John Amos, ‘Good Times’ and ‘Coming to America’ star, dies at 84

John Amos, the Emmy-nominated actor known for his roles on ABC’s groundbreaking miniseries “Roots” and “Good Times,” has died. He was 84.
Amos, who starred as the older Kunta Kinte in the acclaimed 1977 miniseries and James Evans Sr. on Norman Lear’s classic 1970s CBS sitcom “Good Times” died on Aug. 21 in Los Angeles of natural causes, a representative for the actor confirmed Tuesday.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” read a statement from his son, Kelly Christopher Amos. “He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold … and he was loved the world over.”
“Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor. My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life … most recently in ‘Suits: LA’ playing himself and our documentary about his life journey as an actor, ‘America’s Dad.’ He was my dad, my best friend, and my hero. Thank you for your prayers and support at this time.” (“Suits: LA,” a spinoff of the USA Network series, is due next year.)
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Amos’ first big role came in 1970, when he played weatherman Gordy Howard on CBS’ “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Not long after, Amos landed perhaps the most iconic role of his career: patriarch James Evans Sr. on “Good Times,” the groundbreaking Norman Lear sitcom that ran from 1974 to 1979 and was a spinoff of “Maude.”
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Amos was fired from “Good Times” after three seasons, and his character was killed off. In a 2020 interview with VladTV, he recalled complaining about scripts because he felt “like I knew more about what a Black family should be, and how a Black father would act, than our writers, none of whom were Black.”
“I wasn’t the most diplomatic guy,” he said, adding that he was fired after the “writers said, ‘We can’t deal with this anymore.'”
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Amos showed off his dramatic chops in 1977 by playing Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries “Roots.” The role earned him an Emmy nomination.
Speaking to the Archive of American Television in 2015, Amos said he was glad to be involved in a project “that changed people’s thinking about slavery to some degree, and changed people’s attitudes about their own lineage.” He also recalled he “almost fainted” when he found out he was being considered for the “once-in-a-lifetime” role. “I couldn’t believe it,” he told the Archive of American Television. “It was like I’d hit the lottery.”
Over the course of his five-decade career, Amos turned in dozens of other performances, from Major Grant in “Die Hard 2” to Cleo McDowell in the Eddie Murphy comedy “Coming to America.” He reprised the latter character in the 2021 sequel, “Coming 2 America.”
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Amos also had a memorable role as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on NBC’s “The West Wing” and in recent years appeared on shows including CBS’ “Two and a Half Men,” Netflix’s “The Ranch” and HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones.” He was reported to have joined the cast of the “Suits” spinoff “Suits L.A.” earlier this year. According to an obituary provided by a representative, he played himself in the show for the first time in his career.
Amos served in the New Jersey State National Guard and had a background in sports in addition to acting, having briefly played for the Kansas City Chiefs and for Colorado State University.
Some fans expressed surprise Tuesday that Amos’ death was not announced publicly until over a month after the fact, and in a post on her verified Instagram account, the actor’s daughter revealed she did not hear the news until it was reported in the media.
“We are devastated and left with many questions about how this happened 45 days ago, learning about it through the media like so many of you,” Shannon Amos wrote.
“This should be a time of honoring and celebrating his life, yet we are struggling to navigate the wave of emotions and uncertainties surrounding his passing. Still, there is some semblance of peace in knowing my father is finally free. My family and I deeply appreciate the outpouring of love, calls, and texts. Please continue to hold our family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.”
Last year, Shannon Amos alleged on social media that her father was a “victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation,” and she said she was “determined to bring the perpetrators to justice.” Amos’ son, Kelly Christopher Amos, subsequently released a video in which the actor, speaking from the hospital, alleged his daughter had “taken advantage of” him, and he accused her of elder abuse. “She would be the primary suspect,” he said.
A representative for Shannon Amos responded at the time by telling People magazine, “Ms. Amos is disheartened at the continuation of false and defamatory statements being made against her by, or on behalf of, or in connection with news reports based on social media posts by Mr. Kelly K.C. Amos. … She is exploring all legal remedies available to her. Ms. Amos hopes this matter will be resolved soon through the proper authorities.”
This story was updated to add new information, photos and video.