Acting
John Amos
Born 1939-12-27
Newark, New Jersey, USA
Department: Acting
Biography
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.
Known For
Prominent works featuring John Amos
Movie
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Die Hard 2
1990
TMDB3.5
Movie
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Uncut Gems
2019
TMDB3.6
Movie
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Coming to America
1988
TMDB3.5
TV
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Two and a Half Men
2003
TMDB3.7
TV
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The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
TMDB4.0
Movie
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Coming 2 America
2021
TMDB3.1
TV
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
TMDB3.8
TV
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Lie to Me
2009
TMDB4.0
TV
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Psych
2006
TMDB4.0
TV
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The A-Team
1983
TMDB3.8
Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (114 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Suits LA | John Amos | TV Series | 2025 |
| Suits LA | In Memory Of | TV Series | 2025 |
 | The Last Rifleman | Lincoln Jefferson Adams | Movie | 2023 |
 | Me Time | Gil | Movie | 2022 |
 | Block Party | Dennis | Movie | 2022 |
 | Christmas in Miami | Chief Host | Movie | 2021 |
 | Because of Charley | Grandpa | Movie | 2021 |
 | Coming 2 America | Cleo McDowell | Movie | 2021 |
 | The Truth About Santa Claus | Bob | Movie | 2020 |
 | The Beastmaster Chronicles | Self | Movie | 2020 |
 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" | Fred Davis | Movie | 2019 |
 | The Movies That Made Us | Self | TV Series | 2019 |
 | Christmas Belles | Pop Pop | Movie | 2019 |
 | Uncut Gems | Neighbor 33F | Movie | 2019 |
 | The Last O.G. | Uncle D | TV Series | 2018 |
 | The Ranch | Ed | TV Series | 2016 |
 | Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You | Self | Movie | 2016 |
 | Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration | Self / Gordy Howard (archive footage) | Movie | 2015 |
 | Tamales and Gumbo | The Patron | Movie | 2015 |
 | Ballers | Deacon Eller | TV Series | 2015 |
 | Mercy for Angels | God | Movie | 2015 |
 | Bad Asses on the Bayou | Earl | Movie | 2015 |
 | Althea | Executive Producer | Movie | 2014 |
 | Act of Faith | Mr. Brady | Movie | 2014 |
 | American Lowrider | Slick | Movie | 2013 |
 | Madea's Witness Protection | Pastor Nelson | Movie | 2012 |
 | NYC 22 | Pappy Science | TV Series | 2012 |
 | Zombie Hamlet | Edgar Mortimer | Movie | 2012 |
 | Royal Pains | Harrison Phillips | TV Series | 2009 |
 | Lie to Me | Jim Weaver | TV Series | 2009 |
| All Over Again | Coach Zeller | Movie | 2007 | |
 | Ascension Day | Henry | Movie | 2007 |
 | 30 Rock | John Amos | TV Series | 2006 |
 | Men in Trees | Buzz Washington | TV Series | 2006 |
 | Psych | Uncle Burton | TV Series | 2006 |
 | Voodoo Moon | Dutch | Movie | 2006 |
 | Dr. Dolittle 3 | Jud | Movie | 2006 |
 | My Name Is Earl | Joe | TV Series | 2005 |
 | Shadowboxing | Хилл | Movie | 2005 |
 | Countdown | Admiral Melory | Movie | 2004 |
 | My Baby's Daddy | Uncle Virgil | Movie | 2004 |
 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years | (archive footage) | Movie | 2004 |
 | Two and a Half Men | Ed | TV Series | 2003 |
 | All About the Andersons | Joe Anderson | TV Series | 2003 |
 | The Watermelon Heist | Old Man Amos | Movie | 2003 |
 | Remembering Roots | Self | Movie | 2002 |
 | Disappearing Acts | Mr. Swift | Movie | 2000 |
 | The District | Ethan Baker | TV Series | 2000 |
 | Something to Sing About | Rev. Washington | Movie | 2000 |
