John Amos, 'Good Times' father and 'Roots' actor, dies at 84

Jon Amos, star of “Good Times,” “Roots” and more, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Aug. 21, his rep confirmed to Variety on Tuesday. He was 84 years old. “It is with sincere sadness that I share with you that my father has changed,” his son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement. “He was a man with a kind heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved all over the world. Many fans consider him their TV dad. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding work in television and film as an actor. My dad loved being an actor all his life… most recently starring in 'Suits LA' and our documentary about his life as an actor, 'America's Dad.' He was my father, my best friend and my hero. Thank you for your prayers and support during this time.” Born in Newark, New Jersey on December 27, 1939, Amos' acting career began when he landed the role of meteorologist Gordon “Gordie” Howard on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1970. From there he brought his comedic talent. A spinoff of CBS' “Good Times,” “Maude” and “All in the Family” and 1974 starring James Evans Sr. as the father. Norman Lear's program made history as the first TV show to follow an African-American, two-father. The character of the hardworking and devoted father of the family resonated with the audience. After three seasons, however, Amos became dissatisfied with the show's direction and portrayal of his character's son, James “JJ” Evans Jr. He was fired after season 3, and season 4 began with James killing Evan Sr. off-screen. Amos received an Emmy nomination in 1977 for his portrayal of the adult Kunta Kinte in the ABC historical miniseries “Roots.” The series, about slavery in the United States, won nine Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a Peabody Award, and was a huge hit in the country. More than 130 million people tuned into the series, which was more than half the population of the United States in 1977. The finale holds the record for the third-highest-rated episode of any TV series and the second-most-watched series finale in history. Amos has also appeared on shows such as “About the Andersons,” “The West Wing,” “Two and a Half Men” and “The Ranch.” Her final television role will come in the upcoming series “Suite LA.” In films, he starred in Eddie Murphy's “Coming to America” ​​and its 2021 sequels “Coming 2 America,” “Die Hard 2,” “The Beastmaster,” “Locked Up” and “Me Time.” He and his son produced an upcoming documentary about his life, titled “America's Dad.” “We are proud to represent John,” said Julia Buchwald, president of Buchwald. “Not only was he an extraordinary talent, he was also a deeply kind and generous soul. His impact on the industry and those who knew him will never be forgotten.” Outside of film and TV, Amos wrote, produced and starred in a one-man play titled “Halley's Comet.” He also appeared on Broadway in August Wilson's “Gem of the Ocean.” Before he began acting, he attended college at Colorado State University Played football and suited up for the 1967 NFL offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs.