Photo: U.S. National Archives / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
John Amos was the kind of actor who made you feel the weight of a scene just by walking into it. I grew up knowing him as James Evans Sr. on Good Times — that warm, stubborn, fiercely loving father who became a touchstone for so many Black families on American television — but the moment he showed up as adult Kunta Kinte in Roots, you realized this man had a whole other gear. That miniseries was a cultural earthquake, and Amos was at the center of it, carrying generations of pain and defiance with complete conviction. Then he'd pop up in Die Hard 2 as a tough, no-nonsense military man and remind you he could do anything. He came from Newark, built a career the hard way, and earned his New Jersey Hall of Fame induction in 2019 the old-fashioned way — by outlasting the doubters. Gone in August 2024 at 84, and genuinely irreplaceable.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- John Amos
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョン・エイモス
- Reading
- じょん・えいもす
- Born
- December 27, 1939 – August 21, 2024
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rabbit
- Origin
- Newark, New Jersey, United States
- Occupation
- television actor / film actor / stage actor / filmmaker / film producer
2. Background
- High school
- East Orange High School
- University
- Long Beach City College
Awards & achievements
- 2019 New Jersey Hall of Fame
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Last Rifleman | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was John Amos born?
December 27, 1939 – August 21, 2024.
Where is John Amos from?
John Amos is from Newark, New Jersey, United States.
What does John Amos do?
John Amos works as television actor, film actor, stage actor, filmmaker, film producer.
What is John Amos known for?
Notable works include The Last Rifleman.
Television actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.