John Amos earned his place in the annals of Hollywood as a versatile actor. After making his professional acting debut in 1970, he remained active for 53 years, taking his final bow in 2023. Before he died in August 2024, Amos appeared in 121 movies and TV shows, making the most of his tough appearance and strong nature in his portrayal of characters. He will be remembered for his exceptional acting exploits in projects such as Good Times (1974-1979), Roots (1977), Coming to America (1988), Lock Up (1989), Die Hard 2 (1990), and Comin 2 America (2021). The latter is a sequel to the 1988 classic Coming to America.
His illustrious career also extended to the stage in his early years in the industry. John Amos performed on Broadway and off-Broadway shows and even established his own theater company through which he produced the comedy Norman, Is That You? on tour. In 2020, the veteran actor was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Arts and Entertainment category. Below are interesting facts about the Good Times actor you probably didn’t know.
1. John Amos Was Axed From Good Times Because of a Clash of Interest
Playing James Evans Sr. on the CBS sitcom Good Times defined John Amos’ career in many ways during his formative years. He briefly played the role in another CBS sitcom Maude before appearing in 61 episodes of Good Times. However, disagreements with the show’s producers marred his stint on the American sitcom. Amos openly criticized the show’s depiction of the African-American experience, describing it as insulting. This culminated in his dismissal by executive producer Norman Lear. Subsequently, his character was killed off in a car accident in 1976 at the end of season 3.
2. John Amos Had Two Children with His First Wife
The award-winning actor was a father of two children. John Amos became a father for the first time when his daughter Shannon was born in 1966 by his first wife Noel Mickelson. The former couple welcomed their second child Kelly Christopher K.C. Amos in 1970. John Amos’ daughter Shannon is a writer-producer who founded Afterglow Multimedia, LLC. His son K.C. is also making a name in the entertainment industry as a filmmaker with a Grammy nomination to his name.
3. He Was Married Twice
John Amos married two women in his lifetime. His first marriage was to artist Noel “Noni” Mickelson in 1965 but the union ended in a divorce in 1975. Amos later married actress Lillian Lehman in 1978 and it lasted for a year before parting ways. Full details about the short-lived marriage were kept private. John Amos was said to have married a third time to Elisabete de Sousa in 1982 and divorced in 2005. However, there is no credible evidence to back it up.
4. John Amos Died of Congestive Heart Failure
Though his death was officially announced on October 1, 2024, John Amos died on August 21, 2024. The Emmy-nominated actor died of congestive heart failure at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, California, and was cremated nine days later. Amos was 84 at the time of his death. Due to a family feud, his daughter only learned of his death from the media.
5. He Played Professional Football Before Acting
While he became popular as an actor, John Amos was an athlete before focusing on acting. He played college football at Colorado State University. Amos joined AFL’s Denver Broncos as a free agent in 1964 but lost the contract due to a pulled hamstring. He also played for other clubs in different leagues, including Canton Bulldogs (UFL), Joliet Chargers (UFL), Norfolk Neptunes (COFL), Wheeling Ironmen COFL, Waterbury Orbits (ACFL), and Kansas City Chiefs (AFL). Additionally, Amos was a Golden Gloves boxing champion during his athletic days.
6. John Amos Often Played Characters Older Than Him By a Wide Margin
In some of his most popular roles in the 1970s, John Amos played characters much older than him in real life. Amos was only eight years older than Jimmie ‘JJ’ Walker who portrayed his oldest son on Good Times. The show cast him as the Evans family’s father – a middle-aged father of three when in real life he was 34. Again, Amos was 19 years younger than Esther Rolle who portrayed his onscreen wife on the CBS series. He also played Leslie Uggams‘s father in Roots (1977) when he was only three years older than her in real life. Check out details about the controversies around the animated Good Times reboot.
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