John Amos, ‘Good Times’ and ‘Coming To America’ actor, dies at 84

Actor John Amos, known for “Good Times” and “Coming to America,” has died. He was 84 years old.

Amos died Aug. 21 in Los Angeles from natural causes, a spokesperson confirmed to Variety on Tuesday.

“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement. “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.”

Amos was born on Dec. 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, and graduated from East Orange High School. He went on to attend Long Beach City College and Colorado State University, where he played football.

After several attempts at a professional football career, Amos turned his attention to acting. His career started taking off when he landed the role of weatherman Gordy Howard on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1970, where he flashed his comedic chops.

He made his film debut in 1971 in Melvin Van Peebles’ blaxploitation action-thriller “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.”

He got a major break a few years later, starring in Norman Lear‘s trailblazing sitcom “Good Times” from 1974-1976.

On the CBS series — the first to focus on a two-parent, African American household — Amos played James Evans Sr., the hardworking father of three and devoted husband of a South Side Chicago family.

However, Amos was fired from the show after the third season when he disagreed with Lear over the depiction of Jimmie Walker’s character of James “J.J.” Evans Jr. Amos’ character died offscreen in a car accident in the Season 4 premiere.

He went on to star as the older version of Kunta Kinte in the acclaimed 1977 miniseries adaptation of Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Roots,” which became one of the most-watched series of all time and earned him an Emmy nomination.

In the 1980s, he starred as Queen’s restauranteur Cleo McDowell in the Eddie Murphy comedy “Coming to America,” a part he reprised in the movie’s 2021 sequel “Coming 2 America.”

He also memorably appeared in “Die Hard 2” as no-nonsense and scheming Army Major Grant.

He continued working steadily, doing an arc on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” as the father of Nia Long’s character in the run-up to her wedding to Will Smith’s title role. He had larger parts on “The West Wing” as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Percy Fitzwallace and Washington, D.C., Mayor Ethan Baker in “The District.”

In the 21st century, he showed up in movies like “Uncut Gems” and TV shows including “30 Rock,” playing heightened versions of himself.

All told, he appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows.

He and his son had spent the past several years working on the docuseries “America’s Dad,” which follows his life and journey as an actor.

Amos recently became the subject of elder abuse allegations “perpetrated by a trusted caregiver,” which he denied multiple times, including earlier this year.

He’s survived by son Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos and daughter Shannon.