John Amos, known mostly for his performance as the family patriarch James Evans Sr. in the 70s sitcom, Good Times, has passed away at the age of 84.
Amos, who starred in Good Times and earned an Emmy-nom for his role in the iconic 1977 miniseries, Roots, passed away on August 21st, a date confirmed by his publicist, Belinda Foster.
His son, Kelly Christopher Amos, said in a statement, “It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned. 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.”
Though Amos has a lengthy list of film credits, including Coming to America, Die Hard 2, Madea’s Witness Protection, and the TV series, Maude, among others, most readers of our site look for prominent Disney credits, for which Amos has only one.
Amos played Coach Archer in The World’s Greatest Athlete, a film that follows Nanu, a blonde boy who was discovered by two U.S. college sports coaches after the death of his missionary parents in Africa. The incredible athlete is entered in an L.A. NCAA track and field competition, where he (spoiler alert) wins all the events, even though voodoo magic has been used against him.
The film is not available on Disney+, and is only available on past physical media releases, the most recent of which was a DVD release in 2005.
Amos also appeared in a cameo on the special event ABC series, Live In Front of a Studio Audience. In the specials, produced by Jimmy Kimmel among others, a cast of current A-listers took on roles from the 1970s Norman Lear sitcoms, like Good Times as well as All In the Family.
During the re-staging of the Good Times episode “The Politicians” – Amos made an appearance on the live broadcast. However, instead of reprising his iconic role as patriarch James Evans, the 79-year-old actor played Alderman Fred Davis, a man running for local office.
Amos is survived by daughter Shannon, a former entertainment executive, and son Kelly Christopher, a Grammy-nominated video music director and editor.