Saying Good By To The Iconic John Amos

by Richard Lallite

Saying Good By To The Iconic John Amos

There are very few African American Actors who have been as artistically present and central to collective moments of cultural importance in our community as John Amos.

There are very few African American Actors who have been as artistically present and central to collective moments of cultural importance in our community as John Amos.

There are very few African American actors who have been as artistically present and central to collective moments of cultural importance in our community as John Amos. Whether as the first African American father figure on national television, as one of the actors who embodied Alex Haley’s ancestor Kunte Kinte in one of the most consequential television miniseries of all time, or as the proud father of the future Queen of Zamunda. John Amos will always be remembered as an artist of integrity. He leaves a legacy of profound, socially significant acting. 

Background and Childhood

Newark, New Jersey, is the site of John Amos’s birth on December 27, 1939. Amos was a child growing up in the United States at a period of intense racial tension and civil rights battles in East Orange, New Jersey. John Amos Sr. was a mechanic, and Annabelle P. Amos was a housekeeper; they were married. The racial injustices of his parents’ generation impacted him, but so did the pride and resolve they inculcated in him during his formative years.

Driven and athletic, Amos was a standout football player at East Orange High School. After completing his undergraduate degree in sociology at California’s Long Beach City College, he transferred to Colorado State University and kept playing football. Amos had an ambition of playing professional football, but injuries and disappointments destroyed his dream after a brief spell in the AFL with teams like the Norfolk Neptunes, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Denver Broncos. Amos shifted his focus to the performing and literary arts after having his football career cut short.

Beginnings in the Fields of Comedy and Theater

In the early 1960s, Amos dabbled with stand-up comedy, which was his way into the entertainment industry. He began playing in nightclubs around the nation, where he honed his comic timing and found his voice. Amos soon came to the realization that acting may provide him more chances to be creative. In 1970, he landed his breakout role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”.

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” featured Amos as Gordy Howard, a weatherman at WJM-TV, where Mary Richards, the title character, worked. The part was small, but Amos brought a subtle but noticeable contrast to the occasionally tumultuous journalistic dynamics as the level-headed, collected Gordy. The lasting impression Amos left on the show paved the way for more substantial parts in the future.

Success with Good Times

Taking up the role of James Evans Sr. in the popular sitcom “Good Times” in 1974 was the turning point in Amos’ career. An African-American family’s hardships in a Chicago housing project were the center of the show, which was a spin-off of the “Maude” comedy. Amos portrayed James Evans, the patriarch of the family and a strict but loving father who, with Esther Rolle’s Florida, struggled to provide a good life for their three children despite the family’s financial struggles.

Because it showed an African American family coping with challenges like poverty, crime, and institutional racism, “Good Times” was revolutionary. Particularly noteworthy was Amos’ portrayal of James Evans, a powerful Black father figure—a rarity on television during that era. Many people, especially African Americans, found inspiration in the Evans family’s story and the show’s portrayal of their hardships.

Nevertheless, Amos too started to find “Good Times” frustrating. As the series progressed, Jimmie Walker’s character, J.J. Evans, and his signature line, “Dy-no-mite!” became increasingly prominent. Amos and the show’s producers had creative disagreements as the focus shifted from the serious social concerns it originally tackled to a more broad comedy. Instead of being true to the family’s real-life hardships, Amos thought the show was heading in the wrong direction by focusing on stereotypes. “Good Times” lost Amos after its third season in 1976. Many viewers were horrified and disappointed when his character, James Evans, was killed off in a car crash, effectively ending the show.

“Roots” Makes Him Unforgettable

Playing the character of Kunta Kinte, the elder, in the seminal miniseries “Roots” in 1977 was John Amos’s next big break. The multi-generational tale of an African American family’s fight for freedom, as depicted in “Roots, a mini-series adapted from Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, begins with the kidnapping of Kunta Kinte, a young man from Africa who was sold into slavery and brought to America. After LeVar Burton played Kunta Kinte as a young man, Amos took over the role in his later years.

“Roots” broke new ground in popular culture. With an initial audience of more than 130 million, it quickly became one of the most-watched television events in the United States. The miniseries significantly influenced how the general population in the United States perceived slavery and the history of African Americans. The humanity and nuance of Amos’s Kunta Kinte were much lauded. One of Amos’s most famous and seminal performances was in this role.

Amos maintained a steady workload in television and cinema after “Roots” ended in the 1980s and 1990s. He demonstrated his flexibility as an actor by appearing in a range of roles. Among his films from this era is “Coming to America” (1988), in which he portrayed Cleo McDowell, a doting father and fast food business owner. With Amos’s performance serving as a comical and endearing contrast to Eddie Murphy’s characters’ shenanigans.

“The West Wing” (in which he played recurring roles as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Percy Fitzwallace) and “Men in Trees” were among Amos’ many television appearances. By appearing on television, he was able to keep a steady presence in the entertainment industry, frequently portraying characters who were strong, wise, and honest.

Post-Career and Private Life

As his career drew to a close, John Amos kept appearing in films and TV shows. Television series like “The Cosby Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and “Two and a Half Men” included his guest appearances. His acting chops were so versatile that he could play both tragic and humorous parts with ease.

Amos was very much involved with the theater scene. He wrote and produced the one-man play “Halley’s Comet” in 2012 and performed it. The 76-year-old protagonist of the play has seen some of the most dramatic and formative events in contemporary history, and his perspective on life, aging, and the human condition was reflected in the play. This critically acclaimed musical highlighted Amos’s acting and writing abilities and played to sold-out crowds across the nation.

When he wasn’t acting, Amos was an active member of his neighborhood. Among his many charitable endeavors, he focused on youth empowerment and the promotion of media diversity and inclusion. Amos frequently emphasized the significance of young African Americans choosing professions in the arts, sciences, and education due to his deep interest in the field.

Throughout the years, Amos stayed dedicated to his profession and used his position to have a positive influence, even though the entertainment industry has faced problems and changed.

Importance and Legacy

The career of John Amos exemplified tenacity, skill, and the impact of advocacy. From his breakthrough role as James Evans on “Good Times” to his iconic portrayal of Kunta Kinte in “Roots,” Amos always opted for parts that disprove stereotypes and provided a more complex, honorable depiction of Black American characters. Not only did he amass millions of fans, but his work also ignited vital discussions around American identity, family, and race.

It is impossible to exaggerate Amos’s influence on cinema and television. Future generations of African American artists will look up to him because he was one of the few Black actors to break into mainstream television in the 1970s and 1980s. He will be remembered in American society for his unwavering commitment to his work, his neighborhood, and his loved ones. John Amos’s sincerity, charisma, and astonishing talent have always won over audiences, whether he’s performing on stage or in a film.

HarlemAmerica salutes John Amos.

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