John Amos is one of those fantastic character actors who has been part of the pop-culture collective essentially for all of our lives. This dates back to his earliest appearance in 1970, when he first started appearing on The Tim Conway Comedy Hour, then traces through Sanford and Son, Good Times, and beyond. Sadly, it’s being reported that Amos died on August 21 in Los Angeles of natural causes. Amos was 84.
The actor’s death was confirmed by his son, Kelly Christopher Amos, who posted in a statement (via Deadline):
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.
Take your pick as to which famous role you’ll remember John Amos from. I chose the image from his role in Die Hard 2, where he alpha-dogged John McClane and fought him on the wing of a moving airplane, helping to make that movie my favorite Die Hard sequel.
Depending on when you grew up, however, you likely either knew John Amos as James, the father from Good Times, or Cleo McDowell, owner of McDowell’s, the McDonald’s ripoff. In almost every role that he took on, Amos used his confidence and stature to impose dominance on characters, usually for comedic effect. Just enjoy him bouncing off of the brilliant Eddie Murphy in Coming to America:
And then of course, there was his unforgettable dramatic work in the 1977 mini-series Roots, which earned him his first and only Primetime Emmy Award nomination. After years of appearing in comedic work, Roots proved Amos’ range, something that was carried over into Good Times when the show bravely tackled cultural issues that were pulling the family apart. I’ll personally never forget the clip of Florida (Esther Rolle) breaking down after Amos’ character James had died.
John Amos leaves behind a lasting legacy in show business, both on the television and film side. He enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned decades, and proved his enormous talent, which touched many lives. Our thoughts go out to his surviving family members and loved ones.