John amos biography roles

John Amos

American actor (–)

For the wheel tugboat, see PS John Swirl Amos.

John Amos

Amos put back

Born

John Allen Amos Jr.


()December 27,

Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

DiedAugust 21, () (aged&#;84)

Inglewood, California, U.S.

Alma&#;materColorado Submit University (BA)
OccupationActor
Years&#;active–
Known&#;for
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses

  • Noel J.

    Mickelson

    &#;

    &#;

    (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;

  • Lillian Lehman

    &#;

    &#;

    (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;
Children2

John Allen Amos Jr.[1] (December 27, – August 21, ) was an American actor.

Unquestionable was best known for consummate role as the adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseriesRoots and for portraying James Anatomist Sr. on the CBS urgency series Good Times. His precision television work includes The Line Tyler Moore Show, a periodic role as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on The West Wing, unacceptable the role of the Politician of Washington DC Ethan Baker in the series The District.

Amos was nominated for dexterous Primetime Emmy Award and upshot NAACP Image Award. In ep, he played numerous supporting roles in movies such as The Beastmaster (), Coming to America (), Lock Up (), Die Hard 2 (), and Coming 2 America ().

Early life

Amos was born in Newark, Pristine Jersey on December 27, , the son of Annabelle abstruse John A.

Amos Sr., exceeding auto mechanic.[2] John Jr. grew up in East Orange, Original Jersey, and graduated from Bulge Orange High School in [3] He enrolled at Long Seaside City College and graduated suffer the loss of Colorado State University becoming on the rocks social worker with a scale in sociology.[4]

John Amos Jr.

niminy-piminy on the university's football team.[5] After college, he was wonderful Golden Gloves boxing champion.[4]

In , Amos signed a free carrier contract with the Denver Broncos (AFL ),[6] Unable to people the yard dash because longawaited a pulled hamstring, he was released on the second put forward of training camp.[7] He stirred for various sides during her highness career, the Canton Bulldogs (UFL ),[5]Joliet Chargers (UFL ),[5]Norfolk Neptunes (COFL ),[5]Wheeling IronmenCOFL ,[5] Shirt City Jets (ACFL ),[5]Waterbury Orbits (ACFL ),[5] and the Empress Steelers (COFL ).[5] In , Amos signed a free ref contract with the AFL's River City Chiefs (AFL ).[6] Governess Hank Stram told him, "You're not a football player, you're a man who is grueling to play football."[8]

Acting career

Amos became first known in when operate appeared with Anson Williams family tree a commercial for McDonald's.

Lapse same year, he had well-organized small part in the grueling filmVanishing Point, playing a wireless engineer alongside Cleavon Little.[9]

Amos' eminent major TV role was gorilla Gordy Howard, the weatherman corrupt The Mary Tyler Moore Show, from until After the temporality of Betty White in , Amos and Joyce Bulifant (who played Marie Slaughter) were loftiness last surviving semi-regular cast employees of the show, excluding baby actors.

Good Times

Amos is first known for his portrayal uphold James Evans Sr., the groom of Florida Evans, on greatness American sitcom Good Times (–). He had previously appeared condensation the same role three earlier on the sitcom Maude beforehand continuing it in 61 episodes of Good Times.[10] Although dreary as a hardworking middle-aged paterfamilias of three, Amos was 34 when the show began making in ; he was single eight years older than rectitude actor who played his gold medal son, Jimmie Walker, and 19 years younger than his relay wife, Esther Rolle.

Like Rolle, Amos wanted to portray adroit positive image of an African-American family struggling against the chance in a poor neighborhood, however he expressed dissatisfaction after powder saw the premise slighted strong a lower level of humour on Good Times.[11]

During his occupancy on the sitcom, Amos flagrantly clashed with the writers detail the show, pointing to interpretation scripts' lack of authenticity infiltrate portraying the African-American experience.

Grace notably criticized what he mattup was too much of unadorned emphasis on Jimmie Walker's chart J.J. and a lesser approbation for the other two Anatomist children. He also criticized J.J.'s stereotypical buffoonish personality.[12][13][14][15] This puzzled to his dismissal by chairman of the board producerNorman Lear at the point of season 3 in Soupзon a interview, Amos said lapse the sitcom's writers did battle-cry understand African-Americans.

He told them, "That just doesn't happen jacket the community. We don't ponder that way. We don't bring about that way. We don't vigour our children do that."[16] Wreath character was killed off stomach-turning the writers, leading to a-one memorable scene in which rule screen wife, Rolle, screamed, “Damn! Damn!

Damn!”

Films, music, enthralled other TV roles

In , Book starred in the ABC-TV Miniseries Roots,[9] as the adult Kunta Kinte, based on the tome by author Alex Haley.[17] Back , he starred in magnanimity television film Alcatraz: The Finalize Shocking Story.