 | The West Wing | Percy Fitzwallace | TV Series | 1999 |
 | The Players Club | Freeman | Movie | 1998 |
 | The Rockford Files: Shoot-Out at the Golden Pagoda | Booker Hutch | Movie | 1997 |
 | The Chris Rock Show | Self | TV Series | 1997 |
 | King of the Hill | Glen Johnson (voice) | TV Series | 1997 |
 | Hologram Man | Wes Strickland | Movie | 1995 |
 | In the House | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1995 |
 | The Outer Limits | Peter 'Yas' Yastrzemski | TV Series | 1995 |
 | For Better or Worse | Gray | Movie | 1995 |
 | Touched by an Angel | James Mackey | TV Series | 1994 |
 | 704 Hauser | Ernie Cumberbatch | TV Series | 1994 |
 | Night Trap | Capt. Hodges | Movie | 1993 |
 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Pastor Roscoe Jones | TV Series | 1993 |
 | Mac | Nat | Movie | 1992 |
 | Martin | Sgt. Strawn | TV Series | 1992 |
 | Ricochet | Reverend Styles | Movie | 1991 |
 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Fred Wilkes | TV Series | 1990 |
 | Die Hard 2 | Major Grant | Movie | 1990 |
 | Two Evil Eyes | Det. Legrand | Movie | 1990 |
 | Lock Up | Captain Meissner | Movie | 1989 |
 | Coming to America | Cleo McDowell | Movie | 1988 |
 | Bonanza: The Next Generation | Mr. Mack | Movie | 1988 |
 | Beauty and the Beast | Farrell | TV Series | 1987 |
 | Shark's Paradise | Taxi Driver | Movie | 1986 |
 | American Flyers | Dr. Conrad | Movie | 1985 |
 | Murder, She Wrote | Doc Penrose | TV Series | 1984 |
 | The Cosby Show | Dr. Herbert | TV Series | 1984 |
 | Hunter | Captain Dolan | TV Series | 1984 |
 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Albie Meadows | TV Series | 1983 |
 | Dance of the Dwarfs | Esteban | Movie | 1983 |
 | The A-Team | Rev. Taylor | TV Series | 1983 |
 | The Beastmaster | Seth | Movie | 1982 |
 | Here's Boomer | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1981 |
 | Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story | Bumpy Johnson | Movie | 1980 |
 | Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story | Bumpy Johnson | TV Series | 1980 |
 | Touched by Love | Tony | Movie | 1980 |
 | Willa | Virgil | Movie | 1979 |
 | Cops and Robin | Officer Bill Bundy | Movie | 1978 |
 | The Love Boat | Duke Taylor | TV Series | 1977 |
 | Future Cop | Bill Bundy | TV Series | 1977 |
 | Roots | Toby | TV Series | 1977 |
| Roots | Kunta Kinte | TV Series | 1977 |
| Roots: The Complete Miniseries | Older Kunta Kinte | TV Series | 1977 | |
 | Future Cop | Officer Bill Bundy | Movie | 1976 |
 | Let's Do It Again | Kansas City Mack | Movie | 1975 |
 | Dinah! | Self | TV Series | 1974 |
 | Good Times | James Evans Sr. | TV Series | 1974 |
 | The President's Plane Is Missing | Marine Corporal | Movie | 1973 |
 | Police Story | Walt Kyles | TV Series | 1973 |
 | The World's Greatest Athlete | Coach Sam Archer | Movie | 1973 |
 | Sanford and Son | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1972 |
 | The New Dick Van Dyke Show | Mark Cooper | TV Series | 1971 |
| The Funny Side | Minority Husband | TV Series | 1971 | |
 | Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song | Biker | Movie | 1971 |
 | Vanishing Point | Super Soul's Engineer (uncredited) | Movie | 1971 |
 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Gordy Howard | TV Series | 1970 |
 | Love, American Style | Bell Captain | TV Series | 1969 |
| Love, American Style | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1969 |
 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | TV Series | 1961 |
 | Devotion | Roger | Movie | — |
| Future Cop: Cops and Robin | Officer Bundy | Movie | — | |
| John Amos: Roots of an American Legend | Self | Movie | — | |
| Information Processing | Self | Movie | — |