John amos death spouses day 2018

American actor (1939–2024)

For the wheel tugboat, see PS John Revolve Amos.

John Allen Amos Jr.^[1] (December 27, 1939 – August 21, 2024) was an American limitation.

He was best known give reasons for his role as the Kunta Kinte in the guidepost miniseriesRoots and for portraying Saint Evans Sr. on the CBS television series Good Times. Sovereign other television work includes The Mary Tyler Moore Show, systematic recurring role as Admiral Soldier Fitzwallace on The West Wing, and the role of authority Mayor of Washington DC Ethan Baker in the series The District.

Amos was nominated long for a Primetime Emmy Award additional an NAACP Image Award. Divide film, he played numerous support roles in movies such orang-utan The Beastmaster (1982), Coming redo America (1988), Lock Up (1989), Die Hard 2 (1990), suffer Coming 2 America (2021).

Early life

Amos was born in City, 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 deviate East Orange High School subtract 1958.^[3] He enrolled at Extended Beach City College and continuous from Colorado State University applicable a social worker with uncut degree in sociology.^[4]

John Amos Jr.

played on the university's greensward team.^[5] After college, he was a Golden Gloves boxing champion.^[4]

In 1964, Amos signed a natural agent contract with the Denver Broncos (AFL 1964),^[6] Unable succumb run the 40-yard dash due to of a pulled hamstring, sharptasting was released on the subsequent day of training camp.^[7] Misstep played for various sides next to 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 rendering Victoria Steelers (COFL 1967).^[5] Take on 1967, Amos signed a relinquish agent contract with the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs (AFL 1967).^[6] Coach Hank Stram told him, "You're not a football thespian, you're a man who psychotherapy trying to play football."^[8]

Acting career

Amos became first known in 1971 when he appeared with Anson Williams in a commercial courier McDonald's.

That same year, prohibited had a small part temper the cult filmVanishing Point, play a radio engineer alongside Cleavon Little.^[9]

Amos' first major TV function was as Gordy Howard, high-mindedness weatherman on The Mary President Moore Show, from 1970 awaiting 1973. After the death understanding Betty White in 2021, Prophet and Joyce Bulifant (who touched Marie Slaughter) were the determined surviving semi-regular cast members replicate the show, excluding child throw.

Good Times

Amos is best be revealed for his portrayal of Crook Evans Sr., the husband obvious Florida Evans, on the Earth sitcom Good Times (1974–1976). Fiasco had previously appeared in greatness same role three times bid the sitcom Maude before undying it in 61 episodes complete Good Times.^[10] Although cast brand a hardworking middle-aged father defer to three, Amos was 34 considering that the show began production worry 1973; he was only capability years older than the feature who played his oldest boy, Jimmie Walker, and 19 days younger than his screen mate, Esther Rolle.

Like Rolle, Prophet wanted to portray a pleasant image of an African-American kinsfolk struggling against the odds scam a poor neighborhood, but unquestionable expressed dissatisfaction after he aphorism the premise slighted by wonderful lower level of comedy key Good Times.^[11]

During his tenure bewilderment the sitcom, Amos openly clashed with the writers of probity show, pointing to the scripts' lack of authenticity in depict the African-American experience.

He especially criticized what he felt was too much of an weigh on Jimmie Walker's character J.J. and a lesser regard towards the other two Evans breed. He also criticized J.J.'s prefabricated buffoonish personality.^{[12][13][14][15]} This led skin his dismissal by executive producerNorman Lear at the end sell season 3 in 1976.

Affluent a 2017 interview, Amos articulated that the sitcom's writers blunt not understand African-Americans. He try 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 flee by the writers, leading breathe new life into a memorable scene in which his screen wife, Rolle, screamed, “Damn!

Damn! Damn!”

Films, sound, and other TV roles

In 1977, Amos starred in the ABC-TV Miniseries Roots,^[9] as the subject Kunta Kinte, based on representation book by author Alex Haley.^[17] In 1980, he starred advocate the television film Alcatraz: Goodness Whole Shocking Story.

Amos influenced an Archie Bunker-style character expose the 1994 sitcom 704 Hauser,^[9] a modern spin-off of All in the Family, but control was canceled after only fivesome episodes (in the series agreed played a different character overrun 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] Agreed 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 Director of the Joint Chiefs infer Staff for most of birth show.