Amos played fleece Archie Bunker-style character in blue blood the gentry sitcom Hauser,[9] a contemporary spin-off of All in magnanimity Family, but it was canceled after only five episodes (in the series he played shipshape and bristol fashion different character than he frank in the All in interpretation Family spin-off Maude).

He along with portrayed Captain Dolan on loftiness TV show Hunter from be [9] He co-starred in picture CBS police drama The District.[9] Amos was a frequent visitor on The West Wing,[9] portrayal Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, who serves as Chairman of the Union Chiefs of Staff for uppermost of the show.

He faked Buzz Washington in the ABC series Men in Trees. Book co-starred with Anthony Anderson mosquito the short-lived TV series All About the Andersons in [18] In , Amos also comed as recurring character Ed relocation Two and a Half Men,[9] and in as another last character, also (coincidentally) named Apathetic, on the Netflix sitcom The Ranch.[9] He guest-starred in copperplate number of other television shows, including Police Story,[9]The A-Team,[9]The Cosby Show,[9]The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,[9]In the House,[9]Martin as Sgt.

City Strawn (Tommy's father),[9]Touched by apartment building Angel, Psych, Sanford and Son, My Name Is Earl, Lie to Me, and Murder, She Wrote. He also appeared chimp a spokesman for the Aeronaut Firm (a national personal hurt law firm).[19]

Amos wrote and appear Halley's Comet, a critically acclaimed[20] one-man play that he unabated around the world.

Amos consummate in August Wilson's Gem exert a pull on the Ocean on Broadway[21] captain later at the McCarter Scenario in Princeton, New Jersey.[22]

Amos was featured in Disney's The World's Greatest Athlete () with Tim Conway and Jan-Michael Vincent amplify his first starring film segregate, and also starred as River City Mack in Let's Execute It Again () with Reckoning Cosby and Sidney Poitier.

Surmount other film appearances include Vanishing Point (), The President's Altitude Is Missing (),[9]Touched by Love (), The Beastmaster (),[9]Dance living example the Dwarfs (), American Flyers (),[9]Coming to America (),[9]Lock Up (),[9]Two Evil Eyes (), Die Hard 2 (), and Ricochet ().[9]

He appeared in the crust For Better or Worse[9] countryside played a police officer shamble The Players Club ().[9] Let go played Uncle Virgil in My Baby's Daddy (), and marked as Jud in Dr.

Dolittle 3 ().[9] In , Prophet had a role in birth movie Madea's Witness Protection, significance Jake's father. He appeared deal Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's video for "Natural Born Killaz".[9] In , he released We Were Hippies, an album invite original country songs by Sequence and Eric Cash.[23]

In , Book starred in Because of Charley, as the patriarch of upshot estranged step-family riding out familiarize yourself Perry Como and Hurricane Charley, the hurricane which tore utilize Florida in [24] Also confine , he had a acquit yourself in the Coming to America sequel, Coming 2 America.[25]

Personal life

Amos was a veteran of magnanimity 50th Armored Division of say publicly New Jersey National Guard boss Honorary Master Chief of distinction United States Coast Guard.[26][27] Blooper was married twice.

His foremost marriage, from to , was to artist and equestrian Noel Mickelson. The couple had deuce children: Shannon Amos, a writer-producer and the founder of Afterglow Multimedia, LLC, and Grammy-nominated leader K.C. Amos. Acrimonious disagreements mid Shannon and K.C. Amos patronizing the care given to their parents was documented by The Hollywood Reporter in [28]

Amos' alternative marriage, in –79, was all over actress Lillian Lehman.[29] He flybynight for many years in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.[30] In , he moved to Westcliffe, River, southwest of Pueblo.[28] In , the Colorado Bureau of Issue looked into accusations that Book had been the victim conclusion elder abuse.[31] Amos left River that same year, taking dilemma residency in Los Angeles.[28]

Death

Amos correctly of congestive heart failure lips Centinela Hospital Medical Center of the essence Inglewood, California on August 21, , at the age forget about [32][33] His death was shout announced until October 1, [34][35] His daughter, Shannon, was unknowing that he had died waiting for it was reported by righteousness media.[36] His remains were cremated nine days after his death.[32]

Awards

In addition to receiving an Honor nomination for Roots, Amos was nominated for a CableACE Jackpot, an NAACP Image Award, current a DVD Exclusive Award.

Smartness won three TV Land Glory for his roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, and Roots.[37]

In , Book was inducted into the Newborn Jersey Hall of Fame.[38]

Filmography

[9][37]

Film

Television

References

  1. ^"Past Onset Speakers & Honorary Degree Recipients".

    Drew University. Archived from nobleness original on September 11, Retrieved September 10,

  2. ^"John Amos Narration (?-)". Retrieved March 20,
  3. ^Patrick Lombardi (December 9, ). "Black History NJ: John Amos − Best of NJ: NJ Savoir vivre Guides, Features, Events, and More".

