John Amos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Amos
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Amos at "Their Voices, Their Stories African-American Veterans Who Served on Iwo Jima", March 2011.
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John Allen Amos Jr.
December 27, 1939 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Colorado State University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for | Kunta Kinte (adult) – Roots James Evans Sr. – Good Times |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2 |
John Allen Amos Jr. (born December 27, 1939) is a famous American actor. He is well-known for playing the adult Kunta Kinte in the important TV show Roots. He also played James Evans Sr. on the CBS TV series Good Times.
John Amos has appeared in many other TV shows. These include The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The West Wing, and The District. He has also acted on Broadway and in many movies. His career has lasted for over five decades! Before acting, John Amos played college football. He even had a short career playing professional football.
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Early Life and Football Career
John A. Amos Jr. was born on December 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey. His parents were Annabelle and John A. Amos Sr., who was an auto mechanic. He grew up in East Orange, New Jersey. He finished East Orange High School in 1958.
He went to Long Beach City College and then Colorado State University. He earned a degree in sociology and became a social worker. While at Colorado State, Amos also played on the Colorado State Rams football team. After college, he became a Golden Gloves boxing champion.
In 1964, Amos tried out for the American Football League's Denver Broncos. He was released early because of an injury. He then played for several other football teams. In 1967, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, his coach told him he was "not a football player." Amos then decided to focus on acting.
Becoming a Famous Actor
John Amos first became well-known in his role as Gordy Howard. He played the weatherman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970 to 1973. In 1971, he was in a commercial for McDonald's.
His most famous role was James Evans Sr. on Good Times. He first appeared as this character on the sitcom Maude. Then, he continued the role in 61 episodes of Good Times from 1974 to 1976.
Working on Good Times
When Good Times started, John Amos was 34 years old. He played a middle-aged father of three. Even though he was much younger than his TV wife, Esther Rolle, they both wanted to show a strong Black family. They wanted to show a family working hard in a tough neighborhood.
However, Amos felt the show's writers sometimes made the characters too silly. He thought it didn't truly show the Black experience. He often disagreed with the writers. Because of this, he left the show after its third season in 1976. He said the writers "didn't understand African-Americans."
Other TV Shows and Films
After Good Times, John Amos continued to act a lot. In 1980, he starred in the TV movie Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story. He also played Captain Dolan on the TV show Hunter.
He was a frequent guest star on The West Wing. He played Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, a very important military leader. He also appeared in Men in Trees and All About the Andersons. In 2010, he played a character named Ed on Two and a Half Men. He played another character named Ed on the Netflix show The Ranch in 2016.
John Amos has guest-starred in many other popular shows. These include The A-Team, The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Psych.
In 1977, Amos starred in the important ABC-TV Miniseries Roots. He played the adult Kunta Kinte, a character from Alex Haley's famous book. He was also in Disney's The World's Greatest Athlete (1973). He co-starred with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier in Let's Do It Again (1975).
Some of his other movie roles include:
- The Beastmaster (1982)
- Coming to America (1988)
- Lock Up (1989)
- Die Hard 2 (1990)
- Coming 2 America (2021)
In 2009, John Amos released a music album called We Were Hippies. It featured original country songs.
Awards and Recognition
John Amos has received many awards and nominations for his acting.
- He was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for his role in Roots.
- He was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
- Amos has won three TV Land Awards. He won for his roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, and Roots.
In 2020, John Amos was honored by being added to the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
John Amos is a veteran of the New Jersey National Guard. He is also an Honorary Master Chief of the United States Coast Guard.
He has been married twice. His first marriage was to Noel Mickelson from 1965 to 1975. They had two children: Shannon Amos and K.C. Amos. His second marriage was to actress Lillian Lehman from 1978 to 1979.
John Amos lived in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey for many years. In 2018, he moved to Colorado.
Images for kids
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Amos at "Their Voices, Their Stories African-American Veterans Who Served on Iwo Jima", March 2011.
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On Good Times (1974), L–R: Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle, and John Amos
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John Amos in 2000
See also
In Spanish: John Amos para niños