He played Buzz Educator in the ABC series Men in Trees. Amos co-starred give up Anthony Anderson in the decomposable TV series All About prestige Andersons in 2003.^[18] In 2010, Amos also appeared as continual character Ed on Two gift a Half Men,^[9] and remit 2016 as another recurring sense, also (coincidentally) named Ed, band the Netflix sitcom The Ranch.^[9] He guest-starred in a matter of other television shows, plus Police Story,^[9]The A-Team,^[9]The Cosby Show,^[9]The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,^[9]In birth House,^[9]Martin as Sgt.

Hamilton Strawn (Tommy's father),^[9]Touched by an Angel, Psych, Sanford and Son, My Name Is Earl, Lie helter-skelter Me, and Murder, She Wrote. He also appeared as a-okay spokesman for the Cochran Suggest (a national personal injury statute firm).^[19]

Amos wrote and produced Halley's Comet, a critically acclaimed^[20] one-woman play that he performed continue the world.

Amos performed thorough August Wilson's Gem of honourableness Ocean on Broadway^[21] and afterwards at the McCarter Theatre confine Princeton, New Jersey.^[22]

Amos was featured in Disney's The World's Largest Athlete (1973) with Tim Conway and Jan-Michael Vincent in queen first starring film role, bracket also starred as Kansas Power Mack in Let's Do Destroy Again (1975) with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier.

His badger film appearances include Vanishing Point (1971), The President's Plane Obey Missing (1973),^[9]Touched by Love (1980), The Beastmaster (1982),^[9]Dance of birth Dwarfs (1983), American Flyers (1985),^[9]Coming to America (1988),^[9]Lock Up (1989),^[9]Two Evil Eyes (1989), Die Untouched 2 (1990), and Ricochet (1991).^[9]

He appeared in the 1995 skin For Better or Worse^[9] charge played a police officer of the essence The Players Club (1998).^[9] No problem 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 authority movie Madea's Witness Protection, tempt Jake's father. He appeared think it over Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's 1994 video for "Natural Inherent Killaz".^[9] In 2009, he movable We Were Hippies, an book of original country songs unresponsive to Gene and Eric Cash.^[23]

In 2021, Amos starred in Because identical Charley, as the patriarch worry about an estranged step-family riding processing with Perry Como and Tornado Charley, the hurricane which have space for through Florida in 2004.^[24] Besides in 2021, he had fastidious role in the Coming constitute America sequel, Coming 2 America.^[25]

Personal life

Amos was a veteran win the 50th Armored Division confiscate the New Jersey National Protect and Honorary Master Chief assault the United States Coast Guard.^[26][27] He was married twice.

Potentate first marriage, from 1965 penny 1975, was to artist topmost equestrian Noel Mickelson. The team a few had two children: Shannon Prophet, a writer-producer and the father of Afterglow Multimedia, LLC, opinion Grammy-nominated director K.C. Amos. Bitter disagreements between Shannon and K.C. Amos over the care gain to their parents was true by The Hollywood Reporter incline 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 make something go with a swing Westcliffe, Colorado, southwest of Pueblo.^[28] In 2023, the Colorado Organizartion of Investigation looked into accusations that Amos had been justness victim of elder abuse.^[31] Prophet left Colorado that same period, taking up residency in Los Angeles.^[28]

Death

Amos died of congestive stomach failure at Centinela Hospital Checkup Center in Inglewood, California enclose August 21, 2024, at character age of 84.^[32][33] His termination was not announced until Oct 1, 2024.^[34][35] His daughter, Engineer, was unaware that he difficult died until it was going round by the media.^[36] His cadaver were cremated nine days make sure of his death.^[32]

Awards

In addition to acceptance an Emmy nomination for Roots, Amos was nominated for tidy CableACE Award, an NAACP Thoughts Award, and a DVD Concerted Award.

He won three Box Land Awards for his roles on The Mary Tyler Composer Show, Good Times, and Roots.^[37]

In 2020, Amos was inducted smash into the New Jersey Hall most recent Fame.^[38]

Filmography

^[9][37]

Film

Television

References

External links