.J. His father worked as an auto mechanic. As a kid, John Jr. dreamed of becoming a football star. After playing for Colorado State University and graduating, he also became a Golden Gloves boxing champion. The Denver Broncos signed him, but a hamstring injury led to his release on the second day of training camp. He later signed with the Kansas City Chiefs but was rereleased.
Transition to Entertainment
After being cut from a team twice, Mr. Amos found himself in a bathtub with a bottle of Jack Daniels. He penned “The Turk,” a poem about his dashed sports dreams there. Before leaving the Chiefs, he shared the poem with his amazed teammates. This boosted his confidence in his performance abilities.
Following a stint as a stand-up comedian in New York’s Greenwich Village, Mr. Amos landed a job as a writer for “The Leslie Uggams Show” in 1969. This musical variety show opened doors for him. He also pursued acting, making his stage debut in Los Angeles in 1971 in “Norman, Is That You?” a comedy by Ron Clark and Sam Bobrick.
Later Career and Achievements
His acting career flourished, leading to significant roles. He played the lead in August Wilson’s Pulitzer-winning play “Fences” in Albany, N.Y. He also acted opposite Denzel Washington as a father figure in Dennis McIntyre’s police drama “Split Second.”
In the 1990s, Mr. Amos wrote and starred in a one-man show. It featured an 87-year-old man seeing Halley’s comet again, 76 years after his first sighting. This project inspired him to create the Halleys Comet Foundation in 1999. The foundation taught at-risk kids to sail on a pirate ship-like vessel.
After “Good Times” and “Roots,” Mr. Amos appeared in numerous TV shows well into his 80s. His credits included “The West Wing,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “30 Rock,” “Two and a Half Men,” and “The Righteous Gemstones.” He was one of the most recognizable TV dad actors of his generation.
Film Career
In the film, he played Cleo McDowell, the father of Eddie Murphy’s love interest in “Coming to America” (1988). He also had supporting roles in “Lock Up” (1989) with Sylvester Stallone, “Die Hard 2” (1990), and “Dr. Doolittle 3” (2006). His TV movie appearances included “Disappearing Acts” (2000) starring Wesley Snipes.
In 2019, Mr. Amos made a cameo as himself in “Uncut Gems,” starring Adam Sandler.
Personal Life and Legacy
He is survived by two children from his first marriage to Noel J. Mickelson in 1965: daughter Shannon and son Kelly Christopher (K.C.). His second marriage to actress Lillian Lehman (John Amos’ white wife) in 1978 produced no children. Both marriages ended in divorce.
In 2023, a public dispute erupted between Shannon and K.C. over their father’s care as his health declined. They accused each other of neglect, but Mr. Amos dismissed these claims as “baseless and unwarranted.” The LAPD closed their investigation in 2024, citing insufficient evidence.
In the early 2020s, Mr. Amos collaborated with his son on a docuseries exploring their relationship and reflecting on his extensive career.
“We’re titling it ‘America’s Dad’ because countless young men have approached me saying, ‘Your father was like a father to me,'” K.C. Amos told People magazine in 2023. “People from all backgrounds – even tough-looking guys with long beards – have come up to me saying, ‘Can I hug you? Your dad was my dad, man.’ They just want to shake his hand.”
Cultural Impact and Remembrance
John Amos leaves an incredible legacy through his pioneering roles that advanced civil rights on television. His performances in groundbreaking shows like “Good Times” and “Roots” had an immense cultural impact, especially on black viewers. As the family patriarch, James Evans Sr. helped bring the first depiction of a stable African American family to 1970s television. His work on “Roots” sheds light on the history of slavery for a mass audience.
“Good Times” Cast: Then and Now
While Esther Rolle died in 1998, the other central “Good Times” cast members are still alive as of Amos’ passing. Fans often wonder where the “Good Times” cast members are now. Ralph Carter (Michael) is 61, Jimmie Walker (J.J.) is 75, and Bernadette Stanis (Thelma) is 68. Janet Jackson, who played Penny in later seasons, left the show in 1979 to focus on music, leading some to ask, “Why did Janet Jackson leave Good Times?”
The Legacy of James Evans on “Good Times”
The character James Evans is central to “Good Times,” which makes his sudden departure in season 4 shocking to viewers. To this day, there are still questions about “why James Evans left Good Times,” “how James died on Good Times,” and “what happened to James Evans on Good Times.” Amos’ firing stemmed from creative differences and his pushback on racial stereotypes in the scripts.
Amos was the first leading cast member from “Good Times” to pass away. Sadly, several supporting actors from the show have died over the years, leading to occasional searches of “who died from Good Times.” But John Amos remained the most prominent.
For those wanting to revisit Amos’ iconic work, “Good Times full episodes” are available on streaming platforms. His memorable portrayal of an “actor named James,” who was a devoted father and husband, was groundbreaking for its time and still resonates today. Amos may be one of the latest entries on the list of “who died actor,” but his contributions to television history will endure.
Kellina Moore contributed to this report.
Source:
Ash Wu, (Oct. 1, 2024). John Amos, a Star of ‘Good Times’ and ‘Roots,’ Is Dead at 84. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/arts/john-amos-dead.html#
Header Photo:
American actor John Amos is interviewed by local and national media, 3 July 2000
Photo credit: United States Coast Guard, PA1 Telfair H. Brown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
You may also like to read:
NBA Icon Dikembe Mutombo: Legendary Shot-Blocker Dies
