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John Amos

John Amos

Acting • 1939-12-27 • Newark, New Jersey, USA

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

The West Wing8.3

The West Wing

1999

Two and a Half Men7.4

Two and a Half Men

2003

Die Hard 27.0

Die Hard 2

1990

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air7.9

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

1990

The Mary Tyler Moore Show7.7

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

1970

Lock Up6.8

Lock Up

1989

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Filmography