People
John Amos
Acting · follow into films and chains
Biography
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.
Notable films
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Chains
KinoChain journeys
Public chains that pass through their films — or name them as a bridge.
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Related people
Collaborators & neighbours
Acted
Coming 2 America
2021 · Cleo McDowell
The Truth About Santa Claus
2020 · Bob
Madea's Witness Protection
2012 · Pastor Nelson
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · (archive footage)
Ricochet
1991 · Reverend Styles
Die Hard 2
1990 · Major Grant
Coming to America
1988 · Cleo McDowell
The Beastmaster
1982 · Seth
Let's Do It Again
1975 · Kansas City Mack
Vanishing Point
1971 · Super Soul's Engineer (uncredited)