John Amos - “Good Times” & “Coming to America” Actor - Dead At 84

Courtesy of Prime Video.

Some sad news today. John Amos - best known for his work on Good Times, Coming to America, and Roots - has passed away at the age of 84. While Amos died on August 21st, it wasn’t announced until today. We were very fortunate enough to get to interview Mr. Amos back in 2021.

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Amos initially had his sights set on a career in sports. He played for his college’s football team and briefly played for the American Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent in 1967. However, before long, he found his way onto our TVs instead as an actor.

As an actor, he was featured in shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show - his first big break - Love American Style, Sanford and Son, and Maude. But it was Good Times in 1974 that made him a household name. However, creative differences about the direction the show was going in led to him getting killed off in 1976. That same year, however, he starred in the highly acclaimed show Roots, which got him an Emmy Award nomination.

In film, he’s perhaps best known for his role in Coming to America opposite Eddie Murphy, which he reprised in the 2021 sequel. His role as Cleo McDowell helped introduce him to a brand-new generation, and cemented his legacy in the world of film.

Other shows and films he appeared on included Uncut Gems, Die Hard 2, The Love Boat, The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, King of the Hill, The West Wing, Men in Trees, Two and a Half Men, 30 Rock, The Righteous Gemstones, and countless others.