Beloved actor John Amos has died. In a statement posted Tuesday (October 1), his family revealed he passed away from natural causes on August 21. He was 84.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” his son K.C. Amos said in a statement. “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.”
Amos was best known for his roles in Coming to America, Good Times and Roots. He played Cleo McDowell in Coming to America and its sequel. He starred as James Evans Jr. in Good Times and the adult version of Kunta Kinte in Roots. Amos scored an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Kunta Kinte.
“I knew that it was a life-changing role for me, as an actor and just from a humanistic standpoint,” he told TIME magazine. “It was the culmination of all of the misconceptions and stereotypical roles that I had lived and seen being offered to me. It was like a reward for having suffered those indignities.”
Amos’ other notable roles included Admiral Percy Fitzwallace on The West Wing and Major Grant in Die Hard 2. He was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2019.