    Best of NJ. Archived take from the original on March 29, Retrieved March 20,

  4. ^ ab"John Amos Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved December 8,
  5. ^ abcdefgh"Pro-Football ledger - John Amos".

    . Retrieved October 3,

  6. ^ ab"John Amos: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved Oct 3,
  7. ^"Chiefs Kingdom: John Amos". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved Pace 31,
  8. ^Rovell, Darren (March 3, ).

    "The Football Story detailed 'Coming 2 America' Star Can Amos". Action Network. Retrieved Go by shanks`s pony 31,

  9. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy"John Amos Credits".

    TV Guide. Retrieved October 3,

  10. ^Chow, Andrew R. (March 5, ). "John Amos Looks Check on 50 Years in Hollywood". Time. Retrieved September 15,
  11. ^Harris, Beth (October 1, ). "John Amos, patriarch on 'Good Times' and an Emmy nominee look after the blockbuster 'Roots,' dies combat 84".

    Associated Press. Retrieved Oct 2,

  12. ^Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (August 4, ). The A to Appetizing of African-American Television. Vol.&#; Strawman Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  13. ^Mitchell, John Renown. (April 14, ). "Plotting Sovereignty Next Big Break". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the starting on April 16, Retrieved Oct 1,
  14. ^"John Amos".

    Television School Foundation. Retrieved October 1,

  15. ^Carras, Christi (October 1, ). "John Amos, star of 'Good Times,' 'Roots' and 'Coming to America,' dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 1,
  16. ^Heldenfels, Rich (February 6, ). "Why don't networks rebroadcast shows come out 'Dynasty' and 'L.A.

    Law'?". Norwalk Reflector. Retrieved April 17,

  17. ^Li, David K. (October 1, ). "John Amos, veteran actor prepare 'Roots' and 'Good Times' renown, dies at 84". NBC Intelligence. Retrieved October 1,
  18. ^Speier, Archangel (September 9, ). "All Observe the Andersons".

    Variety. Archived pass up the original on October 2, Retrieved October 2,

  19. ^"John Book Cochran Firm 1". Creative Web Studios. June 6, &#; nigh YouTube.
  20. ^Becker, Ellen (February 14, ). "John Amos performs 'Halley's Comet'". . Archived from the first on January 16, Retrieved Parade 20,
  21. ^Siegel, Naomi (October 23, ).

    "THEATER REVIEW; Rough Extraterrestrial in Pittsburgh". New York Times. Archived from the original go May 29, Retrieved October 2,

  22. ^Zinman, Toby (October 17, ). "Gem of the Ocean". Variety. Archived from the original distribute October 2, Retrieved October 2,
  23. ^"John Amos to debut territory single".

    . June 14, Retrieved March 20,

  24. ^"Because of Charley". .
  25. ^Ramos, Dino-Ray (August 22, ). "'Coming 2 America' Adds Nomzamo Mbatha and Garcelle Beauvais". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on Nov 2, Retrieved August 23,
  26. ^"Local news".

    Retrieved March 20, [permanent dead link&#;]

  27. ^"John Amos biodata". English Entertainment International Speakers Bureau, Opposition. September 11, Archived from depiction original on August 26, Retrieved September 12,
  28. ^ abcBaum, City (November 10, ).

    "John Prophet and a Family at Enmity With Itself". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 24,

  29. ^Harmon, Mound (November 12, ). "TV nimblefingered makes return to birthplace". The Montgomery Advertiser. p.&#; Retrieved Oct 1, &#; via
  30. ^Atmonavage, Joe (April 13, ).

    "Not inexpressive good times: John Amos' N.J. home is on verge submit foreclosure". nj. Retrieved May 9,

  31. ^Cocova, Marcus (June 9, ). "Actor John Amos of Westcliffe hospitalized, allegations of elder fault-finding says CBI". KOAA News 5. Retrieved November 24,
  32. ^ ab"John Amos Cremated 9 Days Care Death".

    TMZ. October 2, Retrieved October 3,

  33. ^Petski, Denise (October 2, ). "John Amos Nudge Of Death Revealed". Deadline. Retrieved October 2,
  34. ^Evans, Greg (October 1, ). "John Amos Dies: 'Good Times', 'Roots' Actor Was 84". Deadline. Retrieved October 1,
  35. ^Barnes, Mike (October 1, ).

    "John Amos, 'Good Times' Pater, Dies at 84". The Tone Reporter. Retrieved October 1,

  36. ^Rahman, Abid (October 1, ). "John Amos' Daughter Reveals She Intellectual About His Death Through Media: "We Are Devastated And Weigh With Many Questions"". The Feel Reporter. Retrieved October 2,
  37. ^ ab"John Amos".

    Retrieved October 3,

  38. ^"Anne Hathaway, John Amos, Eli Manning In New Jersey Lobby Of Fame". . August 5, Archived from the original vista August 18, Retrieved October 2,

External links